Difference between revisions of "BeastArmors"

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Beast Armors

These armors were produced during the First Age for the use of Dragon Blooded troop commanders. Lesser versions were specially designed for their mortal soldiers with only token powers. Because of wide production during the First Age, the knowledge of construction Beast Armors of numerous varieties is still intact and newer, somewhat less efficient models, are still made by the Realm's artificers and smiths. The Immaculate Order considers the iconic helms of the Beast Armors borderline heresy, but lets the issue slide considering their great popularity and value in battle. Immaculate Monks, however, are banned from wearing any form of Beast Armor.

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Scout Armors

Raven Armor - Telgar
Artifact •
Soak: 5L/4B
Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 3

A scout's armor, the Raven most commonly adorned Air and Water Aspected special forces, but certain Sidereals and Solars favored the arcane powers of the Raven. Formed of a beaked helm and feather-covered bracers, sometimes with a chain shirt, the Raven Armor is made of Black Jade and traced with Moonsilver. A Raven warrior adds 2 dice to all Essence-based Perception rolls.

Tiger Armor - Telgar
Artifact •
Soak: 5L/5B
Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 1
Commitment: 4

Worn by those who would avoid detection when moving ahead of their allies, the Tiger Armor is forged of Red and White Jade or sometimes Red and Black. In either case the armor allows its wearer to move with the liquid grace of the Tiger, flowing unseen through the brush and darkness. While attuned, Tiger Armor adds 3 to the wearer's initiative and 10 to his maximum movement range. The armor also gives +1 difficulty to any roll that attempts to locate the wearer.

Wolf Armor - Telgar
Artifact •
Soak: 4L/4B
Mobility: -1 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 4

The chain mail shirt and wolf’s head helmet of this armor are made entirely of Black Iron with only trace amounts of White Jade spread through the mail and outlining the facial features of the helm. These armors were designed to be used by small teams of insurgents or light commandoes. It incorporates a cooperative matrix into the helmet, allowing a peripheral awareness of the activities of all allied Wolf Armors within 100 yards. Because of this coordinated information the wearers of Wolf Armor gain 1 die to all combat actions per Wolf Armor within the range of the cooperative matrix. The cooperation bonus can not exceed 5 dice. The sensory enhancement of the helm offers +3 dice to tracking rolls and negates all vision-related penalties caused by darkness.

Antelope Armour - Jarons20
Artifact ••
Soak: 3L/4B
Mobility: +2 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 5

Hailing from the southeast, a suit for scouting in the high grass and a quick getaway when needed. It consists of a sleeveless shirt made of chain mail set with stripes of white and red jade and a small helm fashioned with white jade horns, that provides two dice of Awareness, 1 die of Dodge, and gives the lightness and speed of the savannah Kudu. The wearer can travel easily, leaping thrice her normal distance and moving triple her sprinting distance with no exertion.

Bat Armor - Telgar
Artifact • •
Soak: 3L/3B
Mobility: +3 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 3

Only slightly more common then the Jackal Armor, Bat suits must be made of either Black Jade harvested from a Shadowland or Soulsteel. A simple buff jacket re-enforced with the Magical Material provides most of the protection, but Bat Armor also incorporates a black body suit and a tooled leather hood that resembles the face of a vampire bat. The armor, originally designed for combat with rogue ghosts in tandem with Jackal Armors, allows dematerialized ghosts (not other spirits) to be attacked by normal means and allows the wearer to instantly travel from Creation to the Underworld and vice versa at the cost to 10 motes no matter what time it is or where he happens to be. The hood and goggles of Bat armor also include echolocation gear, negating all vision-related penalties imposed by environmental conditions.

Claw Strider Armor - Paincake
Artifact • • •
Soak: 6L/6B
Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 6

A lightweight alloy mesh or filigree shirt and roman-style skirt, complete with a ferocious facemask. The armor comes with special boots dusted with the appropriate material. Created to aid in swift movements and savage sneak-attack efforts, this light suit of reliable armor was favored by Fire and Wood Aspect Terrestrials and Lunar Exalts. Red and Green Jade suits are common, Moonsilver and even Orichalcum being less common variants. In bursts costing 1 motes per two turns,(used a maximum number of times equal to the user's Essence+Athletics) the armor can grant the user quadrupled movement speed. This speed increase can only be activated once a day, so planning ahead is essential. When stalking an enemy, the user gains a +3 bonus to remaining undetected but only so long as they intend to engage the enemy within 2 turns. In the turns following a surprise attack, the armor's wearer gains a diminishing bonus to all attacks starting at +4. It diminishes by one each subsequent turn.

