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YOU ARE BIG. THAT MEANS YOU MUST HAVE BIG GUTS. - A guide to injury and battle!
#1
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."
Bertrand Russell
~


You are big! That means you must have BIG GUTS! Rip and tear! - A guide to battle realism and the effects of it by Psycho.

READ THIS:
Spoiler:
This guide is in no way meant to criticize any player or their roleplaying habits and styles. It's merely meant to show a new perspective and offer a broader view on a subject ever present in the World of Warcraft. In no way is this personal or meant to be offensive. This guide isn't mandatory, it isn't rules, it simply intends to offer another point of view for players to integrate with characters.

You are free to roleplay what you wish. Carry on
.

Table of contents.

Chapter 1) Introduction.
Chapter 2) Light injuries and the dangers ignored!
Chapter 3) Mild injuries, from broken bones to damaged organs!
Chapter 4) Grievous injuries, from impalement to the effects afterwards.
Chapter 5) Death. Not as glorious as one would first think.
Chapter 6) Out of the body and into the mind, mental effects.
Chapter 7) The long term effects of warfare and the damage done.
Chapter 8 ) Of realism and weapons, the effects and uses.
Chapter 9) Healing and recovery.
Chapter 10) Of racial builds and strengths, their choices of weapons and why.
Chapter 11) Undead durability in battle, the ups and downs of a life beyond the grave.
Chapter 12) Examples of the real world.
Chapter 13) Conclusion.


Chapter 1.

"Lo and behold how torn am I!" - Sinner of the seventh Circle, violence. Dante's inferno, Canto XI.

War is not a pretty thing. Battle isn't some clashing of will in an honorable determination for supremacy or a righteous cause. War is two sides clashing their ideals and faith against one another, until one side is either too beaten and bloodied to continued, or at extreme cases, terminated. This guide is again, not meant to criticize any player in specific or force them to change how they roleplay. It aims to bring a new view on a subject so common in the universe of Warcraft, and that is both battle and war. In the guide I will discuss about the various natures of war and things that characters are more than likely to stumble upon their bloodied paths, and the horrid things that at times seem to be ignored.

But first, let's have a look at battle. What is a fight, to be exact? As quoted:

"Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to weaken or establish dominance over the opposition, or to kill the opposition, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not desired or needed."

What can one assume from this specific quote? For starters, the general purpose and nature of fighting or battle. It is the clashing of two opposing sides trying to asset their dominance or simply be rid of the other side. Now I want you to think for a moment, how does it feel. To be lost in such a state of primal hate that the only way you see possible to achieve your goals is by the application of force. To be in an eternal desire of war means that pretty much, the only solution you can see is by violence.

How many of us can honestly say they don't find the thought of smashing the face of someone who disagrees with us disgusting and barbaric? The mindset of a fighter, be it the ruthless pillaging barbarian or the protecting knight, is a thing to be very careful about. If your character thinks about fighting all the time, then it'll more than likely lash at the world around it. If your character doesn't think enough about fighting, when the battle comes, her / his determination could fall short of what is needed and he / she would be killed.

The path of war is not an easy one.

So a think to consider the next time you roll your fierce Orc Barbarian, or graceful Elven sentinel all out to defend their homes and honor. How do they view war? Better yet, do they view their cause as just enough to take the life of another? And don't just say to yourself, "Yeah they've been fighting for like, forever, they're totally up to brutally murder the opposing side 'cause war! F- yeah!" Take some time and put some thought into it, time as well.

Food for thought.

Chapter 2.

"'Tis but a flesh-wound!"- Monty Python.

There's no battle without a wound, so they say! And they're absolutely right! A thing that's more than common for soldiers and warriors of all end, is to be injured in battle. Injuries can range from a light tap to a brutal smashing of the skull, but in this chapter we'll discuss light injuries. Now, one would ask, what defines an injury to be light? And while a difficult question, the best answer I could offer would be, an injury that can be easily ignored and does not hinder the character for the duration of battle while not likely to cause any long-term damage. Light injuries can be a small nick on the leg, or a sore shoulder. And mostly, shouldn't be given too much thought about, as they seem simple... Right?

Wrong.

While most light injuries seem to be simple and easy to ignore, light injuries themselves are none-the-less, injuries. And here I will give off an example of just how dangerous a light injury can be. Attila the Hun. A fierce warlord that conquered a great part of Asia and Italy, and was pretty much a Warrior King.

Cause of death? Nosebleed.

"The conventional account, from Priscus, says that at a feast celebrating his latest marriage to the beautiful and young Ildico, he suffered a severe nosebleed and choked to death in a stupor."

It's the little things which can take down a giant. And here's a good example of a common mistake when done with light injuries. When a character gets cut upon a place on her body, she quickly rips off a bit of her clothes after the battle and uses it to bandage her injury to stop light bleeding! A fool-proof medical solution, surely. Except the fact that the clothes that the character wore during the battle are more than likely filthy, bloodied, soaked with sweat and mud, grime and other horrid things. And right now, it's kissing your open wound. A common source of limb amputation back in the days of old were cases of severe infection, often leading to Gangrene and the amputation of the infected limb. Ranging from a finger to an entire foot, and up to a leg. Infection is a dangerous thing that could enter the host's body from a small wound with ease...

No. This doesn't mean that every time you cut a finger and it touches mud you'll get it infected and lose a finger. Some environmental settings are more likely to host infections than others. Two extremes would be a lush jungle or rain forest, such as Stranglethorn, and the other would be a dry and barren desert such as Silithus.

The moist jungles of Stranglethorn are a perfect breeding house for various bacteria. The humidity and constant rain causes for a moist environment to be created, perfect for growing life. Life such as bacteria. Which could quite well end the life of a warrior for a character. While as the dry barren sands of Silithus are a hostile and dry terrain, that offer bacteria little to no room to grow within their sands.

This doesn't mean that infection comes only from the environment, mind you. A dirty rusting blade, the bite of a filthy mouth, dead skin untended, all are liable causes to bring forth infection. And infection, is not a pleasant thing.

Another small injury to consider is broken teeth. Teeth break, and they don't lead to a pretty visage at all... Usually helmets come with faceguards to help prevent teeth from being broken, but accidents happen. And despite what most think, teeth don't fly out of your mouth. They fly in. A strike of any form is more than likely to send sharp bits of tooth down your gullet. These small bits of tooth can quite easily choke a man, or even worst in more extreme scenarios, cut at his breathing vessels and even his lungs if broken to a sharp enough angle. Imagine how awful it must be, in the middle of a fight to choke on your own teeth .

And while we're at the oral section of the injuries, let's talk about the tongue. A piece of fleshy tendon that salivates, commonly found in your mouth. Soft and vulnerable. Imagine the following -

The big bad warlord is talking down to his enemy after having beaten the snot out of him. And the enemy, in a sudden jerk, rams his fist upwards into the jaw of the talking warlord. The warlord promptly bites at his tongue with enough force to remove it, and is then killed by either swallowing his tongue and choking on it, or by the distraction caused from the immense pain.

