It's the Murloc Life for Me [A Warcraft Isekai]

Chapter 6: Distractions and Desperations

As it turns out, most projectile weapons don't function so well underwater. Either their launching mechanism is unable to handle the environment, or the projectile is slowed down by the water so much it is practically useless. Bows, crossbows, even guns don't work properly when their strings and powder get wet. As a result, anything more advanced than a throwing spear was ignored by most murlocs, instead choosing to train in more melee-focused styles of combat.

In such an environment, it made sense they hadn't invented slings yet. There was just no drive to produce such a land-focused weapon back when murlocs were a more aquatic race, using small islands in the ocean as spawning grounds only. But now that they were expanding onto the shores, more permanent settlements sprang up outside of the water, and those communities would benefit from a superior way of fighting than just hitting whatever was closest with a big stick. Migration had always brought disparate peoples into conflict, and we had a long way to go when it came to land fighting.

The sling was probably the best weapon for the tribe at the moment. Easy to make, relatively quick to learn, and not restricted to the more physically fit hunters. You only had to take a strand of rope and tie the middle to create a pouch large enough to hold stones. With just that simple step, you had a weapon able to throw stones with enough force to fracture bones. It was a good thing Brgllrm's scout leader was a bit of a history buff because she had shown them how to make a sling while they were practicing their knots. Boy, a lot of the parents were not fond of that. The other girls in the group had fun with it though, building a makeshift target and having an impromptu tournament.

But as Brgllrm had learned back on Earth, it would take skill to throw those stones accurately, and Glrmgrlr was the most experienced member of the tribe when it came to combat. If anyone would be able to become proficient with a sling, it would be him. The fact that it would also distract him from the turtle, letting Brgllrm swoop in and get the poor boy out of there, was purely coincidental. At least, that was what she would tell anyone who asked otherwise. The only obstacle in front of her was convincing Glrmgrlr of the glory tied up in the little loop of string she handed to him.

"Think about it, Glrmgrlr. If you learn how to use this, then teach the other hunters and foragers, anything they manage to do with it is because of you. Because of your martial prowess and intellectual might. You would be a hero, the man who provided for the tribe long after his passing!"

Man I was laying it on thick, but stoking his ego was probably the best way to grab his attention. Provide some alternative source of prestige, one that would eat up his time, and I would be free to move the turtle to a safer location.

Plus, with the threat of another gnoll attack, it would be good to have some more effective ways of combating them. Slings could be given to the adults and worn as belts, so they would never be without some kind of weapon. The older children could even be given smaller slings to practice with, so they would be familiar with them when they became adults. With the disadvantages murlocs face when fighting on land, mainly slowed movement and relatively weak strikes, it was always dangerous for anyone short of the Tidehunters to engage in melee combat with anything larger than a cat. But if everyone was able to use a sling, they could launch waves of stones at whatever approached the village with hostile intent.

Glrmgrlr seemed a bit hesitant but stepped forward and took the sling I had made a few days ago. He took a good, hard look at it, gave it a good shake, and turned back towards me.

"This is a piece of rope. Not even good rope, just the stuff we give to the kids to practice making nets."

"Yeah well, I didn't want to waste any quality rope on a proof of concept. And it's not just rope, I made it into a deadly weapon."