Certain suits of Claw Strider armor have been modified by martial artists to provide a permanent +2 bonus to kick attacks instead of a surpise attack bonus. Such kicks also cause lethal rather than bashing damage, as the boot has been modified to sport wicked talons.

Fox Armor - Telgar
Artifact • • •
Soak: 4L/5B
Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 5

A light suit of chain mail including a sleeveless shirt and pants made of Red or White Jade along with a stylized Fox head helmet and carefully worked mantle and bracers. The most popular armor for ambushes and night attacks, the Fox Armor incorporates a number of enchantments designed to aid in undetected movement and combat against larger foes, a necessity as Fox Warriors were often small to avoid sight, so Fox Armor gives 2 dice to fight larger opponents. Combat and combat related actions (scouting ahead, locating targets, sneaking up on enemies) gain a 2 die bonus when performed at night or under the effects of stealth magic. In addition, anti-surprise Charms do not warn of impending attacks by Fox Warriors unless the Charm user succeeds on a difficulty 4 Per + Awareness roll.

Combat Armors

Falcon Armor - Telgar
Artifact • •
Soak: 5L/6B
Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 3

The most common of the Beast Armors, this particular suit is a pair of bracers that cover the forearms and the backs of the wearer's hands, providing them with razor-sharp claws to slip on their fingertips. These claws cause unarmed attacks to do lethal damage and the bracers allow parrying of lethal damage as well. The only other part of Falcon armor is an elaborate helmet and face mask in the shape of a stylized raptor's head. The wearer's entire head is covered by the helmet down to their shoulders. The helmet can re-form itself into a mantle instantly as a reflexive action. This has no effect on soak. While wearing it, an Exalt has her initiative increased by 3 and her Awareness by 2. Falcon Armor is most often made of Orichalcum or Moonsilver. One Hearthstone may be placed in the right-hand bracer.

Serpent Armor - Telgar
Artifact • •
Soak: 10L/12B
Mobility: -2 Fatigue: 3
Commitment: 6

Second most common of the Beast Armors, Serpent Armor is the heaviest, designed for siege troops and such, it resembles chain swathing crossed with articulated plate. The armor is always paired with a helmet in the shape of a hooded serpent, the glowing red eyes of which negate all penalties related to darkness or poor vision. The serpent helmet can collapse into the shoulders and collar of the armor as a reflexive action. The armor is most often made of Soulsteel or Black Jade. A single Hearthstone can be carried on the forehead of the armor, but this makes it impossible to retract the helmet, it must be removed whole.

Bear Armor - Telgar
Artifact • •
Soak: 5L/10B
Mobility: -2 Fatigue: 3
Commitment: 7

Blindingly pure White Jade forms the helm, chest plate and shoulder armor of the Bear Armor while Orichalcum encircles the wearer’s forearms. The armor is treated with a mixture of Moonsilver and Blue Jade, giving it a flesh-like flexibility that adapts to fit the wearer perfectly, enhancing the outline of his musculature and adding to his apparent size. A warrior outfitted in Bear Armor is a fearsome sight to behold. While wearing the Bear Armor, the warrior’s Strength is increased by 1 and his Athletics is increased by 3 for the purposes of lifting and breaking objects. A Bear warrior also gains 3 dice on intimidation-related rolls.

Mosquito Armor - Telgar
Artifact • •
Soak: 5L/5B
Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 4

One of a very few insectile armors made, the Mosquito is almost always in the form of light plate mail made of banded Red and Black Jade with a conical helmet and bulbous eye-sockets. Some models offer hard points to attach other Artifacts which offer flight capabilities, these are rated at Artifact 3. All Mosquito suits allow the wearer to take a full turn making a single attack against a foe that, if successful, inflicts a single health level of Lethal damage in place of whatever damage it would normally have inflicted. The successful strike allows the wearer to gain 5 motes, 1 willpower or ½ of a health level. Two successful strikes on two successful turns replenishes 1 bashing of lethal health level of the wearer. Strikes made by Mosquito Warriors carry a +2 difficulty to avoid infection.

