Felaryan Specific Armour and Defensive Equiptment

We have a thread for Felaryan weapons, so here's one for armour and other defensive equiptment.
Remember, this thread is for stuff that is readily available or that can be made, not for the legendary armour of Sagol of which there is only one in existence and can never be replicated as it was forged with methods and spells lost to man and predator alike.
To define Felarya specific: The equiptment has to be made in Felarya from Felaryan materials or designed specifically for use in Felarya.
Example: A shield that is made from enchanted steel to stop preds grabbing you is acceptable, as it is designed for use in Felarya even though it is not made from Felaryan specific materials.
Example 2: Armour made from Felaryan materials is acceptable, for obvious reasons.

To start us off:
Yes, this is armour for predators. They can have it too.

These are meant to be worn by Giant Dridders, as it offers much less protection against bullets when scaled down.
Dridder-Silk Cuirass
This armour can be made by almost any Giant Dridder with sufficient silk, patience and crafting skills.
This consists of a thick dridder silk shirt with plates of polished bark from Felaryan hardwood trees attached. The bark would be very tough and polishing it would make it deflect blows with ease. It's thickness would provide protection against bullets and arrows and any that slipped between the plates would be stopped by the thick silk.
Since the materials for this armour are available anywhere where there is a tree and a Dridder, it would be common among the more militant Dridder communities.
Sometimes the back of the bark plates are packed with clay to aid in absorbing blows.

Dridder-Silk/Naga Scale Cuirass

Left over from days gone by, these armours are uncommon, as the materials are rare than the normal Cuirass.
Like the common Cuirass, it consists of a thick silk shirt with bark from Felaryan trees. However, the bark used is thinner and covered in naga scales. Naga scales are incredibly tough, meaning that this armour can protect the wearer from all forms of attack. However it is uncommon, considering that nagas usually take offenceto someone using their or their sister's scales. As such, it is usually worn by Dridders who are or were officers in a militia or who have killed a naga.

Studded Spider-Silk/Naga Scale Cuirass is partly CauldronBorn24's idea.

Boulander Boots

A recent discovery of an gravity altering mineral in the Ascarlin mountains, have led the leading reshearchers of Shagalaha Inc. to make prototypes of this defensive footware. The main concept is if a predator was about to grab you, you could remotely activate the device making you many times heavier than the predator can pick up. These would've been quite useful if you were already in the hands of said predator, you could quickly turn it on, the weight bringing it's hand/s to the ground, she/ or he would try desperately to pick you up and once they try with all their might you could step of the hand thus with enough momentum either making them fall backwards or hitting their own face. The boots were also planned to have an anti- gravity feature to them; if ever you were hanging over a predators jaws you would float away.

Of course, many tests were performed and the Boulanders... didn't perform as well as people thought. A few of the tests included the test subject being taken away or eaten by a Harpy. The subject (and/or Harpy) would plummet to the ground (or in a couple of cases a body of water) leaving behind a crater with either an unconcious Harpy or said test subject's head poking out of the ground. Another problem with the boots is that they don't secure themselves tightly onto the wearer's legs qutie well so every other test, the testee would be inhaled right out of the boots! As for the floating capabilites, it works perfectly... too perfectly! Once you float of the predators hands you keep floating towards the sky. You can stop this granted, but you would be at a dangerous height, one testee tried to turn it off in mid-air... only to switch it to the super gravity mode. All that left were the boots and a tube of foot creme. Also the boots tend to leave side affects if left on too long, mainly the wearer losing the ability to move due to the boots affecting him as well.

The director of the project cancelled further testing and order the prototypes to be dismantled. All but a few were re-used for the project in the next division over, (something about hovering cup-holders) the surviving footware were sold to random mercenaries venturing out to the Lataran Temple, by a masked man who the CEO trusted. Obviously, not one pair has ever been returned from the person to whom they were sold. Apperantly, the boots are undigestable, meaning after the meal is gone predators

S'jet Shield.

