Shrine of Valor
| Shrine of Valor | |
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 Location of the Shrine of Valor | |
| Located in: | Britannia |
| Type: | shrine |
 The Shrine of Valor | |
The Shrine of Valor is one of the eight holy sites established by the Council of Wizards during the days of Lord British's philosophical renaissance of the early Age of Enlightenment. First appearing in Ultima IV, it was constructed to grant a questant partial Avatarhood in the Virtue of Valor.
Description[edit]
This shrine in Britannia is dedicated to the virtue of Valor. Located on the southernmost of the Valorian Isles and accessible most practically by ship, this lonely site lies near to the city standing for its virtue, Jhelom. During Ultima VII a sword lies on its altar. Those who seek wisdom at this holy site may gain a deeper understanding of the virtue of Valor, which has its root in the Principle of Courage. Gaining entry to the shrine required the use of a rune at various points in its history, and the mantra ra was required to fully glean the insights offered at its altar.
History[edit]
Age of Enlightenment[edit]
The Shrine of Valor was erected around the time of Britannia's christening, and it would figure into the spiritual quest of the Stranger in the pursuit of Avatarhood. The hero would sojourn here after demonstrating great courage in battle, and would attain ascendance in ways of Valor after meditating on the virtue for three cycles.
Later, in the dark days of Lord Blackthorn and the Oppression, the Avatar would travel again to this sacred place, and would be directed by the powers within it to quest after the knowledge of Valor contained in the enshrined Codex of Ultimate Wisdom. In the struggle to restore Lord British to his throne, the hero would also have to guard this shrine and others and from Blackthorn's attempts to desecrate them, which he would quickly do should he gain access to their mantras. Should the Shrine of Valor be thus defiled, the Avatar could still restore it, using the Word of Power, inopia.
After the beginning of the Gargish conflict, this shrine and the other seven would all be seized by gargoyle warriors seeking to thwart the prophecy of the False Prophet. In time, however, the Avatar would liberate it from Draxinusom's troops, and could again meditate there on the mysteries of Valor. With proper experience, the Avatar could draw on the shrine to gain a boost in martial powers.
Age of Armageddon[edit]
Over the next two centuries, the Shrine of Valor would fall into disuse, as the seductive philosophies of the Fellowship eventually came to supplant widespread adherence to the Eight Virtues. By the time of the Avatar's eventual return near the time of the astronomical alignment, the hero would find the shrine still standing on its remote isle, although none appeared to have made the pilgrimage to it for many years.
Later, during the hero's exile on Pagan, the Guardian and his forces would corrupt the shrine. In doing so, the corresponding rune was twisted into an artifact known as a glyph. While journeying in Britannia for the last time, the Avatar would be able to cleanse the Shrine of Valor of such evils, using the powers of the Writ of Honesty to undo the damage wrought by the Destroyer of Worlds. The Shrine apparently survived the volcano eruption that destroyed Jhelom, but was occupied by the Daemon Triumvirate, which first had to be removed.
Lore[edit]
| “ | A good meditation — focusing on a proper Mantra — will sometimes yield valuable visions to those whose patience and powers of concentration are strong. The experience is well worth sampling. ... Many philosophers hold the opinion that the Path is in reality but a series of separate small paths. Each minor path leads to the fulfillment of an aspect of ourselves. Treading one of these minor paths may be construed as a life’s goal, and many people have debated which is the most advantageous to follow. Yet is not the whole much greater than the sum of its parts? Take up the challenge and tread not one but all of the minor paths in thy search for enlightenment and perfection. Perhaps only then will though find the beginnings of the great Path. – from The History of Britannia (Ultima IV)
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| “ | Each of Britannia’s eight leading townes celebrates one of the virtues of Avatarhood, and each has raised a shrine to that virtue. The shrines are located in retreats to ensure tranquillity in natural settings, so traveling to some shrines requires a considerable journey from their townes. The only requirement for using a shrine is knowing the mantra for that virtue. A mantra is a sound repeated continuously during meditation, helping to clear the mind and focus the spirit. Each virtue has a specific mantra that works best for it, and sincere meditation can bring great wisdom. Someone in towne will usually divulge the mantra for the towne’s shrine. – from Book of Lore (Ultima V)
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| “ | You can only gain a true appreciation of such increases by returning to one of the Shrines of Virtue and engaging in reflection and meditation. To meditate, learn the mantra of the shrine of your choice. Then talk to the shrine and follow its instructions. ... In compiling information about the daemonic Gargoyles invading our land they have begun to detect a pattern. It appears that our foes are trying to capture the Shrines of Virtue found near the major towns. The moonstones are now in their possession, and, as each new shrine falls, a stone is placed on the altar there. To prevent anyone from removing the stones, the gargoyles have erected impenetrable force fields around the altars. – from Compendium (Ultima VI)
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Alternate Appearance[edit]
- In Lord of Ultima, a Shrine of Valor can randomly be located in Caledonia.
- In the cancelled Ultima Online 2 and the Technocrat War trilogy, the Shrine of Valor was to be included on the southwestern continent of Avenosh.
Trivia[edit]
- The Keyring Mod for the Ultima VII utility, Exult, gives the Avatar the option to meditate at the Shrine of Valor using its corresponding rune. It will issue a quest for the hero to seek knowledge of Valor from the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, as it had in previous games.
- In Ultima VI, the Shrine of Valor adds three bonus points to Strength when advancing a character's level.
Gallery[edit]
Shrine of Valor art from Mysterious Sosaria
A Shrine of Valor in LoU
The shrine in Ultima IX
| Geography |
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| Pagan | |
|---|---|
| Settlements | Argentrock Isle ☥ Daemon's Crag ☥ Tenebrae |
| Other | Carthax Lake ☥ Catacombs ☥ Cemetery ☥ Fishermen's Reef ☥ Hall of the Mountain King Herdsman's Valley ☥ Plateau ☥ Shrine of the Ancient Ones ☥ Stone Cove ☥ Treasure Cove Vengeance Bay |