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"And Myrmidia was cast down and gravely wounded: yea, just as She had cast down many before Her; and She came upon a quiet place in the mountains, and She did rest in the arms of Her sister, who did weep tears of frustration and love; And, lo, was that place holy ever after, blessed with the Blood of Myrmidia and the Tears of Shallya."

—Bellona Myrmidia, Becomings[1d]
Myrmidia

The icon of Myrmidia and her cult

The Bellona Myrmidia is a collection of holy books regarding the life of Myrmidia, a once-mortal woman later known as the goddess of war, strategy, civilisation, beauty, and honour in the Old World.[2a]

Along with the Bellum Strategia and The Book of War, the Bellona Myrmidia is one of the most popular holy books of the Cult of Myrmidia.[2a]

The foundation of Myrmidia's cult, on the other hand, has parallels with both that of Sigmar and those of the other gods, being a confusing mix of historical fact and legendary origins. To add to the confusion, each of the main holy texts of the Myrmidian cult, The Book of War, Bellona Myrmidia and Bellum Strategia all give different accounts of her origins and place varying emphasis on the importance of her story.[2a]

Estalians decry the Reman account described in the Bellona Myrmidia as mere fable. Was not Myrmidia born of the union of the gods Morr and Verena, daughter of death and justice? They attest to the primacy of the priests of the Archecclesiastium and teach that their authority is warranted by Bellum Strategia. These partisans assert that it was in Magritta that Myrmidia first stepped from the heavens, alighting on the same rock upon which the Archecclesiastium is built. In the bowels of the temple an imprint of her footprint can be seen on that sacred rock.[2a]

Myrmidia's Scourges ride atop palanquins carried by their zealous followers. They go bare-chested into battle and slash their own bodies with knives while reciting verses from the Bellona Myrmidia.[3a]

The Eagle of the North, Lorenzo di Marco, the most powerful Myrmidian north of The Vaults, is frustrated in his efforts to promote Myrmidian influence in the Empire as a result of the divisions in the cult. The Order of the Eagle swears fealty to a High Eagle from Tilea and abide by the precepts of the cult laid down by the Bellona Myrmidia. However, the templars receive their orders from Magritta and abide by the precepts listed in the Bellum Strategia. Lorenzo's superiors therefore expect him to impose their values on the Knights of the Blazing Sun, which he knows they will resist.[2c]

The War Goddess Myrmidia[]

"‘And Tylos came to be recognised chief of the wandering Kavzar and sought to found a city for his folk. And he made covenant with Myrmidia to erect its walls, and so it was deftly done. Yet Tylos was unsatisfied, for the cities of the Elvenkind were greater, and so he bid his tribe to raise a white tower to the heavens. But Myrmidia scorned his pride and abandoned the city, and it fell to rapacious vermin, and therein foetid ground now lies, neglected and abused. And Elf and Dwarf fought, and the Elves departed, sailing their shining ships to the West, and the Dwarfs’ Everlasting Realm was brought low through the wickedness of Goblins, and Mankind filled the void and they did prosper and spread their seed. And Myrmidia took pity on the scattered tribe of Tylos, and walked among them as a mortal woman, and took up her Spear of Righteousness and Shield of Honour and slew the enemies of Men in their thousands. War was won with fire-forged metal, and the tribes of Tilea and Estalia raised her as their Queen. Yet fresh was the crown on her brow when a dart daubed in poison laid her low, and with her dying breath she bade them build a Great Ship, and she drifted seawards to the West, following the undying sun. And so she was raised once more to the halls of the divine, to rule the southern lands from a Heavenly Throne…’"

—Extract from the Bellona Myrmidia (Reman edition), sacred book of the followers of the Goddess of War, translated by Professor Heinrich Grüberhaus of the University of Altdorf[2a]

