Miner49ner: You're not the only person who immediately contradicted me when I said that 'Overlord' reflects mainly Nazarick's point of view. However, I insist that this is the case. Yes, much of the show is seen through the eyes of the New World's inhabitants... but most of the time, episodes centered on the New World people tell how they react to Ainz or other Nazarick NPCs' actions. Episodes focusing on problems only specific to the New World (unrelated to Nazarick) are rare (but they exist; a good example is Momon travel with 'Sword of Darkness').

Tuhin Gosh: You have a knack for asking a lot of questions that require lengthy answers...

"And why the original new hero's group does not show up?"... Uh... maybe because there are already a lot of characters and because I keep adding more... Slowing down an already very slow narrative progression?

"Why does she (Miriel) not use the ring to summon something strong for fighting?" Do you mean in the maze? For starters, summoning a demon requires that Miriel stay still and focused for long enough (in a combat situation this is hardly ideal) and the summon draws heavily from Mirel's MP's pool. Second, Miriel is a veteran of this type of combat. She knows that - in a fight like this (one enemy, in a corridor) it is more effective to use 'buffs' to help the warrior on the front line rather than summon a creature that could hinder her ally. Anyone who has played this type of MMORPG can confirm what I just stated.

"why she (Miriel) does not (..) asking her shop demon guy for some important staff , something like any magical equipment or something like that after all she have connection with some rich guys ( such as finding replacement for the flying cape)?"

1) Greddy Clutches is a demon and summoning a demon could lead her to the pyre... so, to avoid ending up as BBQ's main dish Miriel always invokes Greddy Clutches in isolated places far from any localities and all inquiring eyes. Until now, it was easy... precisely because she had a Flying Carpet. Since the Flying Carpet was damaged, the situation has evolved into a vicious spiral. To get a new Flying Carpet, she has to isolate herself which has become very difficult without Flying Carpet.

2) Miriel spent the entire episode in a Dungeon; hundreds of miles away from anyone who could help her get a replacement Flying Carpet.

"Also how she let the traitor allowing to let demon army enter get away?"

What are you talking about?

Also, why didn't she come up with a plan or strategies with her teammate for the upcoming battle (...)?

Again, I don't see how Miriel (or Leyen) could be inside a Dungeon several hundred miles from the battlefield and lead the battle.

"Didn't Aizen have remote control mirror to see anything so why he not put her under 24*7 surveillance and why not using gate to reach near her and kill her immediately?"

1) The Remote Viewing Mirror is not designed to accurately pinpoint a moving individual, especially if the user does not know where this specific individual is.

2) Ainz doesn't want to kill Miriel, I thought I made it clear that he wanted her to join him... let's just say that having placed Demiurge in charge of this mission has led to a result opposed to the desired outcome.

"Why didn't she summon any dark soul guy to help her fight against any demon using the ring?"

Dark Soul... you want to talk about the computer game? Haruko never played this horror game. She is more of an Otome game player type.

"would Watanabe haruko prove problem for her(Miriel) in future?"

I don't understand your question. Watanabe Haruko is Miriel. Now, it is true that the 'Miriel' summoned in the New World has the appearance of Haruko's game avatar and that her personality is a mix between Haruko's personality and that of OOO's Game Avatar. So yes... Haruko can be a problem for Miriel. In a way... a little bit like Obi Wan Kenobi saying that Darth Vader killed Anakin Skywalker.

"are you atheist or theist?"

My beliefs have no impact on my writing. Haruko is a Buddhist (non-practicing) and that's the only thing to consider for understanding the story.

panm6767: You want a description of Miriel so you can draw her? I don't see any problem with that.

General description: Miriel is medium-sized (neither too tall nor too small), she has a slim figure and a small chest. Her appearance is based on the elves of Middle Earth (my first inspiration for Miriel appearance... is Arwen).