Sucks to be him.

It takes about 7 pounds of force (three kilograms or so.) to remove a tongue. Your character is no different. This is why one of the first rules of martial arts is, keep your damn mouth shut while fighting. Yes, your character may speak during a fight, but he best hope that his opponent won't take the opportunity to sucker punch him.

Light wounds, yes. Not to be taken so lightly.

Chapter 3

"Head cocked to the left, partial deafness in ear: first point of attack. Two: throat; paralyze vocal chords, stop scream. Three: got to be a heavy drinker, floating rib to the liver. Four: finally, drag in left leg, fist to patella. Summary prognosis: unconscious in ninety seconds, martial efficacy quarter of an hour at best. Full faculty recovery: unlikely." - Sherlock Holmes, the 2009 movie.

Next up comes the segment for more severe injuries, such as deeper cuts and broken bones. Alongside these injuries comes head trauma and organ damage as well. What defines a mild injury is that it will hinder the fighter during his battle, and if it will not be treated soon afterwards, it can easily become grievous and quite plainly kill the character. Be it by bleeding or the rupturing of organs.

The first injury I'll discuss is a deep cut. Now before anything, I want to bring up a point. Getting cut is not fun. If you've ever pricked your finger while cutting a salad, you know that getting cut and beholding your own blood is just unpleasant. And that literally just gently cuts through the finger. To get a deep cut means a blade just ran through your flesh, the layer of nerves, the layer of muscles, and more than likely cut open a vein or two. Imagine for just a second how that feels. Getting your leg, or arm, or even chest, cut open like it was wrapping paper on an excited child's birthday gift, revealing flesh and muscle, and at rare times even bones and organs.

Not a very pleasant thought, isn't it?

A character during a fight might receive one or even more of these injuries. Be it by the stray axe of an Orc, or even for a stupider reason such as an ally's misfire. And when one receives such an injury, there are a few things to consider;

First thing, the damaged limb. While not seemingly the most important thought, it is actually something to consider. A deep cut on the buttocks (yes, the butt. The rump. The behind.) is much less a menace than a deep cut on say, the abdomen or chest. The hips, and the buttocks are actually some of the most 'meatiest' parts of the body, having a large layer of both skin, fat, muscle, and most of what's in between. A deep cut on the hip may not reach the bone, but a cut of the same size on the arm could quite well mean the loss of a limb. A deep cut on the buttocks, while embarrassing and silly, is possibly the most safest of injuries, as no main blood vessels run through the buttcheeks, and they offer a layer before the pelvis-bone. A thought to consider.

Afterwards, one should consider what form of damage the cut actually left. Did it cut open a main artery, causing severe bleeding and blood-loss? Did it strike a sensitive nerve or two, bringing horrible anguish and pain? While these two are somewhat optional to the choosing, there is a specific damage which -always- occurs in deep cuts, and that is a cut to the fiber of the muscle. This alone could lead to long term crippling and inefficiency, but that will be covered later on in the guide.

The next time your character gets cut, look at more than just the skin.

The next kind of grievous injury is yet another common example, and that is broken bones! Needless to say, breaking a bone is not a fun thing, and more than often can mean the end of a battle. But it doesn't quite end there, as there's much to cover when it comes to broken bones.

The first detail to be discussed, will be the type of breaking! Yes, this matters. The bone has varying degrees of broken, but I will be discussing three general descriptors. The first off being fractured. A fractured bone still holds its integral structure, though its surface can hold cracks, and if too much stress is applied, these cracks can and will lead to the bone's breaking. The second state is broken, where-as a bone has a single area in which it is broken beyond its original structure, far more severe than a fracture, a broken bone can quite easily cripple for life and end one's warring days. And the last and most dangerous situation of a bone to be is shattered, where the bone breaks off in various and numerous areas, far beyond its original structure. After a bone is shattered, there is no hope of proper recovery.

Needless to say, a broken bone is a devastating blow. But its damage doesn't just end with the breaking of the bone. At times, the broken edge of the bone can pierce outwards from the skin, causing a grotesque sight and opening a bleeding wound, which is as well susceptible to infections. Alongside this, broken bone fragments within the skin can cause nerve damage and other unpleasant things, such as calcium poisoning.

Some bones are much more fragile than others, such as the lower ribs, joints, and the knees. While some are much more hardy, such as the skull or shoulderblades.

The next grievous injury that I'll be discussing is concussion. Now, concussion is purely head trauma, and the best way to describe it would be; having your brain bounce inside your skull from a severe impact. A concussion is a terrible thing because it not only hurts your brain, it has a myriad of side-effects which very well could last with you for all your life. These effects literally go as far as mental to the physical. There isn't a single aspect that wouldn't be affected by a concussion. Physically, it could lead to:

Headache
Fuzzy or blurry vision
Nausea and vomiting
Dizziness
Sensitivity to light or noise
Balance problems
Feeling tired or having no energy
Sleeping more than usual
Sleeping less than usual
Having a hard time falling asleep

Mentally:

Not thinking clearly
Feeling slowed down
Not being able to concentrate
Not being able to remember new information

Emotionally:

Easily upset or angered
Sad
Nervous or anxious
More emotional


Remember, the brain is the most important organ in the body. And the must vulnerable. A concussion is a thing not to take lightly.

The next injury will be organ damage. Not rupture, mind you. Organ damage can occur from blunt blows, to excessive drinking, to asthma, and to a hundred other causes. But the best thing to define a damaged organ is simple, it just doesn't work all too good. Weak lungs, such as often seen in asthma patients or heavy smokers. Kidney failure, leading to kidney stones. A lot of other symptoms.

I won't be detailing much of organ damage as the causes can be so wide and varied. But one should remember, that a life-time of war will leave one's internal organs not at a 100 percent.

Chapter 4.

"Never in all my life have I seen such savagery." - Exports of a German citizen during the Russian invasion to Berlin.

And now we come to the final episode of the injuries related segment of the guide. Grievous injuries. The best way to describe grievous injuries are as wounds that are fatal almost upon the moments of their infliction, and leave the fighter either unable to do anything or dead. Such injuries include the rupturing of vital organs, the loss of a limb, impalement, and the shattering of important bones such as the spine.

The first form of grievous I will discuss is impalement. Impalement is possibly the most dangerous of all grievous wounds as it may incorporate every last injury into one fatal blow. Be it from the head of a spear lodging into the chest of the brash fighter, or the broadsword sinking into the back of the unaware guard, impalement is when ones' body is pierced with a bladed end, either all the way through or simply enough to bury the weapon into his body. The first thing one should consider when his character is either impaled or impaling, stabbed or stabbing, is the location.

