Bow and arrow

At first glance, a bow and arrow may seem like a primitive mundane weapon. However, with the right enchantments, it can be made fairly powerful. Bows have a better rate of fire than crossbows, and unlike ray crossbows they can fire specialized magical projectiles rather than energy bolts. They have better range than an autosling and much better accuracy, which makes it economical to use enchanted projectiles as opposed to burying the target in mundane bullets. As a result, despite its primitive appearance the bow remains one of the more common and essential weapons of the Locus.

The key to the effectiveness of the bow, much like the key to the effectiveness of any Locus melee weapon, is the enchantment placed on it. In the case of the bow, the most important enchantment is actually that on the arrow. With the right arrows, a bow becomes a poor man's spellmusket.

Special bow types:

Force bow: a force bow is type of bow in which the bowstring is replaced by a pair of force lines. These converge to form a nocking bar, which the arrow is placed on and which is drawn back by pulling on small finger loops at either end. As the nocking bar is drawn back, the force lines rotate, causing the levers attached to them to rotate as well. This then either pulls together or pushes apart a pair of steel bow laths. These bow laths are what actually store energy in a force bow.

The main advantage of the force bow is its extremely good leverage, which gives it exceptional snap (projectile velocity). This means its range is good if given a light enough arrow. In addition, force bows are very compact. The main drawback is its complexity, which not only makes it more expensive but also more difficult to maintain, especially in humid climates where its all-metal construction is likely to corrode.

Scroll bow: A scroll bow is a recurve bow in which the ears (tips) of the bow are rolled forward like a scroll. The bowstring sits in a groove on the belly (archer-facing side) of the bow. As the string is pulled back, the ears of the bow unroll, playing out more string.

Scroll bows can be made as composite bows, but the most common means of constructing them is to graft together two different types of wood using teratogenesis. During this process, the two trees are also altered in composition to make the strongest and supplest possible bow, and to give the bow the correct shape before it is even cut from the tree.

The main advantage of the scroll bow is its compactness; a typical scroll bow has a draw length as long as its strung length. The drawback is that the curled ears give it a lot of inertia, which gives it a lower snap than a conventional bow. This can be compensated somewhat by using magically enhanced wood. For the most part, scroll bows are used in situations where compactness is enough of an advantage to compensate for reduced range, particularly where it is anticipated that most shots will be loosed at close range anyways.

Arrow types:

Power arrows: These are basically rocket-propelled arrows, using the bow only to define their initial trajectory. They give the archer enough range to compete with dedicated long-range weapons such as ray crossbows. Note that a power arrow can have any of the other enchantments listed.
Melting arrows: These use a similar enchantment to melting blades. They are exceptional in their ability to penetrate obstacles and mundane armor.
Exploding arrows: These contain small concussion spells, turning their shafts into deadly shrapnel. The shafts are typically lined with steel wires to enhance their killing effect.
Magma arrows: These summon magma by a principle similar to a magma lantern. Once a magma arrow is stuck in a target, it will heat up until the arrow falls out or the target is destroyed by the heat. These are especially useful against fortifications, tortoises, and golems, all of which can be weakened by persistent thermal damage.
Electric arrows: These summon electricity by a principle similar to an arc lantern. This provides the target with a shocking experience.
Dispelling arrows: These are projectile versions of dispelling weapons. They are good at penetrating magical defenses such as force shields. They are the weapon of choice if a mundane archer is forced to fight against a wizard.
Frost arrow: These are arrows containing frost pipes along with an enchantment for conducting heat more efficiently. This causes them to freeze into place, making them difficult to remove. This also reduces blood loss, which reduces their killing effect if the target does not die of hypothermia.
Petrification arrow: These are arrows that use phase transmutation magic to petrify the target, similar to a preservation amulet except with hostile rather than beneficial intent. They are difficult to remove, and incapacitate their targets quickly. They are especially useful if a target is to be captured alive.