S PECIAL A RMOR M ATERIALS

BRONZE

Bronze armors were commonly used for some time in Tellene’s history, as even the Dejy of the Elos and Khydoban worked in bronze 1000 years before the arrival of the other humans on the main continent. While the knowledge of effectively crafting iron and steel was long known by the elves and dwarves, bronze was state of the art in human development.

In an area where copper is plentiful relative to iron, one would expect to find more items crafted of bronze. Although bronze armor and shields are generally known to be inferior to similar iron or steel designs, such armors are only half the price of iron ones.

Making armor out of bronze results in a -1 penalty to AC below the values listed for standard iron armor in Table 3-1: Armor. The armor types for which bronze versions are available include: banded mail, backplate, breastplate, chain shirt, chainmail, frontplate, full plate, half-plate, scale mail and splint mail. D&D players may find

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Cost Armor Maximum Armor Check Arcane Spell Weight Type (gp) Bonus Dex Bonus Penalty Failure (lb.)

Bouche 2 - - - - -1 Buckler 15 +1 - -1 5% 5 Enarmes 2 - - - - 1 Guige 1 - - - - - Painting varies - - - - - Shield, axe 30 +2 - -1 15% 20 Shield, heavy wooden 7 +2 - -2 15% 10 Shield, heavy metal 20 +2 - -2 15% 15 Shield, light wooden 3 +1 - -1 5% 5 Shield, light metal 9 +1 - -1 5% 6 Shield, tower 30 +4 or cover +2 -10 50% 45 Shield, Pavase 60 +3 or cover - -10 65% 55 Shield, tribal 2 +1 - -2 3% 5 Shield blade (orc) 10 - - - - 0.5 Shield spikes +10 - - - - +5 Stetarshe 3 - - - - 3

more information on crafting armor in the Craft skill in Chapter 4: Skills of the Player's Handbook. The DC associated with crafting bronze armor is 9 + the AC bonus. Bronze shields are equivalent to iron shields of the same size, though they can only take 1d4 hits before becoming unusable. (HackMaster players should refer to page 103 in this book for more information.)

IRON ANDSTEEL

Most standard metal armor in the world of Tellene is made from iron. Certain expert craftsmen have the knowledge and skill to produce hardened steel by carefully controlling the carbon content of the alloy and using proper quenching, working techniques and tempering. Making armor out of high quality steel triples the cost (except for steel scale mail, which is four times the cost). However, it does result in a +1 AC bonus above and beyond those values listed for standard iron armor in Table 3-1: Armor. As noted above, iron and steel shields are essentially the same – though the iron versions of standard shields are cheaper and require more maintenance.

High quality steel versions of the following armor types are avail- able: backplate, banded mail, breastplate, chain shirt or chainmail (additional armor bonus only good against slashing attacks), front- plate, full plate, half-plate, scale mail and splint mail. D&D players may find more information on crafting armor in the Craft skill in Chapter 4: Skills of the Player's Handbook. The DC associated with crafting iron armor is 10 + the AC bonus, while the DC for steel armor is 11 + the AC bonus. (HackMaster players should refer to page 103 in this book for more information.)

ADAMANTINE

Adamantine is an extremely hard metal that enhances the protec- tive properties of armor even more than steel. D&D players can find information on adamantine and its special damage reduction

properties in Chapter 7: Magic Items, Special Materials in the D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide. The armor types for which adamantine versions are available include: banded mail, backplate, bezainted, breastplate, brigandine, chain shirt, chainmail (any), coat, dwarven plate, frontplate, full plate, half-plate, lamellar, ring mail, scale mail, splint mail and studded. Further statistics on adamantine armor are tabulated in Table 3-6: Adamantine Armor.

DARKWOOD

Darkwood is a rare magic wood that is very light, while still being as hard as normal wood. D&D players can find information on darkwood in Chapter 7: Magic Items, Special Materials in the D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide. The armor types for which darkwood versions are available on Tellene include the wooden breastplate, lamellar and splint mail. The game statistics for each of these armors are listed in Table 3-7: Darkwood Armors.

DRAGONHIDE

Dragonhide armor is, obviously, armor made from the hide (including scales) of a dragon. D&D players can find information on dragonhide armor in Chapter 7: Magic Items, Special Materials in the D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide.