Bellona Myrmidia (The War Goddess Myrmidia) begins with the tale of the tragically flawed Tyleus, the legendary father of the Tilean peoples. Tyleus made a covenant with a raven-haired goddess of Civilisation, Beauty, and Honour, and with her help built a great city for his tribe, the city of Tylos.[1a][2a] According to the text, this goddess was an incarnation of Myrmidia, and that during this time she was a pacifist like her sister, Shallya.[2a] However, this city was not enough for Tyleus, for he dreamed of surpassing the slender, white structures to the south. So, he ordered his people to build a tall tower, one to humble even the Elves. Myrmidia was appalled at this pointless toil, and, after many warnings, abandoned Tylos, claiming she would return when his people knew honour again. The fate of the city is unclear, but some scholars claim it fell to the Dark Gods, its corruption spreading outwards to form what is now known as the Blighted Marshes.[1a][2a]

Tilean folklore has it that all people of the Southern Old World are descendants of those who fled the disaster that claimed the city of Tylos. Indeed, the records of both Elves and Dwarfs give credence to the notion that a mighty city once existed in the area now swathed by the Blighted Marshes. Rising waters, meteor strikes, and corruption from within are variously blamed for the destruction of Tylos. Most scholars agree that it did exist but ceased to be around -1780 IC.[2a]

Centuries passed, and the shattered remnants of the people of Tylos spread through the other, southern tribes. After a great war with the Dwarfs, the Elves abandoned the Old World, and Humanity cautiously replaced them, slowly building new civilisations around the Elder Race's ruins. For reasons still hotly debated by her modern cult, Myrmidia then returned to the descendants of Tylos; however, she came not as a God, but as a mortal. It is said Myrmidia learned hard lessons in her early years, and was driven by her experiences to abandon her pacifist ways, and take up weapons of war to fight injustice. Over the years, and many battles, she gathered great heroes to her side, and within a decade had bound all Estalia and Tilea under her rule, staving off all manner of invasions and rebellions. But, just as Myrmidia was to be crowned queen, she was shot by a poisoned dart, on the orders of Ottokar, the ruler of Magritta. As she lay dying, she ordered a great ship be built, and, it is said, sailed west upon it, there to return to her home amongst the Gods, known now, and forever after, as a Goddess of War.[1a][2a]

About the Reman Empire[]

According to legend, the twins Lucan and Luccina founded Luccini among the ruins of an ancient Elf city in 1 IC, and other Tilean cities were established in the centuries that followed. The Bellona Myrmidia has it that the first recorded site of Myrmidian worship is Remas, where they claim she was born as a mortal. Remans stubbornly insist that the goddess’ place of birth was their city, and for proof point to the sacred Omphalos on display above the high altar of the colossal Reman temple — a huge egg-shaped stone, cleft in two, crystalline within its centre. It was from this stone that legend purports the infant Myrmidia crawled, to be found and adopted by a pair of humble goat herders.[2a]

Bellona Myrmidia teaches that Myrmidia learned hard lessons in her early years, forced to live with an uncaring aunt and uncle after the death of her adoptive parents.[2a]

This heartless couple worked Myrmidia hard, and then sold her into the service of a cruel local duca. This duca was an unkind master, and after suffering many indignities Myrmidia took down a ceremonial spear from his collection and ran him through.[2a]

Driven by her experiences, Myrmidia abandoned her pacifist ways and declared herself a champion in the cause of ridding the world of injustice. Many great heroes joined her cause and forged a great southern empire, called the Reman Empire, that stretched across Tilea, Estalia, and much of what is now the Border Princes and southern Bretonnia.[2a]

According to the Bellona Myrmidia, during this time Myrmidia was entranced by an Estalian nobleman named Ottokar, and that through her affection and favour he came to rule Magritta. While she was on campaign, he revealed himself a cruel tyrant and, fearing retribution upon her return, arranged for her assassination.[2a]

Myrmidia was laid low by a poisoned dart, but Ottokar suffered for his wickedness. It was said that he was cursed by Shallya, Verena, and Morr to be stripped of his health and his wits, and never to receive the mercy of death.[2a]

Book of Transformations[]

In the ‘Book of Transformations’ from the Bellona Myrmidia, the Goddess takes the form of a sharp-eyed Golden Eagle to scout enemy positions. The Order of the Eagle thus identifies itself with this majestic bird, and commonly pictures it with wings spread high above its head.[1b]

Book of Fury[]

"And she did hear of what had happened, and she came unto Her, and she said, Because of what hath been done to thee: from this day forward I renounce my name, and I shall be called Fury."