Shark Armor - Telgar
Artifact • •
Soak: 5L/8B
Mobility: -2 Fatigue: 3
Commitment: 6

A heavy armor of large, rough-hewn plates of Black Jade the Shark is favored by those who choose to fight relentlessly and in close quarters. Assassins sometimes favor the Shark because of enchantments woven into the arms and helm of the armor that reduce the difficulty of any roll used to track a character wounded by the wearer of the armor by 3. The Shark grants its wearer the ability to survive underwater for periods of time up to a day without ill effects. The final power of the Shark is something of a burden as well. As long as a Shark Warrior keeps moving, his Strength and Stamina are enhanced by 1 dot each. Should he stop moving, this bonus is lost. If prevented from moving for more then one turn, the character begins to take a penalty of 1 die for each turn he is forbidden from moving.

Gorilla Armor - ImmortalisD
Artifact • • •
Soak: 10L/10B
Mobility: -1 Fatigue: 1
Commitment: 8

This large, bulky armor is made of chain swathing, made with interlaced Red and Green jade, giving it an apperance of a brown coat. The wearers arms and shoulders are covered in a thick layer of leather over the chain as well, which is covered in hair. When attuned, the wearer gains +2 strength as well as +2 athletics.

Bull Armor - Telgar
Artifact • • •
Soak: 10L/10B
Mobility: -1 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 6

The least commonly seen of the Beast Armors in the Second Age, it was rather popular among Earth and Wood Terrestrials during the First Age but fell into disfavor as the Immaculate Faith became prominent. The Bull Armor is forged of White or Yellow Jade alloyed with Red. It is relatively simple to make as it consists of only a be-horned helmet in the shape of a raging bull's head that completely obscures the wearer's face. Depending on personal preference, the Bull Armor can be worn with cloth robes, normal clothing or (most traditionally) a simple modesty cloth. Some of those who preferred the Bull Armor would enter battle with only the helmet to protect them. While wearing Bull Armor it is impossible to fail any Endurance roll related to resisting exhaustion and all rolls related to resisting illness or poison are at +2 dice. Should anyone be knocked down by an attack made by a warrior wearing Bull Armor, it takes their full turn to rise to their feat without the use of Charms or other magical means.

Turtle Armor - Telgar
Artifact • • •
Soak: 15L/15B
Mobility: -5 Fatigue: 4
Commitment: 7

The heaviest and most protective Beast Armor in production during the Second Age, Turtle Armor combines a Green Jade suit of super heavy armor with additional hexagonal plates of White Jade to protect the wearer’s torso. Turtle Armor can increase its already considerable soak at a cost of 2 motes per 1/1 bonus. These bonuses last for the rest of the scene but can not add more then 10/10 soak. Gear in the helmet of Turtle Armor allows its wearer to analyze situations carefully and by devoting and extra 3 turns to an action, a Turtle Warrior can gain an automatic success in place of one of his dice. No more then 9 turns can be spent in this fashion. Every use of the concentration power, no matter how many turns were spent on it, costs 1 willpower.

Ram Armor - Telgar
Artifact • • • •
Soak: 5L/5B
Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 3
Commitment: 5

An uncommon but not rare form of Beast Armor, the Ram is almost always made of Red, Green or Black Jade. Rare Soulsteel suits may exist, but none of Orichalcum, Moonsilver or Starmetal. The helmet is a stylized Ram face with spiraled horns and a mount for a single Hearthstone in the forehead. The body armor is a bulky swathing of almost cloth-like Jade or Soulsteel which allows great freedom of movement, but is extraordinarily heavy. These strips of Jade are inscribed with runes of regeneration, healing and life. The Essence attracted and stored by these runes makes the wearer of Ram Armor a paragon of vitality and strength. The Ram Warrior's Stamina is increased by 4 and his Strength increased by 1. These increases can exceed normal limits and do not count against Charm limits. In addition, all damage done to the Ram Warrior after soak is reduced by half (round up). Some of the collected power of the Ram leaks from the armor, infusing the surroundings of the warrior. Because of this, all rolls involving caring for plants or animals gain two automatic successes and any sexual union the Ram Warrior is involved in results in conception, even if not normally possible.

Mystic Armors

Owl Armor - Telgar
Artifact ••
Soak: 2L/4B
Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 2
Commitment: 4

The most common mystical armor, Owl gives its wearer the incredible perceptive and mental skills of the bird for which it is named. The large horn-rimmed eyes of Owl Armor’s helmet are made of Black Jade or Starmetal and enchanted to allow the wearer to perceive magic. Essence flows, Charms, sorceries, dematerialized spirits and places of power such as manses and demesnes are all readily visible to a warrior in Owl Armor. Aside from the perceptive benefits of the Owl, anyone wearing it also gains 3 dice to dodge any magically enhanced or purely magical attack.

