(An ebony-skinned elf with snow white hair and wearing a black cloak points a hand crossbow at the screen.)
Drow Elf: The cunning and merciless warrior of the Underdark who faithfully and violently serves Lolth...
(A drow elf lurking in the shadows is shown drawing his hand crossbow and firing a poison-tipped bolt into the back of a moon elf.)
vs.
(A pale violet-skinned aquatic humanoid clad in silverscale armor and a fish-like helmet thrusts his spear at the camera.)
Zora: The aquatic folk of Hyrule who faithfully aided the Hero of the Wild in his quest to defeat Calamity Ganon.
(A Zora warrior is shown running a moblin through with his hook spear.)
WHO IS DEADLIEST?!
Here in our elite fight club, we have gathered doctors, scientists and weapons experts to test out the arsenals wielded by combatants to determine who would win a fight when two fictional warriors go head to head.
No rules. No safety. No mercy. It's a duel to the death to decide who is...THE FICTIONAL DEADLIEST WARRIOR!
Using 21st century science, we will see what happens when two fictional warriors clash in a simulated battle:
Drow Elf
Appearing from: Forgotten Realms expanded universe
Height: 5' 5"
Weight: 135 lbs.
Homeland: Menzoberransan
Armor: Mithral Chainmail and Buckler
Zora
Appearing from: Legend of Zelda expanded universe
Height: 6'
Weight: 150 lbs.
Homeland: Zora's Domain
Armor: Silverscale Mail, Silver Shield and Zora Helm
"Today is a battle between two fantasy warriors. In one corner, we have the Drow Elf, the elusive, cruel killer of the Underdark and in the other, we have the Zora, the proud aquatic people of Hyrule," biomedical scientist Bradley Foster started.
"These are beings of two completely different races we are talking about here," trauma doctor Joseph Kaiser spoke up, "The Drow are small and sleek, yet very agile and athletic, and also have a higher than normal tolerance for poison and a resistance to magic. The Zora on the other hand, are an aquatic race known for being naturally strong swimmers, powerful enough to go against the current of rivers an even up waterfalls."
"Speaking of which, these guys bring weapons to the table that further emphasize their natural abilities and backgrounds, the Drow using weapons that emphasize on quickness and stealth, whereas the Zora lean into their background as fishermen," computer expert Eddie Cortez added.
"Going to be an interesting fight. Enough talk. It's time to get down to business," Bradley concluded.
The camera focused on a dark-skinned elf with long snow white hair and wearing a forest-green cloak with leather armor underneath. He has a saber-like sword in hand which he uses to perform a few practice slashes.
Up first representing the Drow Elf will be Drizzt Do'Urden.
A ranger who has forsaken the evil ways of his people and their home in the Underdark, he brings his knowledge of their culture and their weapons to today's battle.
"The Drow play by no one's rules but their own. The Zora would have no idea what to expect," Drizzt spoke.
The camera then focuses on another dark-skinned elf, this one wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a patch over his right eye, and a flamboyant purple and gold outfit complete with a matching cape. He takes a hand crossbow and takes aim at an unseen target.
Also on hand to represent the Drow Elf will be Jarlaxle Baenre.
A traveling mercenary of Drow origins, Jarlaxle brings knowledge of his peoples' weapons and battlefield tactics.
"The Drow don't just limit themselves to one form of warfare. We can ambush you and we can fight you head-to-head if need be. We are masters of everything we use in battle. A couple of walking, talking fish would be nothing to us," Jarlaxle proclaimed.
Descended from the ancient elven tribes of Ilythiir and Miyeritar, the once dark elves were transformed into Drow and banished into the Underdark by the Seldarine following the Ilythiirian's savagery during the Crown Wars. They would soon fall under the influence of Araushnee, who was transformed into Lolth, the Spider Queen.
"My people were left forever changed following their banishment by the Seldarine. Our society became more authoritarian and we would be subjected to endless infighting, all towards the goal of vengeance against anyone who had wronged us, or so we were told," Drizzt explained.
A long period of trouble would follow for the accursed race, eventually their sights turning towards warring with other races as well and leading to them developing a fearsome reputation for their cruelty.
"There is no other race feared as much in all of Faerun as the Drow. Just mentioning our name alone can cause a surface dweller to shudder. Soon, the Zora will come to fear us as well," Jarlaxle concluded.
The cunning killers of the Underdark brought a deadly arsenal suited to their stealthy style of battle:
Short Range: Rapier
Mid Range: Atlatl and Javelin
Long Range: Hand Crossbow
Special Weapon: Drow Mace
But how will the Drow Elf stand when pitted against a new opponent from an entirely different world?
The camera cuts to an aquatic humanoid with bright red and white skin, fish-like fins on his arms, and a tail sprouting from the top of his head. He has a sword in hand he is shown practicing a few slashes with before ending with a stab.
On hand to represent the Zora will be the Prince of the Zora, Sidon.
Heir to the Zora throne, Sidon has spent his entire life training in the ways of his people and has fought on multiple occasions against some of their greatest threats.
"My people are a proud race. When we are threatened, we will fight to the very end," Sidon proclaimed.
The camera then switches over to another Zora, this one with a black and white body and wearing a silver breastplate. He carries a long spear with blade shaped like a tail fin that he takes a few practice thrusts with.
Also on hand to represent the Zora will be Bazz.
The captain of the guard of Zora's Domain, he has participated in the defense of his homeland against some of the most dangerous threats Hyrule had to offer.
"We have faced threats far more dangerous than these Drow Elves and emerged victorious. They would be just a minor nuisance to us," Bazz smirked.
