Beyond Cuir Bouilli

[Thought about entitling this 'Alternatives to Leather'. I suspect that would mislead some people searching online....]

Recent posts have focused on a series of equipment lists for a proposed Enlightenment-inspired setting. Among other things, I hoped that these lists would provide a variety of light armour variants - as indicated by the number of civilian roles listed, and the title of the first such list. 

However, I hope to do something a little different here. Firstly, I want to list light armour variants, but I also want to list their 'upgrades'. Certainly, I can use the hide of the Zinc Owlbear of the Bloodmarsh Dale to create light armour with a +4 bonus instead of a +1, but I'm hoping to do something a little distinct, similar to Gus L's +1 Swords.

Also, distinct from other equipment lists, this is intended to be.....well, if not bland, vanilla. Able to be slotted neatly another setting, or inspire else something in a more specific cultural context. This sets it aside from my previous lists and their inspirations (though some of the work for this list has clearly been done in those).

A quick note also to point readers in the direction of Fitzgerald's post on various armours, which almost ought to be a standard text on this sort of subject.

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I don't suppose I have to formally define 'Light Armour' for readers of this blog, but given I'm ringing the changes in this post, I will set out a few points to clarify things a little.

Light Armour....

1. Offers some protection from blows, but considerably less than other sorts of armour.
2. Doesn't weigh too much.
3. Allows the wearer to move fairly freely (IE, allows for athletics, acrobatics, stealth, drawing a longbow, &c)

The list below hopefully always adheres to at least two out of the three of these. Point One will always be one of these points. 

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	Standard	Upgrade
1	Furs - A coat of dense, warm furs. A boon in cold weather, but a serious handicap in the heat. These are also somewhat more encumbering than other light armours.	Mountain Man's furs - A complete, carefully modelled set of furs, that manage to keep the head and claws of the bear they were taken from intact. Bonuses to prestige/charisma (it looks quite impressive, though perhaps other bears may not think so) and provides a set of d4 melee weapons in the shape of the claws.
2	Guerrilla's Blanket - A thick blanket, slung around the body in a broad loop. This provides a small quantity of protection. The blanket loop can also be widened to form an impromptu padded 'shield' (half the protection of a regular shield), wrapped around one hand.  (This isn't quite a regular blanket - the blanket has to be aptly sized, of suitable thickness and a few internal straps added, quite apart from the need for proper technique).	Flying Carpet offcuts - Offcuts from a flying carpet have been woven into this Guerrilla's Blanket. This means that falls will damage the wearer less, as their speed is slowed by the carpet patches.  The blanket can also be folded into a small (one foot square) bundle that will hover about two feet off the floor.
	Padded Cloth Armour - Tough-packed cloth armour, worn next to the skin. It will slow and trap attacks, rather than strictly deflecting them. Lightweight and breathable, this is ideal for warmer climes - though perhaps not for midwinter.	Discretion Suit - a full set of cloth armour, stained in drab, shadowy colours, complete with pads for the feet and hands. The wearer can move very quietly indeed, and stifle shouts with the gauntlets - but the pads make gripping with the feet and hands more difficult. Activities that require precise footwork or manipulation are at a disadvantage.
4	Oilskins - The tough surface of this waterproof cloak will tangle and blunt blows, as well as repelling water and other fluids. However, in order to get the full benefit of the armour, it must cover most of the body, and will interfere with drawing a bow.	Gallant's cloak - this is an ornate outer garment, designed to repel water. If cast over a body of water, you can walk on top of the cloak and not sink (this is like walking on thick mud - it can be difficult to keep your footing). Secondly, the cloak will attract other traces of dirt, keeping the wearer's other garments clean. This also applies to anyone walking on the cloak, especially one's lady-love.
5	Smith's apron - a heavy, rigid apron of leather with accompanying gloves. This provides insulation from sources of heat, and the leather has been treated to make it fireproof.  Whatever protection this offers, it is still a little cumbersome, unlikely to bend effectively. The wearer will struggle to crouch or perform athletic feats wearing it.	Mockdrake jacket - Actual dragon scales are hard to come by, even if you have the money. Therefore, wizards examining those scales have developed their own lightweight, fire- and heat-proof material, derived from ceramics.  These tend to be attached to a tough jacket to form a more flexible garment, suitable for firefighters or anyone else who need to move fast around naked flames.  Quite what the dragons think of these is anyone's guess.
6	Cavalryman's coat - a warm coat, cut for riding, with projectile pouches and loops sewn into the chest.  This means less than a dozen projectiles can be carried without taking up an inventory slot, but they will be damaged or deformed beyond use if the wearer takes a critical hit.  The wearer of the coat will also unmistakably be marked as one following the profession of arms.	Houndstooth vest - A cuirass covered in numerous studs, each a dog's head in miniature. These have been enchanted; when patted on the head, they will open their jaws and then close them on whatever the wearer puts between them. Thus, if you don't object to tiny tooth marks on your possessions, they can carry a number of items for you, freeing perhaps two inventory slots.
7	Banner pole - this suit of armour features a banner, totem or trophy rack fixed on the back, with straps across the front. This hampers attacks from the rear (no backstabbing bonuses!) and allows a warrior to communicate across the battlefield....with the natural consequences to stealth.	Martial Splendour - in addition to the imposing bulk of a banner, this armour features a number of noisemakers - sistrum rattles, small bells or similar such items. These can be set in motion at will in order to only intimidate one's opponents, or (with the correct enchantments) distract spellcasters. Of course, anyone with both broad banners and chiming bells is more of a target than ever.
8	Ghost Armour - These are frequently issued to lesser inquisitorial agents, or are worn by travelling folk-exorcists.  A tough coat is lined with wires of blessed silver, or rune-stones, or paper charms, or carved bones - all different ways of discouraging ghosts. Malignant spirits are prevented from wreaking the full force of their powers against the wearer. However, this is the cheap form of ghost protection. If the wearer takes a critical hit from a mundane foe, the anti-ghost measures will be deformed and must be replaced.	Grave Armour - If you can't beat them, join them. This coat, looking much like Ghost Armour, was made by a magical artificer who definitely has never ever met any necromancers, and does not even know what a liche is. Like Ghost Armour, it protects against fell spirits, but does this by keeping a ghost on your person at all times. You become, effectively, a walking tomb. Again, like Ghost Armour, if too badly damaged, the ghost will probably depart. However, the ghost on your person provides certain benefits. It can act as a second set of eyes, or intimidate potential adversaries; a sufficiently motivated wraith can even carry small objects. But this is all rather dependant on a good working relationship with the ghost in question.  There are those that will imagine the wearer of this coat to be a rather morbid person. Further, there are those that might think it blasphemous so to shackle a departed spirit to this mortal realm.

