Hi all,
I've been gone for about a week, a lot to catch up on! I heard this yesterday on "The World" and wanted to share it with the lot of you as I think it's potential story material.
The article begins that this is 'one of three' pilgramages done during the middle ages to absolve one of 'all sin'. That idea alone is intrigueing. The board in the past has discussed pilgrimages people could participate in. That such a journey could allow a person to redeem themselves from their wrong doings sounds like quality Ars Magica material.
I can see a corrupt custos or Magus trying to start over and participateing in the pilgrimage to develop a clean slate. Or perhaps a villian, who the players are convinced is 'beyond redemption' partakes of the journey and returns a new and better man.
By coincidence, I'm rereading Sharpe's Rifles, the 'first' in the Richard Sharpe Series by Bernard Cornwell. Most people I've met have seen the movies with Sean Bean. The novel provides a lot more Spanish folklore than the movie, but both detail the significance of Santiago to the people of that time.
So with this set up, if your interested I've provided a couple of links. Hopefully these items can be material of inspiration for mythic stories based on historic lore.
The World article:
theworld.org/globalhits/2006/08/16.shtml
Wikiality: