Aww

Reblogging for future reference. Very informative.

Injury angst for writing dummies.

Hospitals and injury are always such a staple of angst fics, but 9 times out of 10 the author has clearly never been in an emergency situation and the scenes always come off as over-dramatized and completely unbelievable. So here’s a crash course on hospital life and emergencies for people who want authenticity. By someone who spends 85% of her time in a hospital. 

Emergency Departments/Ambulances.

Lights and sirens are usually reserved for the actively dying. Unless the person is receiving CPR, having a prolonged seizure or has an obstructed airway, the ambulance is not going to have lights and sirens blaring. I have, however, seen an ambulance throw their lights on just so they can get back to the station faster once. Fuckers made me late for work.

Defibrillators don’t do that. You know, that. People don’t go flying off the bed when they get shocked. But we do scream “CLEAR!!” before we shock the patient. Makes it fun.

A broken limb, surprisingly, is not a high priority for emergency personnel. Not unless said break is open and displaced enough that blood isn’t reaching a limb. And usually when it’s that bad, the person will have other injuries to go with it.

Visitors are not generally allowed to visit a patient who is unstable. Not even family. It’s far more likely that the family will be stuck outside settling in for a good long wait until they get the bad news or the marginally better news. Unless it’s a child. But if you’re writing dying children in your fics for the angst factor, I question you sir. 

Unstable means ‘not quite actively dying, but getting there’. A broken limb, again, is not unstable. Someone who came off their motorbike at 40mph and threw themselves across the bitumen is. 

CPR is rarely successful if someone needs it outside of hospital. And it is hard fucking work. Unless someone nearby is certified in advanced life support, someone who needs CPR is probably halfway down the golden tunnel moving towards the light. 

Emergency personnel ask questions. A lot of questions. So many fucking questions. They don’t just take their next victim and rush off behind the big white doors into the unknown with just a vague ‘WHAT HAPPENED? SHE HIT HER HEAD?? DON’T WORRY SIR!!!’ They’re going to get the sir and ask him so many questions about what happened that he’s going to go cross eyed. And then he’s going to have to repeat it to the doctor. And then the ICU consultant. And the police probably. 

In a trauma situation (aka multiple injuries (aka car accident, motorbike accident, falling off a cliff, falling off a horse, having a piano land on their head idfk you get the idea)) there are a lot of people involved. A lot. I can’t be fucked to go through them all, but there’s at least four doctors, the paramedics, five or six nurses, radiographers, surgeons, ICU consultants, students, and any other specialities that might be needed (midwives, neonatal transport, critical retrieval teams etc etc etc). There ain’t gonna be room to breathe almost when it comes to keeping someone alive.

Emergency departments are a life of their own so you should probably do a bit of research into what might happen to your character if they present there with some kind of illness or injury before you go ahead and scribble it down.

Wards

Nurses run them. No seriously. The patient will see the doctor for five minutes in their day. The nurse will do the rest. Unless the patient codes.

There is never a defibrillator just sitting nearby if a patient codes. 

And we don’t defibrillate every single code. 

If the code does need a defibrillator, they need CPR.

And ICU. 

They shouldn’t be on a ward. 

There are other people who work there too. Physiotherapists will always see patients who need rehab after breaking a limb. Usually legs, because they need to be shown how to use crutches properly.

Wards are separated depending on what the patient’s needs are. Hospitals aren’t separated into ICU, ER and Ward. It’s usually orthopaedic, cardiac, neuro, paediatric, maternity, neonatal ICU, gen surg, short stay surg, geriatric, palliative…figure out where your patient is gonna be. The care they get is different depending on where they are.

ICU.

A patient is only in ICU if they’re at risk of active dying. I swear to god if I see one more broken limb going into ICU in a fic to rank up the angst factor I’m gonna shit. It doesn’t happen. Stop being lazy. 

Tubed patients can be awake. True story. They can communicate too. Usually by writing, since having a dirty great tube down the windpipe tends to impede ones ability to talk. 