Face: She has a narrow oval face. Her nose is small and slightly upturned. Her eyes are very pale green (like spring leaves) and so bright it is the first thing you notice in her face. She has pale, very white skin and freckles on the cheeks and the nose bridge.

Hairline: Her hair is jet black, and very stiff, her hair falls down the back lower than her shoulders. The forehead is completely clear. Part of her hair is tied in a mat at the back of her head. This mat goes from one temple to another forming like a crown. Only the pointed part of her ears emerges from this stream of ink-like hair.

Clothing: here it is simple; the dresses that Miriel wears are all inspired by the Lord of the Ring, especially those of Arwen. Her favorite dress is made of velvet of such a dark red color that it seems black, except where the fabric is exposed to light. The sleeves are so long that they almost touch the ground. Her belt is a long band of gold embroidered red fabric that loosely clasps her hips and falls lower than her knees

Jewelry: usually her forehead is adorned with a metal band decorated with several gems (a design inspired by the bands worn by LOTR's elves). She has three rings on her left hand and four rings on her right hand. On the index of the right hand, she has the Ring of Kings; the ring is adorned with a garnet that shines with a red light. She also has a silver locket around her neck.

Conclusion: Miriel was created by Watanabe Haruko as her game's avatar for Onihime Obscura Online by blending the appearance and abilities of several characters from classics of fantasy literature, including the elves of Tolkien (Miriel is the name of the mother of Fëanor, the creator of the Simarils) the witch Jasra from "Nine Princes in Amber," and Elric the Necromancer from the "Elric Saga."

In Chapters 24 and 25, as Miriel attends a ball; her presence incites jealousy among women and admiration from men. Because she's very pretty.

panm6767, if you appreciate the result of your drawing, feel free to share it online for others to enjoy!


Note from the author: This chapter introduces the beginning of a significant battle between the Holy Kingdom and the Half-Human Army. Roble, inspired by medieval Spain, employs military formations typical of the Reconquista (the wars between the Moors and the Spaniards), particularly featuring slingers and Jinetas. At the end of this chapter, an addendum explains why the sling is a highly dangerous weapon, often underestimated by those who have never witnessed it in action.


The Battle of Salanc

(First Part)


Salanc Plains, somewhere between Hoburns and Kalinsha, Roble Holy Kingdom

The Dawn...

The first rays of the sun illuminated a grassy plain covered with dew. A road, a simple dirt track with ruts crossed the landscape from east to west. In the distance, north and south, one could see hills gradually rising until they become mountains. In the west, the plain squeezed between two bushy forests that autumn painted with yellow or orange leaves. In the sky, clouds were slowly moving away. It had rained the day before and some of the night. The ground was muddy...

So early in the morning, the air was fresh. It was one of those days when one hoped not to have to get up... alas, such wishes were rarely granted, especially if one was a soldier in time of war.

At the narrowest of the plain, an army was moving into prepared positions. The day before, the men of duty had dug the ground and stamped the excavated soil to form a slope that they had reinforced with pointed stakes. This improvised fortification was not uninterrupted; there were several passages through which the enemy attacks could pass. It was not an oversight; it was a deliberate choice.

The soldiers who settled behind the embankment were members of a feudal army comprising the royal troops and those of several lords from the west and south of the country. They were reinforced by militias formed by the inhabitants of the cities of Hoburns, Prart, and Rimun.

Less than half of this army's fighters were professionals. While the royal and feudal soldiers were well armed and had good quality armor, the militiamen were equipped with only a mixture of agricultural tools summarily converted into weapons and mismatched military equipment taken from the depots.

The best troops were positioned behind the breaches in the embankment (1).

The wind blew up countless banners. The main army was grouped into several large squares of foot soldiers, spread out over several ranks. On both wings were cavalry units. Most of the fighters had white tabards over their armor. The banners and soldiers in formation conveyed a strong sense of power.

On a hill a little back, the staff was gathered around the Holy Queen Calca and the Custodio sisters.


