One shot for Proof [Training, Self-mod]

[Dego Mernoff]

OOC Note: This is an ongoing training thread, I am using it as a fluid time filler and way of hopefully upgrading my bow skill. So I will be making multiple posts which will be under a blanket of this time frame rather then individual dates on each post. I am also going to call this Self mod for the most part, but GM’s are more then welcome to throw in a twist or two as I go.


20th thru 35th of Ioannes
Era II of the Celestine Mandate
Era XIV Post Fractum.

Walking silently through the trees just before dawn, Dego was careful to watch each foot fall under the blue black haze of darkness. The suns wouldn’t rise for another few candle marks which gave the man more then enough time to get into his spot, and as long as he didn’t make much racket he figured his chances of taking a kill today were good. This morning he sported his black attire hoping to aid his stealth training to make the initial part of this venture successful. He had picked the perfect tree three brightenings prior, a heavily foliaged spruce that would hide not only his physical form but also any scent produced under the sweet natural aromas of the wood. The spot itself looked promising because around it there were many scrapes on nearby trees along with animal dung littering the ground. However the most promising point was that the tree was situated about half way between some sweet berry bushes and a small stream running through the woods. The young esh’s heart began to pick up its pace a bit as he thought about the hunt ahead. It had been some months since he last enjoyed this life and death survival skill.

Upon arrival everything seemed to be in order. Slipping between the thorny outcroppings, Dego took care to protect his face before finally making it into the inner branches. Picking his footholds, and staying close to the trunk, he began his ascent. Testing each branch before putting his full weight upon it, the young half elf slowly made headway up to his nest. Constructed when he had picked the location, it was about ten feet up and stretched between two branches about a foot apart. Using thin green branches for the frame support Dego had woven them around the two larger branches and then used shaved bark like rope to create a cradle. While most of his weight sat on the two main outcroppings of the tree his makeshift seat added the bit of inner support and comfort he would need for the days ahead. Once seated, he positioned his feet on lower branches just in case his seat gave way and insured he had enough room for a full draw of his composite war bow.

Finally, he was in his spot, and had a clear view of the surroundings thanks to branches he had tied to others with more of the makeshift rope. Dego thanked his mother silently for teaching him all of these tricks when he was but a boy. They had come in handy countless times and rather then tracking for days allowed the big game to come to him for a clear accurate shot. All that was left was to wait for sunrise, and for his prey to come for breakfast.

[Dego Mernoff]

The day had begun for the young elf, the suns were shining and illumination was beginning to fill the forest. In the distance Dego had heard a few grunts, most likely from the regional deer. He filled his lungs with slow breaths of the crisp forest air; it was cleansing and rejuvenating all at the same time. His seat seemed to be holding up well so far, and as his bow rested on his lap ready to be used when the time was right. The young man could finally clear his mind, enjoying the world around him to its fullest. The day was turning out to be quite nice, very little wind here in the forest and the temperature was mild for the early morning. Letting off a silent yawn, the man pulled his arm up above his shoulders and flexed the muscles across them to stretch out his upper back before resuming his vigilant gaze of the land below him.

Dego decided that now was an opportune time to inspect his bow for any flaws. By running his fingers over the composite bow he checked for any cracks or unevenness in the finish, it all seemed fine, as did the slits at each end section for the bow string. The string itself still appeared to be in good order, taught without any fray, or serious wear, which made the young man feel confident that the bow would have no complications on this brightening.

Patience was key, and the candlemarks slowly slipped by. All one could do is relax and wait for their moment, and finally Dego’s moment had arrived. Coming from the direction of the berry bushes was a nice sized buck, around eight points from what he could tell, and a nice amount of meat. All the man need do is wait for a clear broadside shot… just a few moments longer was all he needed.

[Dego Mernoff]

Slowly drawing an arrow from his quiver, Dego steadied his nerve and made careful, slow movements to place it across his bow. He had been watching this particular buck for a few days now, it passed through at about the same time each brightening for the past three brightenings. The first day, he had pulled up too fast and hit a branch spooking the creature, and for the last two he hadn’t had a clean shot. Today however, things were looking good. The deer had worked his way closer to the tree and was well within range of the half elves shot. Dego wanted to make a clean kill, he didn’t want the animal to suffer, that was the way he had been taught to hunt by his mother.

His breathing was slow and deliberate, taking care not to jerk or make any unnecessary movements. He waited patiently until his prey seemed to act as if he would turn broadside. Dego drew his bow up in one rolling movement, steady and smooth, he held the front of the arrow in place with one finger from his left hand. With his right, he used the tips of his first three fingers to catch the string, placing the arrows nock between his index and middle. Tilting the top of the bow at a slight angle to the right of parallel with his body, the esh drew back the heavy pull. Dego’s bow was designed for war; he had watched it punch through plate at fifty yards. The shafts of the arrow and heavy heads made it perfect for dropping foot solders, so went hunting a creature like this he only used three fourths draw. Staring down the shaft he lined up his shot, compensating for the light breeze coming out of the south he slightly led off his spot just above the front hip. The buck was broadside and nibbling a bit of the fresh summer grass, he wouldn’t get a better opportunity then right now.

Releasing the grip his finger tips had on the pull, the bow string snapped home, launching the arrow from his tree strand and toward his prey. Dego watched as the arrow hit hard, and buried itself deep into the heart of the animal. The creature jumped a bit, then took a second step, and finally fell less then two yards from where he had been when dego had taken the shot. The nice part about that particular area was that it ruptured the heart and filled the lungs with blood; this in essence drowned the animal and stopped the blood flow making a clean efficient kill. The half elf exhaled and let his body relax. He took this time to calm himself and let his own heart slow to a steady pace. It was done, now he needed to prep the animal for eating.