The armor types for which dragonhide armors are available on Tellene include backplate, banded mail, breastplate, frontplate, full

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Max Armor Arcane Cost Armor Dex Check Spell Weight Type (gp) Bonus Bonus Penalty3 _{Failure % (lb)} Light Studded Leather 5,175 +3 +5 -1 15 20 Bezainted Leather 5,200 +4 +4 -3 15 25 Chain Shirt 5,250 +4 +4 -1 20 25 Backplate1 _{5,300 +5 +3 -1 20 15} Frontplate2 _{5,300 +5 +3 -1 20 15} Medium Ringmail 10,180 +3 +4 -3 25 25 Bezainted Hide 10,205 +4 +3 -4 25 40 Coat 10,250 +4 +3 -4 20 30 Scale Mail 10,200 +4 +3 -3 25 30 Brigandine 10,270 +4 +3 -2 20 30 Studded Hide 10,275 +4 +2 -6 20 35 Lamellar 10,350 +4 +3 -3 25 30 Chainmail 10,300 +5 +2 -4 30 40 Breastplate 10,350 +5 +3 -3 25 30 Elven Chainmail 10,450 +5 +4 -3 25 35 Dark Elven Chainmail 10,600 +6 +1 -4 30 45

Heavy Splint Mail 15,350 +6 -- -6 40 45 Banded Mail 15,400 +6 +1 -5 35 35 Half-plate 15,750 +7 -- -6 40 50 Full Plate 16,650 +8 +1 -5 35 50 Dwarven Plate 18,150 +9 -- -7 45 55

1. Protects only against attacks made from the rear and rear flank positions. 2. Protects only against attacks made from the front and front flank positions.

3. Because bezainted, coat, ringed and studded armors are not primarily adamantine, their armor check penalty cannot be reduced.

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Max Armor Arcane Cost Armor Dex Check Spell Weight Type (gp) Bonus Bonus Penalty Failure % (lb) Light

Wooden Breastplate 375 +2 +2 -1 20 10

Medium

Lamellar, Wood 700 +3 +3 -2 25 15

Heavy

Splint Mail, Wood 850 +5 +0 -5 40 22

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Max Armor Arcane Cost Armor Dex Check Spell Weight Type (gp) Bonus Bonus Penalty Failure % (lb) Light

Wooden Breastplate 1,175 +2 +2 -3 0 20

Medium

Lamellar, Wood 1,400 +3 +3 -4 5 40

Heavy

Splint Mail, Wood 1,450 +5 +0 -7 20 45

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Max Armor Arcane Cost Armor Dex Check Spell Weight Type (gp) Bonus Bonus Penalty Failure % (lb) Light Backplate 600 +5 +3 -3 20 15 Frontplate 600 +5 +3 -3 20 15 Medium Hide 330 +3 +4 -3 20 25 Bezainted hide 380 +4 +3 -4 25 40 Studded hide 550 +5 +2 -6 25 35 Breastplate 700 +5 +3 -4 25 30 Heavy Banded mail 800 +6 +1 -6 35 50 Half-plate 1,500 +7 +0 -7 40 50 Full plate 3,300 +8 +1 -6 35 50

plate, half-plate and hide. The game statistics for each of these (Medium) armors are listed on Table 3-9: Dragonhide Armors. LLORANNION

Wood from the llorannion tree is said to be the rarest of all woods on Tellene. The first llorannion tree began as a simple seed, from the most perfect oak tree that Lohroni, its elven keeper, could find. He planted it in a sacred grove and tended it every day, refusing to tell the exact nature of his tending. For years, he watched it grow, watered it, fed it and poured his soul into it. As the tree grew stronger and taller, Lohroni grew more stooped, more decrepit and

more insane. He ordered “lesser” forms of life removed from the area and other trees taken away. Some even suggested that he used his brethren in preparing special forms of mulch and compost for it. When the elders announced Lohroni must be removed, and the tree left to its own devices, Lohroni refused, attacking all those who tried to approach. Eventually, he was defeated, and the tree burned. But not quickly, and not completely.