The S'jet Shield was the sister project to the Makaan Blade; a defensive weapon which could be used to counter the blade's immense cutting power, it was believed to be developed in case the Makaan Blades were to be used against its creators and as a gernal purpose personal protection system fot the warriors of Ur-Sagol. A S'jet Shield is nothing more than a kinetic energy barrier; resembling a solid blue buckler emitting a translucent purple disc; four feet in diameter when activated. Like the Makaan blade the S'jet shield is powered by a crystal; though unlike the Makaan blade a S'jet Shield possess a 'vampire' matrix allowing it to siphon off excess energy to feed the power crystal; empty crystals are also connected to the system to insure the shield does not suffer from a power overload. The energy barrier; when struck by a Makaan blade causes a feedback into the weapon's own crystal, causing it to overload and power down; the S'jet shield has a similar effect on all energy/magic based or enhanced melee weapons, including current incarnations of the Makaan blade. This should give the wielder of a S'jet shield sufficient time to counterattack without the worry of been struck by a weapon which could cut through his or her armour in a single stroke. A S'jet shield can also deflect high velocity ranged weapons fire, such as bullets and directed energy/particle/plasma/magic attacks; while absorbing excess energy from the later group. The best counters to a S'jet Shield are low velocity projectiles; such as arrows; which can pass through the kinetic barrier. Or overwhelming, albeit primative, brute force such as concentrated fully automatic weapons fire or fast repeated blows from a heavy melee weapon such as an axe or broad sword; such attacks will cause the S'jet Shield's power to be depleted and do not possess enough or the right kind of energy for use of the vampire matrix. S'jet shields built for personal use cannot stop anti tank fire, unless it is energy based, or the giant fist, tail, hoof etc. of a predator. Unlike the Makaan blades the knowledge to manufacture true S'jet shields was not lost with the destruction of Ur-Sagol; many are in the possession of the Ps’isol Magiocrats and their body guards, some of these expensive items have also found their way onto the open markets in Negav; most probably by illicit means.

The S'jet shield is partly Anime-Junkie's idea.

About the wood thing: the wood would have to be very thick and / or durable to resist bullets, considering a .303 machine gun can penetrate some 38" of hard wood (like Oak) in a single shot. If it's meant to be for Giant Dridders, it's a bit more believable... but only when looking at stuff like that and not the more impressive weaponry that people would expect for a Giant Dridder. Overall, I'd just call it a Studded Spider-Silk Cuirass. It's more accurate than the plate, which implies the wood would be offering better protection.

BTW, how thick are Naga scales on average? I ask this as, even if proportionally as thick as a human's sole-skin thickness (about 4mm, times fifteen for height, for 2.4"), we're looking at something akin to steel in terms of durability. Not to say this isn't possible, we've got some pretty crazy things for Felarya as-is. Just putting it out there that Naga Scales would need to be hard as heck (and / or thick as heck, the example I give there putting scales almost as thick as children's blocks) to properly handle bullet-fire. Sticking with "Anti-Arrow" also works, sorta, so long as you're speaking man-sized arrows (though getting into the mechanics of a Giant(ess) sized bow is a field I won't even begin to go into).

For defensive equipment? I can expect spikes on armor. Lots, and lots, of spikes. It'd probably be an enchanted armor to make sure they never get the wearer caught on themselves ("Suit of Evershifting Thorns", for example), but they'd be very helpful for either discouraging being picked up, or making it very hard to get eaten (it was a suggestion of mine for a fauna a while back for a critter that deploys spines that make attempting to pick up the critter extremely annoying for the Predator to remove / eat). The armor would have the disadvantage in that - while wearing it - the wearer is pretty much stuck in a combat role (for instance, they'd tear apart a soft / delicate surface they rested against - including another's body), but in turn it'd be very efficient against sentient Giant Preds.

You could also probably file a generic "defensive grenade" item. Discourages pursuit, or disorients attackers, or preempts an attempt at eating, and so on.

BTW: We need to focus on defensive stuff not based on Giant Sentient Predators or Prey-beings. The whole "Counter against Kensha Beast / Spine Beetle" field seems to be completely avoided, even though logically they would be much larger threats to the average traveller.

