Sal's Crescent Archery

[O'Brien]

Ask for the best archer on the island of Arios, and anyone would have been directed to Sal. Sal was an human from Paxia, back on the mainland, of no more than 26 patterns. Sal, however, had been an archer almost all his life, and had recently achieved Expert level. He was not content to stay here, however. Whenever he was not assembling arrows or eating, Sal could be found at his personal archery range that was the newest establishment in Arios - at several eras old. Sal himself had constructed the place with minimal help from a carpenter friend or two. Off to the right from the center of town, Sal’s Crescent Archery was strategically placed with its back directly to the seemingly endless Ariosan forest. This section of forest was a hill, leading up to a ridge, and this too had a purpose.

The back of the range consisted of eight square planks of wood nailed onto stakes, strongly resembling ordinary signs in the ground. Each, however, had had a neat target painted on it in red. Sal had various other painted targets of different sizes that he could switch according to skill level, for competitions, or anything else that would necessitate a target size different from the roughly two-foot squared ones that regularly stood out there. Beyond the targets, in the forest, was the beginning a hill, leading up to a ridge with a nice view of the sylvan area, but this was mainly so stray arrows would not go into the town, and would rather just stick into the soft ground behind the targets.

Back at the front of the range, there were eight circles (about a meter in diameter) of sand and dirt. Judging by the way they lined up with the targets, it was easy to see that these were where archers would stand to shoot downrange. This could be confirmed because there were sand-dirt paths as well, going up from each circle to its respective targets. The paths were rather irregular and imperfect, and indeed only formed from archers walking downrange to retreive their fired arrows. Next to the circle on the far left was a small shed, too small for two people to fit into comfortably. Obviously not big enough to be Sal’s home, this was merely a storage area. There was a nail in the visible side of the shed with a string of twine on it, letting a wooden sign dangle below. The sign read:

Buy some high-quality arrows today!
Different types are available, just ask Sal.

The circle to the far left, the one next to the shed, was Sal’s lucky circle, and he always found himself shooting best from there. With his trusty pale blue composite bow Crescent, for whom the facility was partially named, Sal would shoot almost endlessly, though he was just as content to learn by teaching others. The range had become somewhat popular among Ariosans who wanted to learn to hunt, but Sal rarely got anyone who wanted more military-oriented training, which suited him just fine.

When a potential customer arrived at Sal’s, the owner could undoubtedly be seen taking careful aim, letting the bowstring go, and watching with a grin as they arrows whisked silently and swiftly downrange, almost always nailing the bull’s eye. He only went downrange to collect arrows after ten to twenty were fired. While he could be extremely hostile towards people who interrrupted him while shooting, he was always very kind and eager to teach folk the “art” he loved so much.

[Paul Tyndal]

(( Next day ))
Paul walked into Sal's range at a hurried pace, he was eager to start the completion of his childhood dream. He saw Sal was shooting off arrows, and was loath to disturb him, but decided to do so anyway. He walked up and said in a raised voice as he crossed the field, "I am looking for a man named Ryn. I was told I could find him here, today. Do you know where he is?"

[O'Brien]

Sal turned around to glance at Paul, a perturbed look on his face. If he was looking for one Ryn, why was he here? Did Paul not know who Sal was? Then it occurred to him that the half-elf was not just inquiring about some random person. Paul had to have known something to even know Ryn existed, much less that Sal's was the place to look for him. Gently, Sal laid Crescent against the shack and walked over to Paul. "You're looking for Ryn," he echoed, with a look that could be either suspicion or intrigue, "you're looking in the right place. Ryn comes here once a cycle, regular as the rising of the suns, to practice his archery."

The expert archer looked up in the skies to judge what time it was - with his life of constant archery time was not a concept he readily grasped, and he joked that he was the "Bane of Kalendryas" now and then. "I imagine he'll be here in a few hours. You could go somewhere else," he suggested, "or you could stick around and watch me. If you've got money on you and you're interested, I suppose I could teach you archery too." Sal relaxed a bit and put a hand on the side of his khaki-colored pants. Even in the winter he got good exercise somehow or another shooting.

