Dan
Scribe
Hi,
I have a scene in which a mounted man-at-arms is shot in the throat with a crossbow bolt from a distance of about thirty-meters, and from at an angle of about eighty-degrees. (The rebel will be to his left)
The man-at-arms will be wearing a mail coif (Covering his neck), A leather Gambeson, and on-top of that a mail.
Now my question is; could a sharpened and fire-hardened wooden cross-bolt (No iron head) penetrate mail, and leather as well as penetrating a humans throat. If so, would the chances of the wood splintering upon impact against the mail, and/ or leather be very likely (It has a fire-hardened point). And lastly would an experienced soldier from the period of about 1200 - 1400 have had the experience to pull out the cross-bolt, or the splinters, and to apply pressure to the would with a clean (or relatively clean) cloth?
I should just add in that I don't want this soldier to die. In fact in the chapter he is treated by two men, his coif is taken off and a cloth is wrapped around his neck, with another bit of cloth being used to stem the bleeding, and then the men lift him onto a horse and prepare to ride off before the rebels attack them again. I really don't know if this sounds believable though.
He could die later on if it is impossible to survive such a thing. I know there are jugular veins, and all other manners of vital body parts in that area.
I have a scene in which a mounted man-at-arms is shot in the throat with a crossbow bolt from a distance of about thirty-meters, and from at an angle of about eighty-degrees. (The rebel will be to his left)
The man-at-arms will be wearing a mail coif (Covering his neck), A leather Gambeson, and on-top of that a mail.
Now my question is; could a sharpened and fire-hardened wooden cross-bolt (No iron head) penetrate mail, and leather as well as penetrating a humans throat. If so, would the chances of the wood splintering upon impact against the mail, and/ or leather be very likely (It has a fire-hardened point). And lastly would an experienced soldier from the period of about 1200 - 1400 have had the experience to pull out the cross-bolt, or the splinters, and to apply pressure to the would with a clean (or relatively clean) cloth?
I should just add in that I don't want this soldier to die. In fact in the chapter he is treated by two men, his coif is taken off and a cloth is wrapped around his neck, with another bit of cloth being used to stem the bleeding, and then the men lift him onto a horse and prepare to ride off before the rebels attack them again. I really don't know if this sounds believable though.
He could die later on if it is impossible to survive such a thing. I know there are jugular veins, and all other manners of vital body parts in that area.