Illus. by J. Nelson
ITEMS OF LEGACY
CHAPTER 3
SIMPLE BOW
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On one occasion, Miyo mentioned to a fellow archer that he most enjoyed the moment before firing The Simple Bow is a wooden longbow of unusual size and asymmetrical shape, with the grip lower down an arrow, when the future becomes clear. The other reacted with only a confused stare, and it dawned on the length of the weapon, making it look awkward to shoot. While its appearance is plain, this bow is Miyo that he might learn more from wise folk than warriors. Ever motivated by his enduring love for Chiexceedingly well made. Nonlegacy Game Statistics: +1 longbow; Cost miko, Miyo then traveled to monasteries across the 2,375 gp. country. He heard of a magic of the mind that grew Omen: With the bow in hand, you can perfectly within persons of wisdom, granting them otherworldcalculate the distance to any target. ly powers. He sought those who knew such secrets, and ascetics he met told Miyo that eating mixtures of HISTORY certain herbs and venoms might let him tap into these Furukaze Miyo, the spoiled son of a wealthy merchant, abilities. Sadly, even with the aid of such foul remedies, traveled everywhere with his Miyo remained without psionic power. Believing he had failed, he remembered Chimiko’s words—”My father. During these journeys, Miyo was allowed to Wind always returns to me.” Miyo realized that even indulge himself in just about without the understanding he sought, any way he saw fit. One night, Chimiko would welcome him into after an evening of debauchery, her arms again. He was nearly thirty, which had been Chimiko’s age the adolescent found himself in the arms of a wise and lovely older when they originally parted comwoman named Chimiko. The two fell pany. Miyo wondered if they would in love. Miyo met Chimiko wheneven recognize one another. (DC 25; ever he visited the same town, and Finding the Master Within) When Miyo was reunited with she came to call him “my Wind,” because she knew he’d always reChimiko, he was amazed to find turn to her. Through Chimiko, Miyo that she had not aged a day. For the came to love archery, for she spoke first time, Chimiko explained that often of her great respect for master she was not truly human. She was elan—a race with human roots archers. To show his devotion to her, but evolved into much more. She Miyo vowed to become the world’s greatest archer before returning had sought Miyo out so many to her arms. At their parting, Chiyears earlier because of the miko gave Miyo the longbow that psionic potential she sensed in his mind, but he was still too would later come to be known as young then to survive the elan the Simple Bow. (DC 15) evolution process. Chimiko When Miyo left Chimiko, he was Though unassuming in appearance, the barely a man, but he was shrewd and made it clear that if Miyo chose quick to learn. Before his twentieth Simple Bow makes an archer of great skill to become elan, he would be into one of legendary ability birthday he had become an expert immortal but would also lose his lifetime of learning to archer and supported himself by date. Miyo thought about winning competitions. Miyo spent years learning from unconventional archers willing to share their secrets. this. He was worried about how the transformation These veterans treated Miyo as a younger brother, almight change him. Having lived for only thirty years, ways impressed with his vigor and discipline. Miyo, he could only imagine what a burden immortality however, was never awed by his instructors. The young might be. He had spent his entire adult life becoming archer drifted from teacher to teacher, gleaning evwidely recognized as the greatest archer of his time and erything he could from each one. He practiced trick wondered if he would be able to bear losing that. Miyo eventually decided to let his bow make the decision. He archery to challenge himself and found that firing blindfolded, catching arrows, and avoiding shots came would fire a single arrow into an orchard, using none of his instincts or finely tuned senses. If the arrow easily to him. (DC 20; The Arrow is the Master)
