Spice archery up

[Vareor]

Hey guys. I’m writing a fantasy novel and one of my characters is an archer. As I was thinking of what kind of edge I should give her skills, an interesting idea crossed my mind.

Turning arrows.

Is such a feat too unrealistic? Apparently not.

Of course, the arrows don’t have the same punch as those shot straight, but in the right situation this could widen eyes. Besides, I think consistency is more important than realism.

Right now, the impact of this finding feels to me like it deserves to be standing on the same level with the discovery of fire.

Or perhaps not. Either way, I’m very enthusiastic about this idea and I thought I would share it with everyone.

Cheers

 

[CTRandall]

Here's a twist, though not one that would make your heroine look good. A family friend went bow fishing a couple of years ago (that's right, shooting arrows at fish). This uses a fairly heavy line attached to the arrow with a reel attached to the bow. He saw a fish, took the shot and the arrow flew off with the line rapidly unspooling from the reel.

And then a kink in the line caught in the reel, stopping it instantly. The arrow, of course, kept going. And the heavy nylon line attached to it stretched and stretched until, like a rubber band, it snapped back in the direction it had come from. The line pulled the arrow straight back and it hit the guy in the chest. He was saved by two things: 1, the arrowheads used for fishing are relatively light, thin and not super sharp and 2, it hit dead on his sternum and the bone stopped the arrow from penetrating.

So, it is entirely possible to shoot yourself in the chest with a bow and arrow. And live to laugh about it.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I asked my husband about this—he's a historical archery buff—and he says he has made and experimented with the double-fletched arrows that are supposed to do this. They did turn in the air but quickly lost power in the process. To do it right, you apparently have to hold the bowstring in a certain way, too, and he never acquired that knack. It can be done, but he points out that only an idiot would do trick shooting with real people standing in the way, like the guy in the video.

 

[Vareor]

Well, after seeing some of his other videos I wouldn't really consider him an idiot. Then again, everyone has a different threshold for danger.

 

[CupofJoe]

I've done that with arrows... but never on purpose.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Well, after seeing some of his other videos I wouldn't really consider him an idiot. Then again, everyone has a different threshold for danger.

I'm not sure how you are using threshold here. People may have a different idea of what they find an acceptable risk, but the danger remains the same. It is not like, for instance, an ability to endure pain. If an arrow hits you, it hits you, no matter how brave you are. Anyway, my husband has been shooting for about fifty years, so if he says something is an unacceptable risk I am inclined to believe him. Others, of course, may have their own opinions.

No matter how great an archer someone is, things can go wrong. It is not like, say, knife-throwing, where there is no danger of equipment failure and the knife is not so much at the mercy of atmospheric conditions.

The point I was making, however, was this: the thing can actually be done, it wasn't trick photography or anything like that, but best not to try it—that part with real people standing there as obstacles to be shot around—at home. That is really all I have to say on the subject, because I'm no expert myself, I just happen to live with one and thought I would pass his words on to anyone who is interested.

 

[Vareor]

People may have a different idea of what they find an acceptable risk

I’m sorry, English is not my main language. But I see you understood what I meant regardless. Furthermore, it seems like we are of the same opinion regarding how different people accept different degrees of risk (a threshold for risk. Would that be better? Oh well)

I only said I wouldn’t assume someone is an idiot just because he is willing to take a risk that I wouldn’t. Because, if I did, – even for the sake of being consistent in my reasoning – I would have to do so with everyone who engages in dangerous activities.
Some examples would be: skydiving and mountaineering.

Now, I thank both you and your husband for the input. It really is interesting to hear that there are more people who know about this trick. And I don’t know how willing either of you would be, but I have a few questions about archery which I couldn’t quite find a definitive answer to, on the internet. The thoughts of someone so experienced would be of great value.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Here is an article about how such arrows might be constructed: Observations on the Returning Arrow

If you have any questions about archery I will gladly relay them.