Basic Archery (Private, Damien Lanilathis)

[Damien Lanilathis]

120 crowns for training seemed reasonable enough. Damien reached back into his pouch, which he had recently been into to pay Sal the entrance fee for the tournament, and pulled out another 100 crown Banknote. Also, he removed a handful of actual Gold Crowns and counted out 20 of them. Damien held them out to Sal as he followed him as was instructed.

Damien didn't say much. Instead, his face was plastered with a friendly smile as he looked around, taking in the scenery with welcome arms. His hand resting along the curve of the longbow which he carried over his shoulder. Damien enjoyed the outdoors. When he was inside a building he felt confined, wanting to tear down the walls and show everyone the beauty of the wilderness. He had, after all, spent most of his life outside, living from the land. Ready to take up his training, though, he waited for Sal's instructions.

[O'Brien]

After taking the money and putting it temporarily in the shed, Sal picked up Crescent and came over to his new student. "Alright then, Damien," he said with a clap of his hands, "let's begin, shall we?" The expert archer took a look at the elf's bow for a minute or two, running his hand over it and testing the string.

"Longbow," he noted, "not all that different from Crescent here. Good choice. Did you know that a skilled archer with one of these can pierce through even metal armor? A group of good longbowmen can turn the tides of war, my friend. To think many people would write off archery as a mere tool for hunting! Bah! I'll hear none of that. But forgive me, I'm straying from the topic. Tell me, Damien, what do you know of archery so far?"

[Damien Lanilathis]

Damien watched as Sal took up his bow and looked over it. It pleased him to know that his trainer approved of his choice in a bow. Although, it wasn't really his choice. He had simply picked it up from a dead bandit after losing his cycles before that to a string of undead.

"Not much, I'm afraid. I have done little besides hunt with it. I can knock an arrow and hold it well enough. I'm not too sure if it's all proper, but it has worked for me so far. I will demonstrate if you'd like."

Damien held his bow towards the ground and readied his other hand on one of the only five arrows he had in his quiver, just in case Sal wanted a demonstration. It had actually been quite some time since Damien had fired an arrow from a bow, and he had actually never done so from this one. He was very glad that he had decided to do this. If nothing else he needed to familiarize himself with his new bow. The tournament was only in two days!

[Dicemonk]

As Damien grasped his bow and offered to demonstrate his shooting, Sal nodded once before speaking.
"Indeed, I would like to see your form and stance."
The human glanced about the range before extending his finger towards one of the targets.
"Hit that," he 'ordered' plainly. The target looked to be about twenty meters away, and was rather large, which made for an easy hit.

As he waited, Sal retrieved Crescent and stood back, just watching the actions of his newest student. He laughed silently to himself at the man's situation. He simply couldn't believe that the elf had come to get training only two brightenings before the competition was to begin. At least he had some ambition...

OOC: Excuse the post, it's my first IC post in Arios, and my first ever in an archery training thread. I'll learn more as I go... don't worry.

[Damien Lanilathis]

Damien nodded to Sal. He really wanted to know how he stacked up to everyone else. For a long time he believed that he was good; better than the average man because he had been hunting all his life, but this was to be tested here and now. Damien wasn't nervous, however. He was confident, and even if he didn't hit the over-sized target, he still knew in his heart that he could feed himself with his skill for the rest of his life.

Damien stepped to the firing line and held his bow a few degrees from completely vertical. His fingers around the sting of the bow, which held the arrow, were firm. Pinching the arrow and sting, he brought both back to the about his jaw line. It only took a full second to steady his shot, and he released his fingers. The gentle curve of the bow snapped back into it's original shape, flinging the arrow from the string. The arrow flew straight and true (it had been one of the better ones he had taken from the bandit), and only his ability to aim and fire told the arrow were to go. The bow lowered and Damien judged his mark.

"I can fire another, if you'd like. Perhaps consistence, like you said, is a good trait."

Damien smiled. A bullseye would have been excellent, but he would settle for whatever he got. It wouldn't bother or excite him either way. If he missed, oh well. If he shot dead center it was as if it were normal.

[Dicemonk]

Sal watched the man's every movement closely as Damien released his first arrow. He did nothing more than glance at the target as the arrow thumped into the wood. It had indeed hit the target, though not anywhere near as close to the bullseye as Sal's last arrow had. The human nodded at the elf as if to say that the shot was satisfactory.

Picking up Crescent, he spoke softly and calmly to the elf. "Okay, when you pull the string, you want your thumb and fingers to just brush the top of your cheek. This is so you can aim the bow accurately. Generally, your left arm wants to be stretched at full length to gain the maximum amount of tension on the string. Now, you always want to have your feet parrellel with the target your aiming for. You have done some of this correctly, but other areas will need work. Remember, a good deal of ability in archery comes from practice." The human glanced around his shooting range, then walked some ways away from their previous spot. He waited for Damien to reach the place, then pointed to a smaller target which happened to be several meters further away than the first one had been.

"I do not expect you to hit anything dead center for quite some time, so have no high expectations. Fire ten arrows for practice, and I shall observe once again." Sal left for a moment to retrieve another quiver filled with arrows, in case Damien wished to use them.

