Religion in bretonnia

Bretonnian religion is unlike anything else in the Old World. In ancient times there was little to separate it from the rest but through the passing years a new dominant belief has flourished; the Lady of the Lake and the Grail. In the legend of Gilles le Breton, it is said that this first Knight of Bretonnia beheld the Lady and was blessed by her, ensuring that he could then defeat the Orcs that rampaged through Bretonnia at this time with his army. Since then the religion has gone from strength to strength branching off into many facets of belief.

In many ways the cult of the Lady is similar to that of Sigmar in the Empire. However, since written history before the time of Gilles le Breton is almost absent it is not known whether the Lady was a mortal like Sigmar. Such claims that she could have been mortal is construed as blasphemy and punishable by death.

The Lady of the Lake

The Lady of the Lake is an awesome figure of Bretonnian myth and legend. All Bretonnians, whether Knights or commoners, respect and honour the Lady of the Lake. To the Knights, she is the goddess of honour and virtue who always favours the brave and shuns the dishonourable. For the common peasants she is an angel who protects them, an unearthly spirit who breathes life into their fields, orchards and vineyards.

Worship of this goddess dates back to ancient times, as far back as the stone age ancestors of the Bretonnians. On the fringes of Bretonnian territory, in the Grey Mountains and in the towns and cities, other gods such as those of the Empire gained a small foothold, but in the vast heartland of the Bretonnian countryside the Lady of the Lake still reigns supreme.

It is only in the verdant depths of the Bretonnian countryside that the Lady of the Lake manifests herself. She appears in those places where the earth energy wells forth to the surface and overflows. This magical energy is visible in the form of a swirling white mist or vapour. Thus the Lady appears to rise up from the depths of lakes and pools, springs of sweet water, among groves of trees and within the ancient stone circles erected by the ancestors of the Bretonnians.

Few are privileged to see the Lady appear, and those who have seen her are regarded as especially favoured. Only those whose devotion, courage and extreme virtue have moved the Lady will be honoured enough to enter her presence.

The places where the Lady appears are always remote and isolated spots, usually deep in the forest or beside mountain pools. Only those who are prepared to face great perils are ever likely to find them. It is widely believed that anyone seeking the Lady can only find her if she leads him to her by means of dreams and visions.

To those who have seen her, the Lady of the Lake appears as a woman of exceptional beauty. She rises majestically from the lake or wafts into the wooded glade on the swirling mist. She is radiant like the moon and speaks by gestures rather than words. In her hands she carries a shining chalice brimming over with liquid light - the grail. Those most favoured by the Lady will be approached by her and she will hold the grail to their lips. They can then sip the enchanted energy from the grail with miraculous results.

The Lady of the Lake has been sought for and found many times in Bretonnian history. Each encounter passes into the legend enriching it further. Over countless centuries the lore of the Lady of the Lake and her sacred grail have become the dominant religion of Bretonnia. Chapels to the grail are found in every village and the symbolism of the Lady and the grail is to be seen everywhere.

The Lady of the Lake and the grail are a fundamental to the Bretonnian code of chivalry. Although the code of chivalry and the rules of honour grew out of the Bretonnian traditions of knighthood and warrior virtues, these are entwined with the legends of the Lady of the Lake. It is she who rewards honour and virtue. To seek honour is a devotion to her which will ultimately win her favour. A Knight who dies having served and honoured the Lady all the days of his life is believed to become one of her avenging angels, continuing to serve her through all eternity.

The highest pinnacle of chivalry in Bretonnia is to become favoured by the Lady of the Lake. A Knight who is prepared to go on a perilous quest to seek for the Lady may ultimately find her and sip from her grail becoming almost invincible. Such Knights defend honour and virtue among mankind and protect the blessed land of Bretonnia in which the Lady dwells. They will not permit evil to profane her sacred places or offend her presence!