“Harry - you're a great wizard, you know.”

“I'm not as good as you,” said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.

“Me!” said Hermione. “Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and - oh Harry - be careful!”

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (J. K. Rowling)

The Ideal of Courage consists of the aspects of Hope and Despair. It deals with motivation, pain, danger and uncertainty - what drives the soul to great feats of heroism, or plunges us into the paralysis of existential horror. Such Muses favour the underdog and those who persevere to get what they want, while taking the time to dwell on our fears and how we might overcome them.

In Vignettes and the Dreamscape, these powers can be manifested through applications of the Muses' Skills.

The Strife Skill governs uses of powers to attack others. With Courage, a Muse could overwhelm someone with their own fears, or push through to win against all the odds.

Some examples of applications at different power levels are:

• Weak: A Muse might reinvigorate an ally with a new burst of inspiration, or cause someone to doubt their own abilities.
• Moderate: A Muse might impress their superior by standing up to them to help someone in need, or make their bitter rival trip up over their own overconfidence.
• Strong: A Muse might rally the town to overthrow their oppressor, or turn the troops on their own commander.
• Exceptional: A Muse might use daring self-sacrifice to save hundreds - almost certainly succeeding - or they could wither someone to nothing through sheer apathy.

The Subvert Skill governs stealth, duplicity, and forgery. With Courage, a Muse can make an idea wither on the vine or twist into a shadow of its former self.

Some examples of applications at different power levels are:

• Weak: A Muse might get past the guard with just a wink and a nod, or perhaps they can't be bothered to finish their shift before the Muse sneaks past.
• Moderate: A Muse might give a small speech to convince a crowd they're innocent, or forge a ticket for a helpless Impression.
• Strong: A Muse might use bold lies to convince almost anyone, or people just miraculously think they're just supposed to be there.
• Exceptional: A Muse might break from the confines of any prison, or undermine the whole kingdom by making the queen despair.

The Seek Skill governs uses of powers to gather information or explore. With Courage, a Muse can explore dangerous areas of the Dreamscape, or can use forgotten memories to intimidate a foe.

Some examples of applications at different power levels are:

• Weak: A Muse might find discovering dangerous Vignettes is their forté, while they might increase their enemies' fear of the unknown.
• Moderate: A Muse might trek deeper and further into Far Dream than most, beating back their competitors by sapping their resiliance.
• Strong: A Muse might scale cliff faces or dive across gorges with ease, fighting any weird and wonderful Impressions they might encounter along the way.
• Exceptional: A Muse might find they can overcome almost any harsh environment the Dreamscape can throw at them.

The Sculpt Skill governs uses of powers to modify objects. With Courage, a Muse can shape them to be more focused at what they're needed for at the expense of other uses, or repurposed into just what their foe doesn't need right now.

Some examples of applications at different power levels are:

• Weak: A Muse might find their sword is now sharper, but it can only cut down orcs.
• Moderate: A Muse might make their foe's car faster, just as they're driving over ice.
• Strong: A Muse might repurpose a whole factory to their own ends, yet it can now only create one thing.
• Exceptional: A Muse might encourage a magic mirror to show better portents, but now only about their rival.