His last apprentice refused to let the beauty of the tree die. The druidess, named Rannion, salvaged some of its seeds and fled into the night. Legends say that she dropped the seeds in at least three places before dying. Hardier than most trees, they grew in unusual locations. One is said to grow in a lost oasis in the Elos Desert, one somewhere in the Elenon Mountains and one on an island now lost. Even these remnants of the perfect tree, they say, can bring the hardest of hearts to tears at the sight of its splendor. Some still quest to find them, just for a single look.

All armors formed from a llorannion tree grant a +6 enhancement bonus to the wearer’s Charisma rolls that affect how others see or trust him. The arcane spell failure from wearing such armor is reduced by 20. The armor types for which llorannion versions are available on Tellene include the wooden breastplate, lamellar and splint mail. The game statistics for each of these armors are listed in Table 3-8: Llorannion Armors.

Llorannion has 5 hardness and 10 hit points per inch (of thick- ness). The masterwork quality of llorannion armor does not affect the wearer’s armor check penalty or provide any armor bonus. Because of their rarity, finding a llorannion tree and crafting these armors may only occur with DM approval.

MITHRAL

Mithral is a strong, yet lightweight, metal that is ideal for creating armor and other items. D&D players can find more information on mithral in Chapter 7: Magic Items, Special Materials in the D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide. The armor types for which mithral versions are available include: banded mail, backplate, bezainted, breastplate, brigandine, chain shirt, chainmail (any), coat, dwarven plate, frontplate, full plate, half-plate, lamellar, ring mail, scale mail, splint mail and studded leather. Game statistics associated with mithral armor are tabulated in Table 3-10: Mithral Armor.

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Max Armor Arcane Cost Armor Dex Check Spell Weight Type (gp) Bonus Bonus3 _Penalty4_{Failure %}5 _(lb) Light Studded Leather 1,175 +3 +6 -- 10 15 Bezainted Leather 1,200 +4 +6 -- 10 20 Chain Shirt 1,250 +4 +6 -- 10 15 Backplate1 _{1,300 +5 +5 -- 10 10} Frontplate2 _{1,300 +5 +5 -- 10 10} Ring Mail 4,180 +3 +6 -- 15 20 Bezainted Hide 4,190 +4 +4 -3 20 30 Scale Mail 4,200 +4 +5 -1 15 20 Coat 4,250 +4 +5 -1 10 20 Brigandine 4,270 +4 +5 -- 10 20 Lamellar 4,350 +4 +5 -1 15 20 Studded Hide 4,275 +5 +4 -3 20 30 Chainmail 4,300 +5 +3 -2 20 20 Breastplate 4,350 +5 +4 -1 15 20 Elven Chainmail 4,450 +5 +6 -1 15 20 Dark Elven Chainmail 4,600 +6 +3 -2 20 30

Medium Banded Mail 9,400 +6 +3 -3 25 25 Splint Mail 9,350 +6 +2 -4 30 35 Half-plate 9,750 +7 +2 -4 30 30 Full Plate 10,650 +8 +3 -3 25 30 Dwarven Plate 12,150 +9 +2 -5 35 35

1. Protects only against attacks made from the rear and rear flank positions. 2. Protects only against attacks made from the front and front flank positions.

3. The Maximum Dex Bonus for bezainted, coat, ringed and studded armors cannot exceed that of the base armor (hide or leather, and heavy cloth for coat). For example, per the rules on page 284 of the D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide, mithral studded leather would have a max Dex bonus of +7, but leather itself has a max Dex bonus of +6. Thus, the +6 value is the appropriate one to use. This is because the armor is not primarily mithral. Other armors not primarily mithral may also have lesser benefits.

4.The Armor Check Penalty for bezainted, coat, ringed and studded armors cannot be less than that of the base armor. 5. The Arcane Spell Failure for bezainted, coat, ringed and studded armors cannot be less than that of the base armor.