[Dego Mernoff]

Kneeling before his kill Dego examined the shot. It was a touch to the left of where he had planned. When the deer had heard his string snap it must have startled the creature and caused his compensation to be slightly shorter then expected. The half elf made a mental note of this, that when hunting at short range with his bow he needed to compensate for the direction the animal was moving to become more proficient. Had the animal had a faster reaction time or perhaps even faster Dego could have missed the kill shot.

The half elf pulled more of the rope from his pack and went to work on the deer. Making a slit through its hind legs with his dagger he watched as the body twitched the nerves still not completely dead yet. Running the rope through the tendons and tying it around the legs tight he secured the body and threw the remainder over a nearby branch. Bracing himself by a tree the young man heaved the deer up into the air by its hind legs until its head was about two foot off the ground. Tying it off about the trunk Dego used his dagger to slit the creature’s throat open wide spilling the blood onto the leaves below. He decided to go collect wood while the deer bled out, he would need a good fire to cook and preserve the kill.

Leaving the animal, he searched and gathered dead branches laying about the ground or any nice sized pieces of bark. He made a few trips piling the tender up until the esh felt he had enough. Carrying the last armload Dego heard a grunting and snarling in the distance as he approached the place where his deer should be. The closer he got the louder the noise got, along with a sickly slurping sound. His stomach started to churn as the elf carefully set the last armful of wood down and pulled his bow once more from it’s backrest.

[Dego Mernoff]

In his left Dego held the composite war bow close to his body and crouched slightly as he peaked around the tree he was hiding behind. What his eyes beheld was not a welcome sight, where his deer had been now stood a rather large brown bear with a bloody face and a mass of tendrils hanging from a tree. The creature was huge to the elf, and furry. It looked as if it could stand at nine foot on its hind legs, and had paws as big as the half elves head. The young man ducked behind the tree and pondered what his next move should be. He had two options, run or fight. Running would entail backtracking and making a wide arch around the feasting bear and left him with less then he came into the forest with. Fighting however, posed two options as well, he could end up with a few scraps of deer meat, and possibly a large wooly bear pelt, or he could die. How the young man loved choices.

Letting his hand guide an arrow onto his bow, Dego decided door number two sounded the best. With winter coming soon he could use the heavy pelt for warmth, and the meat would make a substantial amount of meals to carry him through summer. Crouching to his right knee the man inched his way around the tree until he had a good view of the bear feasting. Taking a second arrow from the quiver he set the tip in the dirt so once the first arrow was released he could quickly reload. The next choice was where to take aim. The head was bobbing and jerking too much, and seeing as the creature was diagonal to him a broadside was impossible. Carefully examining the beast the half elf predicted to himself that shooting along the jaw line, at the side of the neck would be most effective in this situation. The arrow should enter and sever some of the heavier blood paths much the same was slitting the throat would, and with any luck continue in toward the lungs or heart. Dego would have to react quickly however if the shot did not drop the bear. The second arrow would be for a chest shot if the furry black creature reared up, if not though, he would place the second as close to his original mark as possible to maximize blood loss and damage.

Relaxing his body the young man held the bow in a similar fashion to earlier when he took his shot at the deer. Everything seemed to be aligned. The target was about 30 yards out, compensated by a slight raise of the bow. No wind that he could see or feel breezing through the heavy foliage. Letting out a long breath and then sucking another back in silently, he drew the string back to its maximum pull. Clearing his mind Dego steadied himself and looked down the shaft of his projectile to the target. The tips of his fingers slipped from the string and his second shot for the day was on it’s way.

[Dego Mernoff]

The bowstring sung a low melody as it vibrated to stillness. Spinning ever so gently Dego’s released arrow sliced through the air toward its prey, holding a fast and true route. The young half watched carefully as his projectile forced its way past the flesh and bone of the bears shoulder and made a sickly crack and slurping sound upon entry. A successful shot, rewarded with a roar from the slobbery mouth of the large black bear. It cocked its head and bellowed to the gods in pain, pacing a bit back and forth, each movement bringing about deeper louder roars with undertones of gurgling blood. The attack was a direct hit, but not in the heart, the bear would most likely die, but due to drowning upon its own blood before the arrow finished him.

The elongated fingers of the pale half human retch out for his second arrow strategically placed in the soft earth before him. Keeping a clear mind about his distant target Dego slid his arrow across the composite frame of his bow and guiding the notch across the string. His fingertips held the back in place as they applied pressure via his strong arms and drew back the sting for a second shot. The heavy pull tugged at his bicep begging release as the tip rested just in front of his left finger, being aligned perpendicular to the bow’s frame and aimed at his massive prey. Dego waited, patiently, planning his shot, the animal was already dead it just didn’t realize it yet. He wanted to end the beasts suffering, but no animal would understand that conversation even if they could speak the same tongue. Then finally as if the god’s willed his charity, the black furry beast rose to its hind legs paws outstretched and moaned once more to the sky.

The tip of the arrow aimed a bit high and to the right of the targeted heart. Holding his bow firm with his left, Dego let his fingertips roll off the string allowing the retained force to be transferred into velocity of his second shot. The bowstring once again hummed its low tune as the arrow flew true, dipping lightly over the distance and moving inward just like every other arrow dego had ever fired from the bow did. Again the projectile struck the target, yet this time without the resistance of bone blocking it’s path. It cut deep into the chest of the unfortunate creature and added to the sickly gurgle in each long moan of pain. The roars of pain grew more dim and finally ceased as the beast dropped back to all fours. It lethargically paced forward a bit, one step and then another toward the half elf who was already pulling another arrow from his quiver, praying to Ionnes that the honorable bear die a quick death. Then finally just as he drew back for a third shot, his prey, the great black bear who knew no fear, fell to man’s technology.