[Ranger Hall] Basic Archery [Iras and fetch]

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Two brightenings after Iras was accepted into the Rangers Hall of Natura he received a message to join Master Ranger Aviat Goodtrack at the archery butts at the rear of the hall. Having had a little time to settle in it was entirely possible that the aspirant ranger would be able to find his way to this area without guidance.

The butts were little more than a patch of overgrown rough ground that had spindly trees growing in inconvenient places. At the far end of the grounds were straw bails perhaps thirty metres away from the firing area on which battered and scared carvings of deer resided. These were the targets. Unfortunately for the new archer there were spindly trees placed in the line of sight. This was not the pristine target range beloved of romantic authors where ladies and gentlemen shot arrows at gaily coloured roundels , ranger archery was about shooting in the woods and the training reflected this skill.

Master Goodtrack was waiting and idly shooting arrows at the targets ducking and weaving between the trees to gain a good sight of the targets. A Halfling of moderate size with curly brown hair, brown eyes and a skin easily burnt by the sun. He has a wide frame and thick features, hair seeming to sprout from almost every inch of him. He wears non-descript clothing of browns and greens, the colour-blending cloak of the Rangers clasped around his shoulder with the broach of the Silver Wolves.


He stopped as Iras approached an arrow still in the bow which he lowered and then released settling the unfired arrow back into his quiver…. Serale Iras … he said with a cheery note in his voice … come to see if you can shoot have yer ?….Good lad. Fine then …got yer bow I see that’s a good start!…Okie dokie lets see what yer can do? See if you can get an arrow near one of the targets ….


Iras has a strung long bow and a quiver of goose feathered fletched arrows the targets are partially obscured with underbrush and trees but if he positions himself carefully he can see the targets. So essentially it’s a matter of knocking an arrow onto the string and moving to where he can see the target …..Aviat was watching carefully noting stance and his instinctive movements he was not bothered about the pupil hitting anything he wanted to see how Iras coped with the weapon in the open air.

[Iras Loregard]

Through the glorious hall and among the white marble columns lovingly entwined with green ivy, upon the marble floor slowly being reclaimed by nature with earth and grass growing, beneath the bright sun and the cool shade of the trees, walked the half-elf Iras Loregard in his new ranger outfit, the newest recruit of the Silver Wolves of Natura. A fresh trainee with none of the skills of a ranger, he walked with purpose to his first lesson, with a halfling named Aviat Goodtrack, a Master, and it was him through which Iras was to learn to shoot a bow. At last his boots stepped upon the grassy earth of the archery butts.

Iras simply loved the practicality of the archery range, its devotion to function and not form. Why not have the range simulate the actual environment the bow will be used in, he thought, as his ocntinued steps carried him closer to the halfling who was so effortlessly using the weapon he was about to teach. "Serale, Master Goodtrack," he introduced, "I hope this brightening finds you well."

He was a bit surprised to find that the lesson would start with no instructions, no explanations, but as an afterthought realized that it was best that the teacher gauge the pupil's skill to see what there was to work with. He nodded, turned to face the nearest deer-shaped target, and proceeded to mimic what he had witnessed other archers do. In his left hand he held his bow, and with his right he plucked an arrow out of its quiver, and after a few attempts set and nocked it on the string. Bringing his straight arm up level with his head and aiming his shot, he slowly pulled the arrow and string back to his face, and let go.

He had no expectations as to how this first attempt would fare.

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The arrow flew high a touch too high and missed the target by feet striking a tree six feet above the height of the target but in a straight enough line to prove that Iras had something about him.

Aviat grunted and Iras would not be sure if the sound would mean his master approved or disapproved of his first attempt. The cether carried a short bow as his preferred weapon at four and half feet high the longer bow would not work for him but he was deadly with the smaller weapon.….

“Very well lad, that was not the worst shot I have ever seen but not the best either so lets get to work on your technique.”

“You will find that with all weapons skills your stance is vital as the base from which you fight whether it’s a sword axe or bow a solid fighting base is the key.Your body should be straight; feet shoulder width apart with your toes on an imaginary line running to the centre of the target."