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Market Price Modifier (gp)

Creature Light Medium Heavy Special Property

Ankheg +400 +600 +900 -1 point of damage per die of acid damage. (Ex) Behir +400 +600 +900 -1 point of damage per die of electrical damage. (Su) Bulette +1,150 +1,725 +2,575 +1 to armor bonus. (Ex)

Chuul - +1,725 - +1 to armor bonus; only applicable for hide and scale mail. (Ex) Cockatrice +200 +300 +450 +2 bonus to saves against petrifying attacks of a cockatrice;

N/A for scale mail. (Su)

Cloaker +175 +250 +375 +1 to saving throws versus shadow subtype spells; N/A for scale mail. (Su) Demonic [Evil] +1,150 +1,725 +2,575 -1 point of damage per die from cold, fire, acid and electricity attacks. (Su) Devil [Evil] +900 +1,350 +2,025 -1 point of damage per die from cold, fire and acid attacks. (Su) Digester +400 +600 +900 -1 point of damage per die of acid damage; N/A for scale mail. (Ex)

Displacer beast +1,150 +1,725 +2,575 +1 armor bonus against ranged attacks and +1 resistance to ranged spells and ranged magical attacks that specifically target the wearer of the armor; N/A for scale mail. (Su)

Frost worm +400 +600 +900 -1 point of damage per die of cold damage; N/A for scale mail. (Su)

Gorgon - +250 - +1 bonus to saves made against turning to stone. Only applicable for hide and scale mail. (Su) Pyrohydra +600 +900 +1,350 -1 point of damage per die of fire damage; N/A for scale mail. (Su)

Cryohydra +600 +900 +1,350 -1 point of damage per die of cold damage; N/A for scale mail. (Su) Winter wolf +400 +600 +900 -1 point of damage per die of cold damage; N/A for scale mail. (Su) Yuan-ti +400 +600 +900 -1 point of damage per die of acid damage. (Ex)

MONSTERHIDE

Along with metal, bone and other organic materials, armor may also be crafted from certain monster hides or scales, other than. These armors function like their masterwork versions, except that the material possesses some special property similar or identical to the properties of the once-living monster. To craft such an item, the character must succeed at a Knowledge (monsters) check (DC 25). See the KINGDOMS OFKALAMARPlayer’s Guide for more information on this skill. A successful check indicates the character knows the special properties the dead creature’s body still possesses, as well as how to properly skin the beast and craft the special armor. A failed check indicates he does not know this information. (Use of this skill does not allow the character to craft other, more common types of armor.)

The monsters listed on Table 3-9B: Monsterhide Armors produce enough material for one masterwork suit of the following: brigan- dine, hide (normal, bezainted or studded), lamellar, skins, tinker and sometimes scale mail armor for a character up to one size smaller than the creature itself. The prices on this table include the masterwork cost.

While other types of monsterhide armors are possible, the proper- ties of such armors are unknown at this point – even among those with specialized knowledge of monsters. It is also possible to manufacture magical suits (such as dragon scale mail) from exotic creatures, with an even wider range of powers that those described in Table 3-9B. Though this tome does not deal with such armors, an example of magical dragon scale mail is described on page 78 of the KINGDOMS OFKALAMARadventure Lost Tomb of Kruk-Ma-Kali.

Unless otherwise noted, the monsters listed are described in the D&D Monster Manual. Armors marked by [Evil] may be worn by anyone, but are typically worn only by characters of evil alignment. A paladin wearing armor made from the hide of a devil may be feared, shunned or praised depending upon the nature of the viewer. The Special Property column lists what special property the armor possesses – usually Extraordinary (Ex) or Supernatural (Su) as defined in the D&D Dungeon Master’s Guide.

BARDING

In addition to being one of the standard character classes, a “bard” is also a piece of armor for a character’s mount. When referred to in the plural, as in multiple pieces of armor covering one’s mount, the animal has “barding” or has been “barded.” Barding can be functional, ornamental or a mixture of both. It could be little more than a light cloth covering intended to display the rider’s emblem or standard, or it could be a series of heavy armored plates designed to protect the mount during battle. Cloth barding might be used in organized tournaments when the combatant would not expect his horse to be in any danger. On the battlefield, of course, a mount needs more substantial protection.

The types of horse barding, along with the game statistics associ- ated with each, are shown in Table 3-11: Horse Barding. Barding for other types of mounts is also available. However, the cost will vary depending on the size of the creature. D&D players can find more information on barding (such as chafing, donning and doffing, and speed reduction) in Chapter 7: Equipment in the D&D Player’s Handbook.

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