Malahite wrote:

About the wood thing: the wood would have to be very thick and / or durable to resist bullets, considering a .303 machine gun can penetrate some 38" of hard wood (like Oak) in a single shot. If it's meant to be for Giant Dridders, it's a bit more believable... but only when looking at stuff like that and not the more impressive weaponry that people would expect for a Giant Dridder. Overall, I'd just call it a Studded Spider-Silk Cuirass. It's more accurate than the plate, which implies the wood would be offering better protection.

Derp. I forgot to state that this was for giant dridders. This is what I get when I type stuff up when I'm tired.

Malahite wrote:

BTW, how thick are Naga scales on average? I ask this as, even if proportionally as thick as a human's sole-skin thickness (about 4mm, times fifteen for height, for 2.4"), we're looking at something akin to steel in terms of durability. Not to say this isn't possible, we've got some pretty crazy things for Felarya as-is. Just putting it out there that Naga Scales would need to be hard as heck (and / or thick as heck, the example I give there putting scales almost as thick as children's blocks) to properly handle bullet-fire.

Naga scales are extremely durable. It's just one of those things. (Last time I checked anyway. They were supposed to be super tough. That's why you never see them put armour on their tails).

Malahite wrote:

Sticking with "Anti-Arrow" also works, sorta, so long as you're speaking man-sized arrows (though getting into the mechanics of a Giant(ess) sized bow is a field I won't even begin to go into).

I'm talking as a defense against human attackers and some protection if they decide to go pick a fight with some other predator.

Malahite wrote:

For defensive equipment? I can expect spikes on armor. Lots, and lots, of spikes. It'd probably be an enchanted armor to make sure they never get the wearer caught on themselves ("Suit of Evershifting Thorns", for example), but they'd be very helpful for either discouraging being picked up, or making it very hard to get eaten (it was a suggestion of mine for a fauna a while back for a critter that deploys spines that make attempting to pick up the critter extremely annoying for the Predator to remove / eat). The armor would have the disadvantage in that - while wearing it - the wearer is pretty much stuck in a combat role (for instance, they'd tear apart a soft / delicate surface they rested against - including another's body), but in turn it'd be very efficient against sentient Giant Preds.

You could also probably file a generic "defensive grenade" item. Discourages pursuit, or disorients attackers, or preempts an attempt at eating, and so on.

BTW: We need to focus on defensive stuff not based on Giant Sentient Predators or Prey-beings. The whole "Counter against Kensha Beast / Spine Beetle" field seems to be completely avoided, even though logically they would be much larger threats to the average traveller.

I agree with the above statements.

Huh. For humans I'd say the best is a lightweight piece of armour thats really hard to take off and covered in lots of nasty spikes. XD

Mengsk's Crown.

Mengsk's crown helmets are designed to protect the wearer from the marking and dream attacks of Nemesises. Resembling a golden galea; Mengsk's crowns were developed off world, however the abundance of precious metals found on Felarya needed for its manufacture means that they are quite common and not too expensive. It is unclear how they work as the design is just faithfully replicated from reverse engineered off world examples. It is thought that the overlapping layers of precious metals and alloys create unique arrangement of valance electrons in the respective layers which somehow interfere with the extraordinary senses of the Nemesises. Though many joke on that the only reason a Mengsk's crown works is because of the weight and awkward shape of the helmet makes it impossible for the wearer to fall asleep.

Mengsk? sure you aren't taking that name from anywhere? XD

nice idea.

Quote :

These are meant to be worn by Giant Dridders, as it offers much less protection against bullets when scaled down.
Studded Spider-Silk Cuirass
This armour can be made by almost any Giant Dridder with sufficient silk, patience and crafting skills.
This consists of a thick dridder silk shirt with plates of polished bark from Felaryan hardwood trees attached. The bark would be very tough and polishing it would make it deflect blows with ease. It's thickness would provide protection against bullets and arrows and any that slipped between the plates would be stopped by the thick silk.
Since the materials for this armour are available anywhere where there is a tree and a Dridder, it would be common among the more militant Dridder communities.
Sometimes the back of the bark plates are packed with clay to aid in absorbing blows.

