Mark's comments on Rinliddian spears helped gel together a few other thoughts floating around in the back of my mind, the result is the myth below. A big warning: I've never read one word of Rinliddian mythology, so aside from pulling a few names from ILH1 I've made all of this up from scratch. It may well be odds with numerous existing sources. But it does explain Rinliddian weaponry.
Rordyvor three times thrice glorious was unsurpassed in his love for Yelm.
His first glory was his feathers. The outer feathers on his wings were of silver, the first rank of feathers projecting out the back of his wing were of gold, and his pin-feathers were of gleaming bronze. The feathers of his tail were tipped with rubies.
His second glory was how he would catch Yelm's ray and reflect them off of his wings and refract them through the jewels on his tail. He spent the good five ninths of each day on a high perch, creating glorious patterns of Yelm's benevolent glow.
His third glory was that he did all of this for the love of Yelm. His feathers were too heavy to let him fly, but he was willing to give this up to better bring attention to Yelm's glory. His work playing with the light was demanding, but with his mighty legs he made it look like dance.
For these first three glories alone we would remember fondly in our nest stories.
Rordyvor three times thrice glorious maintained his routine even when he saw disturbing portents. He knew what was to come, but met it with dignity and grace. Men of the east had grown arrogant and prideful, and taught that Yelm could be bargained with. They came through Rordyvor's nesting ground, and knocked him down from his high perch, and stole his golden feathers. Men of the west had become arrogant and prideful, and taught that Yelm's gifts could be taken and bought and sold. They came and snapped the rubies off of his tail feathers. Men of the south had grown prideful and arrogant, and taught that everybody could make their own law. They came and took his feathers of silver.
After this Rordyvor called to his followers, who crept forth from where they had hidden. "Why did you not help me when the men of the east took my golden feathers?" "Because my lord they came armed with long sticks, and would have stabbed us." "Why did you not help me when the men of the west came and took my ruby feather-tips?" Because my lord they came armed with clubs and would have beaten us" "Why did you not help me when the men of the south came and took my silver feathers?" "Because my lord, they came armed with rocks, and would have stoned us."
Rordyvor sent them away, saying "Even the plump grouse will defend her nest against the sly fox. Begone cowards, but if you meet men of bravery send them to me. Most of his servants fled at that, but his choreographer Varmanor stayed saying "Lord, I erred, for I tried to think of the right choreography to stop them, but knew not the correct skills so hid. But upon my nest I will not lack courage again. Please let me stay and teach me what I must do." Then his most junior harpist, Durendalu, also stepped forward, saying "Lord, when the men of the east came I tried to play harsh music to drive them away, but they tore away half my harp and all but one of the string. Upon my nest I would defend you, if you would but teach me how."
Then Rordyvor said "Varmanor, I believe you, and will give you a new thing to choreograph. But pluck you now my pin feathers." Varmanor wept to do this, but did as instructed. He pulled them out, those along most of the wing with a shaft near his own height and broad brazen feather as long as his head. Those from near the wing tip had a shaft as long as his arm, with narrow feathers as long as his finger. Rordyvor said "Seize the shaft of the longer feathers, and when next men with sharp sticks approach, strike them and stab them with the sharp brazen feather, and choreograph your soldiers to do the same. Next seize the shaft of the short feather, and when next men with clubs approach, fling it at them to strike them down twice nine paces away, and choreograph your soldiers to do the same."
Then Rordyvor said "Durendalu for your bravery I shall show you how to use a new tool. Pluck you now my tail feathers." Durendalu wept to do this, but did as instructed. Each feather had a shaft as long as his forearm, with a finger's length of feather left along the shaft at one end, but not tapered to a point. Rordyvor said "Take the feather end and put it against the last string of your halfharp. When next men armed with stones appear, do you and the other soldiers armed likewise pull back on the string, then release it, flinging the point of the shaft into the stone armed from thrice nine paces away."
These were the next three of Rordyvor's glories, the broad bladed spears, the piercing javelins, and the long-shooting arrows that could be used to protect the nests ever since.
Then came Vaskaru the Falcon and his followers, driving before them the rest of Rordyvor's craven servants. Vaskaru said "Oh gloried Rordyvor, your craven servants told us of the indignities done to you." The Vaskaru saw Durendalu and Varmanor with some of Rordyvor's quill, and prepared to attack them.
Rordyvor intervened say "Nay, fierce Vaskaru, these are the start of my new army, and they shall show you how to use my quills to strike down the evil men who toppled me and who have turned from Yelm's true path. Varmanor will choreograph my new army, and Durendalu will be his first and most loyal soldier. But because you have never trembled or avoided danger, and were ready to instantly strike in my defense, I will make you and your men the striking arm of our new army.
Rordyvor then spoke of the evil portents he had seen, and instructed Durendalu and Varmanor in the making of new nests on high ground, with strong sides that would not easily be scaled.
Turning to his more craven servants, Rordyvor intoned "No more shall you soar near unto Yelm, instead you will serve those braver than yourselves, and learn to be fierce from them. Exerting his glorious will, he stripped their wings of their pin-feathers, like his were, and strengthened their legs, like his were, and gave them strength, like his. Indeed when he was done they looked not much different from him. Then did he bid Vaskaru's follower's mount on his transformed servants, assuring them that they would make fleet and loyal steeds. They did as he said, then with Vaskaru leading from Rordyvor's own back, they quickly went forth, tracking down the evil men from the east, the evil men from the west, and the evil men from the south, striking down a great many of them.
These were the last three of Rordyvor's glories, the creation of the infantry, the creation of strong nests, and the creation of the avilry.
When the great flood came and the evil men sought high spots to avoid it, the avilry slowed them, giving the people time to retreat into the high nests that had been prepared. When the evil men sought to storm those nests, Durendalu and Varmanor were ready, with others they had trained, and used Rordyvor's quills, and copies of them, to drive the evil men away to perish under the waves.
--Bryan
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