Aviat demonstrated the stance and then loosed off an arrow at the target striking the top of the shoulder of the deer before turning again to Iras

"You are right handed? Grip the bow with your left hand midway down it with the base of your thumb and index finger and then straight down to the other side of your hand, that is where the pressure should be. Now you place the arrow against the string, your index finger is above the shaft and the next two fingers below the shaft. The string should be gripped in the first joint of your fingers. With the arrow now knocked, extended your bow arm and pull the string to the corner of your eye. Once you have your target picked, release..."


.........................................

A tinkling laugh ran around the archery butt as Iras loosed his arrow at the target, it was full of joy and merriment redolent of mischief and had a certain mocking quality. The Halfling master ranger joined in the chuckle …….before speaking softly Iras looks like you are in trouble my boy H'annaeryth is around …. he looked around the wooded area and then shaking his head called out …. H'annaeryth. Why don’t you.....

The words were followed by a *sudden rushing of wind, causing branches to move as though grasping at thin air, stirred through the space of the archery butts as a decision was apparently made, followed by a vision the likes of which Iras had never witnessed before.

From the earthen brown bark of one tree which stood before Iras stepped the body of a woman. Out from within the form of the white birch itself did she walk, in manner which suggested that the two were a part of each other, one being. More graceful than an elf, and boasting features more exotic than any of that fair race, the woman had skin that was tan, tinged with green and mulled in appearance, with spider webs of a silvery moss hanging down in aesthetic cascades from elbows, hips and hair. Her eyes were without pupils, wide and darkest green, and looked through the human now, rather than truly at him. Her hair was as light as gold, and she wore a crown of flowers, suspended on delicate white roots that appeared as much a part of her being as her lips or nose. She was also completely naked, though seemed to be quite comfortable in this, and unperturbed by the fact that a man would be looking upon her now.

When she spoke, it was with a childish lilt, curious and questioning both. She stood but a short distance in front of Iras, beholding him through those sightless eyes and still, apparently, within the process of judging him.

“ So you wish to study the art of the druid do you? Well Iras I am H'annaeryth master druidess and your tutor you must follow me when your current tutor gives you leave."

OOC * adapted from the description given by GM Minerva ~ Next thread here

[Iras Loregard]

He was not displeased with his first shot, apparently the archers he had witnessed before were true experts for Iras's shoddy mimicry to result in a decent shot, albeit a bit too high to hit the target. Master Goodtrack shared his opinion, admitting he had seen worse, before relating to Iras the proper technique used to successfully fire an arrow from a bow.

As the points were being discussed, Iras went through the motions, immediately following the instructions Aviat gave, standing up straight, holding the bow where he should, how he should. Luckily, Master Goodtrack noticed this and gave Iras enough time between steps to demontrate them, and he took another arrow from his quiver, holding it as he was told, nocking it, then holding the bow with a straight arm, level with his head. He pulled back the nocked string to the corner of his eye and lined up the shot with his target, and as soon as Aviat said the word 'release,' he did so.

It was after he fired his second shot that the laughter could be heard, and it took a few moments for Iras to realize that it was towards him and it was not about his archery. In fact it was not an insulting laugh but rather a mischievous one, seeming to herald something which Iras would find out very soon. He looked around to the other rangers, and finally Aviat Goodtrack, with a slightly quizzical look yet with a polite confused smile. He soon found out who this 'H'annaeryth' was, and what he saw simply astounded him.

The supernatural woman stepping out of a tree-- an naked woman no less, decorated with nothing but natural accessories, moss and spiderwebs and flowers and the like. Iras stood there staring at the creature as she stepped out of the tree and approached him, his mouth slightly open in astonishment, and right before she spoke he finally identified the name of the race the tree woman belonged to: dryad. She was a dryad! An actual dryad in the flesh! Iras never thought he would actually meet one before, let alone to learn from one! His mouth was still open as he stared...after being too curious to not look over her naked body, into her dark pupil-less eyes, which he admitted was a little unsettling at first. As she spoke to him of following her once his archery lesson is complete, his open mouth started to turn into a smile in approval and absently nodded for a moment. He had to shake himself out of the stupor of meeting a dryad, and in total contrast to his usual confident manner of speech, he blurted out the words, "Yes...of course....gladly." while still nodding. He hoped H'annaeryth would forgive his reaction to meeting a mystical creature for the first time.

