Ok, Holy Worlders. I've got a problem you might be able to help me with. I'm not sure exactly if this is the place I should be posting it or not, but I thought I'd give it a go.

I need to find a weapon that's good for stabbing a certain... victim. I'd rather my character survive so I don't think a larger blade like a sword would work. And I don't think I want it to be a dagger - it just seems a tad cliche. I was thinking about using something unoriginal that you wouldn't expect like a spearhead that was broken from the shaft.

What are your thoughts on the issue? Have you had similar problems? And when it comes to your stories, what do you do about this?

Typically, when I stab a character, I'll use a dagger. Unless, of course...I don't use a dagger.

I actually like the idea of you using something out of the ordinary. I think it gives an unexpected, surprising feel. If I am ever given the option to use something other than a dagger for stabbing - I.E. What I feel is the perfect scenario - I will probably choose to use it.

All in all, it sounds like a good idea.

Bethany Faith

There is a reason daggers are most commonly used...

It depends entirely on the attacker. Is he a poor man wanting revenge? A rich man's hired assassin? Or is it just a serial killer doing it for the 'fun'?

A poor man might use a broken spear-head or a shard of glass or something. A hired assassin or serial killer would be more likely to use a dagger or long knife.

*jumps up and raises hand* I know, I know---a broken bottle!
Just picture it: the bad guy is holding a bottle by the neck. Then suddenly he smashes the bottle against the wall and---ta da!---he's holding a long razor shard of glass!

But wait a minute. Do they have glass bottles in your world?

That is just the first unexpected stabbing weapon I thought of.

Good questions, Elanhil. I've thought of these and I'll let you in on a secret. *whispers* The man's son was the assassin while he was a rich ruler intent on revenge and fueled by hatred. He is no fighter and I imagine would use any weapon he could get his hands on in the moment.

Better stop talking before I give too much away.

Hmm... well, I never really thought about them having glass in their world or not, Aemi. I might have to think about that! Although I'm not sure if circumstances would work well for the broken glass to become a weapon in this particular scene. It seems a lot Tangled in that aspect. However... I will definitely be keeping the possibility in mind.

Hmmm. Someone does that in Tangled?

Oops... forget I said anything about that!

I can think of lots of things he could grab to hit him with, but for stabbing I'm coming up short...
Are there empty suits of armor standing around? Or people wearing swords nearby? He could grab one of those.
Hmmm, or a steak knife. That might be good. Those blades are usually small and slender, minimizing damage. Or any kitchen knife might work.

Sorry, the only other weapon in the room is a longsword and his opponent carries that.

*snaps fingers*

A sharp stick might work...a broken piece of a table....a metal bar... *thinks* A horn of some animal. A broken dagger. Hmm...can't think of anything else.

I'd say a ball-point pen, but this is HWF.

That would be a good, potential weapon....but, yeah...

Fantasy equivalent to a ball-point pen: A quill

Well in Tangled the witch used a thin blade and the fellow still died.

Carliss

I actually said ball-point pen because Jason Bourne used it in The Bourne Identity.

A pitch-fork is always an option, and it can be made to look like an accident.

Hmm. No rapier, no dagger . . . How'd this guy get in the predicament in the first place???

Is he wearing spurs? Medieval spurs were like little spikes fixed on the back of a boot. Those would work.

How about a pin for his cloak? A hairpin? (actually, maybe not)

A meat skewer? Or . . . a long toothpick!

Never mind.

I'll let you know if I have any other ideas.

I remember Bourne using the ballpoint pen. The woman in Red Eye uses one too.

What about a tent peg/stake? Would your world have some of them lying around? Broken arrow head? Pitchfork? Broken plow blade?

*re-reads* Wait, you're inside. Ok... *shifts imagination to a different gear*

Letter-opener? You could have some of those lying around. Pointy candle stick? Ooh, how about a quill? Or a pair of scissors? (do they exist in your world?) Knitting needle? Crochet hook?

Ok, you've exhausted my imagination. *shifts mind to parking gear* Hope some of those help!

Ah...so...that's what Manda's MC was throwing at my MC....scary...but cool!

Don't suppose your world would have a crowbar lying around, huh?