One of the many races inhabiting the lands of Hyrule, the Zora are an aquatic folk known as the great protectors of the waters and allies of the Kingdom of Hyrule. Believed to have been founded at least ten thousand years before the reign of King Dorephan, they were a largely peaceful people with most of them living as fishermen and others taking up the role of knights to defend their domain.
"It was during the reign of my father, King Dorephan, the Second Great Calamity would take place across Hyrule. Although my people were largely spared from the damages wrought by Calamity Ganon, yet we were not without our great losses. My sister Mipha attempted to stop Waterblight Ganon, only to lose her life," Sidon explained.
A time of darkness followed up until a century after the Second Great Calamity, when the Hylian champion known as Link would return to stop Ganon, enlisting the aid of Prince Sidon, while his people fought any other threats to their homeland.
"It was a trying time, but the Zora fought on and thanks to Link's assistance, we continue to endure. It will be no different this time around," Bazz concluded.
The Zora defended their domain with an assortment of largely silver-crafted weaponry:
Short Range: Zora Sword
Mid Range: Hook Spear
Long Range: Silver Bow
Special Weapon: Silverscale Spear
When the Drow Elf was forced to fight up close, he relied upon a trusted blade to cut down all challengers, the Rapier.
(A Drow is shown gracefully dodging blows from an attacking dwarf before striking his opponent down with a thrust from his rapier.)
Rapier
Double-Edged
Length: 35.5 in.
Weight: 2.5 lbs.
Material: Adamantine
"This is one of our most trusted weapons when close combat becomes our only option," Drizzt said as he showed off his rapier for the panelists, "It's light and quick, perfect for our type of combat."
"Finely crafted indeed, and with a hand guard that can protect the user's hand from attacks," Dr. Kaiser commented.
"Let's put it to the test," Bradley said motioning behind him to the targets, "We have two gel targets for you to attack, one unarmored and the other wearing the silverscale mail of the Zora. We want to see what kind of damage you can dish out with that blade."
"Understood," Drizzt said taking his position.
"Drizzt, are you ready?" Bradley called out.
"I am!" he called back.
"Then release the Zora!"
The first gel target was released, zooming down the zipline towards Drizzt, who swung the rapier outward and tore a deep rend into its stomach, stage blood gushing out like a waterfall. He then stepped backward, only to launch himself forward with a flurry of thrusts to the target's chest, throat and skull.
"Like lightning," Eddie exclaimed.
Drizzt the approached the armored target and delivered a thrust to the target's abdominal area, tearing the blade out with a strained effort before going up higher and into the target's chest. For the final blow, he delivered a nasty slice to the target's throat.
"It is done," Drizzt reported.
"No disagreements there," Dr. Kaiser replied as he slipped on his gloves and went over to assess the damage, "Your first strike alone is cutting this man's stomach open and leaving him struggling to keep his guts in. Then, you followed up with a rapid fire flurry of thrusts that stabbed between this guy's ribs and pierced his heart, collapsed a lung, a blow to the throat that is going through the windpipe and stopping at the spine, and then ending with a strike that actually manages to slice this man's eyeball right in half and pierce his brain! Surgical precision at its finest."
He then went over to assess the armored target and carefully removed the silverscale mail before examining the body blows. "Oh, this isn't good. I'm not seeing any serious penetration here. You managed to break off a few rivets and could possibly cause minor wounds underneath, but nothing that is going to seriously hurt this guy aside from maybe knocking the wind out of him. It isn't until your last attack where you go straight for the skin that you manage to get good results, giving this guy a functional decapitation for an instant kill."
"You should have picked a better weapon than that," Sidon commented, while Bazz stood next to him shaking his head.
"In an actual confrontation, the Drow won't mess around with one's body armor. We would find the weakest spot and go for that right away," Drizzt countered.
"And when we do, the result is far more different," Jarlaxle added.
"Well we are bringing a sword that will cut down our foes either way," Sidon replied.
When the Zora fought to defend their homelands, they relied upon a trusted sword of their finest craftsmanship, the Zora Sword.
(A Zora is shown running a bokoblin through with the tip of his sword.)
Zora Sword
Length: 42 in.
Weight: 2.95 lbs.
Material: Silver
"This is one of our most trusted weapons when all else fails," Sidon said showing off his finely crafted sword for the panelists, "Unlike most swords of Hyrule, our swords are formed from silver due to its durability and its resistance to rusting in water."
"Man, that's some beautiful craftsmanship you've got there," Eddie remarked as he examined the ornate guard.
"Plus, the widened tip could lead to some extra trauma for whoever ends up on the business end of it," Dr. Kaiser added.
"Well it's time to see how well this blade stacks up against the Drow's rapier and we've got the same test lined up. We want to see what this sword can do to both an unarmored target and one wearing the mithral mail of the Drow," Bradley spoke.
"Then let's do it," Sidon said taking his position.
"Alright Sidon, on 3...2...1, release the Drow!"
Sidon waited as the first gel torso zoomed towards him on the zipline before he shot his blade out and the tip went all the way through his target, sticking out of the dummy's back, a torrent of blood spilling onto the floor beneath. He pulled the blade out and delivered a slash to the target's throat before moving onto his next target.
"Not wasting any time at all," Eddie commented.
Sidon made his way over to the armored target and swung at the mithral mail, which absorbed the slash with only a few rivets broken off. The prince continued his attack undeterred, stabbing his blade into the target's abdomen before pulling out and following up with another shot to the chest and finishing off with a slash to the target's throat.
"I think he's done," Sidon smirked.