When she departed, he turned again to face Master Goodtrack and the other rangers, who were by that time likely openly laughing at Iras's reaction to H'annaeryth. His mouth still open, he smiled widely upon realizing that he had just met a dryad, and that she would teach him the sacred magic of druidism! It was something out of a dream. Penda would surely be overjoyed to hear of this, he thought. Smiling still, he spoke to Aviat, "She is going to teach me druidism? Did all of you learn from a dryad?....I'm starting to like this place more and more by the brightening..." It was clear that Iras was still a bit dreamy over the experience, something that would bring a smile to the Master's face. He shook himself out of his wondering yet again, and continued. "Forgive me. I am ready to continue the lesson."

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Aye Iras we have all been taught by mistress H'annaeryth and there is not a man jack amongst us that has not reacted exactly the same as you.

The other rangers all nodded and grinned sheepishly, the dryad was someone who had gained great honour amongst the rangers and although they laughed at Iras’s surprise each of them remembered their own sense of awe at meeting the ethereal creature for the first time.

Aviat slapped Iras on the back in a good natured way … Don’t worry lad you will do fine she is a hard task mistress but learning from her is a delight. So before you go off with the dryad lets see how you did with your last shot.

The arrow was not stuck in the target but master Goodtrack located it just three inches away from the wooden deer ….

“You are beginning to progress by the end of this session you will be able to hit the deer so lets get back to your mark and we will work on your technique.”

Back at his mark Iras would pull another arrow from his quiver and nock it into the string.


Aviat stood behind him making sure that his instructions were being followed

Now, when you aim you want to keep your dominant eye open and close the other. With your open eye, look straight down your arrow. Relax your hands and the arrow will fly, but do not lower them. You want to keep the bow up and your eye on the target until your arrow hits. Along with aiming comes the technical stuff . There are any determining factors to where the arrow will land once you’ve released it from the bow. The one you need to keep in mind mainly is that your arrow does not fly in a straight line. The feathers on the shaft cause the arrow to spin and it will rise and fall as it flies. Because of this, the distance from the target is a vital aspect of shooting, and you will come to be able to judge distances with great skill. Right now we are fifty yards from the target, so your arrow should rise and fall to nearly the same height as you fired it from. If we were closer, the arrow would rise but not fall back down, as far so you would aim lower. If we were farther, the arrow would rise and fall further, so you would need to aim higher. Now, a factor in this is also how strong your pull is. The stronger your pull, the longer the arrow will fly straight without rising. The same goes vice versa. The weaker your pull, the arrow will rise sooner. Now with all these in mind, try and hit the target.”

[Iras Loregard]

Iras held the bow in his hands with the arrow nocked, but the weapon wasn't raised as he listened to Master Goodtrack's lecture on distance and the flight path of the arrows. It was more of a speech for a classroom, yet Iras paid much attention to the words, forming images in his mind of the arrows rising and falling toward the target, picturing himself pulling the string back farther and stronger, loosing an arrow that sped like a chasing hawk toward its target, embedding itself deep into its quarry. He longed to master this art, archery, so precise a weapon, and safe for all. A sword or a blade would always maim or kill, for its lethal edge is always present, and accidents are almost as common as deliberate murder committed by the weapon. But a bow and arrow poses no threat except only in the hands of an able and skilled archer, and even then the level of damage inflicted is completely at the whim of the Ranger, allowing for kill shots, sure, but also shots that slow down or immobilize, or merely bleed to teach the enemy a lesson.

The subject that Master Goodtrack was relating was new to Iras, indeed archery in itself was new to him, yet he felt that he comprehended the theory that was being described well enough. But Iras knew, as well as his teacher, that this lesson is one much better learned in practice than in theory. You could spend all day memorizing the numbers and calculations, the distance of the target and the appropriate shot involved, but it would be far inferior to putting in the practice and really getting a feel for what is best, aquiring the skill to put life into the arrows to hit the target. And it is this method in which Iras far preferred. He gave a nod to Aviat when he was finished, and brought his arm up, aiming the bow at the static wooden deer.

