The path of an Archer
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Long walking, I was finally back into the forest. It feels much better than anywhere. The sight of the trees and animals is to me as precious as a well crafted bow. It was the begining of the rawlinswood, goblinoids of all kinds roaming about. At first there was not many, easy to sneak past them, and even to steal some of their food. The deeper I went into the woods, the more goblinoids I found. Must be I was way too tired and didn't notice…but it'd seem I chose the wrong tree to rest that night. I was resting when I suddenly heard some strange crawling under the tree. Looking down, discovering 5 goblins climbing up towards me and a couple of goblin archers covering them from the ground.
With a smooth movement, I jumped from the tree branch to another that was out of sight from the archers. They just then noticed I was awake.
I kept climbing to the top of the tree to take distance from the climbing goblins and making it even harder for the archers on the ground to aim at me. From there, I had time to shoot down three of the four goblins approaching me. The last one reached me and threatened me with his dagger, so I pulled out the flail Ridian gave to me for this cases and bashed the goblin's skull. Stealthy I went down a few feets to check for the archers, but I was only able to see one of them. I climbed further down to have a better shot.
My mistake to shoot it down before checking around first, that goblin was the bait, and it worked pretty well. As soon as I shot the goblin an arrow hit my leg and I fell down from the tree. Quickly loaded my bow and another arrow hit my other leg. A fine shot that goblin. He had climbed to a nearby tree while I was busy dealing with the others, and had caught me off guard. It was now aiming at me from the tree, but I was aiming at him as well.
Time played against me. Surely soon more goblins would come, and with both legs hurt, that'd mean my end. I couldn't just shoot at the remaining goblin either, because surely he'd shoot at me as well and since now I was a static target, he'd not miss a vital spot.
What to do? The goblin knew as well that shooting would get him dead, he was clearly going to wait for reinforcements. So I started singing. That usually clears my mind and makes me focus. I sang for some minutes, maybe 5...and then realized the only thing I could do. I kept singing, pulled the string of my bow. The goblin pulled his. I moved my arms forwards hastly, making the goblin believe I was shooting, so he actually shot back at me. I lose the string, and my arrow, glowing more than ever, seems to fly straight and on its own. I knew he would shoot to my head, and I figured out which way his arrow would come, shooting my own enhanced-with-music arrow through his and reaching his chest. I crawled out of the place to tend to my wounds and hidd inside some bushes for one day, until I was sure the goblins gave up on the search.
It was dangerous, my arrow would have not pierced through his if not for my song enhancing it. I could have died. I won't take more unnceseray risks. I'll be alert all the time...and reach norwick as soon as possible.A bit down in the same page….
and here I am…
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The way back is not as easy as I thought. I can't make the same road, so I'll have to take an alternate path. Singing is the only thing that keeps me alive from the terrible boredom.
I knew the road was too silent. But I couldn't quite tell why. I was paying attention to both sides of the road, fearing an ambush, but because of that I forgot to search for obvious traps by the road…
When I wanted to realize I was already traped inside the net. It was just four of them, and they didnt look really like bandits, but more like poor people trying to earn some money the wrong way.
I thought my best way out was to fool them. I told them I was a mighty sorcerer, and that if they didnt release me inmediatly I would make them explode. They didn't take me too serious at first. So I decided to make it more...believable. I closed my eyes and concentrated until I could feel the air around me, then I let out my loudest shout, pushing the air itself with my voice, making them fall to their knees.
They were impressed. At that moment they really bought it and let me free. I gave them hundred coins regardless of the trouble. They were really in need of it.
If only I had know what awaited me...
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So warm. It's never been so warm. There's not many plants and trees. Everything's sand and strange legged animals. I've been following some rumors that I heard in the last inn by the forest. There were rumors about an elven woman, sneaky one, very versed in the use of the longbow. It's not clear wether it's her or not. But that's my only clue and that's what I can do.
There's large mountains, but without rocks. Is all sand. I've crossed noone on my whole time here. And I've really been close to dying in more than one occasion. Only the gods and my bardic luck have saved me from it so far.