Dr. Kaiser made his way over to assess the damage done, carefully poking around the holes left behind in the first dummy.
"You just ran this guy right through like it was nothing," he said poking at the fresh bloody hole in the target's back. "You just plowed right through his rib cage and everything else in between. He'd be dead within seconds. After that, you followed up with a deep slash that is tearing through the jugular and carotid artery for another quick kill."
He then made his way over to assess the armored target, starting by carefully removing the mithral mail and then inspecting the body's surface
"You managed to pierce the mail and went deep enough to strike the liver for a mortal wound. After that, you managed to pierce the aorta for a bleed out, followed by what is essentially, another functional decapitation," Dr. Kaiser concluded.
"I notice the widened tip at the end of your blade, good for adding the extra penetration and with it, the extra trauma," Bradley added.
"Good luck catching a Drow though. Even if you did see us coming, it would be too late," Drizzt countered.
"Yeah right, you'd be dead," Sidon shot back.
Both swords cut through their targets, but where do our panelists stand?
"For me, it's all about the Zora's sword. It has that greater length and the far more durable material. Edge Zora," Bradley started.
"You also have to take into consideration the widened tip of the Zora's sword. It's almost shaped like what you'd expect on a spear's tip, which no doubt allowed for that extra force to bring about the needed penetration. Edge Zora," Dr. Kaiser added.
"I agree with both of you. The Zora's sword got the job done in the end," Eddie concluded.
In short range weapons, the Zora Sword takes the edge.
Coming up, both combatants try to prove their point as the battle goes to mid range.
XXXXXX
The Drow Elf and the Zora, two different races from two very different environments that have shaped their respective philosophies.
"The Drow are warriors 24/7. With all the ongoing conflict among our people, we always have to be ready for a fight," Jarlaxle spoke.
"Outsiders often mistake our peaceful nature for weakness. They think they can come marching in and to take over our domain. If pushed, we will fight back to the very end," Bazz spoke.
When the fight went to mid range, both warriors relied upon very different approaches and with them, very different weapons to get the job done.
For the Zora, an every day item became a deadly polearm for them, the Hook Spear.
(A Zora warrior is shown running a lizalfos through with a thrust from his hook spear.)
Hook Spear
Length: 78 in.
Weight: 4.5 lbs.
Material: Silver
"The hook spear, as it is sometimes called, is a common every day item we use for fishing, yet when needed, it also serves as one of the main weapons of our warriors," Bazz said showing off the spear for the panelists.
"Those barbs...almost looks like something you'd expect to find on an arrow head. I'd hate to be the poor bastard getting stuck with one of these," Eddie commented, backing off as Bazz stared in his direction.
"We'd like to see this spear in action and we've set up a 300 pound slab of beef, filled with animal blood and entrails. Let's see if that spear is as deadly as it looks," Bradley spoke.
"You won't be disappointed," Bazz said taking his position.
"Alright Bazz, then take it down!"
Bazz shot the spear outward and drove it deep into the slab, a sickening tear being heard as blood was left gushing out. Gripping the shaft tightly, he tore the spear out and it was followed by a strand of entrails in a sickening display.
"Damn, that's just gruesome!" Eddie grunted.
"Indeed, it just shows the additional destructive power you get with the arrowhead-like tip and those barbs attached. I think it's safe to say that even an armored opponent would struggle once you managed to stick it to them," Dr. Kaiser commented.
"But you would never get that close thanks to our mid-ranged weapon. That, coupled with the extensive training Drow undergo, you would never know what hit you," Jarlaxle countered.
When the battle got to mid range for the Drow, they relied upon a trusted combination before their enemies could close in, the Atlatl & Javelin.
(A Drow Elf is shown loading a javelin into his atlatl and then launching it into an approaching sun elf's chest before he is even aware of what is hitting him.)
Atlatl
Length: 2 ft.
Weight: 4 oz.
Material: Wood and Bone
Javelin
Length: 4 ft.
Weight: 2 lbs.
Material: Wooden shaft and Adamantine tip
"Given how we like to ambush our opponents, one weapon we favor is the javelin and with it, we have our own spear throwers called "Atlatls" to increase their range. We always carry 3 on us at a time, that way if we miss once, we still have 2 tries after that," Jarlaxle explained showing off both items to the panelists.
"Quite the farther range when compared to most of our mid-ranged weapons, which is why we've moved this challenge outside," Bradley motioned to the range behind him, "We have 3 foam targets set up for this test, 2 of which are bare and the last is wearing the Zora's silverscale mail. You have been given 3 javelins to prove your point. Let's see how accurate and deadly they are."
"I thought you'd never ask," Jarlaxle quipped as he got into position.
"Jarlaxle, are you ready?"
"I am," he called back, loading a javelin into his atlatl.
"Then let 'em have it!"
Jarlaxle launched the first javelin and it went flying into the abdominal area of the first foam target. He quickly loaded his next javelin and launched it at the armored target, yet it went higher up and through the target's neck. He then loaded his last javelin and it struck the final target in its stomach.
"Three was all I needed" Jarlaxle smirked.
Dr. Kaiser made his way over to assess the damage, carefully taking the time to pull out the first javelin.
"With your first javelin, I am seeing about 3 inches of penetration, deep enough to hit this man's pancreas. This is a painful, delayed kill," he said before making his way over to the armored target.
"And with this guy, you completely avoided the armor," Dr. Kaiser said reaching in to pull out the javelin.
"As a Drow would do in actual combat," Jarlaxle nodded.