Studded Spider-Silk/Naga Scale Cuirass

Left over from days gone by, these armours are uncommon, as the materials are rare than the normal Cuirass.
Like the common Cuirass, it consists of a thick silk shirt with bark from Felaryan trees. However, the bark used is thinner and covered in naga scales. Naga scales are incredibly tough, meaning that this armour can protect the wearer from all forms of attack. However it is uncommon, considering that nagas usually take offenceto someone using their or their sister's scales. As such, it is usually worn by Dridders who are or were officers in a militia or who have killed a naga.

Studded Spider-Silk/Naga Scale Cuirass is partly CauldronBorn24's idea.

Hey,

Why studded? I'd get rid of the 'studded', as this armour isn't described as having studs. In any case, the idea of 'studded' armour commemorates a mistake. Metal studs were used with leather armour to attach metal bands or similar. But the bands didn't survive, so when archaeologists found the leather-with-studs, they assumed the studs alone offered additional protection.

Anyway,

Yours,

Ambrose,

I offer an apology to Anime-Junkie then. I did not realize that about the Studden Armor. My apologies, Anime-Junkie.

What would be a more proper term? Just plain ol' Spider-Silk Cuirass?

Hey,

Well, it's hardly your fault. And there's nothing wrong with having studded armour. Just do it like James May driving an eighties Porsche. Do it ironically. It's just... you should know, you know.

Yours,

Ambrose,

Malahite wrote:

I offer an apology to Anime-Junkie then. I did not realize that about the Studden Armor. My apologies, Anime-Junkie.

What would be a more proper term? Just plain ol' Spider-Silk Cuirass?

ambrose-euanthe wrote:

Hey,

Well, it's hardly your fault. And there's nothing wrong with having studded armour. Just do it like James May driving an eighties Porsche. Do it ironically. It's just... you should know, you know.

Yours,

Ambrose,

ARGH.
This is what I get for trying to correct stuff when I was dead tried.
That is all

Vishmital Shift-Spike Armour

The Vismital Scientists have recently developed this protective suit for their more elite members, although cheaper less reliable knock-offs are being sold at various merchants. The purpose of the suit was to design armour that could be lightweight and have a way to switch from a more mobile form to one covered in predator deterring spikes. The armour appears like a lightweight powersuit. When activated, the actual form of the suit quickly shifts, spikes sprouting out at various locations. The Vishmitals keep the exact method of this fairly secret - most of the knockoffs are just regular suits of armour with a set of compact gears and springs that can flip out multiple spikes that are usually kept flattened to the armour.

Jætte_Troll wrote:

Vishmital Shift-Spike Armour

The Vismital Scientists have recently developed this protective suit for their more elite members, although cheaper less reliable knock-offs are being sold at various merchants. The purpose of the suit was to design armour that could be lightweight and have a way to switch from a more mobile form to one covered in predator deterring spikes. The armour appears like a lightweight powersuit. When activated, the actual form of the suit quickly shifts, spikes sprouting out at various locations. The Vishmitals keep the exact method of this fairly secret - most of the knockoffs are just regular suits of armour with a set of compact gears and springs that can flip out multiple spikes that are usually kept flattened to the armour.

If those spikes were to be of significant size the knock-offs would be considerably bulky even when using a compacted mechanism.

CauldronBorn24 wrote:

If those spikes were to be of significant size the knock-offs would be considerably bulky even when using a compacted mechanism.

One thing to consider is, if built right / sharp enough, the spikes would only need to be about an inch or three long - tops. Recall that the point is not to make you impossible to pick up - those would be too difficult / bulky outside power armors. Here, all you need is something that - if a Giant Predator makes the mistake of trying to eat - is suddenly going to find something very painfully lodged in its throat.

Malahite wrote:

CauldronBorn24 wrote:

If those spikes were to be of significant size the knock-offs would be considerably bulky even when using a compacted mechanism.

