The Book of Valor "The valiant soul fears not its own visage." --Sir Hrothgar, warrior of Jhelom |
. . . Many a Rune has an odd history behind it. Witness the Rune of Spirituality, originally buried within the hills of the village, Paws, to end up in the bottom of a basket, which, in turn, was locked in a chest of a mourning woman. Certainly of less sorrow and perhaps downright laughable is the history of the Rune of Valor, originally buried within the secret passageways that once surrounded the city of Jhelom. Years later, the Rune found a new home that was far less accessible. 'Twas Zellivan, the silver-haired leader of Jhelom, who held a tournament with the Rune of Valor as the victor's prize. And 'twas no surprise that Nomaan, the town blacksmith, whose skill with anvil and hammer was matched only by his skill with the sword, won the rune. Though praised for the most agile hands in Jhelom, even Nomaan's dexterity failed him after he quaffed a quart of ale during the subsequent festivities. The rune slipped from his fingers to the floor where a rat, perhaps mistaking it for a morsel of food, grabbed it in its teeth. Hilarity ensued when knights and warriors dived after the rat, their swords, knives, and axes chipping chairs, tables, floor, and wall. But the effects of ale thwarted their efforts and the rat escaped into its hole, Rune in tow. Britannia's valorous warriors spent the next few hours on their knees as they probed the rat hole with swords and tempted the rat with cheese. One knight, by the name of Starhelm, was drunk enough to reach into the hole without gauntlet and spent many minutes nursing an injured hand. When their efforts failed miserably, the warriors resorted to banging on the walls with their fists, hoping to drive the rodent from its home. At last, Starhelm, enraged over his wound, suggested they tear down the wall itself, but the owner of the tavern would having nothing to do with such a plan. 'Tis comical then, the savior of the men was a mouse who, in company with the Avatar, retrieved the Rune, thus ending a saga most warriors are reluctant to repeat. . .