Epic of Hadral

The Epic of Hadral is currently in progress, and therefore updates to this page will be limited to what is currently known or that which does not reveal upcoming plot.

The Epic of Hadral is an epic poem and the second story arc in the Fatebound webcomic. It has been the source of great controversy ever since its appearance in 1 Reformed, and response to it was held responsible for the first and second Schism Wars. It is considered sacred text by Reformed Phaelism and held in high regard among other northern branches of Phaelism, but is rejected and has been repeatedly outlawed throughout the world of Orthodox Phaelism.

History
In 17 Reformed, roughly two dozen copies of the poem appeared across the nations bordering the Hasberan Sea. There was no indication of a set authorship at the time, but current researchers suggest it was written by the Enrelishan poet, Kieral, due to similarities in style and timing. If the story has any truth to it, however, it is unclear where he would have received it or how he would have distributed it.

Enrelishan records from the period claim that the story was transcribed by multiple poets from a series of murals discovered on the hill Axanedar along with the statue of Hadral on the site that would later house the temple of Elyse. Outside of Reformed Phaelism and Neophaelism, however, this explanation is generally considered little more than a folk tale.

Either way, the story was immediately accepted as true by the people of Enrelisha, who established Reformed Phaelism based on it. Because of the great turmoil that has sprung from their reverence for the story, Enrelisha tend to view Hadral as something akin to a folk hero or icon for themselves, and depictions of his statue have been used the world over as a symbol of the nation (or, in some cases, as a living representation of the nation).

The Lost Verse
It is estimated that a third of the original copies (all of which are now lost) contained an additional verse that immediately followed the prologue. This verse gave greater information on Hadral's time in the forest with his mother, and described her as leaving him once he was old enough so she could return to their village. Some later versions which had access to these originals include this part of the story, but it is not considered canon by Reformed Phaelists at large. Whether it was intended to be included or not is a matter of significant dispute.

Due in part to fascination with Hadral and a lack of information on his family, this lost verse spawned a host of other works which have established both of his parents as legendary figures in their own right. Hadral's mother, while never named in the text itself, was referred to as Muriel in early legends and this name has stuck. His father, however, is never mentioned in the story at all, and there are stories associating him with various gods, heroes, and fictional characters all over the world.