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Goblinsticker
submitted by Randel Clawson

Lore:
This bow was created during the glory days of Myth Drannor as a gift for a brave halfling Akh'Velahr scout, who saved the life of his commander when their ambush on a war party of goblins failed disastrously. After his death, it passed from halfling to halfling until its last owner was slain during the fall of Myth Drannor, at which time it was lost and presumed destroyed.

Description: This short bow is fashioned from highly polished phandar (see VGtATM) wood, greenish-brown in color and striped with thin black grain lines throughout. Six oval brilliant cut alestones (see VGtATM) are inset into the outer face of the bow. Closer examination may give the impression that the bow was never finished, for there are no notches for the attachment of a bowstring. A green leather thong is wrapped around the grip, and if it is removed silver-filled Espruar runes that read "Emeras" will be found underneath.

Use and Powers: Any archer grasping the grip (other than an orc or goblin, who receives 2d8 points of damage) may reach as if to draw back a bowstring where one would be expected, causing a magical string and arrow to appear. This string and arrow appear to consist of green faerie fire that is solid to the touch. When the arrow is released, the string disappears until another arrow is "nocked" in the same fashion as the first. This enchantment means that the archer will never suffer from broken bowstrings, nor will he or she need to carry arrows.

The bow can fire 2 of these arrows per round, each inflicting 1d6 points of damage upon a successful hit. Neither the bow nor the arrows it produces confer any bonuses to hit or damage, though the latter are considered to be of +3 enchantment for determining who may be struck by them (and are unaffected by a 'protection from normal missiles' spell).

All ranges are considered to be short with this bow, though the range of a normal short bow is retained. Any called shot is still subject to the usual penalty of -4 to hit, however.

The archer can fire "normal" magical arrows if he or she chooses to do so, though the standard range penalties to hit will then apply. Any bonuses to hit and/or damage of the magical arrow are used, plus any additional magical effects it may have ('of slaying', etc.). Remember that this is a short bow, however, so no sheaf arrows are allowed.

The archer's AC is improved by 1 versus all missile and thrown weapon attacks coming from his or her front, due to the power of the alestones inset in its front (see VGtATM). By this same power, however, he or she must pass a Dexterity check in order to grab the bow in a hurry if it has been set down, as the bow will slip out of his or her grasp (see VGtATM).

Finally, the archer can invoke a special protection power for up to 6 of his or her friends by touching each with the bow and speaking the word "Emeras." The archer will never hit any friends protected in this fashion if he or she fires into a melee involving them. Any arrow that would normally hit a protected player simply vanishes. In order to change the friends protected, the archer simply touches the new friend(s), and the first ones to have been protected will be "overwritten" by the new one(s).

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