I was walking all this sand and suddenly it started sucking me down. I tried to step away, but the more i moved, the deeper I sunk. I didn't know what to do, so I stopped to think about it. Ironicaly, when I stoped moving, i stoped sinking. However I still had no idea how would I manage to come out if I couldn't move. I was lost in thought when suddenly the arrow hit the sand near me, an arrow like those I had seen before.
I must admit it was a great idea of her. I took one of my own arrows very slowly, and pulled out the bow slowly, sinking a bit more in the sand, only my arms and head visible now. A swift movement to quickly grab the rope from my shoulder and tie it to the arrow while sinking, giving a blind shot into the save sand. As I shot the arrow my body sunk more into the sand because of the movement, but now I could pull myself out with the help of the rope. It took me several minutes to reach the safe spot, but I finally managed.
I don't know who's saving me and helping me all this times, but I owe him or her a big time.
I don't think the one I seek is in this place. And maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. Is time to head back to Narfell, and to the Rawlins.
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_After some days without any more signs of someone following me I was starting to feel like walking in circles. It's very rainy in this parts, and I already find it tiring and annoying. When you spend weeks without more shelter than the tree leafs and the ocasional cave you really grow tired of rain.
Today I woke up wet and cold. Blame the rain. I'm surprised I haven't caught a cold by now. Must be the amulet. I started walking with the first glint of the sun. I quickly noticed an unusuall scent. Burning wood! I hasted to the spot the wood was burning only to find a large firecamp. I approached cautiosly and examined it for a bit. Whoever was there had…just left, but also just made the firecamp for the look of the wood logs.
Who is doing all this? What's the purpose behind it?
All in all. I spent a couple of hours drying up by that firecamp._
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It's been a rough night. I woke up with a sudden noise. It sounded like steps, probably from three or four creatures. At least that's what I thought at first. I quickly put off the firecamp kicking dirt on it and climbed the nearest tree, remaining silent. I would have hoped it was three or four goblinoids, but the many steps heard belonged to a spider, a big spider. When I first was able to see her my blood freezed. It was that big.
I looked around, seeing for possible scapes, but the spider had already spoted me with it's many eyes and with just a couple of jumps she reached the branch next to me. I didn't have much time to think, it was real close so I jumped down and started running. I didn't know where I was runing to, but I didn't want to be caught off guard, so while runing I unshouldered the bow and noked a couple of arrows. I then did something that I hope not to do again. I looked behind while running from that thing, and as I turned again to look front, it was just too late. Trapped in the spiderweb. Luckily, my arms where free, since at that moment I had just noked the arrows. I didn't try moving, it would have only made things worse. I had no idea what to do. Hopefully the spider would've get lost.
Hah. I wished. 1 minute later she appeared, chittering and getting closer, closer…
I was so scared that I could hear my heart beating over anything else. I was so scared I didn't know what to do, how to think or even if I could think at all.
Suddenly I let out a loud scream as the spider tried to bite me. I'm not sure how, but my shouting created a sonic wave that pushed the spider down to "her knees" and the leafs of the nearest trees waved as if hit by the wind. No time for thinking, I pull the string of the bow while the spider is shoked and give two shots to it's head. Spider chitters one last time, then it's dead.
It took me some time to cut the web with a dagger. Then I looked over the body, and I was more than just surprised. The corpse had a third arrow on it's back, a fine arrow deep into the spiders corpse.
I looked around, tried to spot someone or something, but nothing I could see...
Who or what shot that arrow?
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It's been a week since I left Norwick into the woods in search of her. I try to avoid goblinoids and other creatures when possible, but sometimes is harder than just shooting them down. At some points I feel observed. Am I being followed? Could it be her spying on me? I have no clue and no way to tell, but I can say for true I'm being stalked.
Is good that my pack is light and there's many trees and spots to cover. I'm not even sure where do I have to look or even what could be a clue. I guess i'm hoping if she's out there, she'll find me.
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_Today I've been asked why do I always hum or sing when I trying my best with the bow. I really never payed much attention to that. Usually I don't…but when things get rough I seem to find better aim with music. It's different as when I enhance the arrows with my inner power. When I enhance the arrows, it's something inner, that goes through my hands to the arrows... the singing is mayhaps a bit more potent, it's when I release more energy, I'm more accurated and my arrows inflict more damage to my enemies. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the arrows are crafted by me, as is the bow. It's harmony. My path will go through harmony.
