To the Armor Chart

What this means is that when a blow is struck to an armored opponent, the total damage done will first be determined (say, 12 points). Since the armor protected against 6 of these damage, the wearer will suffer only 6 damage, and the rest will be absorbed by the armor.

Of course, this damages the armor, and the ST should keep aware of the general feel of how much damage armor has sustained. As it becomes more battered, the ST should lower its protection rating until it eventually becomes useless. Because armor is almost prohibitively expensive, this makes armor a rare sight. Remember as well that armor is very difficult to remove and put on, especially Full Plate varieties which require help from at least one other person.

Note that the damage suffered after armor does its protecting is used to determine grievous injuries, so armor can really save you a lot of grief.

On layering armor – Caradorian armor is well-made, light, and of designs perfected over millennia. This makes it easy to fight in, but difficult to layer. Clothchain can be worn under anything, and will make a significant difference in protection.

Chainmail can be worn under winter clothing or furs.

Magic Cloth can be worn under anything.

No other combinations are feasible, as plate armors are well-fitted to the body and already incorporate leather padding, chainmail, etc.

Any layered armor simply has its protection ratings combined. Thus, someone could wear Magic Cloth, then Clothchain, then Chainmail, and then Furs. This would not only make them extremely warm and sweaty, but also give them a protection rating of P-10, S-17, C-6. Impressive indeed.

Some notes on armor types – Furs are simply thick animal furs, such as bear, tanned and worn as clothing with the fur still on (sometimes inward, sometimes outward).

Clothchain is exceedingly fine and light chainmail, very difficult to make and horribly expensive.

Magic Cloth is seldom found – it protects against a type of magical blade called a vorpal weapon, which was once more common but is now nearly extinct from the world.

Resin is an amber-like material imported from Jedda that makes an extremely light and durable armor which has an impressive red, orange, brown, black, or greenish appearance. It also has the advantage of floating, so that the wearer need not fear drowning if they fall into deep water.

Weighing you down -- Armor can be bulky and heavy, and the ST should consider armor when a character is attempting activities such as climbing, running, getting onto a horse, etc.  Remember, however, that modern Caradorian armor has a thousand years of research and development behind it, and that it is not as heavy and encumbering as our own European equivalents.

Repairing Armor – Instead of getting new armor, it can be repaired at 10% of the armor’s original cost for each Protection Rating point to be restored. Repaired armor never looks quite the same, and no set of armor can have more than twenty such points repaired before it no longer is usable.

The exception is Resin armor, which can be melted and re-formed with extra resin added. Repairs cost about 20 silver per point to be restored. Although resin armor can be repaired indefinitely, it will begin to take on a dirty, blended appearance over time if it is continually repaired. As well, people capable of repairing it can usually only be found in large cities, as few are familiar with the methods of working it.

Ruined armor of any type can be traded into an armorer for 5% of its purchase price, since the materials can be re-used.

The Armor Chart