"You tore through this guy's jugular. He'll be dead before he hits the ground," the good doctor said before making his way over to the last target, "And this guy is struck through the large intestine. That is another very delayed and very gruesome kill you've got there. All in all, you are 3 for 3."
"A testament to the accuracy the Drow employ in battle. Taking our enemies down from a far, it's the kind of ambush we would employ," Jarlaxle commented.
"That sounds pretty cowardly if you ask me," Bazz said furrowing his brow towards the dapper Drow, "A Zora would bravely confront an enemy face to face."
"And if you ask me, the Zora would be like a sheep to the slaughter if they expected a head on confrontation," Jarlaxle countered.
Both mid-ranged weapons showed off their killing potential, but where do our panelists stand?
"This is one of our more unusual matchups, that's for sure, yet at the same time, they have their strengths that put them on even footing," Bradley started, "The hook spear is ideal for close quarters combat, yet the javelin when combined with the atlatl, would allow the Drow to take down the Zora from a farther distance. It's even for me."
"The javelins go deep enough to cause serious damage against an unarmored foe, plus you have to factor the added velocity thanks to the spear thrower, which could possibly work against armor. However, the barbed design of the spear's head would add extra trauma no one could come back from. I'm calling this even," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"I thought I'd be in favor of the spear for what is normally a close quarters battle, but you do make your compelling case for this being a more even fight. Plus, you have to factor in the Drow carrying multiple javelins into battle, meaning more attempts for them before the Zora could close in. Edge, even," Eddie concluded.
In mid-ranged weapons, our warriors are even.
Coming up, the battle goes to long range when the Zora's accuracy is pitted against the Drow's deviousness.
XXXXXX
The Drow Elf and the Zora, two warriors vying for supremacy in a battle of the fantasy races.
When the battle went to long range, our warriors rely upon different approaches. For the Drow Elf, they bring a malicious surprise with their long ranged weapon, the Hand Crossbow.
(A Drow Elf is shown raising his hand crossbow and firing a bolt into the side of a human ranger, the man collapsing to the ground and convulsing seconds later.)
Hand Crossbow
Length: 2 ft.
Weight: 2 lbs.
Material: Wood and Adamantine
Poison-Tipped Bolts
Jarlaxle drew the hand crossbow from beneath his cape and pointed it at an imaginary target, allowing the panelists to observe.
"Ambush is a favored tactic of the Drow and one of our most trusted weapons is the hand crossbow," he explained before pulling out a small glass vial filled with a black, gummy substance, "We like to throw in our own little surprise as well."
"Mind telling us what that is?" Bradley inquired.
"The Drow are masters of poisons and toxins. We have can create toxins that will knock a person out, or kill them outright. Everything we conjure has a purpose and we often coat the tips of our crossbow's bolts with these poisons – a little extra surprise for whomever we encounter in our battles," Jarlaxle explained.
"Sounds pretty devious," Bradley replied before motioning to the shooting range behind him, "Here, we have 4 roving foam targets, one of which is outfitted in the silverscale armor of a Zora. Jarlaxle, you have 5 shots to show off the accuracy, killing power, and reload time of your hand crossbow."
"It would be my pleasure," Jarlaxle nodded and took his position, loading a bolt into his hand crossbow.
"Jarlaxle, are you ready?"
"Always," he replied.
"Then on 3...2...1, open fire!"
Jarlaxle fired his first bolt, which struck the first moving target in its chest. He reached for another bolt and quickly loaded it, firing it into the stomach of his second target. He reached for a third bolt and fired it into the armored target, yet the bolt hung limply as the target continued moving. He then reached for his fourth bolt and fired it into the armored target's throat.
"Now for the coup de grace," Drizzt spoke up.
Jarlaxle pulled out the vial filled with the black, molasses-like substance and dipped his last bolt's tip into it before taking aim and squeezing the trigger, his last bolt piercing the last target's shoulder.
"Some ace marksmanship there," Eddie commented.
Dr. Kaiser made his way over and inspected the targets.
"Your first shot pierced this man's aorta. It's a quick bleed out for him. For your second guy, you went deep enough to tear into his large intestine, a delayed...and very painful kill," he emphasized before making his way over to the armored target.
Dr. Kaiser poked around and carefully removed bolt, "Well, it looks like the chainmail did its job for the most part. The bolt got stuck and in the end, this guy's stuck with a glancing wound that would hurt, but not kill. However, you do redeem yourself with your second shot," he said pulling the bolt out of the dummy's throat, "You've pierced the windpipe for an immediate kill."
He then made his way over to inspect the final target, "You only got this guy in the shoulder. It's not going to kill him, but rather cripple his arm."
"But then that's where the poison comes into play," Bradley spoke up.
"Precisely. Aside from the wound to his shoulder, this guy wouldn't feel anything at first, but soon he will become delirious as the poison courses throughout his system, up until he loses consciousness and never wakes up again. All in all, you've got 4 kills," Dr. Kaiser concluded.
"Feeling intimidated yet?" Eddie asked Sidon, who only shrugged.
"We have greater range, better accuracy, and a faster reload time with our bow. While you're wasting your time reloading, we've already taken you down," Sidon replied.
When the Zora took on enemies from afar, they relied upon an every day bow for taking them on, the Silver Bow.
(A Zora is shown raising his bow and firing an arrow into the mouth of an approaching Dodongo.)
Silver Bow
Length: 70 in.
Weight: 2.1 lbs.
Material: Silver
"This is the every day bow used by the Zora," Sidon said showing it to the panelists, "It is normally used for fishing, but has also served us well on the battlefield. It may not have the strongest attacking power, yet the silver we craft these from assures us a higher durability."