One thing to consider is, if built right / sharp enough, the spikes would only need to be about an inch or three long - tops. Recall that the point is not to make you impossible to pick up - those would be too difficult / bulky outside power armors. Here, all you need is something that - if a Giant Predator makes the mistake of trying to eat - is suddenly going to find something very painfully lodged in its throat.

Well I suppose, it depends how the spikes are deployed, if they fully recede into the armour; even if they are an inch long, the armour would need to be at least over an inch deep; that’s rather bulky for something that covers most or the entire body. If the spikes folded into the armour and popped out then it wouldn't be as cumbersome and would allow for longer spikes. However if the aim is to lodge yourself inside the predators throat; while that's better than being in its stomach it's a not an ideal place to be stuck.

What if the spikes popped out due to a magnetic field?

In the armors normal state, it would simply be a mildly bulky armor due to an excess of metal. However once one finds themselves in a predators throat, or mouth, the activate the suits power source. Small spiked shaped magnetic fields are suddenly activated all over the armor, causing the excess metal to suddenly morph to match the magnetic fields, causing metallic spikes to erupt all a over the armor.

JohnDoe wrote:

What if the spikes popped out due to a magnetic field?

In the armors normal state, it would simply be a mildly bulky armor due to an excess of metal. However once one finds themselves in a predators throat, or mouth, the activate the suits power source. Small spiked shaped magnetic fields are suddenly activated all over the armor, causing the excess metal to suddenly morph to match the magnetic fields, causing metallic spikes to erupt all a over the armor.

Bingo. You're as smart as a Vishmital.

JohnDoe wrote:

What if the spikes popped out due to a magnetic field?

In the armors normal state, it would simply be a mildly bulky armor due to an excess of metal. However once one finds themselves in a predators throat, or mouth, the activate the suits power source. Small spiked shaped magnetic fields are suddenly activated all over the armor, causing the excess metal to suddenly morph to match the magnetic fields, causing metallic spikes to erupt all a over the armor.

I had a similar idea in that the spikes folded flat into the armour; when the suit's magnetic field was activated the spikes would deploy; though as the spikes were flat I suppose they'd act more like blades.

A main thing you want to do with the armor is keep the spikes more like Thorns than stupidly sharp blades - your goal is getting lodged in the throat, not tearing it up on the way down. One makes the Giant Predator pissed and keeps them from eating for a short bit, but in turn winds up with you still being killed. The other keeps you from descending any further in the throat without the G.P. suffering heavy damage to its throat, and highly encourages it to attempt to spit you up.


For another idea:

Flash Bangs. Pretty much as it says on the tin. I'm trying to think of a way to make it Felarya-specific, but the main goal is to make them pure evil when in Deeper Felarya or other permanently dark areas. Why? Consider a moment: They flash an extremely bright light and can possibly burst eardrums in normal people. What do you think a souped up one could do on something wither either extremely sensitive eyesight, extremely delicate hearing, or - for the Double Whammy - both those traits? The flash is only temporary, the dense foliage - by its very nature - is muffling the sound and light to those further away (or causing echos that throw off a pinpointing of location to less developed hunters), and reducing pretty much any Predator (Giant, Normal, Sentient, Wild) to a floored beast clawing at its eyes / ears / both is a pretty good way to buy some time for an escape.

Best way I can think of making a Felarya-specific one is something like "When the Pin / Trigger device is removed and the grenade is more than 5' away the pin / trigger casts a 4' radius bubble Silence & Darkness effect over itself (thus containing the user) for [insert seconds it takes to detonate grenade, +1] seconds. This enchantment allows the user to 'safely' manage the use of their grenade, in the very least preserving their ears and eyes during the detonation."

Malahite wrote:

A main thing you want to do with the armor is keep the spikes more like Thorns than stupidly sharp blades - your goal is getting lodged in the throat, not tearing it up on the way down. One makes the Giant Predator pissed and keeps them from eating for a short bit, but in turn winds up with you still being killed. The other keeps you from descending any further in the throat without the G.P. suffering heavy damage to its throat, and highly encourages it to attempt to spit you up.