An impaled leg will be less devastating than a spear through one's chest. If one's leg is impaled by a spear for example, there's a good chance of it missing the bone, but that all depends on the spear-head. But an impaling of one's abdomen or chest is a 90% chance of death, with very slim chances of survival, and none existent chances of full recovery. The organs in danger of being cut open from a spear through one's general mid-section or torso are; the heart, lungs, kidneys, stomach, intestines, and a whole load of other organs that your character personally wants intact. However, the danger doesn't end there. The spear-head may as well break ribs upon its way, by bending within the wound and jerking the bone out of place, and with certain occasions it might even damage the spine or penetrate all the way. Should your character be fully impaled upon a spear or any weapon, their chances of survival are impossibly slim. Even with the application of healing magics, a priest would have to focus on mending atleast three ruptured organs, mending a bone, immense bleeding, physical trauma, and a hundred other details.

Not pleasant.

After the location of the impalement or stabbing is chosen, up next comes the type of weapon used that should also be considered. A spear, while long and thin, thus offering a much greater chance of penetration, will damage a bit less limbs on its course through the body. While a broad-sword will damage even more limbs and might even hurt the spine upon its murderous path. Afterwards, if the weapon has any jagged edges, it's much more likely to be either lodged within the body, and if it would be forced out, with it would come out plenty of flesh and muscle, dropping that stunning 1% chance of survival to a flat out zero.

Up next comes the second form of injury, which is ruptured organs. While mentioned earlier, ruptured organs can happen from severe blunt blows as well as immense stress unto the body, such as air pressure. A ruptured limb is not just damaged or functioning less than full capacity, it is on the verge of destruction, not able to function at all. The two biggest example of dangerous organs when penetrated are the lungs and heart.

Should your lungs be cut, blood will gush through the wound and more than likely widen it, forcing the character to pretty much choke to death from within as her sensitive breathing is drowned with her own blood from within. Coughing up blood? That happens from punctured or ruptured lungs. The heart in itself is an even more dangerous thing to damage due to its sensitivity and importance in the body. It supplies the blood, and should one of its main vessels be cut, your character will bleed its life out into its own body.

Other dangerous organs to puncture and ruin are the stomach, as it's filled with acid threatening to spill out, the kidneys, and of course the brain.

Up next, comes the loss of a limb. Amputation. While amputation is less of a threat to ones' life, it is never to be doubted. Losing a leg, or an arm, even an ear, can cause to severe imbalance within the living body. Don't believe me? Try looking ahead of you, then close your left eye. See how much of your seeing space you just lost? Still not convinced? Try walking with your head fully tilted sideways. That can imitate the loss an ear. Imagine having no leg or arm.

The first and most important thing to consider when an amputation happens, is where, and which limb. For starters, the loss of each limb can bring upon it different results, for example.

The ears could lead to a lack of balance and partial deafness. An eye, to the loss of depth perception and a wider view. An arm, reach and flexibility. Leg, mobility and speed.

Up next, if the amputation takes place upon a major limb such as a leg or an arm, the location of it is important. To remove one's arm beneath the elbow might leave him with a segment of his hand that can still bend with an elbow, allowing for the implantation of false limbs such as fake hands and the like. Same thing goes for the leg, so long as its beneath the knee. However, anything above it will render the limb even more useless.

Afterwards, another thing to greatly consider is how this effects the character. Does he/she learn his lesson and quits fighting? Does it affect his/her fighting in a significant way? How does he/she feel about the loss of such an important thing? Even the most deranged of creatures will not simply shrug off the loss of a limb. It will not be an experience to forget.

Up next in our list of grievous injuries, comes a thing often ignored is the damage of important bones such as the spine and skull. While one could in theory heal a broken shin to full health, if a lower spine is broken, it will either lead to death or to the loss of one's legs in a crippled fashion. Spinal injury is a dangerous thing that never heals fully. Olympic athletes which damaged a Disc in their spine, or the spine itself, often go through rigorous months of recovery, and even afterwards they'll never be at their fullest. A broken skull is fatal unless treated properly. While one of the most hardiest bones, a skull is still no match for a hammer, so put on that helmet if you're smart!

Chapter 5.

"Only the dead have seen the end of war."

So we've gone after the terrible wounds of battle... But at the end of war, there are always the dead. Men and women unfortunate enough to have been the victims of the conflict. And in this chapter, we will further detail the effects of death and some misconceptions often seen.

For starters, a glorious death. You often see this in popular media. The mighty hero has come to fight the evil warlord! They clash blades, and with an epic battle, the hero finally manages to fell the great villain with a swift blow of his blade! He raises his sword up to the heavens, about to proclaim his testimony of victory when suddenly-

Pthttbtbhtththttbhtbht~ A foul stench rises in the air, and our hero finds his shining knightly boots being littered upon by the villain's body emptying its bowels all over them.

One could think that the death of such a main figure in a story would be grand and majestic, with an entire choir of symphonic music to accommodate each stunning blow, but alas, this is but a facade of modern media and thought. In reality, death is a horrid messy thing. There's blood everywhere, the victim is likely crying for his mother and retching, all before comes the final slap to the face as his bowels empty themselves in gut-wrenching sounds and an equally horrid stench that rises through the air.

Death is not a glorious ending to a hero going out in the blaze of war. It is the horrid end of a life in a matter usually shameful, that leaves no room for cheer. There's nothing wrong with a cinematic death. But in all truths, such a death barely exists, unless you're lucky enough to have your entire body dissolved before the embarrassing functions of your dead cadaver come into play. Death is not pretty. Death is ugly. Death is disgusting and in no way appealing to most.

Having a character obsessed with death doesn't just mean it'll adorn itself with blood and skulls. It means it'll adorn itself with feces and vomit, it means it loves the scent of freshly discarded excrement and the sound of retching guts.

Not so badass anymore, isn't it?

Afterwards, comes guilt. The biggest remorse of war, the biggest tragedy is not only for the dead. Even to the undead creatures of Warcraft, those intelligent enough, there might be a value to life. A character doesn't just deal with the physically demanding task of battle, it's also bombarded by guilt afterwards. To know it ended a life, is a terrible fate. Some characters reason to themselves about it, either me or them they'll say. Some might become traumatized by this. While others will simply grin and bear their blades, proclaiming how much they love spreading death.

Out of those examples, which one would you think to be the least likely to be a member of any society? Number three. These sociopath murderers have no room in any society, even in those more war-centered. Each culture reacts differently to war, but in the end it all reaches the same conclusion. Meaningless death is bad. And these sociopaths who howl for blood are more than likely not going to be accepted in any culture, beyond the Scourge or Burning Legion atleast, or one of the villainous factions. For example; Orcish society. A common mistake in thought is thinking that all Orcs are war-hungry brutes that hunger for blood and death, and all that. In truth, Orcs do appreciate a good bout, but not the slaughter of their enemies. And why? Because they were once under thrall by the horrid Burning Legion and their curse of bloodlust, a thing which more than likely left its deep scar unto Orcish memory. Nobody wants to remember how bad they were, and the Orcs are no different. Any Orc which would conform to the same mindless savagery back from the days of the Burning Legion would probably be scolded fiercely and shunned away.

