Kat Darkstone likes archery. Blocking the sun with arrows is her go-to strategy. You might even say she’s, ahem, arrow-prone…
It’s been established since Fryte’s Gold that Kat fights with a bow, but she hasn’t actually really ever used it — she got to shoot a couple magic arrows in Fryte’s Gold, she forgot her bow in The Treasure of Oake Island, she was on vacation in The Bandits of Goldharbour, and she was stuck using training equipment in The Valley of Appraisal (incidentally, we’ll be starting with Valley of Appraisal nexy Friday).
So, basically, Kat’s archery isn’t necessarily an informed attribute that I’ve forgotten is supposed to be there, it’s that the events of all the stories she’s been in so far have conspired to not give her a chance to, um, arch.
But I really should write Kat more opportunities to actually use her bow.
Kat Darkstone is shopping.
Normally, she doesn’t like shopping. But that’s mostly when Amara or her mom is taking her shopping for, like, shoes, or clothes, or a new tote bog, or — she shudders silently to herself — dresses.
Kat hates that kind of shopping. When she’s shopping for adventuring gear, Kat’s right in her element.
She’s been busy enough lately, putting in freelance work at the Guild Authority, doing a couple jobs with the Lyte Brigade, helping her uncle and Scarlet with University stuff, so she’s running low on arrows. She has a standing order of 250 arrows every two months with the firm of Fletcher & Smith, Armourers — though, ironically, Fletcher makes the armour and Smith makes the arrows.
The second Tuesday of every month is a very important day in Kat’s schedule — so much so that she actually gets up early and foregoes her mid-morning nap to promptly get to the Outfitting District. The second Tuesday of the month is when the new shipment from the spell-forgers and enchanters from the Magicological Academy arrives in Porthaven.
So, if you’re an adventurer in need of a flaming sword, or a magic-proof breastplate, or a hat that somehow makes you run faster, then the second Tuesday of the month is the day to mark on your calendar.
“Ah, Miss Kat,” the merchant says, beaming broadly as his best customer walks into this shop. “The latest shipment is still hot off the forges of the Magicological Academy. But, well, I suppose the fire-enchanted weapons are always hot.”
He beckons Kat over to the display case.
“Could I perhaps interest you in a Battle-Axe of Axe-Battling? Or a lovely pair of Plate Boots of Face-Kicking? Or maybe this Very Fine Greatsword of Quality.”
“We do this every month,” Kat says. “You always try to sell me, like, a battle-axe or a giant sword, or a talking pair of boots. And I always tell you that I use a bow and that I’m just here to see your new arrows.”
The merchant shrugs.
“Well, can’t blame me for trying to make a sale, right? I’ve got a family to feed.”
“Just show me the arrows,” Kat says.
“Right this way, Miss Kat,” the merchant says.
“Here we have an Arrow of Counterspell, which I do believe you’re already familiar with,” he says. “The Arrows of Solar Flare are on special, three for eight marks. And I think you’ll find this one particularly interesting.”
He taps the display place.
“This one is enchanted with both a Replication spell and a Minimisation Spell, so once it’s off your bowstring, it will instantly split up into multiple smaller arrows — why shoot the bad guys with one normal arrow, when you could shoot them with a couple dozen magic arrows? Oh, and, it’s got a Fire enchantment, too — so it’s all that, with the added benefit of being on fire.”
“Oh yeah,” Kat says, pressing her face right up against the glass. “That’s good.”
The merchant timidly clears his throat.
“Please don’t droll on my display cases,” he murmurs.
Welp, I guess you could say that Kat really wants to show the bad guys the arrow of their ways…
The Simpsons: 20th Television Animation and Gracie Films.
And that’s Week Three. The recap of the week that was will be up a little later today.
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