The nursing care is 1:1 on an intubated patient. Awake or not, the nurse is not gonna leave that room. No, not even to give your stricken lover a chance to say goodbye in private. There is no privacy. Honestly, that nurse has probably seen it all before anyway. 

ICU isn’t just reserved for intubated patients either. Major surgeries sometimes go here post-op to get intensive care before they’re stepped down. And by major I mean like, grandpa joe is getting his bladder removed because it’s full of cancer. 

Palliative patients and patients who are terminal will not go to ICU. Not unless they became terminally ill after hitting ICU. Usually those ones are unexpected deaths. Someone suffering from a long, slow, gradually life draining illness will probably go to a general ward for end of life care. They don’t need the kind of intensive care an ICU provides because…well..they’re not going to get it??

Operations.

No one gets rushed to theatre for a broken limb. Please stop. They can wait for several days before they get surgery on it. 

Honestly? No one gets ‘rushed’ to theatre at all. Not unless they are, again, actively dying, and surgery is needed to stop them from actively dying. 

Except emergency caesarians. Them babies will always get priority over old mate with the broken hip. A kid stuck in a birth canal and at risk of death by pelvis is a tad more urgent than a gall stone. And the midwives will run. I’ve never seen anyone run as fast as a midwife with a labouring woman on the bed heading to theatres for an emergency caesar.

Surgery doesn’t take as long as you think it does. Repairing a broken limb? Two hours, maybe three tops. Including time spent in recovery. Burst appendix? Half an hour on the table max, maybe an hour in recovery. Caesarian? Forty minutes or so. Major surgeries (organs like kidneys, liver and heart transplants, and major bowel surgeries) take longer. 

You’re never going to see the theatre nurses. Ever. They’re like their own little community of fabled myth who get to come to work in their sweatpants and only deal with unconscious people. It’s the ward nurse who does the pick up and drop offs. 

Anyway there’s probably way, way more that I’m forgetting to add but this is getting too long to keep writing shit. The moral of the story is do some research so you don’t look like an idiot when you’re writing your characters getting injured or having to be in hospital. It’s not Greys Anatomy in the real world and the angst isn’t going to be any more intense just because you’re writing shit like it is. 

Peace up.

For Katbugslovesalcor.

Merry Christmas!

Great list! Nice to see it all laid out in one place with sources.

List of Canon Ships/Pairings

I need a list of all canon pairings for reasons, so I figured I’d start a post so others could use it too. It seems like a good thing to have.

This will include characters who flirt with one another, confirmed in-game, and confirmed by Bioware. I’ll try to distinguish those too. These are all possible pairings in Dragon Age media, as in they do in fact exist and happen canonically. If I do inevitably forget one you can remind me via message or ask and I will add it. Feel free to ask about some pairings too if you are unsure on sources, I can point you to the right places (for example, Greagoir/Wynne seems heavily implied due to their corresponding sections in WoT Vol. 2. Where the Templar Wynne was intimate with, left and returned; while Greagoir was sent to Denerim as a disciplinary action during his younger years.)

Dragon Age Origins

Andraste/Maferath (In-game)

Maric Theirin/Rowan Guerrin (In-game)

Vasilia/Hessarian (In-game)

Eleni Zinovia/Valerius (In-game)

Calenhad Theirin/Shayna (In-game)

Calenhad Theirin/Mairyn (In-game)

Marethari Talas/Sarel (WoT Vol. 2, Extended Media)

Bryce Cousland/Eleanor Cousland (In-game)

Fergus Cousland/Oriana Cousland (In-game)

Landra/Loren (In-game)

Bhelen Aeducan/Rica Brosca (In-game)

Beraht/Jarvia (In-game)

Leske/Jarvia (In-game, dependent)

Gorim Saelac/Unnamed Surfacer (In-game)

Jowan/Lily (In-game)

Cyrion Tabris/Adaia Tabris (In-game)

Dilwyn/Gethon (In-game)

Soris/Valora (In-game)