[Paul Tyndal]

Paul's face assumed an eager look, and he said excitedly, "That would be excellent!"

He calmed, and took out his bow. "What first?" he asked, holding the bow as he thought it should, or might, be held.

[O'Brien]

Sal chuckled. He was amused at Paul's enthusiasm for archery, and was certainly glad to see someone who rivaled him in it. There was also humor in how the half-elf seemed not to understand some basic concepts of business. "I'd be happy to teach you," the young human said, "but it takes time and effort from me too, and I didn't make this place free. I've got to eat too, you know, and nothing but hunted game can really get boring. A hundred and twenty Crowns will cover the class, and you'll be provided with arrows so you don't have to use your own."

It had been some time since Sal had actually taught someone the basics, so he began rehearsing the training in his mind while waiting for Tyndal to respond.

OOC: Make sure you specify what kind of bow you're getting over at Wild River, it's important for the training.

[Paul Tyndal]

(( Will do, I'll get over there and do that right now, since this next post doesn't have to do with the start of the training. ))

"I would be more than happy to pay you!" Paul exclaimed, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out 120 Crowns, which left him with a grand total of 5 Crowns, and gave them to Sal. Gripping his long wooden bow in both hands, he looked expectantly at his now-trainer.

[O'Brien]

"More than happy to pay me? I wish everyone was like this," thought Sal. Nevertheless, this was a customer and now a student, so the human was going to do everything he could to give Paul a pleasant experience in archery. "Ah, the longbow," Sal remarked with all the flourish of the authority on the matter that he was, "a time-honored classic bow model, a true paradox with elegant simplicity - not to mention the power to puncture most conventional armors. I think you'll enjoy this, Mister...?" Obviously Sal had not gotten his name yet.

"Well met, Mr. Tyndal," he replied after learning the name of his new student, "let us begin."

OOC: Now make like Union Pacific and train!

[Gareth Gruven]

A silver platinum-haired Sprite glided towards the Archery, his foresty green almond-like eyes darting ahead, staring at the archery. He wore a dark pine-green cloak that was wrapped around him, matching his tranquil green wings. Strapped to his back was a quiver filled with exactly eight arrows, and in his left hand he carried a small orange bow fit for his size. Underneath his cloak he wore a simple green tunic, accompanied by black pants and black shoes. He had one of those fierce determined looks in his eye, as if he was thinking he knew what was ahead and he was planning to get past it at whatever the costs.

As he flew nearer to the archery, he was greeted with the sight of a man firing arrows down a path and hitting a target, close to the bullseye. Atryl'on came to a hovering hault behind the man, waiting patiently for him to finish firing. As soon as this was done, he would speak in a friendly light-hearted tone, "Serale, I was wondering if you knew where the owner was? I would like to learn some archery.."

[O'Brien]

OOC: Atryl'on, eh? Gareth having an identity crisis?

IC: Sal raised half a lip as his arrow hit the target. It was a good shot by any standard, but he had to do even better than that, and do so consistently, if he wanted to be a Master. Well, at least he was only 26 and was already at Expert, so it wasn't like time would be a problem. The archer was taken from his ambitious thoughts as Gareth arrived at his range.

"Well hello there," he said with a grin, offering his hand, "that would be me. I'm Sal, nice to meet you. My Herald article seems to have worked wonders, I'll have to thank the guy who suggested it. Now it seems everyone wants to learn archery, and I love that. Basic archery is 120 Crowns, if you're interested, Mister...what is your name?"

