The Legend of Bernulf, Missionary to the Blind
Written for the "Death of a Legend" Challenge
Summary
Bernulf of King's Port was originally not a pious man but one day, in the rural setting of western Skìrah found faith in the Order of Saint Vortarius and the worship of the One True God. In an effort to become a missionary for his new faith, Bernulf demanded an audience with the Blind. The Blind, as Bernulf decreed, was the high-ranking nobles and officials of the Great Western Empire, including the Emperor himself, whom all still worshipped the "pagan" Pantheons of the Survivor Gods.
So Bernulf walked east. Barefoot over most of the way, stopping at places of rest only when necessary. By the time Bernulf reached the main area of the GWE, Dagorland, he had amassed a crowd of worshippers and preachers that walked with him, supporting him on this holy cause and truly uniting the peoples under the Empire. During this time, Bernulf is said to have been noble and humble in his own right, never asking anything of anyone or taking any support for granted. He only wished one thing on his holy mission.
However soon he was stopped, opposed by Clerics and a High Priest of the local Temple to the Diamen Pantheon which the Emperor believed in. As Bernulf attempts to make peace with the High Priest, one of the Clerics is said to murder Bernulf as he spoke which sets his followers into zealous rage. United together, the mob pass through the blockade and storm the gates of the Capitol, managing to get his journal of worship and travel to the Emperor's hands. After reading the journal, the Emperor is said to have immediately converted to the worship of the One True God, something his Courts have been hiding for decades, and that the Great Imperial Road that unites and benefits the entire GWE was built in honour of the Missionary Bernulf.
Historical Basis
In truth, Bernulf of King's Port was in fact a real person who did walk from the western edges of the GWE to the Emperor's Court. However, he was not a missionary sent by God or a Saint, he was purely a common peasant hunter that made his trade throughout Skìrah. Over time, he realised how troublesome it was to travel throughout the region where every road wound in a different direction but ended up in the same place. Valuable time was being wasted by having to find your way to main trading hubs which many did not even reach due to bandits or predators, and it wasn't just his own trade of hunting, the entire class of merchants found the same issues. Beyond that, roads being highly regionalised across the continent meant business peoples were restricted in their entrepreneurial efforts to single areas.
So out of frustration Bernulf set off to the Capitol, stopping at taverns along the way, giving historical accuracy to some of the artefacts of the modern day. There is also record of the journal Bernulf supposedly kept to document his route. His death truly differs from the myth as well. While the myth is told how he is a martyr, Bernulf was just killed as any other traveller is by roaming scavengers, freefolk, bandits or any other peoples brave or foolish enough to live in the wild. Luckily though, his body was in the way of a noble's carriage on his way to the Capitol to advocate for a Empire-wide road to the Grand Council and the Great Imperial Road was finally built along the route Bernulf documented.
Spread
The myth was spread after the Great Imperial Road was actually built, as during the time of Bernulf travelling across the GWE, the Order of Saint Vortarius was just a minor cult in port cities along the Mordwynn region. As the Order's faith spread across the Empire because of the road, the Archbishop of the time decreed that the myth would be spread in the future because of it's importance to the Order's existence. During the Great Schism between the Order of Saint Vortarius and the Churches of the Survivor Gods, the Order relied heavily on the spread of the myth to gain cultural support from across all the peoples within the GWE. Something which the Churches envied as their religion was split into three distinct Pantheons. The Order also played heavily on the myth depicting a Cleric or High Priest of the Diamen Pantheon slaying Bernulf and the mob to turn the common peoples under the Order's influence against their Temples.
Cultural Reception
The Day of Saint Bernulf's Martyrdom is still celebrated in areas of the GWE where the Order is most prevalent. After the Order became the true religion when they won the Great Schism, the celebration of remembrance became an official religious holiday. People are encourages to don blindfolds and hold lit candles when they meet in their town squares. There, monks or priests of the local Church or Cathedral will walk barefoot up and down the main road, guiding the blinded faithful, where they will be led to said local Church or Cathedral for prayer and thankfulness. Only after the remembrance ceremony will the people remove their blindfolds, enlightened.
In Art
Throughout Order Cathedrals that lie on the Great Imperial Road will often depict Bernulf, or Saint Bernulf, in tapestries, shrines or statues as he walked across the continent in his bare feet, preaching the word of the One True God.
The most famous artistic depiction of Bernulf and his journey is in the Great Cathedral found in the GWE's Capitol, where Bernulf is shown as a Saint holding his journal and a vial of the Order's Communion Blood. It depicts the scene where Bernulf attempts to preach and make peace with the Clerics opposing him before they murder him and his followers. The Clerics are all shown to be wearing blindfolds.
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