Often, many mistake a certain distaste of a race to be liable cause for ravenous behavior. The Night Elf's xenophobia, for example, or Orcish sense of battle. When in truth, it's like excusing the desire to murder another for a simple dislike about him. Yes, Orcs and Elves aren't going to go frolicking hand in hand in fields of daisies and roses. But it in no way means that Elves go around stringing Orcish guts from low hanging branches.

Any who would are probably deranged and on neither side.

A good thing to consider with a character's mentality is the reaction of the world around it, and what led him/her to either accept this mindset. Would the character's parents/love/siblings reply well to it being a crazy deranged murderer, addicted to death? It is often external reaction (or lack thereof) which can lead to self restraint, or its opposite, savagery.

Imagine the following. It'd be rather hard to do something when no one at all near to you supports it, and will scold you and shun you if you do it.

Any character that idly whistles jovially at the tune of war is not sane. And would often be treated as what it is.

Insane.

Chapter 6.

"Barking of machinegun fire, does nothing to me now
Sounding of the clock that ticks, get used to it somehow
More a man, more stripes you wear, glory seeker trends
Bodies fill the fields I see
The slaughter never ends"
- Disposable heroes, Metallica.

To assume that the effects of battle are purely physical and short lasting is a foolish thing. In truth, and arguably, the most severe damage caused by war and battle in general, is mental. The most common myriad of symptoms cause by trauma are known as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and 17 types have been recognized in modern days. They can be divided into three categories;

Re-experience:

Frequently having upsetting thoughts or memories about a traumatic event.
Having recurrent nightmares.
Acting or feeling as though the traumatic event were happening again, sometimes called a "flashback."
Having strong feelings of distress when reminded of the traumatic event.
Being physically responsive, such as experiencing a surge in your heart rate or sweating, to reminders of the traumatic event.

Avoidance Symptoms:

Making an effort to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations about the traumatic event.
Making an effort to avoid places or people that remind you of the traumatic event.
Having a difficult time remembering important parts of the traumatic event.
A loss of interest in important, once positive, activities.
Feeling distant from others.
Experiencing difficulties having positive feelings, such as happiness or love.
Feeling as though your life may be cut short.

Hyperarousal Symptoms:

Having a difficult time falling or staying asleep.
Feeling more irritable or having outbursts of anger.
Having difficulty concentrating.
Feeling constantly "on guard" or like danger is lurking around every corner.
Being "jumpy" or easily startled.

Do note, these are just examples, and only those that are discovered. In theory, there could be hundreds more. Now imagine for a second, just having one of these effects and how difficult it could make your day to day life. Warfare does not simply scar the body. It scars the mind as well, and there are other syndromes beyond PTSD that could spur due to a life of consistent fighting. Now think of a character, and how it would deal with the mental stress of it all.

The shame. The Anger. The Regret. The fear.

All of it, warring inside of the character.

Doesn't look so simple anymore, doesn't it? However, some characters only seem to become more efficient as they are traumatized. And this is a point I'd greatly like to differ upon. Being traumatized doesn't make your character more of an efficient killing machine. It makes it an emotional and mental wreck, unable to cope in day to day life because of the actions of its' past. (I would like to note back to the thought of sociopath characters, that they may perceive it in their own deranged fashion, feeling no remorse. However, the world will have its own response to it.)

Another aspect to consider is other mental capabilities and disabilities. The first being the thought of a fury-fueled berserk. While lore backed and generally cool-sounding, to enter a fury in a battle can be a death sentence. You become reckless, a menace to both yourself and those around you. This is why trained Berserkers actually refrain from entering a Rage unless they must, as it makes them far more dangerous, to themselves and the enemy alike. I just spent three chapters detailing how badly a character can get hurt. Imagine a character which just stacks all these injuries because it's too far deep in a berserk to stop itself. Survival stops being an option, at this point.

So the next time you make a war hardened soldier. Try thinking of how he copes with all the mental stress. Which leads me to the archtypes of character mental coping mechanisms.

The first, is the Accepter. The Accepter believes what he did was necessary. It was ugly, horrid, but he did it for a good cause. Generally the healthiest Archtype, mentally, the Accepter will see the actions of his past as justified and forgivable, and he does not spiral into a self destructive spiral of guilt and regret. He may not feel the best of it, but he's come to terms with his actions.

Afterwards, is the Excuse-maker. A poor cheap knock-off the Accepter, the Excuse maker claims what he did was justified, but he doesn't believe in it. The Excuse-maker will try to drown the regret of his past in any way he can, from alcohol to carnal pleasures just to forget the imagery which he tries desperately to make up with.

The Bitter. The Bitter will not smile, he won't laugh. He hates himself for what he did, and he knows deep down that the whole affair was a big pile of dung. He doesn't care anymore, he did his duty. Now he just wants to spend his days in peace, drowning out the memories in alcohol and grumbling angrily.

The Wreck. Of all the archtypes, the Wreck signifies the loss of it all. No matter what the Wreck tries, he is forever stuck in his haunting nightmares. Depressed and morose, the Wreck is stuck upon a bitter lonely path of regret and shame, unable to ever come to terms to the things he's done. Emotionally distant and devastated, the Wreck is almost as unstable as its follow up.

The Nutjob. He doesn't care who's fighting, so long as there's a war. He wants war, he wants blood. Finally he has an excuse to kill stuff, just like his sociopath desires always told him to! The Nutjob is a trainwreck of trauma and scars, buried beneath a layer of insanity buttered up by deranged obsessions.

In the end of it all, the mind is just a victim as the body is in war.

Chapter 7.

"They're peasants, angry for what they've lost. They don't care who they're punishment, they just want retribution." - Vagabond.

To presume that the overall damage of war and battle ends at the character is a false statement. When there's war, the damage is entirely collateral. Families are left fatherless, land is left ruined and infertile, trade is damaged and much sorrow takes footing after war ends. This chapter will be generally short as most battles are indeed between two individual characters in CoTH, and thus most collateral damage doesn't quite exist. However, war is not uncommon in the world, and this chapter will detail further on how it affects day to day life.

When two nations war against one another, the results are often catastrophic, with hundreds of thousands dead, and many more left orphaned and abandoned behind. The first most notable and grim effect of war, is the loss of life on both sides. Friends are lost, children are left orphaned, and women are left widowed. A gap is made in the hearts of nations, one which can take years to fill out. Statistically, this gap affects the economy as well, often leading to times of economical depressions which leave nations in a rather poor state.