Soris/Unnamed Human Woman (In-game)

Anora Theirin/Cailan Theirin (In-game)

Jory/Helena (In-game)

Dorothea (Divine Justinia V)/Marjolaine (In-game, Leliana’s Song, Hinted)

Harwen Raleigh/Marjolaine (In-game, Leliana’s Song)

Calian Theirin/Celene Valmont (In-game, Return to Ostagar, Hinted)

Loghan Mac Tir/Celia Mac Tir (The Stolen Throne, Extended Media)

Rendon Howe/Eliane Bryland (WoT Vol.2, Extended Media)

Herren/Wade (David Gaider)

Cammen/Gheyna (In-game)

Drass/Desire Demon (In-game)

Isolde Guerrin/Eamon Guerrin (In-game)

Teagan Guerrin/Bella (In-game, dependent)

Teagan Guerrin/Kaitlyn (In-game, dependent)

Athras/Danyla (In-game)

Pyral Harrowmont/Tercy Harrowmont (In-game)

Branka/Hespith (In-game)

Oghren/Branka (In-game)

Oghren/Felsi (In-game)

Sten/Shale (In-game, Flirting)

Leliana/Marjolaine (In-game, Leliana’s Song)

Zevran Arainai/Rinnala/Taliesen (In-game, WoT Vol. 2 , Extended Media)

Zevran Arainai/Isabela (In-game)

Wynne/Unnamed Templar [likely Greagoir] (In-game, Extended Media)

Alistair Theirin/Anora Theirin (In-game, dependent)

Keep reading

Reblogging to remember this for future reference. This is incredible!

Rennie Advice for Fantasy Writing

WEAPONS - Swords were expensive and not common. - They required a lot of maintenance, to keep them sharp and rust free, to ensure they weren’t bent or cracked or chipped. - You wouldn’t just adventure around with a notched blade. - A razor edge would not cut through bone; for that, you need a chisel edge. - Swords feel heavy if you don’t have the muscles built up, you can’t just pick one up and be able to start swinging accurately without practice. - Never throw. Dumb move, now you’re unarmed. - Bows take years to learn well; crossbows don’t. - Always unstring bow when not in use. - Always carry extra bowstring, don’t let it get wet. - More commonly quiver is hung from the belt. - Arrow wounds are serious. No valiant pincushion charges, no ripping it out. Require medical help. - Shields aren’t just for hiding; they’re for crowding and breaking teeth.

If I think of more lessons they taught me, I’ll add.

Cool

Also how can Arthur Conan Doyle write a character like Irene Adler 1891 and have her 1. Outsmart Sherlock Holmes and get away with it and 2. Be in no way a damsel or love interest to Sherlock.. But every modern retelling not only has her be a sexual /love interest character but she is posed as being very very smart… But never smart enough to just outwit him, get away with it and move on? Women can be smart, sure, but no one is allowed to be smarter than Sherlock.

It’s been over 120 years and Irene is, at her best, never as decently treated as the original.

Rebloggung to remember this for character analysis and writing purposes. Excellent break down and structure.

C-PTSD: So what is it, anyway?

original post found on Out of the Fog content warning: discussion of trauma, abuse, personality disorders, depression

DISCLAIMER: if you believe the following description of C-PTSD describes you, seek professional help immediately. C-PTSD, left untreated, is a serious disorder with the potential to cause long-term psychological, physical and interpersonal damage. 

I reposted this information from Out of the Fog, not as a health professional, but as an abuse survivor who wants to empower other survivors.

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) is a psychological injury that results from prolonged exposure to social or interpersonal trauma, disempowerment, captivity or entrapment, with lack or loss of a viable escape route for the victim… such as in cases of:

domestic emotional, physical or sexual abuse

childhood emotional, physical or sexual abuse

entrapment or kidnapping.

slavery or enforced labor.

long term imprisonment and torture

repeated violations of personal boundaries.

long-term objectification.

exposure to gaslighting & false accusations

long-term exposure to inconsistent, push-pull,splitting or alternating raging & hooveringbehaviors.

long-term taking care of mentally ill or chronically sick family members.

long term exposure to crisis conditions.

