# Olympic Dragon Slaying Contest



## Snaga (Jun 17, 2007)

Which was the best?

Judging categories are:

Bravery
Style and panache
Strategic importance
Endurance and perseverance


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## chrysophalax (Jun 17, 2007)

That's right...pick on the Dragons, we're easy targets...*snarl* It's no wonder we're nearly extinct.


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## YayGollum (Jun 17, 2007)

Garn. Giving categories? Dang. oh well. After weighing things, I had to go with Bard. Maybe if I had more information about that Fram dude, I could have gone with him. 

For bravery, Bard wins by a lot because he, as far as I know, had zero experience with scariness of this level before, had plenty of examples of cowardice from his fellow Lakemen that he refused to copy, and, of course, their was a giant as well as flying and fire-breathing dragon coming at him, which would most probably make a large splash, even if he took it down. Turin elfbane was never brave, merely crazy. I don't know enough about the situations of Earendil and Fram, even though I'm sure that both of their dragon kills were scary.

For style as well as panache, Bard easily wins. Everybody's running away. Nothing was making a dent in the dragon. The dragon was full of self-confidence. Bard, the superly cool guy, so unappreciated, nevertheless stared the dragon down, spotted the missing chink in the armour, winked at his girlfriend, kissed his black arrow for good luck, killed the monster with one hit, then nodded to himself and sauntered off to make himself a sandwich. Turin had no style or panache. Too simple, too boring. Earendil's fight probably looked pretty cool, but he didn't have enough of a personality. I don't know enough about Fram.

For strategic importance, Bard would be Number Two, which would still allow him to win in the end. "Oh, what if Sauron could talk Smaug into helping him out with taking over the world?" the evil torturer Gandalf wondered. Most people know about that. But Turin elfbane wins this one, since Glaurung was easily the scariest and could have been a lot more useful, in the end. When it comes to Earendil, no, this was during some war with a bunch of Ainur and Valinor-powered-upwards elves. Somebody would have gotten around to killing Ancalagon. Scatha's death didn't seem important at all, of course.

For endurance as well as perseverence, Bard also gets Number Two. He had all kinds of endurance for living among those annoying Lakemen for so long, then saving them? Why not? Turin elfbane wins this one, though, since he had to climb up that cliff, then wonder about what happened to one of his buddies, then see one get killed, and, as a matter of course, there was that gross smell to get closer to. Earendil easily loses, since he just had to wait for an opening while sitting around on his boat, then swing the thing under the dragon's belly, when the time seemed right. I wish that I knew more about Fram, especially for this one.


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## Snaga (Jun 18, 2007)

Turin

Bravery - 9 - Noone had ever gone up against a dragon one on one before.
Style - 2 - Sorry, but a sneaky thrust to the belly from a ravine is poor
Strategic importance - 5 - Too be honest, it was all too late
Endurance - 10 - Well to do that gorge traverse and then attack was pretty cool

Total: 26

Earendil

Bravery - 5 - Well, having all the birds on your side is a bit less brave.
Style - 9 - I guess the Silmaril shining, flying boat... not bad!
Strategic importance - 8 - Well this was a pretty important battle. Points deducted because I think the Valar would have sent _someone!_
Endurance - 8 - This battle went on all night! But then, he was riding around in a flying boat!

Total: 30

Fram

Bravery - 10 - This was just some fairly ordinary guy. Can hardly be faulted
Style - 1 - Not stylish enough to be reported
Strategic importance - 3 - Helped free the North of dragons, but still...
Endurance - 5 - Who can tell?

Total: 19

Bard

Bravery - 7 - Stood firm when all else dived for cover. But still, a long shot. Would he go up close and personal?
Style - 9 - A great shot!
Strategic importance - 9 - Smaug enlisted by Sauron would have turned the War of the Ring.
Endurance - 3 - Standing there and shooting. Doesn't win here I think.

Total: 28


So its a close call, but I'll give this one to Earendil!


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## YayGollum (Jun 18, 2007)

Well, I'd give a bit less to Earendil in strategic importance. Mostly because we don't get information in the way of how scary and destructive that Ancalagon dude could be. Sure, we read that he was the oldest of the flying dragons, but that could merely mean that he had dull teeth and was senile. I doubt it, but it's just as valid an opinion, due to missing facts. And, as was already pointed out, somebody would have killed the guy. Earendil just found a convenient point. Dragons aren't too difficult to kill. All of those regular humans and Dwarves killing the things, and this one was in a battle full of Ainur and Valinor-powered-up elveses.

Also, a few less points on endurance, too. Sure, it was a long battle, but what do we hear of Earendil's exploits, besides this one thing? Maybe there were lots of flying dragons. Who knows if any of those Balrogs could fly? Did he step off of his boat to kill anything on the ground? Who knows? Also, it's a superly magical boat. Who knows how much effort he had to put into navigating the thing? I don't.


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## cardanas (Jun 19, 2007)

Earendil, Ancalagon was the mightiest dragon...


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