Alternate Armor

Bronze Cuirass: The finest armor that is normally available is the bronze cuirass, sometimes called bronze plate armor. It consists of a snug- fitting sculpted bronze breastplate to cover the torso, a leather skirt or kilt with bronze studs, heavy bronze greaves, shoulder pieces, and a bronze helmet (usually openfaced). It is fitted carefully to the wearer and allows excellent mobility, although for best effect it should be used with a heavy shield. When combined with a heavy shield, the wearer presents his or her enemies with a wall of bronze from head to toe.

Leather Cuirass: A leather cuirass consists of a molded breastplate of stiff leather, often sculpted with natural-appearing musculature and decorated with gold or silver personal emblems. A short skirt made of weighted straps covers the wearer to the mid-thigh, and a light helmet of boiled leather is included. It protects better than studded leather armor but offers somewhat less mobility.

Mail Cuirass: This is essentially a reinforced chain shirt. The mail is sewn into sturdy leather panels and then shaped carefully to the wearer’s torso, providing a better fit and better mobility than regular chainmail and better protection than a chain shirt. Like the leather cuirass, a mail cuirass usually includes a skirt of weighted leather straps studded with bronze or iron to provide some basic coverage to mid-thigh, as well as a light bronze helm.

Scale Coat: The scale coat is a simple form of scale mail that dispenses with sleeves and leggings, making it relatively simple to manufacture. Heavy scales sewn to a thick coat provide good protection for the torso and the upper legs, while greaves protect the lower legs and shoulder-pieces or vambraces help protect the arms. The scale coat is usually worn with a bronze or iron helmet. It is the heaviest armor commonly available in the Dark Thrones setting, and many city guards or soldiers wear armor of this type.