When people have been trapped in a situation over which they had little or no control at the beginning, middle or end, they can carry an intense sense of dread even after that situation is removed. This is because they know how bad things can possibly be. And they know that it could possibly happen again. And they know that if it ever does happen again, it might be worse than before.

The degree of C-PTSD trauma cannot be defined purely in terms of the trauma that a person has experienced. It is important to understand that each person is different and has a different tolerance level to trauma. Therefore, what one person may be able to shake off, another person may not. Therefore more or less exposure to trauma does not necessarily make the C-PTSD any more or less severe.

C-PTSD sufferers may “stuff” or suppress their emotional reaction to traumatic events without resolution either because they believe each event by itself doesn’t seem like such a big deal or because they see no satisfactory resolution opportunity available to them. This suppression of “emotional baggage” can continue for a long time either until a “last straw” event occurs, or a safer emotional environment emerges and the damn begins to break.

The “Complex” in Complex Post Traumatic Disorder describes how one layer after another of trauma can interact with one another. Sometimes, it is mistakenly assumed that the most recent traumatic event in a person’s life is the one that brought them to their knees. However, just addressing that single most-recent event may possibly be an invalidating experience for the C-PTSD sufferer. Therefore, it is important to recognize that those who suffer from C-PTSD may be experiencing feelings from all their traumatic exposure, even as they try to address the most recent traumatic event.

This is what differentiates C-PTSD from the classic PTSD diagnosis - which typically describes an emotional response to a single or to a discrete number of traumatic events.

Difference between C-PTSD & PTSD

Although similar, Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) differs slightly from the more commonly understood & diagnosed condition Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in causes and symptoms.

C-PTSD results more from chronic repetitive stress from which there is little chance of escape. PTSD can result from single events, or short term exposure to extreme stress or trauma.

Therefore a soldier returning from intense battle may be likely to show PTSD symptoms, but a kidnapped prisoner of war who was held for several years may show additional symptoms of C-PTSD.

Similarly, a child who witnesses a friend’s death in an accident may exhibit some symptoms of PTSD but a child who grows up in an abusive home may exhibit the additional C-PTSD characteristics shown below.

What it Feels Like:

People who suffer from C-PTSD may feel un-centered and shaky, as if they are likely to have an embarrassing emotional breakdown or burst into tears at any moment. They may feel unloved - or that nothing they can accomplish is ever going to be “good enough” for others.

People who suffer from C-PTSD may feel compelled to get away from others and be by themselves, so that no-one will witness what may come next. They may feel afraid to form close friendships to prevent possible loss should another catastrophe strike.

People who suffer from C-PTSD may feel that everything is just about to go “out the window” and that they will not be able to handle even the simplest task. They may be too distracted by what is going on at home to focus on being successful at school or in the workplace.

Characteristics

How it can manifest in the victim(s) over time:

Rage turned inward: Eating disorders. Depression. Substance Abuse / Alcoholism. Truancy. Dropping out. Promiscuity. Co-dependence. Doormat syndrome (choosing poor partners, trying to please someone who can never be pleased, trying to resolve the primal relationship) Rage turned outward: Theft. Destruction of property. Violence. Becoming a control freak. Other: Learned hyper vigilance. Clouded perception or blinders about others (especially romantic partners) Seeks positions of power and / or control: choosing occupations or recreational outlets which may put oneself in physical danger. Or choosing to become a “fixer” - Therapist, Mediator, etc.

Avoidance - The practice of withdrawing from relationships with other people as a defensive measure to reduce the risk of rejection, accountability, criticism or exposure.

Blaming - The practice of identifying a person or people responsible for creating a problem, rather than identifying ways of dealing with the problem.

Catastrophizing - The habit of automatically assuming a “worst case scenario” and inappropriately characterizing minor or moderate problems or issues as catastrophic events.

