Silver Bow of Duadon

The Silver Bow of Duadon is a magnificent Bow made from the wood of a Silver Oak tree. The bow can be won by Lone Wolf in an archery tournament in The Kingdoms of Terror versus the master archer Altan. It gives a +3 bonus to any random number check with arrow shots, which stacks with the Magnakai Discipline Weaponmastery: Bow.

The Silver Bow of Duadon may be carried over to the Grand Master series (Book 13 onwards).

Acquisition

To acquire the bow, Lone Wolf must win the archery tournament in The Kingdoms of Terror. Getting to the final round is easy, but defeating Altan is hard: he has a combat skill of 28. However, the text does not say one cannot use armor (Silver Helm from The Caverns of Kalte) or psychic attacks.

Loss

Lone Wolf can lose the Bow by trading it for Altan's horse immediately after the tournament. He can also lose the Bow in The Jungle of Horrors, if he visits the bowyery in Tharro or disturbs the Korkuna with the Bow, and in The Captives of Kaag, if he botches an arrow shot against the Gnagusk.

Effects

• +3 bonus to any Random number table check when using this bow.

Joe Dever's "Morality Test"

Joe Dever originally designed the Silver Bow of Duadon as a "morality test" for players. The contest to win the tournament is difficult, but the final contest against Altan is ambiguous to as what items and skills can be used. Should Altan win the competition, he would use the Silver Bow of Duadon to defend his people, whereas you, playing as Lone Wolf, "don't need it".

The following are some choice quotes from the podcast where Jonathan Stark and August Hahn talk about Joe Dever's opinion on the Bow:

August Hahn: There is a reason why Joe didn't put any restrictions in. And that is — and we've had this conversation before — because the Silver Bow of Duadon is — was written by Joe as one of his "morality tests."

August Hahn: Effectively, you do not need — I know this is really going to upset fans — you do not need the Silver Bow of Duadon. You don't. You don't need it. It is never absolutely vital. It is never — I mean, there is a battle later where it makes things a whole lot simpler, but you do not require it.

August Hahn: Bows are not — are not required — really at any point. They certainly help in several sections and very specifically the Silver Bow of Duadon in much later in the series, is useful. It allows you to cut a very difficult battle very short. And when we get to that book, we'll certainly talk about that. But you don't need it. And in fact, Altan is so good, and is a dedicated — he is a dedicated archer, he is a dedicated ranger, he is going to stay in the area and use the Bow to help protect [indistinct]. And effectively, the only way you as Lone Wolf have much of a shot at all of getting the Bow is to cheat.

Jonathan Stark: But it puts you in the — as the player — in the position of having to actually engage with a moral decision.

It is unclear what specific encounter August Hahn is referring to (which is cut short by the Silver Bow of Duadon).