# Armor
Armor is the last barrier between an adventurer and an incoming weapon, fang, or claw. Armor absorbs damage and, hopefully, keeps the adventurer intact. The amount of damage a piece of armor can absorb is described as its armor points, the higher the better. Different hit locations may wear different forms of armor. An adventurer might wear a plate cuirass with a linen skirt and leather leggings, for example.
Unlike weapons and shields, the armor points for armor rarely change, even if a blow exceeds the armor points covering the hit location struck. Armor is designed for defense and it can take a lot of pounding; its armor points rarely, if ever, reduced through damage. In any case, if armor is damaged, the appropriate Craft skill can be used to repair it.
# Armor Table
| Area Covered | Hit Location | Type | Material | Absorbs | ENC | Cost | Move Quietly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | 19–20 | Hood | Leather | 1 | (2)* | 3 | 0 |
| Head | 19–20 | Broad-brimmed Hat | Leather | 1 | (2)* | 4 | 0 |
| Head | 19–20 | Cap | Leather | 2 | (2)* | 5 | 0 |
| Head | 19–20 | Composite Helm | Plate | 3 | (2)* | 10 | 0 |
| Head | 19–20 | Open Helm | Plate | 4 | 1 | 20 | 0 |
| Head | 19–20 | Closed Helm | Plate | 5 | 1 | 30 | 0 |
| Head | 19–20 | Full Helm | Plate | 6 | 2 | 50 | 0 |
| Arms | 13–15, 16–18 | Sleeves | Light Scale | 4 | 2 | 25 | –15 |
| Arms | 13–15, 16–18 | Sleeves | Heavy Scale | 5 | 3 | 50 | –15 |
| Arms | 13–15, 16–18 | Vambraces† | Leather** | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Arms | 13–15, 16–18 | Vambraces† | Cuirboilli | 3 | 1 | 30 | 0 |
| Arms | 13–15, 16–18 | Vambraces† | Bronze Plate | 6 | 2 | 100 | –10 |
| Chest | 12 | Cuirass | Leather** | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Chest | 12 | Cuirass | Heavy Leather | 2 | 1 | 20 | 0 |
| Chest | 12 | Cuirass | Ring Mail | 4 | 1 | 50 | –5 |
| Chest | 12 | Cuirass | Turtleshell | 4 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| Chest | 12 | Cuirass | Light Scale | 4 | 1 | 25 | –10 |
| Chest | 12 | Cuirass | Heavy Scale | 5 | 3 | 40 | –25 |
| Chest | 12 | Cuirass | Disk Plate | 5 | 2 | 100 | –15 |
| Chest | 12 | Cuirass | Bronze Plate | 6 | 3 | 175 | –15 |
| Abdomen & Chest | 9–11, 12 | Linothorax | Quilted | 2 | 1 | 20 | 0 |
| Abdomen & Chest | 9–11, 12 | Linothorax | Linen | 3 | 1 | 30 | –5 |
| Abdomen & Chest | 9–11, 12 | Hauberk | Leather** | 1 | (2) | 20 | 0 |
| Abdomen & Chest | 9–11, 12 | Hauberk | Heavy Leather | 2 | 1 | 40 | 0 |
| Abdomen & Chest | 9–11, 12 | Hauberk | Ring Mail | 4 | 2 | 80 | –15 |
| Abdomen & Chest | 9–11, 12 | Hauberk | Light Scale | 4 | 2 | 40 | –20 |
| Abdomen & Chest | 9–11, 12 | Hauberk | Heavy Scale | 5 | 3 | 65 | –25 |
| Abdomen & Chest | 9–11, 12 | Segmented | Bronze Plate | 6 | 5 | 300 | –50 |
| Abdomen | 9–11 | Skirts | Leather** | 1 | (2) | 10 | 0 |
| Abdomen | 9–11 | Skirts | Linen | 3 | 1 | 20 | 0 |
| Abdomen | 9–11 | Skirts | Studded Leather | 3 | 1 | 20 | –5 |
| Abdomen | 9–11 | Skirts | Light Scale | 4 | 2 | 30 | –15 |
| Abdomen | 9–11 | Skirts | Heavy Scale | 5 | 3 | 60 | –30 |
| Abdomen & Legs | 9–11, 1–4, 5–8 | Pants/Trews | Leather** | 1 | (2) | 10 | 0 |
| Abdomen & Legs | 9–11, 1–4, 5–8 | Pants/Trews | Heavy Leather | 2 | 1 | 20 | 0 |
| Legs | 1–4, 5–8 | Greaves† | Leather** | 1 | (2) | 15 | 0 |
| Legs | 1–4, 5–8 | Greaves† | Cuirboilli | 3 | 1 | 40 | 0 |
| Legs | 1–4, 5–8 | Greaves† | Bronze Plate | 6 | 2 | 120 | –15 |
* ENC values shown in parentheses indicate the number of items necessary to equal 1 ENC point. Thus, four daggers equal 1 ENC. These fractional ENCs add to one another, so that an adventurer with hood and composite helm, two daggers, one dart, and a pair of light cestuses would have a total 3 ENC from these objects.
** Can be worn under any other armor, with a cumulative encumbrance penalty. Instead of leather, this could also be quilted or thick cloth. It has the same qualities as described for leather.