“Control-Me” Syndrome - This describes a tendency which some people have to foster relationships with people who have a controlling narcissistic, antisocial or “acting-out” nature.

Denial - Believing or imagining that some painful or traumatic circumstance, event or memory does not exist or did not happen.

Dependency - An inappropriate and chronic reliance by an adult individual on another individual for their health, subsistence, decision making or personal and emotional well-being.

Depression (Non-PD) -Depression is when you feel sadder than your circumstances dictate, for longer than your circumstances last, but still can’t seem to break out of it.

Escape To Fantasy - Taking an imaginary excursion to a happier, more hopeful place.

Fear of Abandonment - An irrational belief that one is imminent danger of being personally rejected, discarded or replaced.

Hyper Vigilance - Maintaining an unhealthy level of interest in the behaviors, comments, thoughts and interests of others.

Identity Disturbance - A psychological term used to describe a distorted or inconsistent self-view

Learned Helplessness- Learned helplessness is when a person begins to believe that they have no control over a situation, even when they do.

Low Self-Esteem - A common name for a negatively-distorted self-view which is inconsistent with reality.

Panic Attacks - Short intense episodes of fear or anxiety, often accompanied by physical symptoms, such as hyperventilating, shaking, sweating and chills.

Perfectionism - The maladaptive practice of holding oneself or others to an unrealistic, unattainable or unsustainable standard of organization, order, or accomplishment in one particular area of living, while sometimes neglecting common standards of organization, order or accomplishment in other areas of living.

Selective Memory and Selective Amnesia - The use of memory, or a lack of memory, which is selective to the point of reinforcing a bias, belief or desired outcome.

Self-Loathing - An extreme hatred of one’s own self, actions or one’s ethnic or demographic background.

Tunnel Vision - A tendency to focus on a single concern, while neglecting or ignoring other important priorities.

Treatment

Little has been done in clinical studies of treatment of C-PTSD. However, in general the following is recommended:

Removal of and protection from the source of the trauma and/or abuse.

Acknowledgement of the trauma as real, important and undeserved.

Acknowledge that the trauma came from something that was stronger than the victim and therefore could not be avoided.

Acknowledgement of the “complex” nature of C-PTSD - that responses to earlier traumas may have led to decisions that brought on additional, undeserved trauma.

Acknowledgement that recovery from the trauma is not trivial and will require significant time and effort.

Separation of residual problems into those that the victim can resolve (such as personal improvement goals) and those that the victim cannot resolve (such as the behavior of a disordered family member)

Mourning for what has been lost and cannot be recovered.

Identification of what has been lost and can be recovered.

Program of recovery with focus on what can be improved in an individual’s life that is under their own control.

Placement in a supportive environment where the victim can discover they are not alone and can receive validation for their successes and support through their struggles.

As necessary, personal therapy to promote self-discovery.

As required, prescription of antidepressant medications.

What to do about C-PTSD if you’ve got it:

Remove yourself from the primary or situation or secondary situations stemming from the primary abuse. Seek therapy. Talk about it. Write about it. Meditation. Medication if needed. Physical Exercise. Rewrite the script of your life. What not to do about it: Stay. Hold it in. Bottle it up. Act out. Isolate. Self-abuse. Perpetuate the cycle.

What to do about it if you know somebody else who has C-PTSD:

Offer sympathy, support, a shoulder to cry on, lend an ear. Speak from experience. Assist with practical resolution when appropriate (guidance towards escape, therapy, etc.) Be patient. What not to do about it if you know somebody else who has it: Do not push your own agenda: proselytize, moralize, speak in absolutes, tell them to “get over it”, or try to force reconciliation with the perpetrator or offer “sure fire” cures.

Links

PTSD Forum Contains a Wiki page and Active Support Forum.

Psych Forums PTSD Forum.

http://healmyptsd.com/ Resources & info about recovery from PTSD & C-PTSD

C-PTSD Page - by Author Sarah Tata

Trauma: Complex PTSD MentalHelp.net C-PTSD Article by Dr. Allan Schwartz

Out of the Storm - Support Group for people who suffer from C-PTSD.

