ArcheryPaths

Archery Paths

For a long time, Archery have been connected with love. There are many metaphors that compare love and the ways of the bow. In Greek mythology, there is Eros (Amor) who uses his arrows to shoot people, and then they fall in love with the first person they meet. Furthermore, in battle stray arrows are unpredictable, just like love itself.

Inner Truth Path

Truth, beauty and love are central themes for the practitioners of the Inner Truth. These archers search for that beautiful and perfect shot. Masters of the Inner Truth Path need no visual guidance, since love is blind anyway, and distance matters little for those who truly love. The love in question could be another man, or anything else that indulges the follower of the Inner Truth Path. There is wisdom in this, as persistence pays off in the long run. In battle, followers of the Inner Truth Path are often very methodical in their strategies, slowly but surely taking down one opponent at a time. This coolness in battle have earned them an appreciated spot in many armies and posses. Most practitioners are highly temperant, and show great preseverance during hard battles. In dire times, or when bitterness has won over optimism, some Masters of the Inner Truth Path have been known to systematically use poison on their arrows' tips, which has drawn quite an ill reputation in the eyes of critics. The Inner Truth Path consists of Wise Arrow, Sight Without Eyes, and Accuracy Without Distance.

Dancing String Path

Followers of the Dancing String Path subscribe to a cynical and practical philosophy of truth and love; free reign and redundancy. If you cannot hit, then shot again until you do. There are no poor archers, there are only archers who have shot too few arrows. This idea is empirical and truthful. Surely, by shooting enough arrows, you become a competent archer. In terms of love, there is no need to hesitate once passion has dawned upon you, just fire away. Act speedily, and take the target by storming head on. To the followers of the Dancing String Path, life is a string of memories in the past and events to come. Why not make these events joyous and dancing, instead of aiming and passively dreaming? A bow bent but not fired, is a bow wasted. In battle, Dancing Strings are often used against large groups, as their free spirits can mow down armies in minutes. Practitioners of the Dancing String Path often have high conviction and valor. Though some indeed show great temperance, many follow their archery philosophy in social encounters as well. Teachers of this path are very popular among beginners; they are lenient of bad misses, and their parties are by far the most attended. Critics ask whether the name of the path denotes the strings of their bows, or the thongs of the dancers' underwear they frequently desire. The Path of Dancing String comprise Wise Arrow, Trance of Unhesistating Speed, and Arrow Storm Technique.

Dead-Eye Bird Path

To the Dead-Eye Bird practitioners, archery and life corresponds to vision and clarity. The reason why attempts fail is often an unexpected obstacle. The true key to happiness and hits is to calmly calculate the environmental factors, and consider them before firing. No matter how impenetrable these obstacles appear at the first glance, there is always a way around them. To the followers of the Dead-Eye Bird Path, there is no wind to account for because they already have the right angle and the wind in their backs. Their arrows flow around the defense, to hit them from the other side. In battle, Dead-Eyes are constantly moving to find a good shot. This makes them excellent in small groups that require team-work behind enemy lines. Socially, Dead-eyes often work indirectly, removing smoke-screens and competing elements first before acting. Their major advantage is that they have an uncanny ability to figure out who the competition is. Dead-Eyes are almost always very perceptive, and have a high temperance. Critics of the Dead-Eyes often complain that they take to long time before acting, and that they rarely come to the point at all. The Dead-Eye Bird Path is constituted by Wise Arrow, There is No Wind, and Swinging Shot Technique.

Swinging Shot Technique</b>

<b>Cost: 3 \\
Duration: Instant \\
Type: Supplemental \\
Min. Archery: 5 \\
Min Essence: 3 \\
Prereqs: There is no Wind \\

As the Dead-Eye Bird Path practitioner reaches masterdom, they know how to avoid obstacles. Arrows supplemented with this charm cannot be blocked, nor does cover help the target. The arrow actually changes direction several times before reaching the target.

