Benac
Benac, the legendary figure from whom the Benacian continent derives its name, stands at the heart of myth and history alike. Revered by both Benacian and Shirerithian storytellers, his legend speaks of a time before the rise of great empires, when the land was wild, untamed, and teeming with monstrous beasts and inhuman creatures.
The Myth of the Red Hand
The most enduring legend of Benac tells of his arrival on the shores of the continent, his hands stained red with the blood of the sea creatures he had slain (some even say he succeeded in cutting of one of Sakat's tentacles, when the latter attempted to keep Benacia free from human expansion). It is said that as he ventured inland, he encountered savage beasts and terrifying non-human entities, some say the forefathers of the Elws, others claim even more ancient horrors, forgotten by time. With his blade and bare hands, he carved a path through the wilderness, making the land fit for human habitation.
This meritorious slaughter, as later Cedrist scholars would call it, became the foundation of Benacia's human civilization. The Red Hand, a non-hereditary civil and military order established to recognise individuals who had served the interests of the Benacian Union, still represents both his righteous fury and the necessity of struggle for survival. Even in the modern era, the motif of the blood-stained hand echoes in the military banners and regalia of some Benacia's great houses, a reminder of the continent's violent genesis.
Benac in Cedrist Mythology
Cedrist myths, which form a cornerstone of Shirerithian cultural identity, also include Benac within their cosmology. Some identify him as a champion of Mors, the god of death and war, sent to cleanse the land in preparation for human settlement. One Cedrist tale speaks of how Benac, seeing the continent's riches and fertile lands, made a pact with the gods: he would claim Benacia in their name, but only if he proved his worth. Given only a single night to subdue the monstrous inhabitants, he waged a battle so fierce that his hands remained forever crimson, a mark of divine favor and the burden of his great task.
Benacian Origins and Apollonian Migration
The legend of Benac coincides with widely held beliefs that human life originated in Apollonia before spreading across the seas. The migration of early human settlers, moving through Istvanistan and the Sathrati Isles, eventually led to their arrival on Benacia's shores. There, they found an untamed land, sparsely populated with remnants of Elw enclaves and tribes, who were either assimilated or driven northward to what would later be known as Elwynn.
Benac's story, in this light, takes on an even greater historical and symbolic weight: he is not merely the founder of a single settlement, but the embodiment of human dominion over the land. His actions paved the way for future migrations, ensuring that humanity would claim Benacia as its own.
Interestingly, Batavian traditions also contain echoes of Benac's legend. Among the early tales of eastern Benacia's settlement, there are references to a great leader who arrived with a band of warriors, clearing the land of its unnatural inhabitants. These stories suggest that the arrival of Benac was followed by waves of other human settlers, each contributing to the shaping of the continent's nascent civilizations. While the Batavians do not always name him directly as "Benac," their myths tell of a "Red-Handed King" who led his people into a new land, slaying beasts and spirits alike. This parallel further cements the idea that the legend of Benac is a shared cultural memory, passed down and adapted by various peoples who later came to call Benacia their home.
Legacy of Benac
Today, Benac remains a figure of both myth and political symbolism. His name is invoked by rulers seeking legitimacy, by warriors looking for strength in battle, and by scholars tracing the lineage of Benacia's first peoples. Whether he was a single man, a composite of multiple chieftains, or a purely mythological figure, his legend remains a defining cornerstone of, sometimes overlooked, Benacian identity who was used extensively in Benacian propaganda.