[Gareth Gruven]

OOC: Ick, still getting used to stepping into Gareth's shpes

IC: "Gareth. Gareth Gruven Sir!" the little Sprite peeped up in a friendly voice as he shook the offered hand, or what he could shake of it. "120 crowns sounds fine..." he said as he slipped out the proper amount of coinage. "To you? Or will I be paying to someone else?" he asked in his usual cheerful nature as he hovered in mid-air. Absent-mindedly, he wondered exactly how far he would be able to shoot. His bow was much smaller than anyone else's, as was the fact that his arms were too. 'Perhaps as far as any elf if I get really good...' he thought silently as he patiently waited for an answer. Archery! He was going to learn Archery! Silently, he had made the commitment of himself to become a ranger, and yet here he was! And the herald article, bringing all sorts of people to compete...there would have to be at least one or two of them that could point out a bit of advice! How lucky of him to have arrived here when he did! How lucky of him indeed...

[O'Brien]

The Paxian-born human nodded. "A hundred and twenty to me, Gareth" he affirmed, "I run and operate this place single handedly, you know." He took the coins and eyed Gareth a bit. Maybe it was just him, but Sal was getting the impression that the Fae folk in general were becoming more interested in archery as of late. It was a terribly inconvenient form of combat for their race, though it wasn't like any form of physical weapons really were. At least this one was a sprite. Hobbits who were archers weren't notably rare, so he could probably teach a sprite...if he could manage to stop laughing in his mind about the toy bow Gareth wielded, especially when compared to his own elegant Crescent.

"Right this way, Mister Gruven," Sal instructed, beckoning to the sprite to come and stand in one of the circles.

OOC: All aboard!

[Gareth Gruven]

Gruven handed the coins to Sal, with a simple nod of affirmitive. Gruven smiled and nodded, seeing Sal's eyes fall upon his orange bow. Blushing with slight embarassment, he followed the man to the circles, ready and willing to learn all he could from this expert archer.

[Damien Lanilathis]

Time Stamp: Lunaria, 10th Brightening of the First Cycle of Melora in the Tenth Era of the Age of Darkening.

After Damien had signed up for the Archery Tournament he decided to inquire about the services that this man offered.

"Now that that is taken care of, sir, might I ask what it is you do here, exactly? Do you just sell Archery equipment, or do you offer lessons as well?"

This was Damien's first time visiting the island, and he had little time to greet and talk with the local's about the famous Sal. He had made his way directly here, only asking for directions once, because he was affraid that he might miss the beginning of the tournament.

Damien felt he had too much money in his pockets, and he needed to get rid of it. Living off the land was more his style, and he didn't like the idea of having his throat cut by a thief for something so meaningless to him. No, Damien would much rather put this money to use now, and then forget about it. Knowing that he could hit his mark, for he had been hunting small game for most of his life now, he didn't give much thought to training. Any abilities he did happen to acquired here, though, could be put to use in the tournament, even if it was only how to hold his bow more steady.

[O'Brien]

An arrow fired off and almost met the bull's eye as Damien approached Sal. The expert archer shrugged, somewhat expecting better, and turned around to face the elf. "Well Damien," he began, having seen his name on the list, "I actually don't sell many things...arrows, as you can see - good arrows, I may add - but most of the folk around here who want a bow or quiver just go to Wild River Outdoors Supplies. The guy over there and I sort of have a business agreement about all that. Most of my money is made from training. I am an archer of the expert class and can therefore teach most anyone."

Goodnaturedly, not really ignoring the potential customer, Sal drew another arrow and fired it off. This one landed about as close the bull's eye as the last one had. "Well at least I'm consistent," he joked.

[Damien Lanilathis]

"Excellent."

Damien was rather impressed with the man's archery skills. He had not practiced his skills before, usually only needing one shot to down his dinner. He hopped that his skills would push him far enough to win the tournament, although if he didn't it wouldn't be much of a let down. Figuring that expert archers would be entering the tournament, he looked at it as more of a social thing than a competition.

Training, however, would be something he could put to use for a lifetime. Nodding to himself, Damien decided to train.

"Well then, I suppose I will partake in some of this training that you instruct. How much do you charge? I wouldn't want you to go out of business."

He smirked at the last statement, it was meant as a joke and he had said it smiling.

"On a side note, just how good are these arrows of yours?"