[Karniest Moil]

OOC: Has asked to join this tread for Training by O'Brian,

IC:

Karn thanked Sal and took his bow from off the counter.

'Right where do i start' he said as he fitted the Quiver over his left shoulder. This was done uneasy as Karn was used to wearing it over his other shoulder, 'This is going to take some getting used to' he thought to himself as he waited from a response from Sal.

[Dicemonk]

OOC: So I was told.

IC: "Just head on out to the archery range, and I will give you further instructions there." Sal went about arranging several things, and retrieving others while Karniest went out to the range. After a few minutes, the human came wandering out towards the place where his new student stood. As usual, crescent was in hand. "Tell me what you know." He said in a quick, impatient tone. The request was a rather simple, but fairly general as well.

[Karniest Moil]

"Karn approached the range, there were a number of targets set at..............well along way down the range to say the least.

He moved the bow around in his grip to relax his wrist as he had been shown by his father.

Karn turned to face Sal as he approached, his eyes sharp and focused, he would do this, from the start again.

"I know a few of the principles of handling a bow, from my youth." he started to answer.

"but........" he held his right hand up to show his missing index and fore fingers "The accident means i can no longer draw the strings the conventional way". His head dipped his stare focusing on the floor, "I have been told that a new stance and grip is needed, I will have to hold the bow with my right and draw with my left from now on." karn continued.

"I have a great deal of experience in using the bow the conventional way, yet none in this way................" a long pause followed before karn finished the sentence.
"I guess im trying to say I have no experience, and know nothing" a sympathetic smile encroached the edge of the elf's mouth.

[Dicemonk]

"That is most unfortunate," Sal began sympathetically. He winced slightly when he noticed the severed fingers, but said nothing of them. "I am glad to see that you are determined enough to continue trying, despite your... impediment. Now, it seems that you do know at least SOMETHING about archery, because you say that you have much experience in the 'conventional' shooting. All you need to do is switch your thinking to compensate for having to use the other side of your body for the opposite task. Anyways, for now, shoot five practice shots at the closest target, and pay attention to the little details of your shooting." He pointed to a target which was about twenty feet away, and rather large.

[Karniest Moil]

Karn nodded at the request from Sal, he took his stance at the far end of the range, he settled and his breathing slowed.
He pulled a single arrow from the quiver and rested it on his thumb, which was gripping the bow.
The fletched end he slotted behind the wire, closing his eyes he drew the bow as tight as he could. Then releasing the tension slightly,

'..............to ensure a little more control and accuracy, my boy'

he heard his father voice in his mind, giving him a walkthrough of each stage of the concept.

opening his eyes he drew a imaginary line between the arrow head and the centre of the target.

When he was comfortable and his hands were steady he lightly released the wire and the arrow left on its flight.

As the arrow hit the target, he pulled another from his quiver and repeated the steps, while making slight changes to the line he drew with his eyes to compensate for each arrow landing off target.

When the fifth arrow had landed he turned to Sal, awaiting the feedback on his actions

[Advocate]

OOC Dark has asked me to take up this thread.


IC Sal watched as his student took his shots. Noticing his mistakes and making mental notes to point them out.

The first arrow flew good for the first shot in a new stance. The arrow went to far to the left. It missed the target by little more then a foot. Hitting the ground two feet behind the target. Sal was impressed with how well he had made the shot. The next arrow flew better then the first. It flew closer to the target. About two inches away. Hitting the ground close to the first arrow. Sinking into the ground and the tail showing just above the grass. It seemed that his student was homing in on the target.

The third arrow hit the target on the outer ring. The tail vibrated with the force. The fourth arrow hit the outer ring about a foot above the third. The fifth and final arrow it the forth ring in. This was a nice finishing shot for the student. It would give him confidence for the future.

"It looks like all you need is some practice. You have already gotten the hang of switch shooting. You have some miner mistakes that can be fixed up easy." Sal explained. "First, some times you don't always have to pull the string back all the way. Judge how far it is and change the tension you put on the string, but if your not sher. Then just pull back all the way. Second, every archer has a cycle that he of she follows. This can be taking a deep breath. Something they do before every shot. Fiddle with a cycle and find one that works for you. Now take another five shots and figure out a cycle. When you find one that works, stay with it. Your doing good for just starting a switch shot."


OOC Describe each shot. Describe things like your cycle, the amount of tension on the string, and how your character sees the target.

[Karniest Moil]

OOC: Greetings then Hope this is detailed enough, if not let me know.

ic: Karn nodded at each of Sal's descriptions. 'A Cycle' he thought, then remembered his fathers words,

"Take a few minutes to calm an compose yourself young one"

He used to say, he must have been, like Sal, referring to 'A Cycle'

Karn retrieved his arrows from the target, and the floor. Then took his stance again,

'Right' he thought 'My Cycle', he had always like the feel of the fletchings of arrows, some soft and smooth, other hard like brush bristles, His fingers combing the feathers of an arrow in his quiver.

He found this relaxing, and after about 10 strokes he gripped the arrow and brought it to the bow, He slowed his breathing, He looked at the target, then closed his eyes, picturing the target in his mind, imagining letting the arrow flow towards the target centre.