"Some fine work and some cool decorations. I need to get me one of those," Eddie commented.
"Sidon, it will be the same test for you. You've got 4 moving targets, one of which is wearing the Drow's mithral mail, and you've got 5 arrows to prove your point...literally," Bradley commented.
"Ready and willing," Sidon said as he took his position and nocked an arrow.
"Then on 3...2...1, fire!"
Sidon sent his first arrow flying into the middle of his first target's chest before quickly pulling another arrow from his quiver and repeating the process, sending the next arrow flying into another target's chest. He loaded up his third arrow and fired at the armored target, the arrow striking, yet getting stuck in the rivets and hanging limply from the target. The prince didn't let up and loaded his fourth arrow, striking the last untouched target with a shot to its throat. He then loaded his last arrow and fired it into the armored target, but again getting it caught among the rivets.
Dr. Kaiser made his way over to assess the damage done, starting with the unarmored targets.
"Your first shot was in the dead center of this guy's chest, going through his sternum and piercing his lung for a delayed kill. Your second shot pierced your second target's lung, again for another kill. As for your last shot, you hit this guy's throat dead on for more immediate results," the trauma doctor reported.
Dr. Kaiser then made his way over to the armored target and removed both of the arrows before examining around the areas where the arrows connected and then removed the armor.
"You weren't wrong about the lack of attacking power. You managed to penetrate the Drow's mail, yet only bad enough to wound the wearer. You struck him in the side and in the shoulder, which will cause a lot of pain and cripple one of his arms, but he wouldn't be entirely out of the fight after that," the good doctor concluded.
"Seems like you don't want to win this battle after all," Jarlaxle chuckled.
"We might get a few unlucky shots, but we would eventually find our way around your armor and then it would be game over," Sidon retorted.
"You wouldn't get a second chance with a Drow," Jarlaxle said narrowing his good eye.
Both long ranged weapons displayed their capabilities, but where do our panelists stand?
"I'm going to call this a draw," Bradley started, "Both weapons have their strengths and weaknesses I feel put them on even footing. The silver bow has the longer range, yet seemed to struggle against the Drow's armor. The Drow brings poison-tipped bolts that deliver a one-two punch: if the bolt itself doesn't kill you, the poison will."
"I disagree and am calling this in favor of the Zora's silver bow," Dr. Kaiser countered, "Granted, the silver bow may not be as powerful compared to some other bows and the Drow's hand crossbow packs a one-two punch, but it needs to be under the right circumstances for their 'one-two punch' to succeed.
"I've studied the Drow poison and it is immediately rendered useless when exposed to direct sunlight, meaning this fight will have to take place at night in order for it to be used to its maximum potency, whereas the silver bow does not have that dilemma and can be effective at any time. Edge Zora," the doctor concluded.
The tiebreaker would fall down to Eddie.
"I want to side with Doc on this one, but seeing the silver bow's struggles with the Drow's mail leaves me agreeing more with Bradley. Both have their strengths and their weaknesses that put them on even footing. It's even to me," he concluded.
In long range weapons, our warriors are even.
Coming up, we will see what happens when a fierce piercing spear goes up against a skull shattering mace.
And then later, the Drow Elf and the Zora clash to determine who is 'The Fictional Deadliest Warrior!'
XXXXXX
The time has now come for both warriors to unveil their special weapons.
When the Zora needed to deliver the final blow, they relied upon a spear with a unique fish-tail design, the Silverscale Spear.
(A Zora is shown impaling a charging geru in the side of its head with one of the spear's ends.)
Silverscale Spear
Length: 80 in.
Weight: 5 lbs.
Material: Silver
"This is our silverscale spear," Bazz said showing off the spear to the panelists, "Another common weapon used by our guards and front line soldiers."
"That tail fin design is unlike anything we've seen before," Bradley commented, "and on the other end, it looks like you have a butt spike shaped like an arrowhead. It looks like you've got usage either way."
"We pride ourselves on our unique designs, as well as toughness. These blades can pierce the toughest of scales," Bazz nodded.
"Then why don't we find out?" Bradley said as a ballistic gel torso was wheeled into view with a small shield placed in front of it, "Here we have another target, this one wearing the mithral mail and carrying the buckler of an attacking Drow. You have 15 seconds to do as much damage possible."
"Gladly," Bazz said taking his position.
"Alright Bazz, then on 3...2...1, hack 'em up!"
Bazz launches himself forth and uses the spear's tail-shaped blade to pry the buckler away from the armored target before he swung it upward into the dummy's throat, a torrent of stage blood gushing from the fresh wound. He then swung the spear sideways into the dummy's stomach, more blood pouring out as the blade pierced. He yanked the blade out and swung a little higher, sticking it in the target's chest. He then drove the spear's tip hard into the dummy again, hard enough to knock it backwards onto the floor. Ripping the spear out, he then turned it around and drove the butt spike into the dummy's throat.
"Time!" Bradley called out.
Dr. Kaiser made his way over to the dummy and observed the damage, starting with the deep gash in the throat.
"This strike couldn't be any more perfect than this. You just slashed deep into this guy's throat and severed his windpipe for a quick bleed out," he stated before removing the mithral mail, "And your blades were long enough to pierce the mail like it was a t-shirt. With one strike, you managed to turn this guy's intestines into mush, followed by another strike that nicks this guy's lung, and another that managed to get deep enough to strike the aorta. Once that was all said and done, you threw in some overkill," he said poking where the butt spike struck.
"Stick a fork in him...I mean spike, he's done," Eddie exclaimed.
