Kernan Bernard

Kernan Bernard, registration KN-4A69I, is a Elder of the Hermetic Order Of Steel stationed in the Cap City Wasteland.
==Background==
===Early Life===
Born in the Maxson territory Bernard grew into a scribe of the Order Of The Quill preserving religious knowledge of the old world. In the year 2254 by the age of 18 he was selected to join the expedition to the East Coast with Owen Lyons. 
===Encounter With The Occult===
2273 a ranger returned from an expedition, bearing an intriguing find known as the Krivbeknih. Recognizing its potential value, he ventured to the Capital Wasteland alongside his son, Jaime Palabras, with hopes of selling the enigmatic tome to the newly established Brotherhood of Steel chapter's scribes.
The book found its way into the hands of then Head Scribe Kernan Bernard, who took on the challenge of deciphering its cryptic text. Despite his unfamiliarity with the language, Bernard gradually unraveled its secrets, only to be compelled to avert his gaze due to the ominous side effects emanating from its darkness.
As Head Scribe Kernan Bernard delved deeper into the mysterious pages of the Krivbeknih, an unsettling energy seemed to emanate from its ancient text. The characters, though indecipherable to any known language, conveyed a malevolent force that Bernard could almost feel seeping into his consciousness.
Undeterred by the growing unease, Bernard persisted in his attempts to unlock the secrets within the forbidden tome. As he deciphered more of the text, cryptic visions began to haunt his dreams, and an otherworldly resonance echoed in his mind. Shadows seemed to dance on the periphery of his vision, and whispers of long-forgotten incantations lingered in the air. Until the knowledge proved too much for his mind and turned away the tome.
In 2275, the burden of the abhorrent knowledge bestowed upon Bernard by the Krivbeknih became insufferable. Driven by an unrelenting need to confront the haunting secrets within its pages, Bernard initiated a desperate search. This quest, backed by the formidable resources of the Brotherhood, materialized as a specialized task force comprising Paladins who had once belonged to the esteemed Order of the Quill.
The expedition, meticulously crafted and bolstered by the unique skills of these Paladins, navigated the perilous expanse of the wasteland, following the trail of enigmatic clues. The whispers of the Krivbeknih's dark legacy led them to the foreboding Dunwich Building, a place steeped in both mystery and malevolence.
Upon infiltrating the halls of the ominous structure, the task force encountered Jaime Palerbaras, barely clinging to sanity. In a harrowing exchange, the Paladins managed to acquire the Krivbeknih from Jaime, who had become the mad guardian of the forbidden tome.
As the Paladins took possession of the ancient relic, they could feel the weight of its eldritch knowledge pressing upon them. Scribe Bernard, ever determined to confront the darkness head-on, took charge of the Krivbeknih. The Brotherhood, now entrusted with the ominous tome, faced the daunting challenge of containing its malevolent influence while seeking to unravel the cryptic secrets that had plagued Bernard. 
===Point Lookout Expedition===
From there, Scribe Bernard spearheaded an expedition to Point Lookout in 2276. 
As the expedition unfolded, Point Lookout's dense and foreboding marshlands proved to be a treacherous battleground. 
Amidst the twisted landscapes and eerie fog of Point Lookout, the Brotherhood's aspirations crumbled, leaving Scribe Bernard and his team grappling with the realization that the mission was a complete failure. The Brotherhood's valiant efforts to maintain control and explore the secrets of the ominous tome were thwarted by the elusive and cunning swampfolk, who seemed to be attuned to the supernatural energies emanating from the Krivbeknih. 
Overwhelmed by the harrowing intensity of the violent battle, Head Scribe Kernan Bernard succumbed to the relentless stress, witnessing his brothers torn apart in the brutal conflict. Driven to madness, he fled the chaotic scene, running without respite until his weary body finally succumbed to exhaustion. Lost in the grip of insanity, Bernard continued to roam aimlessly, haunted by the echoes of the traumatic experience.
===Madness & Recovery===
Kernan Bernard traversed the Chesapeake Bay into the unfamiliar territory of Delaware, a desperate bid to distance himself from the haunting memories of the violent battle. For years, he wandered the landscapes of Pennsylvania, a figure lost in the labyrinth of his own tormented thoughts.
It wasn't until the year 2280 that a flicker of sanity, a feeble ember in the vast darkness of his mind, began to reignite. A semblance of clarity returned to Bernard, and with it, a haunting awareness of the madness that had taken years of his life. Driven by a fragile sense of purpose he went back to the Citadel—an arrival marked not by triumph but by the heavy burden of remorse and the weight of unresolved demons.
The ill-fated expedition to Point Lookout left Head Scribe Kernan Bernard irrevocably changed, rendering his once-normal life of archival work and information dissemination an impossibility. Consumed by an insatiable thirst for understanding the unnatural and dangerous sources of knowledge and power scattered throughout the wastelands, Bernard embarked on a years-long quest.
