18th of Spring, 510 AV
It was a day unlike most, as Xalet's Patron was at his side as they mingled in the wilds near one of the traveler's cabins. A few patrols had come and gone, and most of their conversation had involved mental conditioning and battle tactics. Sergeant Braklin was not one to leave out the physical aspects of Knighthood, however. Xalet was progressing well enough, but his straight forward approach to all combative situations had left him lingering behind when it came to fighting from afar. He had some skill with a crossbow, the Sergeant knew this to be true, but he had not learned with an appropriate weapon. The cranequin he used was a crutch, it made his draw slow and cumbersome. It was time to put his physical strength to good use. To flex those long Akalak arms, and to trade up in the world of crossbowmanship.
She stood before him, the two facing one another. Within her slender Konti hand was a large crossbow, much like Xalet's, save for one particular difference. Upon the nose of the weapon was a large metallic hoop, seemingly riveted into the frame itself. It's bottom was flat, and the sides bowed out before connecting to the nose. She began her instruction without hesitation, "Now this here, my squire, is a stirrup. You've been using a cranequin, but this is not always appropriate for a strong young man like yourself. You should trust in your own body, and not rely on machinery to defend your brothers, sisters, and our city."
Placing the ranged weapon upon the ground, stirrup jammed into the soil, the Knight slipped her plated foot inside and held it there for a moment, "The stirrup is used to stabilize the crossbow in order to pull the string with both hands. I've waited sometime to show you this, as it requires a good amount of bodily strength. Your arms, your shoulders, your back, even your thighs. These things are all an intrinsic part of readying a crossbow using a stirrup. Both hands grip the string as such, and then utilizing all of the muscles in your core and body, you pull back and ready your weapon. It is fast, much faster than the cranequin, and more suitable for someone such as yourself." she had demonstrated far enough to show the proper hand placement upon the string, as well as the slight bend in the knees and waist when preparing to set the crossbow itself, but she went no further.
Handing the crossbow off to Xalet, the Sergeant stepped back to watch for a moment, gesturing for him to attempt to cock the crossbow. She had left out the resistance she had set the crossbow for, higher than the average man to account for Xalet's unusual strength, and then higher still to give his muscles an appropriate workout. Xalet went about replicating what he had saw from his Patron. The placement of the foot through the stirrup, the hands moving down and the fingers hooking across the string. Then he pulled. And pulled. "Hhnnngg..." his body began to burn as the metal of the bow itself resisted budging. She wasn't kidding, the squire was actually going to have to use all of his muscles in order to get this thing cocked.
Looking up, he could see his Patron smiling soft, hands on her hips, the soft breezes of spring blowing her pale hair, "The typical Knight can pull a hundred and fifty pounds against his crossbow. That's typically what you get from a crossbow made from elm or yew. That crossbow there, however, has a steel bow upon it's ash stock. A true 'heavy' crossbow. I figure it's pull to be closer to two hundred pounds, perhaps even two hundred and twenty five. For the typical man, this would be quite difficult without assistance. You are an Akalak of course, and I expect appropriate results of my pupil. Now, keep your abdomen tight, balance properly on the balls of your feet." she moved over to her squire, and although he stood approximately a foot and a half taller than she, the Sergeant moved him easily enough into the proper form with her hands.
It was a day unlike most, as Xalet's Patron was at his side as they mingled in the wilds near one of the traveler's cabins. A few patrols had come and gone, and most of their conversation had involved mental conditioning and battle tactics. Sergeant Braklin was not one to leave out the physical aspects of Knighthood, however. Xalet was progressing well enough, but his straight forward approach to all combative situations had left him lingering behind when it came to fighting from afar. He had some skill with a crossbow, the Sergeant knew this to be true, but he had not learned with an appropriate weapon. The cranequin he used was a crutch, it made his draw slow and cumbersome. It was time to put his physical strength to good use. To flex those long Akalak arms, and to trade up in the world of crossbowmanship.
She stood before him, the two facing one another. Within her slender Konti hand was a large crossbow, much like Xalet's, save for one particular difference. Upon the nose of the weapon was a large metallic hoop, seemingly riveted into the frame itself. It's bottom was flat, and the sides bowed out before connecting to the nose. She began her instruction without hesitation, "Now this here, my squire, is a stirrup. You've been using a cranequin, but this is not always appropriate for a strong young man like yourself. You should trust in your own body, and not rely on machinery to defend your brothers, sisters, and our city."
Placing the ranged weapon upon the ground, stirrup jammed into the soil, the Knight slipped her plated foot inside and held it there for a moment, "The stirrup is used to stabilize the crossbow in order to pull the string with both hands. I've waited sometime to show you this, as it requires a good amount of bodily strength. Your arms, your shoulders, your back, even your thighs. These things are all an intrinsic part of readying a crossbow using a stirrup. Both hands grip the string as such, and then utilizing all of the muscles in your core and body, you pull back and ready your weapon. It is fast, much faster than the cranequin, and more suitable for someone such as yourself." she had demonstrated far enough to show the proper hand placement upon the string, as well as the slight bend in the knees and waist when preparing to set the crossbow itself, but she went no further.
Handing the crossbow off to Xalet, the Sergeant stepped back to watch for a moment, gesturing for him to attempt to cock the crossbow. She had left out the resistance she had set the crossbow for, higher than the average man to account for Xalet's unusual strength, and then higher still to give his muscles an appropriate workout. Xalet went about replicating what he had saw from his Patron. The placement of the foot through the stirrup, the hands moving down and the fingers hooking across the string. Then he pulled. And pulled. "Hhnnngg..." his body began to burn as the metal of the bow itself resisted budging. She wasn't kidding, the squire was actually going to have to use all of his muscles in order to get this thing cocked.
Looking up, he could see his Patron smiling soft, hands on her hips, the soft breezes of spring blowing her pale hair, "The typical Knight can pull a hundred and fifty pounds against his crossbow. That's typically what you get from a crossbow made from elm or yew. That crossbow there, however, has a steel bow upon it's ash stock. A true 'heavy' crossbow. I figure it's pull to be closer to two hundred pounds, perhaps even two hundred and twenty five. For the typical man, this would be quite difficult without assistance. You are an Akalak of course, and I expect appropriate results of my pupil. Now, keep your abdomen tight, balance properly on the balls of your feet." she moved over to her squire, and although he stood approximately a foot and a half taller than she, the Sergeant moved him easily enough into the proper form with her hands.