It took an hour for each troop to take its place, and then the noise of the moving forces stopped... leaving room for a tense silence barely disturbed by the rattling of harnesses and horses' neighing.

It was only 11 o'clock in the morning that the last scouts retreated to the positions of the Roblian Army, they were only slightly ahead of the vanguard of the Demi-Human Army.

In the ranks of the Royal Army silence gave way to frightened whispers...

A horde was spreading in the plain. A mixture of about ten half-human species... centaur-like creatures part man part sabertooth tiger, humanoids covered with scales with snake heads, biped pterodactyls, goblins, orcs, ogres, men with goat heads, Monkey-men, tiger-headed men... and demons!

For ordinary humans, the enemy army was absolutely terrifying!


Calca Bessarez rose from her throne. The Holy Queen was in armor but still wearing her silver crown, a squire waiting behind her. In his hands, he held her helmet adorned with swan wings.

A magician cast a spell extending the range of the voice of the queen so that her speech is audible to all.

"My beloved subjects, your queen speaks to you. I have always dreamed of a kingdom where the small-folk could live in peace. I wanted to build a country where no one would be hurt. Is it not the role of a sovereign to love his people and offer them peace? Nevertheless, fate has turned my hopes to ashes... my reign will be marked by war. I would not blame the Demi-Humans... They have not chosen war any more than you. The truth is that the Demi-Humans are just as much victims of conflict as we are. They form the armies of Jadalbaoth and die for him, sacrificing their lives to a Demonic Emperor who smiles at their sufferings and considers them only as cheap cannon fodder. Do not give in to hatred. You do not fight to destroy the enemy or to enslave him. You are not demons like our true foes! You are human, true believers who pray to the Four Great Gods. You fight so that your fathers and mothers will not be executed as 'useless' old men so that your wives and children will not become slaves. Fight the enemy without thinking of flight. Banish all weakness from your hearts. You cannot lose, you cannot surrender! You have no right to do so! If you give in, then all those you love will be chained! Victorious you will be heroes! And if you perish you will be free of a freedom that Jadalbaoth can never steal from you again. The only thing you have to fear is to live to see the triumph of the Demonic Emperor!"

As the inhabitants of the kingdom, mostly humans but also some mermen cheered their queen, she cast a prayer-like spell.

"Consacred Ground!"

The spell materialized in lines of lights that moved between the battalions and formed a vast sparkling spider web. This was a Cleric spell, a 'buff' with a large AOE.

The other Clerics scattered among the units of the Holy Kingdom army concentrated on adding other 'buffs' (like [Prayer] or [Canticle]) to the soldiers who surrounded them.

Behind the infantry, a final group of Clerics cast on the Couillards (light trebuchets) the spell [Blessed Weapon].

In a crack of wood and pulleys, the arms of the siege engine fell back, throwing into the sky blessed stone balls that fell amid the enemy horde... bouncing repeatedly in scarlet splashes.

The battle of Salanc had just begun.


As the Demi-Humans' hordes approached the ditch, Roble's soldiers suddenly rose among the tall grass that had hidden them until then, and surprise was achieved. The warriors were slingers, specialists in skirmishing. Each of them had three slings. Two (the longest) served as a belt, the shorter one was used to wrap their forehead like a headband. Besides their slings, they were equipped only with a small round shield and a short sword.

Using their longest slingshot, they threw a rain of lead sling bullets. These flew over the first ranks of enemy fighters with an impressive humming before falling back among enemy fighters hitting violently against raised shields... or smashing skulls.

The first three salves were carried out without any response from the enemy. Alas, Jadalbaoth had many tricks up his sleeve. A sort of illusory barrier made of flames suddenly surrounded his troops (2).

At the same time, a demon flight rose from the ranks of the Demi-Humans army. They were Gazer Devil, black skinned gaunt humanoid winged demons.

The slingers were simple shepherds conscripted to participate in battle. Certainly, they excelled with their weapons, having learned from childhood to repel the wolves that threatened their sheep. But they were not used to fighting hand-to-hand. As the demons landed among them, some fought and were quickly killed... Terrified, the others fled behind the ditch.