"You weren't lying. That's some strong piercing power we've seen from this spear. I can only imagine if this guy was wearing heavier armor," Bradley added.
"It still looks too long and unwieldy. A Drow would find an opening and slip past you. Once that happens, we'd be bashing your skull in" Drizzt spoke up.
To answer the Zora's challenge, the Drow swung back with a brutal bludgeoning tool that leaves broken bones in its wake, the Drow Mace.
(A Drow Elf is shown swinging his mace into a deep gnome's arm, before bringing it down again onto his skull in a bloody spray.)
Drow Mace
Length: 3 ft.
Weight: 3 lbs.
Material: Adamantine
"This is the mace typically carried by our patrol leaders into battle," Drizzt said showing off the mace for the panelists, "It's strong enough to break bones and crush skulls in a single strike, yet light enough to accommodate the kind of agility and speed a Drow employs in battle."
"Damn, those look nasty," Eddie said while he eyed up the mace's jagged flanges, while Drizzt smirked.
"Indeed it does, and we want to see what kind of damage you can carry out with that bad boy," Bradley said motioning to the set up behind him, "We have 3 synthetic skulls set up, followed by a silver shield rigged with sensors so we can see what kind of damage it could do to the shield and the user behind it, ending with a gel bust outfitted in a Zora helm."
"No problem," Drizzt said taking his position.
"Alright Drizzt, then on 3...2...1, smash 'em up!"
Drizzt launched himself forth and with a swing of his mace, the first synthetic skull was completely obliterated, to the cheers of the panelists. Without missing a beat, he swung again and the second skull was reduced to tiny fragments before he repeated the process with a swift swing and in less than a split second, the final skull was turned to dust.
Setting his sights on the shield, Drizzt launched himself forth and swung the mace into the shield with a deafening 'clang' that violently rocked the shield and left a noticeable dent before following up with another swing.
With his previous targets dealt with, the Drow warrior then set his sights on the final target and brought his mace down on top of the helm, rocking the bust violently and leaving a heavy dent in the surface, along with stage blood trickling out from beneath.
"Like a lightning bolt," Bradley commented.
"More like a freaking nuclear explosion," Eddie replied.
"Could very well be. According to my readings, he struck with an average force of over 300 psi," Bradley observed.
"I don't even need to second guess this one," Dr. Kaiser spoke up as he stood among the skull fragments, "That mace alone would leave these skulls more unidentifiable than a shot from a 1-ounce slug."
He then made his way over to the shield, "Aside from a few dents, your shield is left in one piece. Yet, enough force was generated to estimate the user may suffer at least one broken bone from the impact."
Dr. Kaiser then made his way over to the bust and carefully removed the dented helm, met by a large crack from which stage blood flowed from.
"This is bad," he stated closely examining the crack, "This is a depressed skull fracture we are talking about, one which could be lethal even with treatment. Not only that, from what I observed, the torque alone on the wearer's neck could be lethal as the blow is absorbed."
"Quite the little wrecking ball you've got yourselves there," Eddie commented.
"Only if he can get past the spear's reach, which I highly doubt when it is in the hands of a well-trained Zora warrior," Bazz countered.
Both special weapons proved their lethality, but where do our panelists stand?
"I'm siding with the Silverscale Spear," Bradley started, "While the Drow's mace is destructive without question, the spear possesses a much greater reach, plus its unique design enables it to be used in different ways compared to most other spears."
"I agree, plus the Silverscale Spear was able to penetrate the Drow's mithral far more effectively compared to most of the Zora's other weapons, including their sword," Dr. Kaiser seconded.
"The Drow's mace leaves a trail of carnage behind it, yet the Zora's spear is far more versatile by comparison. After seeing it in action, I'm with the Silverscale Spear on this one," Eddie concluded.
In special weapons, the Zora takes the edge with the Silverscale Spear.
As it is with all warriors, there is a critical X-factor that makes them who they are. For the Drow Elf, it was their mastery of a number of combat styles.
"The Drow train in various forms of warfare that focus on everything from martial arts to the weapons we use, from making use of the environment around us to the use of magic during battle," Drizzt explained.
For the Zora, it is their previous triumphs through adversity.
"The Zora are not without our tragedies. We have endured numerous attacks against our domain, we've lost those important to us...I lost my own sister Mipha during the Great Calamity, but in the end, we have emerged triumphant and still exist to this day," Sidon spoke.
Coming up, it's a clash of fantastical proportions when the Drow Elf meets the Zora in a duel to the death!
XXXXXX
With our testing complete and our X-factors evaluated, we are now one step closer to deciding who will be "The Fictional Deadliest Warrior."
Our teams tested 4 weapons used by the Drow Elf: the Rapier, the Atlatl & Javelin combo, the Hand Crossbow, and the Drow Mace.
On the opposite side, 4 weapons used by the Zora were tested: the Zora Sword, the Hook Spear, the Silver Bow, and the Silverscale Spear.
In short range weapons, the Zora Sword outclassed the Rapier.
EDGE: Zora
In mid-ranged weapons, the Atlatl & Javelin combo stood evenly against the Hook Spear.
EDGE: Even
In long range weapons, the Silver Bow's durability and superior range held evenly against the Hand Crossbow's poison-tipped one-two punch.
EDGE: Even
And lastly in special weapons, the Silverscale Spear's superior reach and versatility cut down the Drow Mace.
EDGE: Zora
Our scientists and weapons experts have concluded their testing. The results are in and the time has come to decide who will be the victor. To ensure the battle won't be decided by a single, lucky blow, the battle will be simulated one thousand times in a duel to the death.
Who will prevail in a battle between two fantasy races?