Ibis Armor - Telgar
Artifact • • •
Soak: 6L/5B
Mobility: -0 Fatigue: 0
Commitment: 5

Another rare Beast Armor, the Ibis was typically donned by Air-Aspected battle sorcerers or Sidereals of Mars. The great billed helmet of Ibis Armor offers no sockets for a Hearthstone, but the powers of the Ibis make up for that lack. Consisting of a chain mail skirt and light chain shirt, sometimes with bracers, the Ibis Armor is made of Starmetal and White or Red Jade. While the armor offers only minor soak it offers formidable protection to any Exalted. When targeted by a magically-enhanced attack, the wearer gains 1 mote of Essence. The same enchantments that absorb Essence from incoming attacks also shield against them. The Ibis grants 10 extra soak of both kinds when facing a magical attack and all post-soak magical damage is reduced to 1 die.

Jackal Armor - Telgar
Artifact • • •
Soak: 8L/8B
Mobility: -1 Fatigue: 2
Commitment: 6

Rarest of the Beast Armors, the Armor of the Jackal is innately connected with Death. It is rare due to the fact that it can be made only of Soulsteel or Black Jade harvested from a Shadowland. A suit of chain mail with the chest and shoulders covered by plate matches the jackal-headed helmet which can reflexively retract into the shoulders. Originally designed to work in tandem with Bat Armors to hunt down the rare Hungry Ghost of a potent Exalt, the Jackal fights best against the immaterial and the glowing red eyes of its helment are made of crystal mined in the first Shadowland, the Black Chase. These eyes allow immaterial beings to be seen and tips of the same crystal throughout the rest of the armor allow the Jackal Warrior to interact normally with spirits. Against ghosts strikes made by the Jackal Warrior do aggravated damage.\\ The hungry nature of the Jackal remains in the ability of the armor to devour the Essence of its spiritual victims; every successful attack against a spirit drains 3 motes and returns one of those three to the pools of the wearer. If a spirit with 0 motes is killed by a Jackal Warrior, it is forever destroyed.

Survival Armors

Setesh Armor - Telgar
Artifact • •
Soak: 10L/10B
Mobility: -1 Fatigue: 1
Commitment: 5

One of the rarest Beast Armors, Setesh armor consists of paired medium armor and a collapsible helmet in the form of a strange beast with a long, anteater like snout, two rabbit-like ears and a greyhound's facial structure. The strange creature may have once existed, but none has seen it in Creation since the Contagion. It is thought to be imaginary. Setesh Armor adds 3 dice to all rolls involving hunting or desert survival. These dice are cumulative with all other effects and do not count against limits. A Setesh Warrior is immune to heat stroke or exhaustion and can go for three weeks without food or water. Setesh Armor is almost always made of Red Jade or Starmetal.

Crocodile Armor - Telgar
Artifact • •
Soak: 8L/5B
Mobility: -2 Fatigue: 3
Commitment: 5

Heavy plate of linking Green and Black Jade scales covers the entire body of a warrior encased in Crocodile Armor. The snout-like helmet can hold a Hearthstone in either eye socket while allowing the wearer to peer out through the crocodile’s open jaws. While wearing Crocodile Armor, the user is able to breathe naturally underwater and adds 4 dice to all swimming-related rolls as well as doubling his underwater movement rate. Because of a locking mechanism built into the arms of the Armor, all attempts to escape a clinch controlled by the wearer are at +3 difficulty and all rolls made by the wearer to gain control of a clinch are at +3 dice. Water Aspected Terrestrials favor this armor greatly.

Scarab Armor - Telgar
Artifact • • •
Soak: 6L/6B
Mobility: -1 Fatigue: 2
Commitment: 5

Favored by troops stationed in the South, the Scarab Armor was meant to be a heavy duty desert survival suit in addition to providing protection in combat. The Scarab, a carapace-like breastplate and both bracers and boots in Yellow Jade and Bronze (sometimes replaced by Orichalcum in First Age suits) offers amazing protection from the ravages of the sun and heat of the South. Scarab warriors are immune to environmental damage from heat or sunlight and, because of the regenerative properties of the armor, heal 1 level of environmentally-inflicted damage every turn. The bracers of the Scarab have shovel-like extensions that can be used to excavate and underground shelter in any soft material, providing space to shelter up to four adult males in battle armor for a day or night. The excavation of the shelter takes a full hour. The golden shell of Scarab Armor does not, due to enchantment, reflect the sun. Instead it absorbs sunlight into itself and stores it as a weapon. For 5 motes, a day’s worth of sunlight can be expelled from the armor in a brilliant burst, adding 2 difficulty to any roll to hit the Scarab warrior. Up to five days worth of sunlight can be used up in this way at once, though the armor can only store ten day’s worth of light.