Another affect that's worth mentioning in Warcraft is the spiritual world and the world itself. As have been proven many times in Warcraft, Spirit Walkers interact with the spirits of the restless dead... Imagine what would happen if such a Spirit Walker would come upon the field of great battle. Alongside this, the thousands of corpses often just ruin a land entirely, leaving it unable to grow crops for many years afterwards. Such a task as purifying these lands would probably fall upon the shoulders of the Cenarion Circle.

While I won't further too much about the effects of war on nations, it will often lead to political strife and division among its people. It is best not to leave ones' character unaffected by the state of war. As war touches upon everyone at the end of it all.

Chapter 8.

"An elegant weapon, for a more civilized time." - Star Wars.

Within the World of Warcraft, and the world itself, there is at least one weapon for each man and woman alive on Earth. In this chapter, I'll be explaining a bit about each weapon arch-type and the useful benefits of each weapon type and shield. From axes to swords, to spears and shields, weaponry are as varied as the fighter which wields them, each adaptable for a fitting situation and advantage of its own. And we'll start off with a classic.

Swords. Nothing says knight more than a broadsword in hand, or Moojadin than a Scimitar. A sword is a piece of metal shaped to a desired form and posses either one or two sharpened edges. Mostly, a sword comes with a Finger guard meant to protect the wielder's hand. Swords come in all shapes in sized, but we can divide them by two simple subcategories. Curved, and Straight edged. One handed, or Two handed.

Curved swords are usually with a curved build, such as a Scimitar and a katana, and their form is meant entirely for slashing across the opponent's body and cut through flesh to cause bleeding and muscle damage. Most slashing weapons are highly inefficient against armor of harder variety, such as chainmail or plate. Most slashing swords are light and flexible, donned in one hand.

Straight Edged swords are of a straight build, narrowing at the end to a sharp tip meant to stab ahead. With reduced slashing capabilities, these swords make up for it by allowing for an option to stab, and better capabilities against armor as they may still bludgeon upon impact. Examples for this sword being broadswords, Claymores, and Zweihanders. A straight edged sword is meant to hack into the opponent then drawn out in a riposte.

Swords are flexible weapons which lack a punch against heavily armored foes, but are reliable and fitting for almost any case and fight. There's hardly any weapon out there which could match the sword's reliability and iconic appearance. Swords allow for maneuverability and proper parries.

The next weapon is no other than the popular Axe! Once a peasant's tool for cutting wood, the Axe became a favored weapon by barbarians and savages as its principles are simple and plain. Hit'em with the sharp bit for maximal effect. We can divide axes into subcategories as we did with the swords, one sided and dual-sided. The axe comes in both smaller and larger versions.

The one sided axe first made its appearance into the world as a peasant's tool for cutting and felling trees. The heavy iron head at the end of a usually curved handle allowed for a focused and hard blow that was easy enough to maneuver against the tree's surface to cut it down. However, the one sided axe also proved to have been a viable weapon upon the battle field as it offered enough swing to penetrate past armor and cause dignified damage in a single swing. However, the one sided axe proved to be unwieldy and rather clumsy. Alongside it was its fatal flaw. The axe tended to lodge too deeply into the area of blow, causing it to stay wedged in it. And so the Danish, created the Bearded variant of the one sided axe, fixing the problem of it lodging into the opponent and staying stuck. Easy to use, an axe is a simple weapon and can cause significant damage in strong hands, even those untrained. Examples for this would be the popular Danish axe, often associated with the Vikings.

The two sided axe came after its older brother, designed purely for warfare. A two sided axe, also known as a Battleaxe, is an axe that goes both ways upon a usually straight shaft for grip, allowing greater power into each swing and much more combat flexibility. Much favored and better than its one sided brother, the Battleaxe became an iconic symbol of Barbarians and for proper reason. A Battleaxe could puncture armor and remove limbs with a single mighty swing. However, it was still unwieldy and rather limited in its maneuvering. Its main advantage is that it offers a borderline between a sword and a hammer, with enough weight to damage heavy armor, but a bladed edge to continue its efficiency against flesh.

Afterwards comes no other than the hammer! Associated mostly with Dwarves and Blacksmithing, a Hammer is simple enough by design. A straight grip or shaft, that leads up to a shaped heavy iron weight. We can divide the Hammer into the following subcategories; One sided or two sided, mace or mallet. Of all the weapons out there, the Hammer is king of armor shattering.

First off, I will detail about the Mallet. A long or short straight shaft that leads to usually a square-shaped head of iron constructs the mallet's form. And the Mallet is often associated with masons or blacksmith. However, over the years, the Mallet has proven to be an admirable weapon upon the battlefield as it cracks armor and the opponent within it like a walnut from its mighty swings. The only difference that truly occurs if the iron head is only one sided is that it leaves the option for a spike or even an axe head to be left on the other side for flexibility of choice. A good example of this would be a Warhammer or even a Sledgehammer.

The secondary shape is the mace. Usually short and one handed, the mace differs from its brother by being simply a straight shaft that holds a ball or roundly shaped head, meant to batter at a closer distance and be more maneuverable than its counterpart. The mace still packs quite a wallop against armor, though not as much as its Hammer counterpart, as it is meant to be lighter and more maneuverable. A mace may come equipped with spikes or small metal nubs at its surface to increase its efficiency, and is not a weapon to be doubted on the battlefield.

The Hammer, be it mace or an actual hammer, is heavy and unwieldy, rendering it less fast or flexible than the sword or axe. However, a single blow from it could be utterly devastating, and on the battlefield there isn't a single weapon that could deliver such damage against armor upclose and live to tell the tale.

Next up comes the Reach Weapon category. To define a Reach Weapon as easily as I could, it's simply a longer shaft that holds a sharpened edge to allow the user extended range. And we could divide it mainly between Halberds and Spears, the two main categories of the weaponry used.

First off, we've the classical spear. A long shaft that holds a usually thin and sturdy Iron tip meant to stab into an enemy from afar. What started off as a hunter's tool, meant to be thrown or stabbed into fleeing prey, has become one of the most recognized and dangerous weapons on the battlefield. A deadly and simple idea of allowing the user more range in his attacks has made the spear one of the simplest and most dangerous tools of war, able to pierce both armor and flesh alike with stunning power. However, the spear's downside is that it is quite unusable in a closer range. The spear's most classical usage is in a defensive wall and against mounted cavalry.

We then move on to the Spear's younger brother, the Halberd. The halberd's main difference than the spear is, that instead of its thin metallic sharpened tip, it usually sports an axe-head or even a broad blade at its edge. The classical European halberd is a heavy weapon, meant to be used from horseback or in stationary positions. What the spear can't do, it makes up for. Instead of stabbing, it is meant to be swayed sideways in a large cleaving arc that could render some serious damage. However, this leaves this weapon as well like the Spear, useless in closer combat. The bladed spear in itself is a weapon category far unique than the spear, as its usage usually appears in martial arts as light and dexterous. While true, the bladed spear lacks a real hit to it, usually meant for unarmored targets as its light structure will not allow to much use against heavier armor.