The first engagement ended with a quick victory for the Demi-Humans Alliance.


The second movement of troops was also initiated by the Roblians. On the right wing of the Holy Queen army, lightly equipped riders began their advance and crossed the ditch. In peacetime, the Jinetas were cattle herders who accompanied their herds on horseback; they were extraordinary horsemen living literally on their horses.

In times of war, the Jinetas specialized in skirmish fighting. They approached the horde of invaders and unleashed a barrage of javelins before retreating in apparent disorder as if they were terrified. Seeing their enemies flee, some groups of Demi-Humans began to chase them. However, the Jinetas' retreat was merely a feint. They suddenly turned around and surrounded their pursuers, overwhelming them.

Unfortunately, the Jinetas suffered heavy losses, partly because they were unarmored and partly due to enemy archers who targeted them during the initial attack. After throwing almost all their javelins, they quickly retreated behind the ditch, where they were placed in reserve. If the Roblians were to win, the Jinetas would again have a role to play (3).


The two armies were now within firing range of each other. The goblins' bows were not very powerful and their shots did little damage. On the contrary, the Roblians uses composite bows, crossbows, and slings... not to mention the light trebuchets that continued to throw stone balls to the Demi-Humans.

Yet this only slows down the invaders' assault. Wielding long whips, the demons pushed the humanoids to assault not hesitating to execute the 'cowards' who retreated while their brothers in arms perished around them, unnecessarily sacrificed during this too impetuous frontal assault.

As the Roblians' battle plan had predicted, the enemy hordes that were rushing towards the ditch hesitated in front of the obstacle, following the defensive line before heading for the first breach they found.

While the first humanoid regiments clashed with phalanx-shaped pikemen firmly ensconced on the crossing points, the Roblian spellcasters resorted to spells like [Fireball], [Lightning] and [Acid Arrow] to weaken the invaders... Nevertheless, the Demi-Humans also had magicians, especially among the Serpentmen and the Magelos. On both sides of the ditch, magical energy discharges struck almost continuously, electrocuting or burning the fighters.

The battle had just begun, but it was already clear that it would be deadly.


The Great Abellion Hills Dungeon, Abellion Hills.

The room was cubic with perfect proportions and walls as smooth as mirrors. Like the whole maze that surrounded it, it had been carved into the rock by supernatural means. The room was completely empty, there were no inscriptions on the walls, no furniture, nothing... nothing but an ominous sphere of darkness floating exactly in the middle of the room.

After slowly walking around the cube, inspecting the walls, floor, and ceiling, Diolaine Gisle Kure returned to the entrance where the other members of Exiles were waiting.

"I have discovered no mechanical traps or magic symbols. If there is a trap..." The thief hesitated and reached for the sphere. "... it can only be here. Actually, I know that's where it is... my gut is literally screaming that this thing is a trap."

Altiria Siina Verteil reached for the sphere and closed her eyes concentrating. After a few moments, the elf princess said:

"I feel magic... a Summoning School's spell."

Her bodyguard advanced a few steps and took a small object, an ordinary coin, which he threw towards the globe of darkness. The ranger had acted so fast that no one had time to hold him.

Most of the people present had looked at the scene with a frightened air, expecting the worst... but the coin disappeared by coming into contact with the sphere... before coming out on the other side and falling to the ground with a slight tinkling.

While the other members of Exiles sighed with relief, Miriel summarized the discoveries made so far.

"The Dragonspear is in this sphere. But everything that comes into contact with this globe of darkness reappears... outside."

The Summoner rubbed her chin while frowning. She stood contemplative for a moment, looking down at the floor, then spoke again.

"As Princess Altiria pointed out, the globe is a form of Summoning School's spell. The only way to take the spear is therefore to summon it."

Raising her eyes, the half-elf wizard looked at her companions one after another.