Opening his eyes he focused on the target, the surrounding noise and movement he blocked out,
his eyes surpassing to a tunnel, the start was the arrow tip, the end the centre of the target.

He pulled the string tight, as far as it would go with his strength, then let it return about an inch to release some of the tension.

When his breathing was steady, and his hands still, he released the arrow into flight.

Karn was confident that the arrow would hit the target, his body was relaxed and the bow was starting to feel like an extension to his fingers not a foreign object which they held.

His Left hand returned to the quiver, the fingers stroking the second arrow fletchings, Relaxed after 10 strokes he again positioned the arrow between the bow and string, again when his eyes closed the tunnel appeared, this time he tuned the tunnels end to compensate for the first arrows flight.

His eyes opened and he again focused, his breathing slowed and his steady hands released his second arrow.

He repeated this 'Cycle' for the 3rd arrow, again homing the tunnels exit in line with where the previous arrows landed.

His hand reached for the 4th arrows fletching, this time he was relaxed after 5 strokes, and thought the training was getting somewhere. A small smile appeared on his lips.

Then his mind returned to what was in hand, he rested the arrow in place and the tunnel appeared without him closing his eyes, the background movement and noise faded and he let the arrow go while still in the imaginary world of 'the Tunnel'

He tried again for the fifth, yet after the 5 strokes he still needed his eyes closed for the tunnel to appear,

'This just needs some practice' he thought.

After the fifth arrow had landed, turning he briefly went through his 'Cycle' to Sal and waited for his wisdom to be returned.

[Advocate]

The first shot looked good. It flew toward the target and thudded into the third ring in. The next shot was good also. It hit above the first, but was a little farther in. The third however, didn't go so well. It curved to the left and flew out into the field. "Probably a bad arrow, but your doing fine. Keep going." Sal said as he watched. The forth arrow flew true to its intended target. It slammed home in the bulls eye. A little to the outside, but it was still a bulls eye. The fifth arrow was better then the first three, but not a bulls eye. The arrow landed on the target at the second ring in. Just outside the bulls eye. It seemed Karniest found his cycle with the forth shot.

Sal didn't wait for he had things to do today and wanted to get his student through his training quick. "Good, now take three shots at that target over there." He pointed to a target that was to the right of the first, and was farther back. About fifty paces. "This will test your skills. Now, when you take your shot from this distance. Even the slightest wiggle of the bow can cause the arrow to miss the target. Try to steady yourself as best you can before letting go." Sal explained. Then he stood back to watch his student.


OOC Sorry for the wait. Had to catch up.

[Karniest Moil]

OOC: no probs you catch up, am i moving to fast for you then only messin'

IC:

Karn listened to Sal's directions, although not much feedback from the last 5 shots. But Karn's confidence was growing with each shot, and he took the lack of comment from Sal as a good thing.

He looked over to the second target that Sal pointed out to, A little further back from the last.
He tried to think back to his best shot of his last 5 arrows, then remember how much strain he had on the string, and noted to increase this a little. After he had collected the five arrows he held the one which flew wayward and looked, he could see nothing wrong, but he was no Fletcher and could not see a right from wrong arrow, he snapped the arrow and tossed it to one side.

He took his position at the range. His fingers stroked an arrow fletching until the comfort rose over his shoulders, relaxed he positioned the arrow once more, noting what Sal had said about even a minor tremble in the hand could effect the flight at this distance he took a few deep breaths to steady himself, his eyes closed and the tunnel appeared. This time it stayed when they reopened, he pulled the tension in the bow string to where hie remembered the strain was for his forth arrow.

He then added a further tension and let the arrow loose onto the range.

Karns Hand reached to his quiver once more, his nerves were starting to get the better, his doubt creeping in, will he ever be good again. He shook the doubt from his head.

Sal must have wondered what karn was doing, suddenly and almost violently shaking his head for no explainable reason.

He took some deep breaths and started to fondle the fletchings in his quiver.

He was relaxed after what seemed like and age of strokes, yet the arrow was calmly positioned into the string of the bow, he could almost see the tunnel appearing without the need for his eyes to close first, he made some minor adjustments to the exit of the tunnel based on his last arrows lading spot and pulled the tension in respect of the last shot, again with some minor alterations depending again on the flight of the last arrow.

Karn was getting excited, almost to excited, he was starting to now believe he could do this. Karns emotions were up and down, to often than could of been healthy for his small elven heart.

But once more he calmed these with his fingers running through the fletching's of the 9 arrows left in his quiver.

This time a stroke of each was needed before feeling confident and relaxed enough to line the next shot. Again the tunnel appeared, although this time it was a lot clearer, he could even see a small remembrance of his last arrow flight. Making the slight alterations to his current arrows anticipated stopping point that much easier.

4 breaths later and he had the tension applied to the bow strings, he released the arrow on it flight.

his eyes followed the flight every step of the way, and it was a good 5 seconds after impact that Karn lowered the bow and stepped out of the stance he had taken for the shot.

He turned to Sal looking once again for some feedback and tuition.