Masteria Expansions, Names and the proof for each

I figure one of two things:
a)Thats either a mage and thats a new type of weapon
or b)They are not a mage and thats a shield.

Mad ramblings about option b)

 Spoiler

If that was by chance a one handed crossbow and She is holding a shield, would that be made available?
What would the consiquences of using a shield?
High STR requirements, lower accuracy?
If a bowman was given the option of holding a shield that gave def at a cost of accuracy, would they take it?

All bows are two handed.

Can't equip any bow and a shield at the same time.

Also notice that guns are held in the shield hand, while the normal "main" hand remains empty. In the case of this "monster", she has a glowing "main" hand, and a crossbow looking device in her "offhand".

But you're right. It could be a "shield" as well. But a shield that looks like that wouldn't necessarily be available as a player item, and it certainly would not be usable by Archers (all bows and crossbows take up 2 hands, and if anything a crossbow is more likely to require both hands than a standard bow). If it IS a shield, and it IS available as a player item, I'd say it would be to emulate the dual wield style daggers can get (via the jMS offhand dagger shields) but for Magicians. Can't say that sounds all that appealing to me... I'd rather a magician "dual wield" look to simply be a collection of energy in the other hand.