Armor of Alhazred
Alhazred uses the core armor rules in ../armor.md.
This document describes common setting armor, what tier it usually counts as, and which body locations it most plausibly protects in the fiction.
Use the default “one armor” rule unless the table opts into hit-location armor.
Size and Bulk
Armor size when carried instead of worn:
- Heavy armor: Large item
- Medium armor: Medium item
- Light armor: Medium item
- Ordinary clothing: Small item
Armor worn on the body does not take pack space, but its movement penalty still applies.
Craft Quality
Armor quality modifies Integrity and price.
| Quality | Integrity Modifier | Price Multiplier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poor | -1 |
x0.5 |
Bad fit, weak straps, damaged plates, rushed repair. |
| Standard | 0 |
x1 |
Normal survivor-grade armor. |
| Superior | +2 |
x2 |
Excellent fit, reinforced seams, careful repair, quality materials. |
Superior armor is close to a luxury good in survivor markets. It is prized because it lasts longer, repairs better, and inspires confidence.
Common Armor
Integrity is based on armor tier and coverage:
- Light base:
1 - Medium base:
2 - Heavy base:
3 - Add
+1 Integrityfor each additional protected body location beyond the first. - Paired arms count as one additional protected location for Integrity.
- Helmets are always sold separately and do not count as part of the armor’s listed coverage.
| Armor | Tier | Integrity | Carried Size | Price | Protected Locations | Description and Materials | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reinforced Workwear | Light | 3 | Medium | $1 |
Torso, arms, legs | Poor: patched coat and layered shirts. Standard: leather work jacket or heavy overcoat. Superior: tailored motorcycle coat, reinforced seams, good gloves. | Common survivor armor; quiet and flexible. |
| Early Bulletproof Vest | Medium | 2 | Medium | $2 |
Torso | Poor: stiff old ballistic silk or cracked plate carrier. Standard: early protective vest or police experiment. Superior: custom-fitted silk-and-plate vest. | Extremely rare; mostly pre-Calamity, private security, or experimental. |
| WWI Surplus Flak Jacket | Medium | 3 | Medium | $3 |
Torso, arms | Poor: rotted canvas with missing plates. Standard: army surplus flak jacket. Superior: repaired jacket with replaced straps and fitted lining. | Rare; excellent against fragments in the fiction. |
| Civil Security Kit | Medium | 4 | Medium | $4 |
Torso, arms, legs | Poor: mismatched strikebreaker pads and leather guards. Standard: police guard kit, padded coat, baton guards. Superior: fitted agency/security kit with reinforced joints. | Noisy, bulky, practical against mobs and street violence. Helmet sold separately. |
| Industrial Plate Vest | Heavy | 3 | Large | $3 |
Torso | Poor: stove plate strapped over canvas. Standard: boiler, mill, or rail-yard plate vest. Superior: shaped workshop plate with padded harness. | Torso-only protection; cumbersome but believable industrial salvage. |
| Trench Assault Harness | Heavy | 5 | Large | $5 |
Torso, arms, legs | Poor: scrap plates wired over a coat. Standard: trench-raider plates, sapper apron, and limb guards. Superior: fitted surplus-and-workshop armor with quiet straps. | Loud, stiff, rare; military-surplus feel rather than medieval plate. |
| Makeshift Shield | Special | 3 | Large | 50c |
Front-facing cover, usually arm-held | Poor: barrel lid or loose board. Standard: reinforced riot board or heavy work shield. Superior: fitted handle, viewing notch, reinforced rim. | Occupies one hand; functions more like Block/Cover than worn armor. |
Armor Pieces
Armor may appear as separate pieces even when using the default whole-armor rule.
Common pieces:
- Vest / torso
- Helmet
- Legs
- Left arm
- Right arm
Under the default rule, pieces describe what the armor looks like and what gets damaged in the fiction. A survivor wearing a riot vest and arm guards may still simply count as Medium armor.
Under the optional hit-location armor rule in ../armor.md, each piece protects only its own location.
Helmets
Helmets are usually separate from torso armor.
Common helmets:
| Helmet | Tier | Carried Size | Price | Initiative | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leather cap / padded hood | Light | Small | 25c |
0 |
Warm, quiet, minor impact protection. |
| Riot helmet / sports helmet | Medium | Small | $1 |
-1 |
Good practical head protection; muffles hearing and narrows awareness. |
| Steel helmet / welding mask | Heavy | Medium | $2 |
-2 |
Strong but heavy, hot, and vision-limiting. |
Helmet initiative penalties represent reduced hearing, peripheral vision, comfort, and reaction speed.
If using optional hit-location armor, helmets protect the Head slot.
Shields
Shields are not worn armor.
A makeshift shield occupies one hand and is used through Block, Cover, or fictional positioning.
Examples:
- Road sign
- Metal trash lid
- Sled
- Reinforced plank
- Toolbox lid
Shields protect best from the front and usually do nothing against hazards, flanking attacks, smoke, cold, or being set On Fire unless the fiction supports it.
Availability
Armor in Alhazred is usually repaired, scavenged, or assembled rather than bought new.
- Light armor is common.
- Medium armor is valuable survivor gear.
- Heavy armor is rare, loud, and difficult to travel in.
- Bullet-resistant armor is extremely rare and often worth more as a curiosity, specialist tool, or status object than as everyday protection.
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