Knowing that his shots so far were too high, and drawing from the lesson Master Goodtrack just provided, Iras deduced that at this range he was aiming too high. The arrow would inflect upwards on its own due to the feathering. If he was farther, perhaps his shot would have hit, but again there was no way of knowing outside of practice and experience, which he had none. So he drew the string, holding the arrow as he was told with his index finger above the shaft and his other two fingers below, to the corner of his eye, and aimed a little lower than last time, and did not pull his hand back, did not lower his hand, but just abruptly relaxed it, releasing the arrow towards its target.

[Iras Loregard]

OOC: Self moderation approved by fetch

The loosed arrow sped forward with speed, though not as much as last time, and it struck the ground in front of the target. "You had the right idea, lad, but make sure you release the arrow quicker; don't just relax your hand, that made the shot weaker, but actively let the arrow go, though not too much or else it will affect its flight path." Master Goodtrack spoke to him once he had turned to face him after witnessing the result of the shot. "Do not worry, the process of using this elegant weapon is still new to you-- you must get a feel for it for even any hope of competency." he continued and grinned at his new student. The halfling could teach the art of the bow to a master archer, yet there was something about him that made him still enjoy passing on the very basics to a raw recruit.

"Now try it again. You have the rest of it correct, your stance is good, your hand positions are well enough, only a better release is needed. Before long you won't have to think too hard about what your muscles are doing, they will act on their own. Although that takes much practice, countless time of practice, but it is very necessary for any archer, let alone a Ranger...let alone a Silver Wolf." he grinned again. Iras smiled back this time, Master Goodtrack sure knew how to put a new trainee at ease and give him confidence. Sometimes that was all that was needed, the confidence and the will to believe that success will come with work and focus if only one believed they could do it. The half elf could not help but imagine himself darting through the woods, masterfully using his bow as an extension of himself, every arrow nocked and loosed with enthralling speed, every shot flying true to its mark. He smiled in his thoughts as his goal washed before his sight, giving him something to strive for, a desire to master this art called archery, for how beautiful it is in the hands of a master.

The time for lecturing was over for now, all that was left to do was to shoot again at the target, and repeat, over and over, until Iras would become comfortable with the process and the sequence of firing an arrow. That was the whole point of this initial lesson, the real training would come later, he knew. These were the very basics. And so, he took a refreshing breath of the clean air of the Naturan forest, glancing for but a moment around at the calm forest scenery, the healthy greens and fertile browns of nature living in harmony with the marvelous stone marble structure the Rangers call home. An arrow was drawn from his quiver, and soon nocked, although it still took Iras a few moments to fit it to the string; he would have to practice this motion later, he thought to himself, he would have to practice all of it later, every day, until it becomes effortless. But in the moment he was still too inexperienced to accomplish it as effectively as he hoped to be. Still, it only took a few moments, and pushing that thought out of his mind for the present he focused on his next shot. Standing up straight, his feet shoulder width apart and mimicking the stance Master Goodtrack had shown him with his toes pointed along an imaginary line towards its target, Iras held the bow out in front of him at eye legnth, as he had been, as was correct, and drew the string back to the corner of his eye, aiming at the same spot as last time. All that was left was to release, and following Aviat's latest correction of his technique, he released his hold firmly and abruptly, sending the arrow flying toward the static wooden deer.

Through the air it flew, its flight path not looking bad, and almost looked like it would hit. It did, in part; it ended up glancing off of the top of the deer, taking a small chip out of the target and sending the arrow itself ricocheting up, more or less keeping its direction, just taking a bounce off the target. A few of the other Rangers down the butts were watching to see how the new one would do, and they grinned and grunted upon seeing the shot almost hit, as if they were expecting it to. Their words could not be heard, but a general feeling of approval seemed to be read from their body language.

Iras, though, was dissapointed that it did not hit. Master Goodtrack, who shared the opinion of the other Rangers, smiled. "Not bad. As I said before, all it takes now is practice, to figure out the right combination of aim and the stregnth of the pull. Keep it up, and don't stop until I tell you." With that he took a seat on a nearby rock behind Iras. It was clear that the half-elf would be spending much of the day going through the motions. The short master Ranger behind him got into a comfortable position, content to sit and watch the new half elf's attempts. Iras nodded in understanding and acceptance, and turned to face the target once more, determined to pierce it before long.

