Staff of the Sun
In Kalriv legend and the faith of Solarity, the Staff of the Sun is a legendary object dating back to the founding of the city of Var Kalriv by the great hunter Kalros and Mirkos, the legendary prophet of the sun god Venderus. It was believed that the staff was wielded by Mirkos when he accompanied Kalros through the Venderan Desert in search of a home for the Kalriv tribe.
Summary
The Staff is said to have spiritual properties tied to the miracles Mirkos is alleged to have performed. It is said that it was given to Mirkos by Venderus itself, descending from the heavens directly into his hand.
During the Kalriv search for a place to settle in the Venderan Desert, Mirkos was said to have used the Staff to perform a number of miracles. One such example involved the Kalriv running out of water and being close to dying of thirst. In frustration Mirkos struck the hard rock of the Venderan Desert and a giant plume of water burst from under the earth.
Another popular belief is that the Staff could be used to restore life to the dying. It is said that Saramir, the younger brother of Kalros, was dying from an illness. Mirkos was said to have touched the Staff to Saramir's forehead, restoring life to him and banishing his illness.
It is also believed that possession of the Staff can inspire the hearts and minds of Kalriv to great bravery and determination. When the Kalriv tribe came under attack from raiders in the Venderan Desert, Mirkos was said to oversee battles from a high place with the Staff held high, which granted the Kalriv warriors near bottomless courage and resolve, turning away enemies ten times their number and winning battles with the odds well and truly stacked against them.
Finally, it is believed that the Staff guided the Kalriv to the great mesa where Var Kalriv would be built. It is written that the Staff worked as a kind of magnetic force, leading Mirkos and the rest of the Kalriv to the city. The myth goes that when Mirkos and Kalros arrived on the mesa, the Staff flew from Mirkos' hands, ascending back up to the heavens from whence it came, and a great ray of sunlight shone down on the mesa, as if welcoming the Kalriv home.
No further mention of the Staff after the founding of Var Kalriv exists in any Kalriv legend. However some schools of thought believe that the Staff will return one day into the hands of a prophet who will led the Kalriv to their next great moment of glory.
Historical Basis
While the Staff has been entered in the Kalriv historical records, there is little to no reliable evidence of its existence. While divine magic is a phenomenon observed in Annyrion, the existence of a powerful object allowing anybody to carry out miracles at will has never been supported by non-Kalriv sources.
The general consensus outside of the Kalriv Empire appears to be that the Staff never existed, and that the miracles Mirkos carried out either never happened, or were exaggerations that could be attributed to spiritual magic or divine intervention.
Spread
The myth of the Staff is prominent among those living in the Kalriv Empire, especially the Kalriv themselves. After the Kalriv began to expand over the Sapphire Coast, the story spread with them to the cities that they conquered. It is not well known outside of the Empire and especially not outside of believers of Solarity. Generally most Kalriv have been told some sort of tale about it, usually through religious instruction.
Variations & Mutation
Most variations tend to be of what the Staff actually looked like. The most common belief is that it was a staff of polished wood. Others believe it was a staff of copper or bronze, despite the events in question being at least 2500 years before the earliest use of bronze on Annyrion. The other major variation of the myth is what happened to the staff after it left Mirkos. Some believe it was destroyed, some believe it was reclaimed by Venderus, and others believe it was scattered somewhere on Annyrion to await the next great prophet of the sun god.
Cultural Reception
The Staff is especially important to the Solar priesthood, as Mirkos was the first of their number and set the example for them to follow. To them, the story is evidence that through Venderus' blessing, all things are possible, and lends credence to the concept of the Kalriv being the chosen people of Venderus. Many Solars have sought to try to discover what became of the Staff, hoping to recover it and store it in the Venderan Ziggurat, or alternatively seek it in the hope finding it could allow them to become the next great prophet of Venderus.
In Literature
The story of the Staff is featured prominently in the Solar Canon, the primary religious text in the Kalriv Empire.
In Art
The staff features prominently in Kalriv art; many tablet carvings feature Mirkos using it. In addition, statues of Mirkos always feature him holding it.
Date of First Recording
~2200 DoM
Date of Setting
5300 DoM
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