"However, if I had created this sphere, I would have added a trap, an alarm system, or something like that... and the trap would be triggered immediately if the spear was removed from the globe."

Antilene Heran Fouche nodded, she immediately understood what the leader of their adventurers' company was trying to explain. She put herself in a fighting stance, smiling fiercely... At the mere thought of facing a powerful opponent summoned by the sphere of darkness, Certain Death was already salivating!

"If I understand correctly, either it's a big 'bang!' or a horde of enemies will come down on us" moaned Khalid Deez in scornful desperation.


Miriel opened her Inventory and took a thick book with iron fittings and colored chalk. After a few moments of flipping through the spellbook, she knelt on the floor just below the sphere and began to draw a pentacle identical to the one that appeared on the page on which the book opened.

Once the summoning circle was complete, the player stands up carefully, avoiding touching the globe. She walked to the corridor and drew a second pentacle. The latter was almost identical, except that the inscriptions of the inner circle and those of the outer circle were reversed.

The Summoner then traced a very different third pentacle right next to the room entrance.

"The preparations are finished; I'll start as soon as you're ready."

The members of Exiles looked at each other and nodded their heads. Antilene and Khalid had their weapons in hand and guarded the entrance to the tunnel. Behind them, Leyen (with a bow) and Diolaine (with a crossbow) were preparing to support them while Alitira prayed.

"Good..."

Miriel joined the second pentacle and reached out her hand forward, closing her eyes briefly.

"Summon Object!"

The first pentacle (under the globe of darkness) lit up first then... a second later the blurred shape of a black spear cut in the horn of a demon-dragon appeared in the air, above the second pentacle.

Miriel had the reflex to reach out and grab the Dragonspear as it materialized.

At the same moment, a sound burst through the maze. As if a hundred monsters were simultaneously shrieking.

As the adventurers were closing their ears, the sphere of darkness contracted and decreased in volume before turning into a black vortex that swirled more and more violently.

A form appeared then in the mass of moving darkness... a terrific form... A huge humanoid covered with black scales, with bat wings ion its back, and a long tail like a whip dragged to the ground behind it. The head was a mixture of human and insectoid traits, and its teeth were as sharp as razors. At the end of his long muscular arms, his hands were armed with long sharp claws.

"An Abyssal Lord," says Antilene, recognizing the demon that had just appeared.

"We really have to face it," complained Khalid.


A few minutes earlier, in another part of the Great Abellion Hills Dungeon.

Two guards stood on either side of the entrance to the Dungeon's jail. They were Stone-eaters, monkey-men covered in brown and white fur. They wore leather garments and were armed with primitive spears. However, they were not opponents to be underestimated because they devoured stones (as their name indicated) and they could spit the stone stocked in their stomachs with force and precision.

However... they died in an instant.

Launched from the end of the corridor the Star of Kahor slashed the first guard before turning like a heat-seeking missile to slash the other one even before he could react. Its task done, the strange shuriken returned to the hand that had launched it.

Angel Krang waited for a few moments to see if the enemy would react, but only silence answered. The alarm had not been sounded. Reassured, he waved to Fiona Saphira and Beebeebee. The beautiful Changeling and the Zern followed the killer as he took the keys from one of the guards' dead bodies and opened the prison door.

On either side of a long corridor, several cells closed by iron grates were aligned in alternation with torchers.

Only three of the jails were occupied. In the first cell was a rather disgusting creature—a sort of maggot with purple skin and no arms. This was Zern, more precisely Prince Beebeezee, the only survivor of the Zern royal family. He was held hostage by Jadalbaoth to compel his people to obey.

As Prince Beebeebee was being recognized by his lord, Fiona approached the other two cages and found that they were occupied by orcs. Although they were tall and muscular, these green-skinned humanoids with pig-like heads appeared visibly weakened by malnutrition.

"Who are you?" Fiona asked.

"I am Dyel Gan Zu, spokesman of the Gan Zu tribe," answered the first orc.