Spreading the Light Path

The truth to archery and happiness is sharing one's thoughts, because only the communicated ideas will survive in a world of entropy. Nothing lasts forever, and it is better to be remembered in the hearts of your younger peers after your demise, than being forgotten. Archery is an art, and art should be seen by many. Thus, being seen is the bread and butter of the Lightspreaders. At night, their fiery arrows are clearly seen, and their devastating flares take down buildings in a blaze of memorable glory. In battle, practitioners of the Spreading the Light Path are mostly employed in castle sieges, where they can be watched in awe by many others, and do serious damage on structures. Followers of the Spreading Light Path are often charismatic and good leaders, they show great valor and conviction. In social life, this is often good, as many wants someone else to take charge. However, too much shining and histrionics often become suffocating, as sceptics point out that the Spreaders are unable to listen to others, and that more than one female Spreader have done just about anything to get the others' attention. Practitioners of the Spreading the Light Path learn Fiery Arrow Attack, Dazzling Flare Attack, and Rainbow Shoting Practice.

Rainbow Shoting Practice</b>

<b>Cost: 5, 1 WP \\
Duration: One scene \\
Type: Simple \\
Min. Archery: 5 \\
Min Essence: 3 \\
Prereqs: Dazzling Flare Attack \\

Rarely one sees a single archer tip the outcome of a battle. Surely, a large group of archers can control the outcome of the battle. However, this charm changes this general rule. Arrows shot from a Solar using this practice are followed by a prism-colored trace from the Archer to the target. Thus, all in the vicinity knows who the shooter is. Damage from rainbow arrows add Essence to their raw damage. Furthermore, for each arrow that the Solar hits (they do not need to do damage), fellow archers get +1 to their archery scores for the rest of the scene. This bonus can maximally be equal to the Solar's permanent Essence.

Empty Hand Path

Nothing is the key to the Empty Hands. Accept that nothing is what you have, and that nothing is not a bad idea in itself. If nothing is dealt to you, then do something about it immediately, without thinking about the past. Tools are unreliable, and survival is only assured by flexibility. Only when you truly understand nothing, you can create something out of nothing. Their training often includes crafting their own bows and arrows from nothing. These strange creations are hard to identify, as their arrows are like phantoms in the night seemingly coming from nowhere. In battle, Empty Hand practitioners are hired as assassins for their extraordinary skills to improvise. One famous Empty Hand, Malybdan, reportedly used a guitar and quill pens to assassinate the Baron of Dichess. On more peaceful notes, the confusing philosophy of nothing has made them popular diplomats employed to stall and prolong negotiations while her troops can recuperate for another attack. Social issues do not concern many Empty Hands , as they are often content with having no friends at all. Malybdan once said that the most important part of his speech is the pauses between syllables. This have had critics to ask why they do anything at all. As masters of improvisation, followers of the Empty Hand learn Wise Arrow, Phantom Arrow Technique, Immaculate Golden Bow, and Inexhaustible Arrows.

Archer of Purity Path

To the archers of purity, the Unconquered Sun in the one deity to follow. To let him shed the light, and fill them with his glory and power. Their purpose in life is to cleanse Creation from the Yozis and creatures from the Underworld. By fighting the darkness, light can prevail, and day is better than night. Many feel that most people would join them, if only they try the glory of the Unconquered Sun in one battle, These archers face their opponents straight on, and they fear them not. When threatened by the armies of the dead, the Purists are very welcome to enlist in the army. Extremely valorous, and dedicated from the core, the followers of the Archer of Purity are often well-liked and accepted. However, they are not very open in Realm-controlled areas, unless there are undead to be fought. Apart from those who submit to the Immaculate Order, the worst thing to be said about the Archers of Purity is that they might be overzealous, but nothing compared to the Spreaders of Light. As the truest devotees of the sun, they learn Wise Arrow, Solar Shaft Technique, and Radiant Archer Stance.

Paths to come

Piercing Point Path Perfection of Spacing Path Broken Arrow Path

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