No weapon allows for comfort and range in defense as much as the spear does, becoming an iconic symbol of a defensive position.

Up next comes the general descriptor of ranged weapons. However, I will be dividing this segment rather shortly, and focus mostly one the following. Bows and the like, thrown weapons, and tools of ranged weaponry.

The bow. Is there anything more iconic for the noble archer sending his arrows to fly, than Robin Hood stealing from the rich, or from Legolas being awesome with it in Lord of the Rings? I doubt it. One could divide bows into two categories. Bows, and Crossbows.

The bow is a simplistic idea enough. A curved bit of flexible wood with a string drawn upon it. An arrow is loaded unto the string, and the string itself is drawn back before it's released, sending the arrow ahead with speed in a arcing line. However, the bow comes in many variations, from a shorter lighter bow to a Power Bow, an enormous monster of a bow. All serve the same purpose, at simply different strengths. To attack from afar. The bow in itself is not the most accurate of weapons, being more difficult to aim, but one could fire a single arrow per three seconds if properly trained, rendering it excellent when used in squads. However, the bow is rather useless in close range and lacks punch to puncture through heavier armor.

Which is where the Crossbow comes in play. Imagine the Bow. Now imagine the bow started working out to the point it can't bend its arms over its head. That's the crossbow. Sacrificing flexibility for sheer power, the Crossbow punches through armor violently with shorter heavier bolts fired from its body. However, the average time to reload a crossbow is over 14 seconds, and requires quite a physical strain. Power over flexibility is the Crossbow's motto. And in many battlefield, it was a habit to take one loaded crossbow on your person to use, before you would discard it and move on to melee.

Thrown weapons are on their own, a simple category. The only note-while mention being javelins, which in short, are meant to jab into shields and weight them down to the point of uselessness.

An important note about weight. As of late there seems to be a trend with characters swinging enormously huge and heavy weapons one-handed... I'd like to make a point here. The average two handed executioner's axe, that MASSIVE LUMP OF AXE used to execute people before the guillotine weighed a simple 6 kilograms. The average war hammer, no more than two. It is, no matter how strong you are, not possible to swing over 10 kilogram of a weapon one handed without having your wrists break from the application of such force upon the delicate joint. To put to point, try holding a small coffee table from one of its legs and swing it with ease. Even people in the Strongman competition, those that drag train-cabooses, can not do such a thing.

[Image: War_hammer2.jpg]

That is a war hammer. See how small it is? How thin the head is? This still destroyed armor-users. You could say you rationalize your character's wielding of preposterous weapons with magic of high fantasy, but in truth, no magic or high fantasy can make your bones less brittle than they are.

Gear responsibly!

Chapter 9.

"Nothing a band-aid can't cure!"

So we've been through the turmoils of war, the usage of weapons and the different types of injuries out there. So now, if you think your character's been lucky enough to survive, let us go over healing! Now in difference between fiction and reality, there's usually some form of accelerated healing. Be it Sensu beans, Medigel, Stasis pods, or in our case, Divine magics, none of it acts to replace normal healing. Merely accelerate it. And remember, while Divine magic may seal wounds, it doesn't do the entire of medical process. It doesn't replenish lost liquids, it doesn't remove shrapnel from the skin, nor does it remove bone fragments from wounds. So with that in mind, let's begin!

Some injuries take far longer to recover than others. While others are much more simple to heal from. Some injuries may also leave little to no signs of ever existing while others will hinder the character. And so we'll divide each wound with two measures: Duration, and Time required to Heal. Some injuries will take longer to heal, while others less. And some injuries might leave long term damage, while others not at all. For example, injuries that heal quickly and leave no long term damage can be; a shallow small cut, small bop on the head, small bone stress-fracture, blue marks.

While things which could leave one with a much longer and rigorous healing process with long term effects are; Broken bones (Joints especially!), deep cuts that rend muscles, damaged organs, minor concussions.

There are also some injuries that fully recovering from is quite impossible, not without outside medical care, and even then it leaves one lacking; Shattered bones, heavy organ damage, mild concussions, amputation.

All of these and much, much more. I could go on detail about the healing recovery of each type of injury, but that alone would be longer than the entirety of what I already wrote thus far. Remember however, with the magical aid of the Warcraft lore, it is possible to cut back on just how long it takes to heal. As a rule of thumb, try saying by half or so. Depends on the attention the character could obtain for the wound, how much treatment and etc'.

However, while resting and healing may be healthy for the mind, they are often than naught quite problematic for the mentality of the wounded character. The last thing someone who just finished a war or a bloodied battle needs is time to rest and stew in his own thoughts. This could vary from character to character, but it is a thought worth considering. Did my character think about the actions of the battle when he rested? Was he distracted with something else? The time of recovery could be just as interesting as the battle itself, and perhaps even more for character development.

I personally think that one of the reasons that people like to avoid these 'recovery' roleplays are because they feel they're less active and interesting for a character. While not physically, mentally the are everything but quiet and boring.

Chapter 10.

"Small size is still bigger than you when you're at 0HP."

Now, I know that many of you posed the question as you read through this guide... "Hey wait, my character is a massive Tauren, that's atleast two times bigger than the other races! What gives?!" well then, don't fret! In this chapter we will speak of the types of bodies commonly found on Azeroth, which race is more common to have a certain body-type, and how these body-types affect a character at war. The body-types are;

Ectomorph - The first body-type I'll be discussing is the Ectomorph. The Ectomorph is a typical skinny character, with a light build and thin joints and thin athletic muscle. The most common race to be defined as Ectomorphs are Trolls, with a thin body-structure and narrow waists.

The most common attributes for an Ectomorph are often a thin 'fragile' build, fast metabolism, a tall height, difficulty to gain mass, a small bone-structure and body frame, and a flat chest.

The Ectomorph body type's main advantages are: Reach and flexibility, alongside speed. The small muscle structure and thin body allow the Ectomorph to easily brush by obstacles and densely packed terrains such as forests and jungles. The long wiry muscles of the Ectomorph also allow it a much greater reach and flexibility.

The Ectomorph body type's disadvantages are: The fact that the build is in itself fragile. An Ectomorph is usually not too resilient, with fragile thin wrists and joints and a small bone structure without much mass to soften blows and impact. Alongside it, the narrow body-build leaves the Ectomorph rather weaker than the other body-types.

The best attribute to define an Ectomorph is Agility.