"My name is Donbass, also of the same tribe," added the second orc.

Prince Beebeezee, who had just stepped out of his cell, intervened. "Their tribe refused to serve Jadalbaoth. They were imprisoned and abused in an attempt to make them submit, but they refused to give in. You should release them; they are allies!"

Angel opened their cells with the jailers' keys, and the small group left the prison. However, before they had gone a hundred yards into the tunnels, a shrieking echoed in the distance, reverberating throughout the dungeon.

Fiona turned pale. "I'm afraid our friends have set off an alarm, and the garrison is now aware of our intrusion."

"Let's walk faster," Angel replied with simplicity.


At the same time, Dragonspear Maze

The Abyssal Lord was a demon as fast as powerful. Barely summoned, he was already on the attack. Khalid blocked the first blow, but his shield exploded in a rain of broken wood and crushed pieces of iron. Thrown to the side, the Guardian hit a wall and collapsed like a rag doll. The next moment, Antilene stood in, attacking the demon that blocked without pain Certain Death's Glaive. The Abyssal Lord counterattacked immediately and both opponents found themselves caught in a deadly dance. The claws of the demon and the Heterochromia Girl's weapon drawn mandalas in the air. With each strike, sheaves of sparks were born.

No mortal would have held more than a few seconds in front of the demon but the Extra Seat of the Black Scripture almost stands on equal footing with the summoned devil.

While Diolaine and Aristeia hesitated to intervene for fear of touching Antilene, Princess Altiria used two prayers one after the other.

"Lance of Faith!"

A golden ray of light came from the Elven Cleric's finger and struck the demon. It received no damage because it was not an attack. However, a golden light surrounded him now, it was a debuff that increased the chances of hitting any attack directed at the Abyssal Lord.

"Sacred Flame!"

A golden nimbus appeared in the air and rays of light escaped from it. Antilene and the demon were both in the area of effect, with diametrically opposed effects. As the black scales of the Abyssal Demon began to smoke and it howled in pain, backing away while protecting its eyes, Antilene was taken care of the damage she had suffered since the start of the fight.

But the effect of this prayer was short, while the nimbus weakened and disappeared, the demon jumped again to attack.

However, while her friends were holding the demon, Miriel had not been idle.

She had concentrated on the third pentacle, hand outstretched, forehead covered with sweat... drained by the incredible expenditure of magical energy necessary to summon a very powerful creature. At her finger the Ring of King shone with a red light, making scarlet constellations dance on the walls of the labyrinth.

"Mablung appears, I call on you!"

The pentacle began to radiate, and a humanoid figure formed, appearing to emerge from the ground before densifying and materializing.

A colossus stood there, dressed in hideous black armor adorned with spikes, strange nodules, and steel blades, with a thong of fur at the hips. The helmet was also hideous, decorated with metal blades and horns, it left free the bottom of the face and the mouth without lips... filled with triangular teeth! The demon had an axe in one hand (given the size of this monster, it was actually the equivalent of a man's two-handed axe) and a heater shield on its left arm.

Flames appeared on the surface of his armor but without bothering the Major Demon.

Normally, Miriel would never have summoned Mablung... because she didn't have the willpower to control such a powerful demon. But the situation was not normal...

Barely materialized, Mablung saw the Abyssal Demon and... leaped ahead while shouting a guttural battle cry.

Antilene backed away, leaving the two demons to compete. And immediately, they attacked each other with demented violence and without any restraint, breaking down walls, and causing a part of the room to collapse. As the adventurers retreated into the corridor coughing in the midst of the swirls of stone dust, Princess Altiria cried out to dominate the ruckus.

"What happened, why did the demon you summoned become berserk?"

"Mablung can't stand other demons. It attacks them as soon as It sees them."

Miriel might not have been able to control Mablung but in this kind of situation, it didn't matter.


At the same time, in another part of the Dungeon.