Out of the FOG Support Forum - The Support Forum here at Out of the FOG.

This is super useful reference.

Drugs in Thedas

Magical

Lyrium - Used as a liquid or a dust and makes the user feel strong and warm, and causes everything to sound lyrical. Added to liquor to make Aqua Magus. Used by Templars. Addictive. 

Dragon’s Blood - Imprints memories. Implied to feel warm. Used to create Reavers

Felicidus Aria - Used for perfume or potions believed to impart wisdom but also cause rapid aging. 

Stimulants

Smoke (Unnamed) - Implied tobacco referenced in Scout Harding’s Codex.

Elfroot - Magical Marijuana

Opiates

Smoke (Unnamed) - Implied opiate in Varric’s Codex in DAII

Hallucinogens

Purple Berries (Unnamed) - Hallucinogen referenced by Blackwall. 

Blood Lotus - Hallucinogen

Wyvern Venom - Hallucinogen. Added to liquor to make Aquae Lucidius. 

Deathroot - Hallucinogen (Violent - Implied to cause blood lust.) 

Aphrodisiacs

Orichalcum - Aphrodisiac (Ironically smells bad)

Unknown

Witherstalk - Unspecified effect on the mind when used in combination with other plants. Implied side effect of warmth. 

Smoke (Kohl) - A black powder considered particularly illicit within the Circle of Magi. 

Drug (Unnamed) - Colorless, faintly sweet-smelling liquid. Available in Orzammar. Appears to cause disorientation. 

Alcohol

Named Liquors - Alley King’s Flagon, Chasind Sack Mead, Garbolg’s Backcountry Reserve, Golden Sythe 4:90 Black, Legacy White Shear, Sun Blonde Vint-1, Wilhelm’s Special Brew, Aqua Magus, Dragon’s Piss, Hirol’s Lava Burst, Mackay’s Epic Single Malt, West Hill Brandy, Antivan Sip-Sip, Finale By Masaad, Absence, Abyssal Peach, Butterbile 7:84, Alvarado’s Bathtub Boot Screech, Flames of Our Lady, Carnal 8:69 Blessed, Silent Plains Piquette, Vint-9 Rowan’s Rose

Medicinal

Elfroot -  Can be used orally or topically. Soothes coughs, relieves indigestion and flatulence. Speeds healing and numbs pain.  

Spindleweed - Soothes fevers. Popular folk remedy. 

Embrium - Clears the lungs

Rashvine - Hardens the skin if prepared properly and applied topically. Toxic if ingested. 

Crystal Grace - Unspecified medicinal purpose.

Prophet’s Laurel - Can be applied orally, topically, or smoked. Unspecified medicinal properties. 

Amrita Vein - Soothes aches and ailments. 

Silverite - Can be used to cure poisons.

Amazing! Reblogging to remember for writing & character inspiration

Advice from an (Amateur) Archer on Writing About Archers and Archery

Admittedly, I don’t have the widest range of experience when it’s come to archery. I’ve only been shooting for a year now, and the time that I do take to shoot have long months between them. Still, I think it’s important to outline the basics for anyone who wants to write an archer in their book and wants to save themselves the embarrassment of having the archer do something that an archer would never do in a million years.

- Archers usually unstring their bow after battle. Unstringing a bow is exactly what it sounds like: removing the string from the bow’s limbs. Usually, archers then wrap the string around the now-straightened bow so they don’t lose it as easily. Archers unstring bows because everytime the limbs are bent by the string, there is a large amount of tension in the limbs. If the string is on too long and the bow has not been shot for a while, the limbs will start to wear down and lose their power, resulting in an archer needing to buy new limbs or an entirely new bow.

- Archers always retrieve their arrows after battle. Arrows are expensive and take a long time to make, so archers want to conserve as many arrows as possible. Sometimes they have a repair kit with them at the ready, in case they find an arrow with a loose arrowhead or broken fletching that can easily be repaired. 