Mesomorph - The next body type is the Mesomorph. Often viewed as the modern 'ideal' of masculinity, the Mesomorph body is a broad-shouldered build with a wide back, easily gaining both muscle and mass allowing to obtain the usually desired triangular build. The Mesomorph is a strong build that's determined by genetics alone, rather than the environment around the character, thus allowing the build to be seen across almost any race. Though model-wise, the Night Elves seem to fit the imagery best.

The Mesomorph's usual attributes are: Wide shoulders, easily gaining mass and strength, wide backs and a triangular body type, a large chest without much space between the pecs.

The Mesomorph's advantages are: The fact that it is a build encompassing much more strength in the upper torso. Not much body-types could match the Mesomorph's pure strength. Alongside this, the Mesomorph easily gains both muscle and fat, allowing the body to grow larger with more mass and weight, thus growing stronger and stronger.

The Mesomorph's disadvantages are however: The fact that while the Mesomorph body-type can easily gain mass, he can just as easily lose it. A character out of the fray as a Mesomorph for too long can quite easily fall out of its peak strength, and may very well lose what it earned through hard work by just a small episode of laziness or the inability to train.

The best attribute to define the Mesomorph is Strength.

Endomorph- Often called 'Bearmode', the Endomorph body-type has earned its title rightfully. While the Mesomorph is triangular and shapely, and the Ectomorph thin and lanky, the Endomorph is as its title implies, a sheer block of a person and mass. With a large and firm core, the Endomorph is a wide body that can be obtained usually by the environment around the character, and not just genetics. The Endomorph builds both fat and muscles rapidly. No other races can boast the body-type of the Endomorph as much as the hardy Dwarves.

The main attributes of the Endomorph are: Quickly gaining both mass and weight, short and stocky, a firm and round gut, and a slow metabolism.

The main advantages of the Endomorph are: A hardy and firm body-type that allows them far more resilience than the Ectomorph or the Mesomorph, as a layer of fat aids to soften the blows alongside its strong firm core. A low center of gravity, making the Endomorph a much more stable and hardier form, with focus on strong legs and thick short muscles.

The disadvantages of the Endomorph are: A lack of flexibility. Endomorphs are usually so bulky in their size and build, that they are less flexible than the other builds. It could be quite common for a character with this body-type to be unable to bend its arms over its head fully.

The attribute which best defines the Endomorph is Stamina and Toughness.

Now, an important note to make is: Not all body-types are set in stone. In fact, it's very rare to see a 'pure' body-type of any form. Usually, people will have a mixture of body-types. And each race is more likely to be drawn to certain body-types.

Dwarves, Orcs, and Tauren are more than likely to be drawn towards the Endomorph body-type due to their stocky staunch body-type.

Night Elves, Blood Elves and Trolls are more than likely to be drawn to the Ectomorph body-type, due to their thin athletic builds.

Humans, Draenei and Worgen, however, present a flexible range of body-types, allowing the player more freedom in how their body is built.

Mesomorphs can be seen in all races, as such a build usually depends on genetics which may be attributed to an individual rather than a race.

The smaller races of Azeroth such as Gnomes and Goblins all define their own forms uniquely.

The different types of bodies also effects the weapons of choice for each race. For example, a shorter stockier character can make much better use of a battleaxe than a lanky Hunter, while said Hunter could use the bow with much better efficiency than the bulky warrior. Each aspect of the character is to be considered when it comes to determining their body-type and how they view and use it.

Most weapon styles are determined by body-types and it's generally recommended to read up how they might affect one another.

Chapter 11.

"Braaaaaaaaains..."

The battlefield is a dangerous place to anyone, no matter whom. Battle hardened or fresh, none are spared in the fray. But there's another factor to determine in the field of battle, and that is of our friends from beyond the grave, the Forsaken and Death Knights! While similar in idea, both are an entirely different world. And before even reading this segment, I'd recommend reading Sachiko's amazing guide to Death Knights. As it helps clarify much about the beloved class. Though I however, will not be focusing on Forsaken and Death Knights individually, I will instead focus on the Undead body, mind, and mindset in battle instead as a whole.

For starters, the body! One of the main advantages of the Undead body, is just how hardy it is. No need to fear rot, no need to fear damage to most internal organs as they are mostly not necessary, one never tires, the Undead doesn't feel physical pain at most causes and cases (depends on how well preserved it is) and can survive fatal injuries with greater ease than most. Which might lead one to the conclusion that the Undead is the perfect killing machine. While in truth, the Undead were designed with that thought in mind, they were found lacking. Their very advantage acted against them.

The undead body is in all cases, dead. No heart-beat, no blood-flow... And no natural regeneration capabilities. The living body strengthens its muscles by slightly tearing the muscle-strands and repairing them with natural resources and nutrients, making it grow stronger and bigger. The Undead body, however, doesn't. Every blow dealt to an Undead's body will not naturally heal, ensuring that the more damage an Undead sustains, the more closer it comes to crumbling into nothingness, and that the Undead could never grow stronger in the physical sense of it. The only way for a Undead to truly fix himself is with the help of certain magics such as the Death Knight's Death Coil, and Shadow Priests. However, this weakening of the body doesn't just happen during battle. It could happen during forced marches, during lifting heavy things... This means the Undead Body takes quite a bit of maintenance. And with the mindset of an Undead, it could be potentially dangerous, as they do not feel the pain of fatigue and exhaustion, pushing their bodies to destruction without even knowing it.

The second advantage to the Undead body is their fearlessness. Knowing you can survive most injuries and feel no pain can fill most people with a great confidence, allowing them to fight with much greater vigor and daring, a great advantage at a fight. However, it's the same fearlessness which can become the Undead's downfall. The Undead may fight recklessly with this confidence, ignoring its own defense and the state of its body. Imagine for a moment, most human instincts stem from fear of pain which prevents us from performing reckless deeds. The Undeads may lack this instinct, adding another detail for their mind to task on as they fight; Themselves, having reduced instincts to allow them dodging or blocking.

It's for these reasons that both Undead factions are than likely to treat their members to certain tactics, such as the Forsaken's gas attacks, and regular checkups to ensure that their undead body is in a state of function. Remember, for the Undead of Warcraft, people are the most rare and expensive resources, as they currently can not produce any more.

Remember, while the Undead are a useful tool of war. They are not unstoppable machines of death and destruction.

Chapter 12.

"You had to see it to believe it!"

As we slowly near the end of the guide, I'd like to take a moment to share with people some examples of real life, from myths and facts to different fighting styles they can take inspiration from. These examples will help make the character's understanding of battle and warfare richer and more vivid! So without further ado;

Myths and Facts!
Spoiler:
Ninjas are athletic murderers of the night dual-wielding katanas and slaughtering the opponents - Incorrect. Ninjas were farmers who revolted and became assassins, using poisoned weaponry and used weapons that were either small enough to be concealed, or passed off as farming tools (Such as the Kama.) Angry peasant. Not Death-god.