If you are using barbs to lodge yourself in the throat; it's going to take alot of effort for the predator to actually spit you back up; I'm not sure how long one could survive in that enviroment. Secondly if they do spit you out, which they will do with some considerable force; you now have to survive the impact of 50 to 120 foot drop after been accelerated by the predator. The idea of the spike/bladed armour is make it very hard for the predator to put you in that situation in the first place.

Malahite wrote:

For another idea:

Flash Bangs. Pretty much as it says on the tin. I'm trying to think of a way to make it Felarya-specific, but the main goal is to make them pure evil when in Deeper Felarya or other permanently dark areas. Why? Consider a moment: They flash an extremely bright light and can possibly burst eardrums in normal people. What do you think a souped up one could do on something wither either extremely sensitive eyesight, extremely delicate hearing, or - for the Double Whammy - both those traits? The flash is only temporary, the dense foliage - by its very nature - is muffling the sound and light to those further away (or causing echos that throw off a pinpointing of location to less developed hunters), and reducing pretty much any Predator (Giant, Normal, Sentient, Wild) to a floored beast clawing at its eyes / ears / both is a pretty good way to buy some time for an escape.

Best way I can think of making a Felarya-specific one is something like "When the Pin / Trigger device is removed and the grenade is more than 5' away the pin / trigger casts a 4' radius bubble Silence & Darkness effect over itself (thus containing the user) for [insert seconds it takes to detonate grenade, +1] seconds. This enchantment allows the user to 'safely' manage the use of their grenade, in the very least preserving their ears and eyes during the detonation."

I like this idea; though the protection mechanism is going to make it very hard for you to flee, defeating the point of the grenade. I was thinking of a similar idea but using a pepper like mixture which could seriously cause discomfort to their eyes and mucous membranes. Or for a device that emmits a sonic frequency too high for normal humans to hear; akin to a dog whistle, but while it may have the desired effects on the predator tha is about to eat you, it may draw others to your location.

How about a coat made from the skin of a Titan Chameleon? Being able to turn invisible would be a good defense I would think.

Riverman wrote:

How about a coat made from the skin of a Titan Chameleon? Being able to turn invisible would be a good defense I would think.

Well the skin requires neural impulses from the chameleon's brain in order to work; unless you plan to replicate that, inculding visual sensors, it wont work. However there are fractions in Felarya who should be able to do that; by all means give it a shot.

CauldronBorn24 wrote:

If you are using barbs to lodge yourself in the throat; it's going to take alot of effort for the predator to actually spit you back up; I'm not sure how long one could survive in that enviroment. Secondly if they do spit you out, which they will do with some considerable force; you now have to survive the impact of 50 to 120 foot drop after been accelerated by the predator. The idea of the spike/bladed armour is make it very hard for the predator to put you in that situation in the first place.

This depends, once more, on the shape of the barbs. For instance, rub your hand one way against a thorn bush's branches and - while you might slice your hand - you won't get caught. Rub your hand the other way, and you'll get caught in a few seconds. Same principle.

CauldronBorn24 wrote:

I like this idea; though the protection mechanism is going to make it very hard for you to flee, defeating the point of the grenade.

I'm confused as to how it will defeat the purpose of the grenade. You are losing, what, three seconds of time with this? Five? Only one of which after it detonates? If you could expand, I'd appreciate it.

Jætte_Troll wrote:

JohnDoe wrote:

What if the spikes popped out due to a magnetic field?

In the armors normal state, it would simply be a mildly bulky armor due to an excess of metal. However once one finds themselves in a predators throat, or mouth, the activate the suits power source. Small spiked shaped magnetic fields are suddenly activated all over the armor, causing the excess metal to suddenly morph to match the magnetic fields, causing metallic spikes to erupt all a over the armor.

Bingo. You're as smart as a Vishmital.

Well thanks!

I figured it had to be something like that or nanites.

But if you actually had nanites, I don't know why you'd bother with the armor in the first place, which left only one option.