Bogfimi

From ShireWiki
Jump to: navigation, search

Bogfimi means archery in the Froyalanish and Wintergleamish languages. Archery is since times ancient beyond the memory of woman a sacred art to the Froyalanish Vanafolk and is one of the arts mentioned in the Poetry of Passion, the classical Valtian book on the Art of Love. It is suggested that men and women alike should be well versed in these arts.

About

Knowledge of the bow runs deep in the blood and cells which form the ancestral memory of the Froyalanish and Wintergleamish Vanakvinner, who are humbly and gratefully aware that they owe their very lives to ancestors who were skilled in archery. According to sagas recorded in ancient Valtian history books like The Lady, Annals of the Black Cat, and Questions, the Lady Freyja introduced the bow to the Vanakvinner of yore as a way to empower these Ladies teaching them how to use it as a tool for hunting game to provide food for themselves and their children. And, of course, to protect their homes and families, should the need arise.

Valtia and archery

In Valtia the bow was appreciated as one of the most important weapons of war, and skilful archers were held in high esteem. Sagas which told the Valtians about the exploits of their heroes in their capacity of archer were among the most popular ones, and the prowess of their countrymen with their bows, which were vastly superior to those of their foreign contemporaries, contributed significantly to the ascendancy of Valtia and the acquisition and defence of the Valtian Empire. In Froyalan archery is still very popular as a passtime and numerous contests are held throughout the year. The bow also plays a role in many a ceremony of life such as coronations, investitures, funerals, weddings and baby-welcomings.

Daughters of Freyja and Archery

Throughout time the Daughters of Freyja have practiced archery to hone their magical skills since the art requires one to center, raise energy, focus one's will, and release one's intention toward a specific goal. Feeling the Lady Freyja's power stir inside their bodies when they pick up a bow, to the Daughters of Freyja archery is a magical way to invoke and express their sense of oneness with the Lady of the Vanir and their reverence for this relationship. It is therefore not a surprise that the sacred art of archery is deeply permeated in the ways of the sisterhood. For example, several of the sisterhoods' ranks are derived from archery, and to be able to advance to the higher ranks of the sisterhood a Daughter of Freyja must, aside from possessing many other martial skills, be capable of drawing two Valtian Longbows at the same time.

Sister-Archers

The Daughters of Freyja are renowed for their prowess with the bow and have over the millenia of their existence brought forth numerous ace archers. The most famous of them was a sister-archer from the Sólareyjar called Álfhildr Sigrlinnsdóttir who was known as the Mistress Mortal of Sacred Archery. The sister-archer is reported to have brought down a goose that was flying above a cloud, and therefore invisible, her aim being directed solely by the cry of the bird.

To keep their skills at top-notch conditions the sister-archers of the Daughters of Freyja maintain a strong yet conspicuously feminine physique.