The troop that advanced in the corridor was a mixture of Horuners, Bladers, and Spidans. There were about thirty of them, the Bladers had no other weapons but the chitinous blades that replaced the index of their 'hands', but the other half-humans had spears, short swords, or clubs.

It was a group of guards running towards the Dragonspear maze.

By misfortune, the underground corridor they used was passing through the prison's area and they caught up with the members of Exiles who had freed Prince Beebeezee and the two imprisoned orcs.

The Spidan who was spearheading the guard force suddenly stopped. The arachnoid-like creature turned his head, looking around with four black gem-like eyes.

A mist was spreading in the corridors...

One after the other, the other warriors joined the scout and stopped... Mist? How could mist form in an underground? It was impossible! Soon their vision was limited to a few meters. They resumed their advance but cautiously, instinctively they began to whisper. They were not really reassured.

The fighter who was walking the most behind the group felt a muscular arm close to him and shut his mouth. He didn't even have time to struggle that a blade as sharp as a shaver was cutting his throat... drinking his life.

Angel Krang waited for the last jolts of his victim to settle down and then he laid him on the ground before resuming his advance. The assassin selected a Horuner, a humanoid with horse legs. Like his previous victim, he was walking at the end of the line of the enemy patrol, looking nervously ahead, convinced that danger could only come from this direction.

None of the Demi-Humans had realized that hanging from the ceiling, Angel had let his enemies pass him. Now, protected by the mist curtain generated by his Fog Gloves, the assassin caught up with them and eliminated one after another.

As the Vampire Dagger slit the throat of its second victim, the runes embedded on the blade began to radiate a faint red light. As its name suggests, Krang's magic weapon drank its victims' blood... and passed some of the vital energy to its owner, temporarily increasing his Hit Points.

As I wrote above, this group of Demi-Humans had taken the corridor through which the members of Exiles who had released Prince Beebeezee were fleeing... unfortunately for the guards, of course. For they will all die.

Half of them will be killed in silence before the survivors notice that 'something' is chasing them. The others fell one at a time, only seeing a dark figure emerging from the mist, grabbing one of them and dragging him away... a last cry... the guards sent to chase Krang find the victim completely exsanguinated on the floor of the corridor.

The last three survivors ran away, running as fast as they could, convinced that they were pursued by a vampire! The Star of Kahor caught them and cut them in two...


Addendum: The Sling

First, a short definition: shooting weapons are weapons that launch projectiles. Not to be confused with throwing weapons, which are launched weapons.

In the first case, the weapon launches projectiles (arrows, bolts, bullets); in the second, it's the weapon itself that is thrown (javelins, daggers, darts, shurikens, grenades).

All shooting weapons have for ancestor the sling. It is the longest-used shooting weapon in human history.

The first weapon of man was undoubtedly stone and the first ranged weapon was certainly the stone thrown. Men of the First Ages realized that the stone had a very short reach and was pitifully underpowered. The first men must not have been as primitive as we generally imagine because they discovered a law of physics that is still used today to send probes throughout the solar system: "the slingshot effect".


*Slingshot Effect* Kinetic energy is 'stored' in the projectile mass through a rapid spinning motion around a horizontal axis. When one end of the sling is released just after the sling passes the lowest point of the launch circle, the projectile exits its orbit tangentially, following a parabolic trajectory that is approximately 10 to 20 degrees above the horizontal.


The sling has many advantages. It is easy to build. After all, it's just a piece of leather with a receptacle for a stone. Anyone (even a clumsy one like me) can build one in an hour. It is cheap, it is neither heavy nor cumbersome, requires only one hand (slingers often have a light shield on the left arm). In addition, the stones are lying on the ground, one just has to bend over to find ammunition.

You will say to me: "Pooh, a stone does not cut through plate armor!"