My brother made a shuriken. It works well; although I can't say all our gumtrees agree.

I vote wood shard! It can be sharp but blunt enough to not hit internal organs. It'll still leave a miserable gash that will make your character bleed like a martyr. And there are splinters!

A tooth!

Seriously though, he could make a makeshift short spear with a wolf tooth or something. A piece of wood may work...

A piece of wood would work...but the shrapnel would cause severe bleeding so the character would need medical attention or he/she would die...even if he/she were stabbed in a not typically considered fatal place; such as the arm or leg, etc.

At least, I think. I could be wrong.

Unless it's a slash or a scrape most wounds can be fatal without a medic. That's why the Romans favored thrust over slash. How about the tail quill of a six foot porcupine!

Ok, I've been thinking more about the situation. Whatever the weapon is it must be sharp, like a blade or something. Whatever it is, the bad guy found it at a fight scene where he discovered his assassin had been killed. His sanity being in question and his drive for revenge force him to take up the nearest weapon, (small so that he can keep it hidden) and finish the assassination attempt though he has little experience with weapons and fighting.



This had me laughing. Did I happen to mention that the wounded character whose fate I now hold was given a giant panther tooth that he wears on a leather strap around his neck?



I love throwing stars! They're so much fun in a pointy dangerous sort of way. I've actually considered using a throwing star in this instance, but I'm not sure it would work for what I'm envisioning. I've thought about a broken arrow or spear head. And a wood shard would definitely be interesting!

I'll have to give this more thought. I'm still open for suggestions by the way. If you were a bad guy whose sanity is slipping, what choice weapon would you use in an assassination attempt?

Oh! For the record, the said wounded character is in the presence of a healer's apprentice, and close to a place where he can receive medical attention, so I'm all for excessive bleeding. Wait a minute... that sounded a bit harsh, didn't it? What I meant to say is that I'm prepared for the worst - should it happen.

Maybe the slightly crazy bad guy would see the large panther tooth, grab it, and stab your good guy with it.
Is the tooth large enough and sharp enough to do that?

I'm not sure, Aemi. To be honest I know of the panther tooth, but I've never actually seen it. Not yet anyway. It might be sharp. I'll have to ask my MC.

Google images has informed me that panther teeth are relatively large, and very pointy. I think it would be an ideal murder weapon, that is if the bad guy knew where to insert it. The rib cage would probably be protective enough, and it's probably on a chain or cord or something so below it is too far... maybe the best place would be just above the collar bone into the esophagus? A very fatal blow indeed, but definitely heal-able by a healer...

It sounds like this bad guy wouldn't really know the best place to hit, but that's okay because Celestria wants the good guy to survive.

Where was it that he got the weapon from? Is the wound mortal, but the MC managed to find medical attention? Or was it not fatal, beyond bleeding and infection, in the first place?

Your character could always pick a broken piece from a sword blade and wrap it in cloth to conceal it. Throwing knives vary in size and weight, can be concealed, and work just as well for stabbing as they do for throwing. Hunting and working knives also vary in size and can easily be concealed. If there is a fireplace in the room a fire iron will work.

If you want to go a bit crazy you could always pick knives used in certain professions such as wood carving knife, a linoleum knife, or a stitching awl. Really, anything with a point and enough pressure will do the job.

Ok, sorry I haven't responded to this sooner. I've been giving it more thought and I've come to the conclusion that I'm just going to keep giving it some more thought. I'm only two chapters into this book and since this scene would happen towards the end, I still have plenty of time deciding on my MC's supposed murder weapon.

Since the bad guy had never planned to kill my MC (he sort of just got in the way at the time) I imagine that his brain would conjure up another plan. Different victim, different weapon. It would make sense for him to get his hands on something in the kitchen.

Yes! I'm very fond of that idea. However, my character seems to hate it. He's giving me that angry "you can't be serious/there's no way that will happen look". I don't think he realizes that my pen is mightier than his sword.

Anyway, thanks guys for your help!

It really all depends on the character... What would he/she use? As above comments say. An especially evil or cruel person would probably take the time dip it in poison because he isn't afraid of you, if they would have the upper hand at that moment(which by me; poison is a fun thing to put in stories!). And someone afraid would probably grab the thing nearest to them.