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Various inspirations, illustrations, &c

Gazyrs: a delight to Cossacks and Scrabble players alike.

From True Grit, Dir. Joel & Ethan Coen, 2010

(I have only seen The Pride and the Passion once many years ago, but it made an impact. Though for some reason, I recall the scene in rather more Goya-esque tones.)

Excalibur, Armour, Dragons

A recent viewing of the 1981 John Boorman film Excalibur made me think lightly about costume.

Two light points to begin with:

1) Happy, dancing matrons in blockish medieval headdresses is by no means a bad look.
2) Congratulations to Nicol Williamson for playing the mighty wizard Merlin 'Chromebonce'.



But more particularly, every scene is full of men wearing armour. Knights are almost perpetually in armour. Armour uncovered by tabards or paint or engraving. Obviously metal armour. It becomes almost part of their being. The knight is not determined by their weapon (other than Excalibur, everyone is quite happy to switch weapons every so often) or their personal heraldry (rarely in evidence, aside from flags - never focused on, really).

Before the coming of Arthur, this is crude, black iron armour, with conspicuous spikes or studs. There are prominent straps and jangling discs. Heavy masks cover the face. Pauldrons are weighty and asymmetric. Modred's rebels share this armour. There is something Orc-like in it, though this may be a Peter Jackson-inspired retrospective thought. At any rate, the message is clear: until Arthur comes, we are all orcs - and it is worth remembering that the knights of Camelot are the raiders and reavers that rode with Uther, or their sons.

At Camelot, however, armour is shinier, sleeker and symmetric. Better proportioned, cleaner. The effect is striking and doubtless intentional. When knights wearing the two different types of armour fight, it is as if a Space Marine of the 41st Millennium is fighting Captain America: the clear, colourful, human and heroic against the hulking, industrial and deliberately ugly. Or, indeed, like watching Darth Vader fight Luke Skywalker.