Deceptive
(A Drow Elf creeps up on a dwarf and stabs him in the back with a thrust from his rapier.)
vs. Direct
(A Zora warrior is shown leaping forward and driving his hook spear through the chest of a Dynalfos.)
Silver-Crafted Excellence
(A Zora warrior is shown cutting down a Daira with a swipe from his silverscale spear.)
vs. Poison-Tipped Precision
(A Drow Elf is shown lying in wait before firing a poison-tipped arrow into the back of a rival elf.)
The Will of Lolth
(A Drow is shown standing before several priestesses of the Spider Queen as he raises his weapon in honor of his deity.)
vs. Defense of the Domain
(A line of Zora warriors wait as an army of moblins approach their domain.)
"The Drow Elf and the Zora...only one of them will walk away and we're about to find out now," Eddie said before typing in the final commands to start the simulation.
XXXXXX
The sun is setting in the horizon and darkness washes over the vast forest and amongst the trees is a cavern from which a solitary figure emerges, an ebony-skinned humanoid with snow white hair and clad entirely in black, his clothing covered by a matching cloak that also conceals mithral chain mail. He has a rapier strapped to one side and a small hand crossbow dangling from the other, in addition to a quiver filled with ten bolts and three javelins strapped to his back. In one hand he carries a flanged mace and in the other, a buckler is strapped to his wrist.
He is a Drow Elf sent from Menzoberransan to hunt down more of those strange aquatic people who were spotted nearby the caves leading to their vast subterranean society.
Nearby is a large lake, where an aquatic humanoid with pale violet skin and fish-like features emerges, clad in a shirt of silverscale mail and wearing a matching helm covered by a blue cloth. Stepping onto land, the being draws the silver shield strapped to its back and then a spear with a barbed head. In addition, there is a sword sheathed at their side, a silver-crafted bow strapped across their back and a quiver full of arrows, along with another spear that has a fish-tail design.
This being is a Zora who has been sent by his king to investigate reports of strange, ebony-skinned beings who have already taken out several of their own scouts exploring the surrounding forests.
The Zora cautiously scans the darkened woods around him, listening for any sounds, yet only hears the chirping of crickets and the hooting of an owl in the distance. Still, he remains ready for battle with his hook spear in hand.
As the Zora stands ready for battle, the Drow Elf continues along the darkened trails until he comes to a small clearing and sees the lake in the distance, along with the aquatic being standing with a spear and shield in hand. Reaching for one of the javelins strapped to his back, he then pulls out his atlatl and loads the projectile.
The Zora remains rooted in his spot as he continues scanning the area for any threats, feeling as if something isn't right. His suspicions are proven correct when a javelin strikes the ground to his left. He focuses on the path ahead of him, just as another javelin strikes the earth in front of him. Reacting on instinct, he places his silver shield in front of him, a crucial move as a third javelin struck the shield head on and fell to the ground. Suspecting his enemy could be nearby, the Zora suddenly dives back into the water.
The Drow Elf watched as the Zora jumped into the water and tossed his atlatl aside. Suspecting the aquatic warrior was attempting to bait him, he disappeared into the brush at his side and drew his hand crossbow. He pulled out a vial from a side pouch and then one of the bolts from his quiver, dipping the bolt's tip into a thick black substance before loading the bolt. He then crept cautiously among the bushes until he was almost to the lake's edge and stopped, looking for any signs of the missing figure.
Nearby, the water ripples around a cluster of rocks as the Zora emerges and catches sight of the prowling Drow. He readies his bow and draws an arrow from his quiver, taking a knee and nocking the arrow as he waits for the elf to draw closer before letting it loose.
The Drow Elf cried out in surprise as the arrow struck him in the side, yet the projectile was intercepted by his chain mail. He ducked for cover behind a tall tree and yanked the arrow out. He peeked out to see the Zora emerge and he stuck his arm around and squeezed the crossbow's trigger, the bolt flying past the Zora's head.
The Zora exited the water and also tried to make usage of the brush around him, just as another bolt flew past his head and struck the wood next to him. His eyes widened as he noticed the black substance trickling down the bark, realizing sinister intentions had to be involved. Slinging the bow around his shoulder, he drew his hook spear and continued creeping along.
Unfortunately for the Zora, the Drow possessed the ability to see in darkness and as soon as there was an opening, he was able to see his target creeping through the brush. The Drow again raised his hand crossbow and took aim through a small clearing, only to halt when the Zora stopped and placed his shield in front of him.
Readying himself for a close quarters confrontation, the Drow holstered his hand crossbow and drew his rapier. Alerted by the metallic scraping, the Zora's head perked up and he launched himself forward through a clearing and thrust his spear forward.
The Drow barely dodged the hook spear's barbed tip and attempted to follow up with a thrust of his rapier, only for the Zora to raise his shield just in time. He then followed up with a slash, yet the Zora used the spear's shaft to catch him and shove him backward. Thanks to his superior agility, the Drow manages to catch himself and avoid another attempted thrust from the Zora's spear before twirling his body and managing to slash across the Zora's back, yet the blow was absorbed by the silverscale mail and he was forced backward as the Zora attempted to backhand him with his shield.
Catching himself, the Drow attempted a new approach and shot his blade out, this time going lower and tearing into the Zora's leg. Powering through the pain, the Zora performs another thrust with his hook spear, only for the Drow to sidestep and the spear's tip finding itself stuck in another tree trunk.
