Post by ^.^ Harleen Quinzel ^.^ on Jun 23, 2020 3:39:57 GMT
PANI ARROWS
"It is a Pani arrow,” said a fellow. The Pani arrow is long, rather like that of the peasant bow, but the Pani bow is unlike the peasant bow, as it is longer, and lighter. Both bows are different from the short, stout Tuchuk bow, or saddle bow, which, I had learned, had been introduced by the tarnsman, Tarl Cabot, into the weaponry of the tarn cavalry. In the corridor above, the Pani bow must have been used diagonally, given the low ceiling of the corridor. The ideal weapon in closed spaces would be the crossbow, not only because of its size and maneuverability, but, even more, because the bolt or quarrel may wait patiently in the guide, the cable back, ready to spring forth instantly, at the press of a finger on the trigger. It takes a moment, of course, to draw a bow, and it requires strength to keep the bow drawn. The Pani bow, the peasant bow, and the saddle bow, of course, and such bows, have a rapidity of fire which far exceeds that of even the stirruped crossbow.
-- Mariners of Gor
PANI BOWS
The Pani bow is powerful but, like the common peasant bow, it, given the lightness of its missile, and that it is drawn by the strength of a human arm, can rarely tear its way through a human body, and its force, even if passing through an arm or throat, is largely spent in its passage. It is unlike an engine-driven shaft, as on a ballista, which might shatter a wall. The thrust spear, of course, impelled by the force of a strong man, may penetrate a four-layered shield or a human body, but then the spear is lost until its retraction. So deep a thrust, like the deep thrust of a blade, is foolish, unless intended to, say, encumber a shield, rendering it useless, preparatory to a blade attack. I heard, for the first time at this range, the sudden, unmistakable sound, so solid, so quick and frightening, of an arrow striking a body, and then its repetition, again, and again.
-- Mariners of Gor
PANI NAGINATA
"Hundreds of Pani stirred, looked to the platform, uneasy. Glaives, the long-shafted, curved-bladed naginata, were grasped.
From behind the platform, Pani archers rushed forth, standing between the platform and the mercernaries. Arrows were set to the strings of the Pani longbow, arrows which are released at the bow's lower third, muchly different from the release point of either the peasant or saddle bow.
Pani, both wielders of the glaive and graspers of the bow, looked to the platform."
-- Mariners of Gor
PANI SWORDS
"He carried a single sword. I saw him, and he saw me. We did not exchange a greeting. He determined that most of our camp was asleep, and then, withdrew, to wait. He sat cross-legged for a time, facing our camp. Then, after a time, he had risen, unsheathed his unusual sword, and commenced his exercises."
-- Mariners of Gor
PATH OF A THOUSAND ARROWS
“There are many patrols,” he said. “Runners might be noted. It is days to the holding of Lord Temmu, if that is the destination you have in mind.” “That first,” I said. “Even the path of the thousand arrows is impractical,” he said. “True,” I said. The distances involved would exceed the utility of this device, which is often used to transmit messages between certain outposts or even between separated units, as in coordinating junctions or pincer movements. Obviously the expression, “path of a thousand arrows,” is something of a metaphor, as there would seldom be a thousand arrows employed. The procedure, of course, is to relay a message by a number of flighted arrows, the message secured from one arrow, and affixed to the next, and so on. As the chain which is no stronger than its weakest length, this device, too, can be unreliable, as the succession of arrows might be interrupted in any number of ways. The arrows are often brightly colored , and even beribboned. And sometimes whistling arrows are used, much like those which convey signals, initiate attacks, and such. Under certain field conditions, naturally enough, one prefers stealth and silence.
-- Mariners of Gor
"It is a Pani arrow,” said a fellow. The Pani arrow is long, rather like that of the peasant bow, but the Pani bow is unlike the peasant bow, as it is longer, and lighter. Both bows are different from the short, stout Tuchuk bow, or saddle bow, which, I had learned, had been introduced by the tarnsman, Tarl Cabot, into the weaponry of the tarn cavalry. In the corridor above, the Pani bow must have been used diagonally, given the low ceiling of the corridor. The ideal weapon in closed spaces would be the crossbow, not only because of its size and maneuverability, but, even more, because the bolt or quarrel may wait patiently in the guide, the cable back, ready to spring forth instantly, at the press of a finger on the trigger. It takes a moment, of course, to draw a bow, and it requires strength to keep the bow drawn. The Pani bow, the peasant bow, and the saddle bow, of course, and such bows, have a rapidity of fire which far exceeds that of even the stirruped crossbow.
-- Mariners of Gor
PANI BOWS
The Pani bow is powerful but, like the common peasant bow, it, given the lightness of its missile, and that it is drawn by the strength of a human arm, can rarely tear its way through a human body, and its force, even if passing through an arm or throat, is largely spent in its passage. It is unlike an engine-driven shaft, as on a ballista, which might shatter a wall. The thrust spear, of course, impelled by the force of a strong man, may penetrate a four-layered shield or a human body, but then the spear is lost until its retraction. So deep a thrust, like the deep thrust of a blade, is foolish, unless intended to, say, encumber a shield, rendering it useless, preparatory to a blade attack. I heard, for the first time at this range, the sudden, unmistakable sound, so solid, so quick and frightening, of an arrow striking a body, and then its repetition, again, and again.
-- Mariners of Gor
PANI NAGINATA
"Hundreds of Pani stirred, looked to the platform, uneasy. Glaives, the long-shafted, curved-bladed naginata, were grasped.
From behind the platform, Pani archers rushed forth, standing between the platform and the mercernaries. Arrows were set to the strings of the Pani longbow, arrows which are released at the bow's lower third, muchly different from the release point of either the peasant or saddle bow.
Pani, both wielders of the glaive and graspers of the bow, looked to the platform."
-- Mariners of Gor
PANI SWORDS
"He carried a single sword. I saw him, and he saw me. We did not exchange a greeting. He determined that most of our camp was asleep, and then, withdrew, to wait. He sat cross-legged for a time, facing our camp. Then, after a time, he had risen, unsheathed his unusual sword, and commenced his exercises."
-- Mariners of Gor
PATH OF A THOUSAND ARROWS
“There are many patrols,” he said. “Runners might be noted. It is days to the holding of Lord Temmu, if that is the destination you have in mind.” “That first,” I said. “Even the path of the thousand arrows is impractical,” he said. “True,” I said. The distances involved would exceed the utility of this device, which is often used to transmit messages between certain outposts or even between separated units, as in coordinating junctions or pincer movements. Obviously the expression, “path of a thousand arrows,” is something of a metaphor, as there would seldom be a thousand arrows employed. The procedure, of course, is to relay a message by a number of flighted arrows, the message secured from one arrow, and affixed to the next, and so on. As the chain which is no stronger than its weakest length, this device, too, can be unreliable, as the succession of arrows might be interrupted in any number of ways. The arrows are often brightly colored , and even beribboned. And sometimes whistling arrows are used, much like those which convey signals, initiate attacks, and such. Under certain field conditions, naturally enough, one prefers stealth and silence.
-- Mariners of Gor