New apparel needs some new headcanons~
Overall archery was popularized for being a quiet weapon in comparison to other draconian weaponry and spells. This made for both easier hunting and stealth warfare. Also arrows, unlike magical bolts, are harder to see flying at you if the arrows are not enchanted or modified.
WIND archers are the most famous. Its rumored that a well trained wind flighted archer can take on a raiding party alone with a single shot. They can curve their arrows in the air with the help of their elemental abilities, and release arrows at unbelievably rapid rates. Wind bows are the fastest and are designed for speed over power.
WATER archers are more close combat orientated. Their arrows have curved points and tethers that latch onto, tangle, and pull down targets to the (normally) water below- where they are never seen again. Water bows pack the most punch out of all flights hold earth because they are designed to be effective under water as well.
EARTH archers are steady and patient- as well as great trackers. Targets that are not taken down after the first shot tend to spend a entire day in hiding or running from its attackers, only to be taken down the moment they leave cover or let their guard down. There are many stories of great Earth archers who spend days to weeks on stakeouts for their targets. Earth bows and arrows are the heaviest hitting and can split rock.
FIRE archers are best at taking advantage of their surroundings. They use specialized fire arrows and often light fire to their targets as well as the surrounding area. Be very careful when taking cover from fire archers, because they will make that cover a tomb in a few firey seconds. Fire archers are also known for creating a smoke screen effect - tricking armys into thinking there are twice as many archers then there actually is. Like their armor, fire bows are known for their fine metal craftsmanship, being both balanced and covered in complex designs.
LIGHTNING archers are trickshooters - known for their ‘sky’ shots - firing an arrow up, so it hits the target from directly above like a thunder bolt. This allows them to hit targets taking cover behind things with no roof and use gravity to aid in the punch their arrow gives. Lightning arrows also hold charges very well, allowing them to shock and sometimes paralyze targets. Their bows are the most consistent and carfully made/tested in order to pull off advanced shots.
ICE archers are resourceful and good ambushers. Their native landscape doesn’t give alot of materials for arrows so they are often made of pure ice magic or ice shards that are lying around. The empty tundra pushed them into the art of camouflage- a ice archer can be right infront of you and you wouldn’t notice. Their bows are often modified to resemble twigs or old bones so you don’t reconize it as a bow.
SHADOW archers are frighteningly accurate and make the best bounty hunters. The best can snag a moth to a tree with their arrows - without killing it. Shadow archers like to stay hidden and work best in the dark where they can remain unseen. Some archers have skilled magic users lace curses or similar magical tricks into the tips of their arrows. Bow and arrows are best for being quiet - and shadows are the quietest of them all.
LIGHT archers are snipers, they can hit targets over great distances. Most dedicate their lives to protecting sacred ruins and villages - effectively getting rid of any trespassers before they get close. The bows and arrows are made for distance- meaning that the farther away you are the harder it hits. Their shots are fast, some say you hear a lights arrow coming after it hits you.
NATURE arrows are almost always laced with some kind of plant toxin. It doesn’t matter if the thorny wood arrow doesn’t hurt you too bad - because the poison most definitely will in 5…4…3…2… . Archery is popular in nature because they can hit targets without disrupting the surrounding flora. Skilled nature magic users can make living arrows that grow roots in and around their target after they hit. Normally doctors suggest you don’t rip arrows outta wounds so you dont bleed out - nature, plague, and arcane arrows are an acception to this rule.
PLAGUE archers, like nature, rely on whats in the arrow to do the killing rather than the arrow themselves. The arrow heads are narrow, curved like cat teeth, and loaded with pathogens. This makes accuracy hard but the wounds from these arrows not only instantly infect but are extremely hard to clean out. Because of this their bows are best for speed rather than punch - since the arrows don’t need alot of power behind them to be effective.
ARCANE archers are masters at firing off more than one arrow at a time. Behind wind archers, they are the most famed. Their arrow heads are made of Pink Chalcedony - a glass like rock that is abundant in their region that makes non arcane dragons ill. These arrow heads shatter half the time they hit their target and leave shrapnel inside of them. Their bows are more on the powerful side, to support firing multiple arrows at once, but lack range accuracy as a result.
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