There is no time for the Zora to retrieve his weapon as the Drow comes at him with another lightning quick slash that sends him stumbling backwards and he is forced to pull himself over a fallen tree trunk to avoid a follow up thrust from the Drow. Given some fresh breathing room, he is finally able to draw his sword from its scabbard and intercept another strike as the elf springboards off the fallen trunk and attempts to slice his head off, only for both blades to clash.
Using his height and strength advantage, the Zora manages to shove the Drow back and try a slash of his own, which is blocked by the Drow's buckler. The Drow tries to backhand the Zora with his buckler, but the Zora sways left to avoid the blow and slashes into his right thigh. The elf grits his teeth from the fresh wound, but is forced to quickly sidestep as the Zora attempts a thrust with his own sword, clipping the links of his mithral mail. He brings his buckler up and finally lands a backhanded strike that knocks his opponent away and causes him to lose his grip on his sword.
Dazed from the hit, the Zora stumbles and nearly trips over a large rock, but he manages to catch himself and regain his senses before reaching for the silverscale spear still strapped to his back. Circling his enemy, he blocks a strike from the Drow before he swings his spear and uses its blade to catch the buckler's rim and with a mighty yank, tears it away from him.
Grunting in frustration, yet trying to maintain his composure, the Drow again circles his enemy while paying close attention to the fish tail-shaped end of his spear. It was unlike any kind of spear he had ever seen before and it left him unknowing of what to expect. He tried to keep track of his opponent's movements and watched as he went for a swing with his spear's end, an attack he barely rolled underneath, but then the Zora twirled his staff and drove the butt spike on the opposite end into the Drow's forearm.
The elf cried out in pain as the spike pierced his flesh and he was forced to relinquish his grip upon the rapier. Growling in anger, the only option he had left was his mace and he went for a vicious swing at his enemy that the Zora barely got his shield up for in time, striking with a heavy blow that made the aquatic warrior cry out in pain. Out of desperation, the Zora charges forth with his shield in front of him hoping to steam roll his enemy, yet the Drow rolls out of the way and struggles back to his feet due to the pain of his previous wounds.
The Zora barely catches himself and whirls around to face his enemy, who has now risen to his feet. Both glare viciously towards one another before the aquatic warrior tosses his shield aside and grips his silverscale spear with both hands, charging the Drow in an animalistic rage.
The Drow narrowly avoided a thrust aimed at his chest, but was caught in his side by a second strike that went lower and pierced his mithral mail. It was quickly followed by another strike that again pierced his mail and went into his stomach.
The warrior of the Underdark lets out a strangled grunt and struggles to maintain his footing through the pain yet he collapses to his knees and can only glare hatefully toward the Zora before the aquatic being swings the silverscale spear one last time, the blade piercing the Drow's temple.
Pulling the spear's tip from his foe, the Zora watches as his opponent collapses face down into the tall grass.
Satisfied, the Zora raises his spear into the air with a cry of victory.
XXXXXX
Winner: Zora
Zora:
Zora Sword: 123
Hook Spear: 126
Silver Bow: 134
Silverscale Spear: 165
Total: 548
Drow Elf:
Rapier: 111
Atlatl & Javelin: 138
Hand Crossbow: 108
Drow Mace: 95
Total: 452
"After a fairly close matchup, the Zora emerged victorious, thanks largely in part to bringing weapons possessing great reach when compared to the Drow's, as well as bringing in the Silverscale Spear, which was more effective at piercing the Drow's body armor.
"The Drow on the other hand, brought weapons that were largely intended for an ambush-type scenario, only managing to score more kills in the mid-ranged category. On the flip side, the Zora came prepared for a direct confrontation, taking on an opponent that was out of his element," Bradley concluded.
"It is a bitter loss, but perhaps it could show the value of switching our tactics for future battles," Drizzt spoke.
"The Zora will fight to the bitter end when provoked. Our will is indomitable and our skills match," Sidon concluded.
(The Zora is shown limping into a cave, where a great waterfall stands before him. He has returned home and is ready to inform his King of the new threat.)
XXXXXX
Next time on "Fictional Deadliest Warrior," it's a battle between a monster hunter and a deadly gunslinger:
(A long-haired man wearing a wide-brimmed hat and dark trench coat points a modified crossbow at the screen.)
Gabriel Van Helsing: The fearless vampire hunter of the Vatican who personally took down Dracula...
vs.
(A man wearing a Stetson hat with a pancho wrapped around his shoulders and a mask covering the lower half of his face quick draws a revolver and points it at the screen.)
Erron Black: The Earthrealm mercenary who viciously served Kotal Kahn in his war against Mileena's rebellion.
Who will be...THE FICTIONAL DEADLIEST WARRIOR?!
XXXXXX
Author's Note: Once again I went into hibernation for a period there, but also this chapter ended up being delayed due to my file being corrupted, meaning I had to start this whole chapter over from scratch just as I had reached the part with the X-factors.
It really rattled me hard and left me moving at a sluggish pace from there as I wanted to get this done, yet I didn't want to forget what I had down. I knew how things would be laid out, yet I was very anal about wanting everything back word for word, so I'm hoping this turns out better than the original, corrupted version I can never get back.
I might get some flack on how I described the rapier used by the Drow on here, but my ideas came from a video I saw online where I gave the Drow what would have been an older kind of rapier design, one that could slash as well as it could thrust, along with guesses for the specifications for weapons based on what I've seen on other works on here.
The Drow Elf and all other references are based upon the works of Ed Greenwood. The Zora and all Zelda references are the property of Nintendo.
With apologies to Forgotten Realms fans!
I think I've said everything I've needed to so read and review as always! Once again, this is Metal Harbinger saying KEEP IT FUCKING METAL!