—Bellona Myrmidia, ‘Book of Fury’[1c]
Warhammer Cultist of Myrmidia

A Myrmidian priestess emulates the deeds of Fury, her patron deity

When mortal, Myrmidia drew many heroes to her side, but none are more famous than the shieldmaiden Fury. Her tale is recorded in the Bellona Myrmidia, and is one full of horror, pain and betrayal. The events of the sad story result in a young girl renouncing her name and swearing to claim revenge for all the dark deeds of the world, a task she takes to with unparalleled passion and anger. Although it pained her, Myrmidia could not bring herself to stop the girl, for she intimately understood the source of Fury’s rage. Instead, Myrmidia did what she had to: she used the girl on the battlefield. There, Fury slayed and slayed and slayed, until eventually, once all her enemies were gone, she collapsed, weeping. Fury’s last stand was in the Abasko Mountains. There, her body was found by Myrmidia, surrounded by piles of dead Orcs and Goblins. The site is now protected by the Order of Fury’s high temple.[1c]

A page mentioning Fury from the Bellona Myrmidia is a required ingredient to cast the Blazing Sun Divine spell, The caster is surrounded by flames stunning the enemies as they stagger, half-blind and beating at their aflame accoutrements.[1g]

Book of Transgressions[]

"The Dark Maiden raised her hand, and Myrmidia said, Who are you that bars my passage to victory? And the Dark Maiden said, I am Nahmud, Princess of my people, and far from home. You bore weapons and saved me, so, I pray thee, believe my words: When I was captive of Iscarius, I listened to his schemes, and I know you to be deceived."

—Bellona Myrmidia, Book of Transgression[1e]

The Bellona Myrmidia's "Book of Transgressions" tells the tale of the Dark Maiden, a woman rescued by Myrmidia who, in thanks, warned the goddess of an ambush that lay ahead. Myrmidia sent her forces to flank the ambushers, and the resulting battle, the Massacre of the Three Gorges, proved to be the turning point in Myrmidia's campaign. The Dark Maiden then left for the mountains, there to live the life of “a stranger in a very strange land,” and vanished from Myrmidian records. The Dark Maiden receives only seven definite mentions in the Bellona Myrmidia, but this has been enough for her to have a widereaching impact upon the Myrmidian Cult. Three Knightly Orders revere her as their patron, and two monastic orders have sworn to follow her reclusive ways. One such order is the Hermitic Order of Nahmud's Peace, or the Leoricans as they are more commonly known.[1e]

Monastery of the Dark Maiden[]

In the Grand Hall of the Monastery of the Dark Maiden in the Grey Mountains of Wissenland there is a southern-style fresco depicting the scene from the Bellona Myrmidia where the goddess meets the Dark Maiden. The windows here are small, and let in little light. As a result, the frescos have retained all their original colour over the years, and are considered a wonder by many locals.[1f]

The surrounding walls of the Monastery of the Dark Maiden are decorated with stained-glass windows depicting the greatest heroes from the Bellona Myrmidia. Before each window is a 10-foot-tall statue of the hero in question, wearing only a silk-scarf about the waist and an archaic Tilean helmet upon the head. The domed ceiling is painted with a massive rendition of Myrmidia sailing west to return to the gods, a magnificent work of art that astounds almost all who view it.[1f]

Legitimacy of Bellona Myrmidia[]

To Tileans the events described in this book are seen as literal truth of Myrmidia’s life and achievements.[2a]

While Estalians believe they are a collection of folklore and fairy tales, of spiritual importance but not historical fact.[2a]

Trivia[]

The title of the Bellona Myrmidia is a reference to Bellona, an ancient Roman goddess of war.

Sources[]

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