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Comments =

The "Setesh animal" is also referred to (in Setite mythology at least) as the "Typhonic Beast," Typhon being one of Set's many other names (I prefer Sutekh, myself). There are some great pictures of the Beast in the Revised Followers of Set Clanbook. (Can you tell they're one of my favourite clans?) On the subject of the armours, though, I like them, but you mentioned in the forum that you thought Dragon-Blooded troops of the First Age might wear them - a little tough when Falcon Armour is made out of Orichalcum or Moonsilver! The Jackal armour is also unlikely to date back to the First Age, if it's made from Soulsteel - there was no Soulsteel in Creation until after the Usurpation and the coming of the Deathlords.

I also mentioned that I thought maybe the armours could be equated to different Immaculate Dragons, for people who thought that fits the IO better; reading them again, I can't see why I'd want to change that. Besides, the Dragon-Blood are allowed to get away with a bit of ornamentation on their magical artifacts, and though the Dragons are preferred, animals are sometimes allowed, so it's not really a problem. (Wow, sorry for the long comment...) - Guybrush

Typhonic beast is an acceptable name, but Set Animal is more 'egyptian'. Sutehk is more correct yet. But lets not get into that. The armors made of Celestial materials, most especially Serpent and Jackal armor have Jade variations to account for their First Age origin and the Dragon-Blooded users. For Falcon armor, it has no reason to be Jade. The power is connected to Orichalcum or Moonsilver, so that’s what its generally made of. Jade wouldn't provide much of a benefit to Falcon armor, so there's the option of getting extra soak with Orichalcum. Its cheap enough to make it viable too. These armors aren't ment to be Immaculate friendly, they predate the popular Order by a long time. Immaculates probably just have to deal as the armor is strong, good and only the helms are iconic. - Telgar

On the matter of the Raven Armor you might want to make a note that suits with moonsilver tracings only exist in first age suits given what has happened to Moonsilver and Lunars since the usurpation. Nifty suits though, I like them. -BogMod

Everyone, please feel free to contribute your own efforts to this project. Just remember to clearly label your contributions as your own. - Telgar

The Bear armor, from its description almost seems like could add to Intimidation rolls. The Ibis armor confuses me a little. - Malikai

Hi there! This is a nice set or armors. However, I would like to have a special section on armors that are not magical. For instance, there is a clear need of beast-like armors that do not require commitment, in the lines of Spirit Shark Skin Armor, which provides 8B/8L, mob -0, fatigue -1. Perhaps from holy creatures in other parts of the world? -Clebo

Well, the main intent of the Beast Armor project was origianlly a conversion of the Goa'uld Jaffa armors from Stargate. I may, at some point, do mortal versions of these armors..but not turtle-shell armor. Or raven-feather armor. It's an interesting idea, however. - Telgar

Nice work on the Antelope armor, Jarons20. I moved it down so its in the right order and made the wording a bit cleaner. Good low-level armor. - Telgar

I placed the claw-strider armor in the Scout section, because it seemed appropriately fast and light. I hope it is also suitably good.. - Paincake

What would you guys think of stacking the gauntlet/helmet type armors with like say an artifact reinforced breastplate? Do think that could work? I am designing an infernal exalted game where they have shock troops which are heavily armored mortals with essence gifted to them by their infernal lords. I love Stargate and the imagery created by these armors are outstanding. My only problem is that I have two combat monkey's in my circle who end up with 20 to 30 dice to attack and would prefer a little better soak. Anyway great job guys and as always I am not surprised that this idea was started by Telgar master of artifacts you rock man! ~ Insanewizard

Yeah, I know :D Anyway, I'd personally strike down the idea of wearing a gauntlet/helmet based armor with a breastplate based armor. Mostly because I don't believe I've written any. At all. All of these above have helmets and you can't wear two helmets at once. Even if there was some sort of helmetless armor you wanted to wear along with one of these like Raven or Bull...I'd still say no unless you added a dot or two to the Beast Armor or the other Armor's rating to reflect its ability to stack. Because normally, armor can't stack even if physically you might be able to shove them together on your body. Claim mystical resonances or something. If your PCs want better soak, show them some armors with higher levels. I'm fairly sure the level 3 Turtle Armor provides the most soak of any written armor to-date. 25/25 for limited periods. They want more? Get Charms. - Telgar