! These are considered to cover the entire limb, although the actual armor which goes by these names only covers the area between elbow and hand (vambraces) and knee and foot (greaves).
# Explanation of Headings and Terms
Some forms of armor protect more than one hit location. These types can, as a rule, be overlapped. Thus, one can wear both a heavy leather hauberk and heavy leather trousers. Of course, encumbrance (ENC) adds up very rapidly in such cases.
Type: This is a term taken from general armor lore; the terms come from all times and climes. The hit locations each type covers are shown in the Hit Location column.
Material: This briefly describes the type of material the armor is made of.
Absorbs: The amount of points of attack the armor absorbs. Any excess reaches the wearer.
ENC: The encumbrance shown is meant for human-sized people. A duck’s plate cuirass would weigh less, a great troll’s would weigh more. This armor would only fit those size beings, and is of little use to a human adventurer.
Cost: For leg and arm armor the cost is for the set, not just one, as are ENC costs.
Move Quietly: This indication shows how much the armor subtracts from an adventurer’s Move Quietly skill. When several different types of armor are worn, use the noisiest as the modifier. Do not add all the different types together.
# Armor Materials
# Cuirboilli
Leather treated with boiling wax, hardening it almost to the resiliency of metal.
# Leather
This is either padded leather (described in the notes to the chart), or tougher leather the (2-point) the thickness of shoe leather. It is easy to obtain in the herd animal-oriented world of Glorantha.
# Linen
Laminated or quilted cloth, this is built up of many layers until it is stiff and hard. Linen armor is used less and less as metal becomes more common, but it is still used to equip militia and the like.
# Ring Mail
Metal rings butted together and sewn to leather.
# Plate
Large bronze plates, usually molded to the wearer’s body. They absorb damage excellently; but are heavy and encumbering. Sometimes made of other metals.
# Scale
Small metal plates (usually bronze) sewn onto leather in an overlapping pattern. An excellent, if heavy, protection.
# Armor Types
# Cuirass, Turtleshell
This chestpiece of turtleshell, wood, and bronze is popular within the Humakt cult, who associate it with their hero Hiia Swordsman. Price: 15 L.
# Cuirass, Bronze Plate
This chestpiece consists of front and back plates of bronze joined together by leather straps. It is typically designed to mimic an idealized human physique. It provides superb protection but is quite cumbersome and heavy. Price: 175 L.
# Disk Plate, Bronze
This consists of disks and square bronze plates on the front and back, connected by side and shoulder pieces. The plates are often highly decorated. It protects the chest. Price: 100 L.
# Greaves
These are plates molded to protect the lower leg. They either “spring” into shape or are strapped on. They are heavy and make sprinting difficult. Price: 15 L for leather, 40 L for cuirboilli, and 120 L for bronze plate.
# Hauberk, Heavy Scale
This armor consists of hundreds of bronze plates that have been laced together and then fastened onto a backing. It protects the chest and abdomen. Price: 65 L.
# Hauberk, Light Scale
This armor consists of hundreds of boiled leather plates that have been laced together. The plates are often lacquered. It is lighter and less expensive than a heavy scale hauberk. It protects the chest and abdomen. Price: 40 L.
# Linothorax, Linen
This armor is made up of numerous layers of linen glued together to form a stiff shirt. It is often reinforced with metal plates or scales. The linothorax is much lighter and much less expensive than the bronze plate cuirass. It protects the chest and abdomen. Price: 30 L.
# Linothorax, Quilted
This armor covers the chest and abdomen, and is made up of several layers of quilted leather. It can be worn underneath other armor. Price: 20 L. Segmented, Bronze Plate: This armor covers the chest and abdomen and is made up of a cuirass and three or four sets of curved lower protection plates. The pieces are fastened together by thongs that allow movement. Price: 300 L.
# Skirt, Heavy Scale
This skirt is made of bronze plates that have been laced together or to leather strips. It protects the abdomen. Price: 60 L.
# Skirt, Studded Leather
This skirt of studded leather strips protects the abdomen. Price: 20 L.
# Vambraces
These are like greaves, but protect the forearm. Price: 10 L for leather, 30 L for cuirboilli, and 100 L for bronze plate.
# Helmets
# Cap
This helmet is made of plaited leather, reeds, or folded textiles. Price: 5 L.
# Hat, Broad-brimmed
A broad-brimmed hat made of stout leather. Price: 4 L.
# Helmet, Composite
This leather helmet has metal plates or boar tusks riveted on to it. Price: 10 L. Helmet, Open: This is a conical metal helmet with bronze cheek-pieces attached. It is usually decorated with plumes and feathers. Price: 20 L.
# Helmet, Closed
This metal helmet has a pair of cheekpieces and a neck guard. In the front is a nasal bar that protects the eyes and nose. Price: 30 L.
# Helmet, Full
This close-fitting helmet has elongated cheek-pieces to protect the wearer’s mouth and throat. A nose guard protects the nose and eyes. It offers excellent all-round protection but severely limits vision and hearing, as well as being hot and stuffy to wear for long periods. Price: 50 L.
# Hood, Leather
Can be worn under a helmet. Price: 3 L.