[Iras Loregard]

Master Goodtrack watched behind him as Iras drew another arrow and nocked it, aimed it and released, sending it flying towards its target like a speeding hawk, and lo and behold, the arrow struck true, embedding itself in the wooden body of the deer with a loud THUD! for all to hear. The halfling grinned. "Not a bad shot, lad! Now let's see if you can keep it up. Take your time." he said. "Gladly." was the hald-elf's smiling reply. Now that he had finally hit the target once, he had more confidence than before, and more than ever he desired to master this art called archery, the delicate, precise, surgical firing of the bow and arrow. It was a symbol of Rangerdom, one he wished to weild skillfully and proudly. Smiling still, he drew another arrow, while Aviat stood up and went to fetch more arrows.

He fixed his stance, drew, nocked, aimed, pulled, and released. Every shot brought him a little closer to becoming familiar with the motions, with becoming comfortable with firing an arrow. Accuracy was not as important in this initial stage, though it was by no means unimportant. One after another he fired, becoming used to the sound of the taught string in his ear as he drew it close to his face, the sight and smell of the feathers, the fletching of the arrows-- they smelled of darts that had pierced wooden targets before. They had found their marks before with others, and now it was Iras' turn to guide them. His arm muscles were beginning to feel some hint of fatigue, but nonetheless they were becoming familiar with the position and the motion of nocking and drawing, and he succesfully fired each shot with the strength and poise that was required of him. Some time passed by, and before long he had emptied his quiver, some dozen or so arrows, and a little more that Aviat had brought over, a little over half of which hit the target in some area, one of them even embedding in the head of the deer, a fantastically lucky shot for one so new with the weapon and a shot he knew he would not be able to accomplish on command anytime soon. Still, he was pleased with his progress, as was the halfling behind him, who smiled and stood up to address him. "Not bad at all my lad, I have seen much worse, and between you and me I haven't seen much better; those that did better at this stage and even some who did worse went on to become true masters of the bow. I think you will go far, my boy, if you stick with it." The compliment he gave seemed to be genuine, and even if it wasn't Iras would not care.

His spirits were lifted, sometimes that is all that is needed for advancement and success. "Thank you, Master Goodtrack. I will not let you down." Iras replied with a flattered grin, "I'm glad you have such fai--" before he could finish his sentence, the halfling, quicker than Iras thought possible, drew an arrow from his quiver, and nocked it, and aimed it, and shot it, all in the same motion! The arrow flew with more speed than Iras' had that day so far, and it landed right between the eyes of the wooden deer. The green-eyed beginner stood and stared at the halfling's handiwork with his mouth agape, in pure disbelief. He turned to Master Goodtrack, who was grinning; obviously he gave the compliment because he planned to shut him up in his flattery with the expert display the likes of which were entire plateaus above his own skill level. "But you have a long way to go, boy. It will take much work, much effort, much dedication. What you get from the bow is only what you put into it, the practice and the focus. Remember that." Iras nodded solemnly at the words of wisdom being dispensed. "I understand. I will show this weapon the proper respect, always."

With that the halfling slowly nodded after a few moments of gauging the sincerity of his student's words, apparently pleased. "Good." Another grin came to his face then and he clapped his hands together, "Well, that concludes your lesson for today-- it's time for you to go off and follow H'annaeryth to the sacred grove, there she will impart to you the magic of druidism...if you are deemed worthy of it." The way he said this hinted that not everyone was accepted for druidism, though it caused Iras no worry. "Come back at the same time tomorrow, and the real work will begin." Some other recruits in the past might have felt discouraged by those words, but Iras was nothing but optimistic. He was, especially after Aviat's complimentary observation, more than willing to dedicate every waking hour to furthering his proficiency with the elegant weapon that is the bow. "Of course." was his reply, "I cannot wait. Thank you, Master Goodtrack." he finished with, as the master Ranger said his good day and the recruit left the archery range to follow the waiting dryad into the forest, towards the Druidic Grove, where mysteries of the mind and Nature would be revealed to him, and he followed with all contentment and excitement.