E._
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_She's nice. She's caring for others, she's pretty and friendly. She'd be the perfect woman for me. She's a High priestess, so I don't have high hopes, but maybe some of Elidor's charm can breach through her defenses!
I've given thought to the idea that maybe It's time to look more actively for Sha'mai Di' malle. Doesn't matter how much I train, I still dont find the correct direction. She's the only one that could help at this point. She's a wood elf, and she's been wiling to aid others in the past to find the proper way. At least, that's what Ridian explained to me.
I might go soon to the woods to look for them. Might take long time, but I need and want to find her. And I will do whatever is needed.
E._
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_Shades, shades and more shades, and lightings. Seems necromancers and the god talos himself have something against me. I nearly died from that lighting. Thanks that Myrrha was there to protect me from the following ones, and thanks that Rith healed me quickly or I'd been dead once again…
I'm meeting many interesting people this days. And I've learnt some about life and such.
Some nice last month this one, despite the deaths. Yes.
E._
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Written yet again not clean and as if written without much interest
Again. Dead. As painfull as the last time, as surprising and deceiving as the last time. The same place, the same sadness and boredom, the same silence.
Why did I die this time? Why didn't I turn to see that huge spirit behind me? Why did Uthgar refuse to her my prayers?
I'm unable to answer to any of those questions.
I was wiling to come back to the living. I'm still convinced that my path is the one I'm seeking.
However, I can't but wonder…are the gods trying to tell me something with all this dying?
Is it a trial of the gods to see if I'm fit for this Path?
E.
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The letter here looks like at the beginning, fine letter, beautiful, clean.
_Two things worth mentioning today. First, that I feel good again, my power seems to be restored, my magic holds on the arrows long enough again.
Second, I've found some beautiful creature to inmortalize in wood. It seems to be a woman that can shapeshift into small dragon, blue dragon. It was raining, a strong storm, many lighting, and she was there, enjoying it.
It really appeared to me as a really beautiful thing, so I asked her to pose for me, and she did…I've only started, but It will look nice with time, I'm sureE._
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Short and clear
_I tried to enhance my arrows, and I was unable. The enhancement fades as soon as I stop concentrating, it doesn't stick to the arrows. Maybe it'll take longer than I expected to recover from the dead. I've always been cautious to avoid unnecesary dangers and keeping myself alive. Now that I've seen the true consecuences, I'll try even harder.
E._
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The next lines have a slightly different letter, the writting is not as clean as it uses to, seems like he didnt feel much like writting
_It was the first time in my long existence that I died. Or at least, that's what Val Kyrie told me when I found myself in the temple of the triad in peltarch. The reason I'm still uncertain about it, is that the place that I recall being at, was not what I had thought, not what I expected, not even by far.
I thought when I died I'd go to a beautiful place, I'd see Uthgar, meet other elves, wide and long woods to spend my time in, infinite peace and time to perform my best woodworking arts…What I got instead? I don't remember clearly, but it was all grey and sad, nothing to do, eternal boredom... I can't believe that's what awaits at the after life.It's true though, that I at least lost consciusnes for some time. Hard to tell how much. Is also true, that I feel slower with my bow though I'm recovering from that fast and I still feel am able to enhance my arrows. Must be something common after you are dead? I don't know.
Whilst I was dead, something crossed my mind in that sad place. Why would I want back? Didn't take long to get the right answer...
I still have to walk my Path.
E._
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_It was a quiet day. I spent quite some hours with the wooden woman. Some people has been joking around that they'll ask me to shape some women for them If mine ever gets to life. I don't think they understand the reason I spent so much time with the same figurine. I want it to be beautiful, I want it to be nice, to have the best shape, the best carvings, I wan't it to be perfect. I ended it today, it's a tall elven woman (I shaped the ears pointy), long hair with arms open, as if wellcomming. And it has snowflakes, on a recent trip to that Icey island I discovered how beautiful snow can be.
My fletching is comming out pretty good, I might be able to do decent arrows soon…if I was able to get my hands on the proper wood anyways. For now I can do my own arrows, and I spend my time marking each of those. Still looking for that Cherry tree...haven't seen one yet. They can't be so rare, can they?