European blades were crude and brutishly made - Incorrect. The European longsword was often rather light and rather ornamented, able to sever limbs in capable hands.

Samurais would hold duels of honor and live their lives by Bushido, the Warrior's Code - Incorrect. Samurai's were more than often just over privileged mercenaries who would more than often hire their blade for the highest bidder. Who spent most of their time pillaging helpless peasants.

Full plate was heavy and too bulky to move around properly in - Incorrect. Full platemail is often no more than 50 lbs (23 kilograms or so), less than carried by soldier today. Beyond that, the straps of the armor spread the weight evenly across the body, allowing easy carriage, rather than the bulky shamble most people believe armor to lead to. One wouldn't be able to somersault in it, but it certainly won't make one immobile.

If I hit someone's shield arm strongly enough, it'll break his arm! - Incorrect. The shield is braced against the shoulder and uses the legs as supports against the blow.

These are all just examples of common misconceptions that people estimate at battle. If you have any more to add, simply PM them to me or leave them here so I can later add them! (Note, if you add one, please bring resources to back this claim.)
Fighting styles!

These fighting styles will be divided into archtypes, and into categories!
Spoiler:
Unarmed. There's no weapon better than the body they say. And the combat of bare hands can be defined into three categories, all about its usage;

Flipping and tossing - A martial art which focuses mostly on the usage of your oponent's strength against him. For example, Judo.

Punching and blows - A Martial art which focuses mostly on the delivery of blunt blows from either one's fists, or other body parts. For examples, Muay Thai, Krav Maga and Boxing.

Grappling and deadlocking - A martial art focusing on the application and usage of joints on the enemy's body to bring him to submission or to bring harm to his body. For example, Sambo.

Sword-fighting. He who said the pen was mightier than the sword, clearly didn't try to fend off Conan the Barbarian with a writing quill. Fighting with a sword could be variable and wide, but in best its quite often divided into two plain ideas;

Dueling - The art of fighting an opponent one on one with intents of victory in elongated battle. Examples of this fighting style are, Fencing,or the ancient gladiators of Rome.

Swift blows - The art of attacking while drawing, meant for one cleaving strike to kill and opponent before moving on to the next. For example, Iaido.

When in truth, these are just scraping the edge of the ice-berg, meant to set for examples. The last thing I'd like to leave by within this guide are a few outwards references to help expand one's understanding of warfare. Note, these are -external- things, and are to be viewed at one's own discretion and choice.

Vagabond - The amazing Manga works of Takehiko Inoue, focusing on the end of Feudal times within Japan and samurai at the time. Contains no elements of fantasy and portrays battle interestingly, alongside a stunning grasp of Japanese history.

Berserk - Few reading materials catch the brutality of war and its effect on a person as does Kentarou Miura's Berserk. Focused on a Medieval time within a strange world, Berserk catches the brutality of battle like no other.

Princess Mononoke - The animated film of Princess Mononoke takes place in a strange fantasy, detailing the effects of war on the surrounding in a beautiful and unforgettable fashion.

Stalingrad - Antony Beevor's masterly written historical documentation of one of the most brutal conflicts in human history gives an eerie and realistic peek into the true horrors of all out war.

World War Z - Written by Max Brooks, World War Z is a fictional writing of the world trapped within a full out Zombie apocalypse. Little to no other books could help one imagine and re-live the horrors of war with the undead such as this.

Chapter 13.

"And so the dust settles... And all is none."

And so, we reach the end of this lengthy guide. And I'll make sure not to make this conclusion any more longer... This guide was intended to solely act as an expansion to one's own views about war. Not make them feel bad, not force them to change. Simply to show another side that's worth considering. In no way is anything written here personal, or meant to be as such. And if you are indeed offended, take heed and know that in no way was this aimed against you.

Quote:There isn't really a good or bad to playing noblebright or grim and gritty, it's just a preference; people can play war-hardened and scarred veterans, or gleaming heroes who have ran through wars and are now happily married, championing goodness and generally normal. It's just the way they portray the setting-- it may be idealized, but some people enjoy that sort of thing. Kinda like escapism, playing out a hero without worrying about problems that are real and distressing in the real world. And of course, some enjoy playing it realistic, examining the troubles that one picks up off of being the hero.

So on, so forth.
Words of wisdom from our own Rigley.

Lok'tar!
Reply
#2
This should be a must-read upon joining CotH. :3 I gave all my other praise over Skype already.

Thank you. ^.^
Reply
#3
Foolish Psycho. Real injuries stop bleeding instantly. If not, the blood loss ultimately needs nothing. All you need to do is grit your teeth to survive any flesh wound.

I'll note that I love realistic combat, where every wound matters. However, Warcraft trains its players to believe in Critical Existence Failures.
Quote:[8:53AM] Cassius: Xigo is the best guy ever. he doesn't afraid of anything.
Reply
#4
An interesting and informing read! Loving it for its consistency (if I spelled that right) and the way it mirrors the crude truth.

However, remember that our lovely server is still PG-13 and more open to having fun, than to being dead-serious about the cruelty of war.
Reply
#5
Section 5 is my favoriiiite.
[Image: tumblr_nfm4t0FZcT1rtcd58o1_r1_500.gif]
Reply
#6
This is a very comprehensive guide; I can't think of anything that you might have missed on the topic. Oh yeah, the good old daggers, knives, and fist weapons. But yeah, it's always good to be reminded that emotional, mental, and societal injuries occur just as often as physical injuries do.

Aside from a few CotH/WoW specific things, this would be a great guide for all kinds of RPers across the web, not just us.
[Image: anim_500.gif]
Reply
#7
The more you know!

... And I hope you know that I shivered/cringed at a few detailed images. Good work!
Reply
#8
This is hands down one of the most in-depth, complex and well detailed and well cited guides I've had the good fortunes of laying my eyes upon.

And I don't even like hyper-realistic combat!
Your stories will always remain...
[Image: nIapRMV.png?1]
... as will your valiant hearts.
Reply
#9
(02-17-2013, 01:03 PM)c0rzilla Wrote: Section 5 is my favoriiiite.

Well it's nice to see disorders talked about, as they are somewhat relev-

[Image: aecf06b7_angry-mob.bmp]

... Nevermind.
Quote:[8:53AM] Cassius: Xigo is the best guy ever. he doesn't afraid of anything.
Reply
#10
I like the part where you phonetically rendered the sound of a corpse's bowels emptying over someone's boots.
Reply
#11
Dis guide gets da Krent Seal of Approval.

[Image: 11qh8nt.jpg]











Now to actually make a Krent Seal of Approval.



srsly though this might be the best guide ever. I hope more people incorporate this into their RP.

EDIT: c0r made me a Krent Seal of Approval. Yay!
Spoiler:
[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrkzIN2eP0U[/video]

"What a mess we made, when it all went wrong..."
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