Through the passing years, Bernard tirelessly combed through the remnants of civilization, scouring for any mention of occult objects and ancient tomes that held the potential to unravel the mysteries that had haunted him since the acquisition of the Krivbeknih.
In his endeavors, Bernard sought to strike a balance between his insatiable quest for forbidden knowledge and the Brotherhood's mandate for technological recovery. To justify his ongoing projects, he would present each endeavor not only as a pursuit of occult insights but also as an opportunity to uncover advanced technology that could bolster the Brotherhood's capabilities.
With each new discovery, Bernard hoped to unravel the intertwined threads of ancient mysticism and technological marvels, believing that the secrets held within these artifacts could tip the scales in the Brotherhood's favor. As the years unfolded, his dual commitment to arcane pursuits and technological advancement became the driving force behind his leadership.
A revelation unfolded when intelligence surfaced about the pre-war construction of a de-evolution device inside a vault located in Albany, New York. Concurrently, Head Scribe Kernan Bernard unearthed references to arcane tomes and mystic medallions within the museums that dotted the region.
Successfully acquiring resources for an expedition to the Cap City wasteland, he would lead an expedition of a new squad into the unknown.
===Cap City Expedition===
Kernan navigated the Hudson River to gain entry into Cap City, honing in immediately on the elusive building rumored to harbor a vault bunker beneath its sacred floors. The mutants of Cap City, recognizing the formidable presence of the Brotherhood Squad, wisely kept their distance. Undeterred, the squad dedicated days to fortifying the Church of the Holy Innocents, establishing it as their operational center where the mission objective lay concealed, vault-tec bunker constructed beneath the holy floors.
After meticulous efforts, the squad successfully breached the vault door. However, their triumph was short-lived as a horde of mutant vault dwellers, whose numbers had swelled to absurd proportions, surged out of the opening, launching a relentless assault. In the ensuing chaos, the squad was compelled to retreat, finding themselves scattered. Fortunately, Bernard managed to rendezvous with the two other expedition leaders, seeking refuge in a temporary base of operations.
In this respite, the leaders regrouped to strategize, recover, and coordinate reinforcements. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, they initiated a call for additional support. 
===Founding The Hermetic Order===
In the successful aftermath of the Brotherhood's mission to Cap City, Bernard, propelled by his insatiable thirst for arcane knowledge, seized the opportunity to establish a new chapter known as the Hermetic Order of Steel and was promoted to Elder. Recognizing the need for a specialized faction dedicated to the pursuit of dangerous occult objects and mystical understanding, Bernard envisioned a chapter unshackled by conventional constraints. With the backing of his accomplishments in Cap City, the Hermetic Order of Steel was founded on the principles of delving into the occult and unlocking the secrets of the wasteland.
Under Bernard's leadership, the Hermetic Order embraced a philosophy that blended the technological prowess of the Brotherhood with an unapologetic pursuit of arcane mysteries. This new chapter became a haven for those seeking to explore the untamed realms of occult artifacts, ancient tombs, and forbidden knowledge. The successful mission in Cap City solidified the Hermetic Order's autonomy, granting Bernard the freedom to guide his followers in uncharted territories, where the boundaries between technology and the occult blurred.
The chapter thrived on the edge of the unknown, pushing the boundaries of traditional understanding. The successful integration of technology and mysticism within the Hermetic Order painted a new narrative in the wasteland, one where Kernan Bernard's unyielding dedication to the occult shaped the destiny of the order and forged a legacy of exploration and enlightenment in the post-apocalyptic landscape.
==Description==
He is a 51-year-old man of Spanish descent, standing at 5'10" and weighing 185 lbs, possessing a striking and intelligent demeanor. Despite his shorter stature, his well-proportioned figure makes a commanding impression. Noteworthy features include a neatly trimmed iron-grey beard, full dark grey eyes, and an aquiline nose. His grey hair, slightly unkempt, adds to his seasoned appearance.
==Personality==
Kernan Bernard is a scribe with a striking intellect, embodying a personality marked by unwavering dedication and sacrifice. Having invested his fortune and lost friends in a lifetime of bizarre experiments, Bernard emerges as a figure committed to unraveling the mysteries of existence. His self-proclaimed status as the "bitterest of sworn enemies to death" reveals a profound, almost existential dimension to his pursuits, seeking to understand and overcome mortality. Despite his intellectual depth, Bernard carries an air of mystery, evoking a sense of repugnance upon initial encounters, accentuated by the ice-coldness of his character.
==Inventory==
Kernan, clad in worn Elder's robes weathered by the harsh terrains of Cap City, carries a Hyperbreeder Alpha pistol. This specialized weapon, issued to the elder due to extended missions with minimal chances for resupply, proves invaluable with its self-charging capabilities. As a result of Bernard's excursions into the unforgiving landscape, both the Elder's attire and choice of armament reflect the challenges faced in the post-apocalyptic environment of Cap City.
Category:Brotherhood of Steel characters
Category:Characters