Modred himself, of course, wears gold armour with spiked edges, a sculpted breastplate and a helmet shaped like a human face. An imperial, trying-too-hard parody of a knight, perhaps. I suspect that this was in a different way what the costume designers were going for with Snoke in The Last Jedi, with his gold robe, bright throne room and elaborately armoured guards; no dull, vast machinery and black hood for him. A pity the look was not maintained for other antagonists.

The look of these armours is so uniform to imply a degree of unreality - could any set of armour be so   perfectly in keeping with its peers? But that's no real problem in this film.

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One of the odder little details of the film are the pseudo-Nature worship angle of Merlin and Morgan Le Fay's magic. It's rather a step away from the tomes-and-alchemy Merlin of The Once and Future King, for instance. But it isn't (quite) the Celtic pagan remnant associated with Marion Zimmer Bradley (though interestingly, there is a constant 'Celtic Christianity'* feel to the Christianity of the film - beards, strange tonsures, gestures of blessing with oak branches).

Instead, we get strange paens to the possibly amoral force of the land called the Dragon. Difficult to summon up, unconcerned much with individuals and if not omnipresent, then certainly extensive in its presence. If it has a morality, the big-picture political concerns of Merlin and the health of the land are the closest thing it has.

The Prophet class of The 52 Pages might form an agreeable fit for a Merlin-esque character, or 'Prophet of the Great Dragon'.

Spell Schools: Knowledge, Nature, Illusion
Motto: Unite the Land and Make it Healthy
Symbol: Coiling serpent
Weapon: Staff, Metal Skullcap




*Not that we really have a solid idea of what that looked like, hence the scare quotes.

Armour Alternatives

Thinking on the images of first level adventurers being dressed in near-identical (to the point of uniform) armour, it robs it of flavour. Consider: picking up a Sword in the character creation might suggest itself to a long, thin epee or a cutlass or a scimitar (presuming the system being used doesn't give different stats for each). Similarly, choosing a Polearm might suggest a Billhook or Halberd or Glaive.

Just saying that you wear chainmail or leather (studded or otherwise) or laminar - it doesn't offer quite the same options. Now, this does offer the opportunity to gain interesting armour at later levels - a breastplate of Dwarven manufacture, an Elven cloak, a helmet made from the skin of the Nemean Lion. But it feels less characterful, after a fashion.

So: this is meant to be a selection of armour, plausible to be found by a aspiring adventurer and a touch more interesting than a shirt of mail.

Gladiator Armour  Armour that protects only certain parts of the body, forcing the wearer to favour a particular fighting style - for the amusement of the spectators. Perhaps not the first choice for the aspiring dungeon explorer, but a viable alternative. It might be possible to incorporate new pieces of armour into the ensemble - but at a cost both financial and aesthetic.

(Exactly this kind of thing, in other words)

Branded Armour  The armour you have obtained is or was emblazoned with the symbol of a particular organisation. It might be a military or religious order, a merchant house - or something else entirely. This might have no effects in battle - but have a very definite effect in social scenarios.

If, then, you find or purchase a breastplate bearing the sigil of the Gilded Regiment of the Imperial Legion, you may find that anti-Imperial partisans object to this - or that the Imperial Authorities object to your use of something from their armouries. Even if you have the sigil removed (which may be costly or unsightly) there are those who will take you for a deserter trying to conceal his crime.

Cavalry Armour Armour designed to be those riding into battle. Perhaps not a problem at all times, but liable to  prove a problem at a critical moment. Moreover, consider that in the fantastical settings one might inhabit, the beasts of burden may differ significantly from the horse or camel.

Marine Armour Armour worn by seaborne soldiers. Capable of being removed swiftly at need when one falls overboard and treated against rust - if somewhat less robust than other types.

Concealed Armour It doesn't look like armour. But underneath the doublet, there are layers of plates - detectable to those who know how to look for them, or those close enough to touch. Of course, once battle is joined, the concealment is ruined and must be repaired by a skilled tailor. Moreover, the armour, in order that it can be concealed, is principally made of unlinked plates that are not always reliable at stoppingthe heaviest blows.


(One other good example of flavourful armour for starting characters can be found over at Dungeon of Signs. I love these sets of starting equipment - but they are explicitly part of the setting. This article is hopefully more general purpose).