E._
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_Sir Vladimir was showing me the mines by oscura. It's a dark place, not something I like. The city I mean, but I must admit it has some large and productive mines. There was tin, malachite, copper, and other ore that i'm still not able to work with, and all withing short range. The problem? there's some strange crystal-looking oozes that seemed inmune to sir Vladimirs hits and my own arrows. There it prooved why is my path so important, so special. The ooze paralized and poisoned him, so I had to act quick, I took two arrows from my quiver and concentrated, the arrowtips glowing blue. I must say everytime I'm able to do this faster and faster, it only took me a few seconds. My arrows did now hurt the thing, only a bit, but it was hurting it, enough to bring it down in time before it could hurt Sir Vladimir further.
Situations like this tell me my fate is to become what I'm trying to become, that my path was never clearer.
E._
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_It was totally unexpected. I was by the gates, talking to the merchant named Alexi. When I was done talking with him Celad approached to me and showed me 10 cherry sawn boards. I ran a hand through them and the touch was soft and at the same time strong, It's as flexible as Oak, yet stronger. The color of the wood is a beautiful red, a dark and mighty redish wood. He sold them to me for a fair price, so I got them and inmediatly rushed to peltarch. I wanted to put my hands on such a wood.
I must say I enjoyed the whole procedure, putting the boards in the woodhorse, cutting them quietly into long staves. I even made one with so much care and dedication that it turned to be an excelent piece, or so said the master bowyer of the hall. I could only make four usable staves after all, and I moved to the bowerying rak. My fingers moved anxious at first, but after a deep breath and a failed bow attempt, I concentrated further and managed to do a decent bow. It wasn't as accurate as my Oak one, but it was actually stronger and could be pulled more. I worked two more staves into bows, with similar result, and for the final one I spent a bit more than half a day….but the effort payed of. I can safely give away my oak bow now, because I've done something better with the cherry.It's a long redish bow, strong and flexible, it has a resistant string. The shaping of the edges of the bow are carved like a thorn rose and in the middle of the bow there's the "E."
The words of the first person that saw the bow were: A good bow, for a good archer._
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_I'm still on my break with the woodcutting. Is anyways hard to come by a cherry tree. After the wooden rose I was feeling like making a new figurine. I enjoy the work and apart from relaxing it's full filling. I've started now to shape a bigger wood piece, and I believe so far the figurine is pretty well done. It's a woman, though it still has no face and is missing many details. It's a woman, but I've left a blank spot by her feet, because I'm going to shape there something not sure what yet, an animal? a plant? we'll see. Something that reflects beauty… suddenly there's a line crossing the page
That is, reflecting.E._
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I had finished my work. It was a pretty wooden rose, with all the details, even the smallest of them. It took me near a week to shape it like this. I had found someone to give it to, Cara. She was very nice to me, and she was as beautiful as the rose itself. She died, and she won't be back. For that, I will put this wooden rose by her grave.
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I've been taking a break from the woodcutting. For one side, it's complicated to find the wood I need, and for the other, is good to relax for some time. I've been taking regular walks through the woods, not fighting, not doing much but walking and ejoying the nature.
Yesterday I started shaping a small figurine in a piece of wood. I've adquired quite some skill with all the woodworking i've made, and It helps me relax.
I'm doing it slow, trying to make each movement with precision. The good thing is that I'm under no pressure, noone tells me how to do it, not even wether it looks good or not, I can take my time, do it in silence, when I feel like it.
And know what? So far I like how it looks like
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_I gathered a group of adventure-hungry adventurers and with some effort convinced them to move towards the forest called Mintas forest, where I had heard the best wood grows. We fought our way through dozens and dozens of wild huge beasts…bears and tigers mostly, the size of a large tree, or bigger.
We were a strong group, and they seemed to be able to deal with this all without trouble. It made me happy that some of them recognized my archery skills as quite good. If people is noticing, it's because it's true.
I've managed to make the enchantment on my arrows last a little bit longer, though is not enough for a large encounter, is still usefull for certain situations. I must train harder, improve further.E._