And you would be all wrong! First of all, it is important to know that since antiquity men have noticed that some objects had a more aerodynamic shape than others. The result of the first aerodynamic study in history is the slingshot ball. Named glandula by the Romans, the slingshot ball had the shape of an elongated olive (also known as bi-ogival form) and was made of lead. It was the culmination of a thousand-year research on weight and form. As said above the slingshot effect transforms the mass of the projectile into kinetic energy. The heavier a slingshot ball, the more powerful it is! An aerodynamic shape allows this force and initial speed to be maintained for as long as possible.

The sling is a dangerous weapon. In ancient times, the sling far outperformed the bows. To be convinced, one need only read Xenophon's Anabasis. The Greek slingers easily outperform the Persian archers. In each confrontation, the range and power of the sling gives the advantage to the Greeks. It wasn't until the appearance of the composite bow, then the Longbow that the sling went out of fashion

The slingshot ball's mass is generally estimated at 50 grams, with a velocity of 130 meters per second (estimate). A quick calculation (mass multiplied by the square of its velocity) allows estimating the kinetic energy: 42 kilogram-metres... that is to say a power equal to that of a 9mm bullet! Enough to cross a bronze helmet, dismantle a shield, and break the skull of an armored man!


Psychological weapon: since ancient times, it was customary to write insults or exclamations on the slingshot balls: "Here!" "Catch!" "Take this one!". During Dyrrachium's siege (today Durrës in Albania), Caesar bombarded Pompey's troops with... pieces of bread! The hungry soldiers were demoralized by the shame of receiving food from the enemy.

Communication tool: On a battlefield, slingers were sometimes used to launch messages enclosed in ceramic capsules to landmarks indicated by flags. Thus officers quickly managed to communicate accurately several hundred meters away.

The slingshot disappeared from the lists of weapons used by the armies at the end of the Middle Ages. In the 15th century, only the Spanish army still used slingshots. The revolt known as "La Fronde" (17th century) in France owes its name to the use of this weapon (Fronde= Sling in French) by the rebels which led to its prohibition by the royal power. There is no better proof of the danger of this weapon than this royal order. Indeed, peasants armed with slings have proved capable of putting professional soldiers armed with muskets in trouble.


The fustibalus (AKA: stick-sling):

I mention it quickly because it was only used during siege wars (because too cumbersome). The stick extends the vertical circle used to accelerate the projectile, a circle whose radius is normally equal to the length of the slingshot arm plus the length of the slingshot lanyard. The diameter of this circle determines the speed of the ball when it comes out of its receptacle and therefore its power. The fustibalus is a stick with two straps. The first one connects the pocket that holds the ball to the handle; the second is attached by a loop to a hook. The stick is very long, more than the legs of the shooter; one can only shoot from a wall, or another elevated point. The weapon was some sort of hand stone-thrower and gave birth to war machines like the trebuchet which thanks to counterweights, then articulated counterweights allowed to send hundreds of meters away loads of the weight of a man!


Some famous slingers include:

1. *David, King of Israel: Known for his victory over the giant Goliath, David defeats him using a sling as recounted in the Second Book of Samuel, Chapter 17.

2. *Lug: A god of light and a half-breed from the race of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He killed his grandfather, the king of the Formorians, by striking him in the eye with a sling stone.

3. *Thierry la Fronde: An imaginary character who was more or less the French counterpart to Robin Hood. He is depicted as a French aristocrat who becomes a brigand and rebel in Normandy, occupied by the English during the One Hundred Years War.


(1) As Napoleon once said, "Trying to be strong everywhere is to be strong nowhere." Establishing a continuous defense network requires defending it as a whole, which means spreading thin the best troops along the perimeter. By intentionally leaving gaps in the defense line, the Roblians can lure Jadalbaoth's army to attack their most capable troops. The breaches also allow for counter-attacks

(2) Demiurge cast the [Flame of Gehenna] spell. Inside the spell AOE, Demons spell does more damage among over 'Buffs' effect affecting only negative-karma beings.

(3) In case of victory, the Jinetas hunt down the enemy survivors and massacre them. They are very effective in this role!