- Training arrows are not the same as battle arrows. Training arrows have thinner shafts and usually blunted tips so they can easily be removed from targets. Thinner shafts break more easily, and the blunted tips – whilst they can pierce skin – usually won’t get very far in the flesh. They’re also easier to make. Battle arrows are thicker, and their heads are pointed at the tip and have two pointed ends at its sides. This arrowhead is designed to easily pierce through flesh, and is incredibly difficult to pull out because its two pointed ends snag onto flesh. If you want to pull it out, you’d have to tear the flesh away with it, which can lead to an even larger wound.

- Arrows are fatal, and one can incapacitate a soldier for the rest of his life. Arrows are not easily snapped off like you see in movies. The draw weight is too strong, and they can sometimes be as strong as bullets. They will pierce through bone and tendons, which do not easily heal. Furthermore, if you want to remove an arrow, you either have to go through surgery, parting the flesh away from the arrowhead so it doesn’t snag onto anything, or you have you push – not pull – it all the way through the body.

- Bows are not designed for hitting people with in close combat. The limbs are specifically made to flex. Imagine hitting someone with a flexing piece of wood. If you hit with the middle of the bow, it still does very little because there is no weight behind the bow, and so you might as well be hitting them with a pillow. It might be annoying to the opponent, but it won’t save you. Archers need a secondary blade in close combat. They cannot strike people with their bows and expect to win.

- Draw weight affects speed, range, and impact. Draw weight is measured in pounds, at least in America, and it is measured in how much weight must be pulled when you draw back the string. A high draw weight means stiffer, thicker limbs that can shoot further and hit harder. But, this is at the cost of speed. A low draw weight means thinner, more flexible limbs that can shoot smaller distances and have low impact, but can be shot faster. Before you acrobatic fanatics immediately seize the smaller bow for its speed, understand that a bow’s advantage is in its range. No one can hit an archer from 300 meters away with their spear or sword. The archer has complete dominance over the battlefield in this way, and their arrows can kill anyone who gets too close. Not hurt. Not annoy. Kill. And a higher draw weight means a better chance of piercing through specific armor, then flesh, then bone. A lower draw weight means less range and, even worse, a lower chance that the arrow would even pierce through armor if the arrow even hits its target. 

- Bows will always be outmatched in close combat against any other weapon. Bows take too long to draw and shoot, and at such close range, the opponent has an easier chance to dodge oncoming arrows. I already explained that the bows themselves cannot be used to take down a foe. 

- Bowmen on horseback are utterly terrifying. Archers usually can’t move from their spot because range is more important than mobility, and at such a long range, you usually don’t need to move from your spot anyways. Bowmen on horses, however, are closer to the battle, and worse, they are faster than almost anyone on the battlefield. Not only are they difficult to hit, you have no way of predicting where they will shoot next because they can circle around you in confusing ways. If you want an interesting archer character, I’d advise trying these guys out.

- Never underestimate armor and padding. Arrows will never be able to pierce through plate armor because its curved surface will always deflect oncoming arrows. Arrows can pierce through maille because maille is made out of metal rings that can be bent and can fall away. However, padding usually lies underneath, which is surprisingly durable and can stop an oncoming arrow, as well as absorb some of its impact. Because of this, make certain that the archer is focusing on gabs in the armor. To know this, you MUST study armor. Gabs usually lie where the joints are because soldiers need those gabs open so they can move. Typical gaps lie in the neck, the armpit, the inner-elbow, the knees, and the palm of the hand. Impact is also an archer’s friend. A war arrow shot by a hundred pound bow, hurtling at incredible speeds and gaining momentum the further it travels, can evoke serious damage. To be hit by one of these arrows will feel more like being hit by a horse than being hit by someone’s fist. 

This is useful.

Reblog to remember this. This is awesome. So many memories.

it is pretty annoying how the fandom erases shaggys flaws to make him into a uwu precious scoobie snack babie…like hes a coward that when push comes to shove isnt there to help out his friends lmao