 Composite Bow Crossbow |
Although some primitive projectiles had been in production since the fall of Pheebor (396 BE), the Age of Archery saw the abundant production of efficient and effective missile weapons. These included crossbows, short bows, composite bows, and long bows, as well as various bolts and fletchers.
To counter this newfound successful form of warfare, various defenses were invented, such as bow-visored helmets, large shields, and fortifications with arrow slits and metal roofs to protect defenders. One of such state-of-the-art castle defenses from the eighth century, was found at Flatheadia. This fortified parapet, resting on stone corbels, rimmed the roof. Machicolations, holes between the corbels, allowed massive weights to be dropped on invaders below. (More often, they were dropped rather painfully on the soldier's own toe.) Crenellations were spaced around the parapet, providing openings for armaments and offering a commanding view of the castle grounds.
| Age of Barbarity | c. 3120~2500 to c. 1000 BE |
| Age of Metallurgy | c. 1000 to 200 BE |
| Age of Archery | 200 BE to 660 GUE |
| Age of Powder | 660 to 883 GUE |
| Age of Kaine | 883 to 949 GUE |
| SOURCE(S): Zork Nemesis (Game, Design Documents, Nino Ruffini's notes on the Design Documents), Zork Zero, Beyond Zork |