The #Broken_Dagger Forum

Zinniah found the note. of course she had, because he made it about as easy as he could. With her father running behind her, and picking up a friend on the way, following the dots on the map would put them at the archery range.
It wouldn't be too often that someone would just leave a pretty bow laying around, right? But there it is, sitting next to a small dark leather pouch held shut with a purple ribbon, leaning against that hay-stuffed archery round, there. A bow made of dark.. dark wood. Almost black, and carved into the upper and lowers limbs are tiny little swirls, spirals and curls. Small details that will be felt better than they can be seen. Just beneath the sight window.. carved from the wood.. look like wings. Pretty and typical feathery wings.. sort of like a guide for her. Where to place her hand, where to keep her eyes. And it's tiny, this bow. Too small, really, for most normal people to use and the string shimmers, like it's a tight golden chain rather than simple twisted fibers. Around the grip is a small piece of parchment, tied with a little piece of twine.

In the bag? Dozens of -marbles-. All colors.. all sizes. Just a bunch of little beads of super smooth glass. The note, addressed to Ms. Zinniah, asks that she please back away from the 'round with her bow and her pouch, and hit the target. And then.. look around.

"That, that's no good. You need arrows for, for bows." It had been Cherny to point out the obvious, there.. with the three of them standing there, alone, in the range. But the instructions are so specific.. and the map only leads them here, no where else. No clues for where to go next..

The challenge was cryptic, bordering on the nonsensical. If they'd been provided with arrows it might've made sense - still a challenge, given the girl's likely inexperience with a bow, but at least one she might reasonably attempt. So Cherny's brow creases into a frown as he reads the note again, painstakingly sounding out the letter-shapes under his breath to be sure that they've not missed something important, some subtle phrasing which might unravel the clue into something meaningful.

"Maybe it's a, a magic bow." He doesn't sound convinced, but he's stumped for other suggestions. "Just, just pretend like you're shooting it. Give it a go." And imagine, perhaps. She's got a fairy for a father, who can tell what she might manage?