Special Function Arrows

Throwing grapples is by no means the most efficient way of attaching a rope to a wall, battlement or similar structure. Greater range is ensured by the use of arrows, and many special arrowheads have been developed to help the thief's chances with such operations.

Two distinct methods are used with special function arrows. The first is known as the one-rope method. The rope is simply affixed to the arrow, and when the arrow has found its mark the thief merely climbs directly up the rope. This method is simple, but the rope attached must be strong enough to bear the thief's weight, and this considerably reduces the effective range of the bow (and incurs penalties of -2 to hit and damage rolls if the arrow is used in combat for any reason). It also means that the bow shot, being less accurate and powerful, is less likely to provide a good purchase on the target.

The second method is the two-rope method. Here, a light string is threaded through a loop attached to the arrow, and both ends of the string are kept by the thief. The string is light enough not to affect the flight of the arrow. When the arrow has struck the target, a stout rope is attached to one end of the string and the string pulled through to play out the rope, thread it through the loop, and extend it fully in place of the string. This method is obviously more time consuming than the one-rope method; it takes one round to play out 20 feet of rope in this manner. Twice the length of rope is needed, of course, since the rope goes from the thief to the target and back. this method is more likely to obtain a firm fixing of the arrow into the target.

Either of these two methods can be used with any of the special function arrows below, with the single exception stated. The table gives rules for their usage.

Special Function Arrows

Arrow Type	Special Effect
Wood Biter	+15 for Tree Branches and Wooden Walls
Stone Biter	+10 for Stone Parapet and Stone Wall Top, +5 to Wooden Wall
Stone Biter (Adamantine)	+20 for Stone Parapet and Stone Wall Top, +5 to Wooden Wall
Minor Grapple	+10 to Stone Parapet, Tree Branches; +5 to all others
Major Grapple	+15 to Stone Parapet, Tree Branches; +10 to Rocky Ledge, Wooden Wall; +5 to Stone Wall Top

Other Rules

One-rope method: halve all bow ranges, -5 to all modifiers above save for major grapple.

Wood Biter: This has a broad, flat head with backward-facing barbs. It is specifically designed to give a good grip when shot into wooden surfaces.

Stone Biter: The stone biter has a narrow, heavy head of metal, with small ridges rather than barbs. Careful craftsmanship is needed to produce these arrows, with high-quality metal being used and the arrow sharpened to the greatest possible extent. It is designed to give a grip when shot into stone, but will only work on relatively soft stone such as sandstone or brick.

Stone Biter (Adamantine): This is as the above arrow, save that adamantine is used in its manufacture. This makes the arrow capable of biting into all but the hardest stone surfaces, but also makes it extremely expensive.

Minor Grapple: This has a small, three-pointed grappling hook as its head, perhaps some 3 inches in total width. This is usually shot through a window, over a palisade, etc., in much the same way as a conventional grappling iron is thrown.

Major Grapple: The major grapple is a far more complex piece of apparatus than the minor grapple, and because of its method of use it can only be employed with the one-rope method (see above). The head of this arrow at first appears to be a fairly long arrowhead of normal width. Its true function is shown only when fired. The rope must be securely fixed at one end by the thief, and as the major grapple arrow closes in on its target and reaches as far as the rope will allow, the sudden tension pulls at the head of the arrow, which opens out into a large three-pointed grappling hook. This is some 6 to 8 inches in width, fully the equal of most ordinary grappling irons. The major grapple has better aerodynamics than the minor grapple and a better chance of gripping, but a considerably reduced range.

This table shows modifiers to dice rolls made on the Grappling Success table in the Grapples section made when using a special function arrow.