Lore:Crafting Motif 123: Kindred's Concord Style
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By High Priest Blightcrown
A guide to crafting armor and weapons in the Hidden Kindred style
Attend, initiate! The great Princes Vaermina and Peryite command us, their devoted acolytes, to join together. To carry out their united will! From the scattered servants of the Taskmaster and the Dreamweaver, we are called to forge a mighty new order, working side by side for the inevitable triumph of our Princes. We are the Hidden Kindred. Hidden agents of powers unseen, kindred in our devotion to our mighty Princes—and each other. Many of you are entrusted with duties that require you to move without notice among the scoffers and persecutors of our world. That is only fitting. How else can we scent the nightmares tormenting mortals? Or taste the sweet promise of plague hidden upon diseased airs? But I promise you, initiate, that the time is coming when we shall cast aside our disguises and openly proclaim our devotion. Pay heed: I shall now explain how to arm yourself for battle as one of the Hidden Kindred.
AXES
- The Hidden Kindred prefer to deal in stealth and subtle blades. Yet sometimes we must set aside our preferences and do as the Master of Tasks commands. Our hand axe is a single-bitted weapon with a reverse spike, set atop a haft of strong oak. The battle axe replaces the spike with a double-bitted head for balance and striking power.
BELTS
- Slender but strong, a belt of thick leather guards a fighter's waist while supporting pouches, scabbards, or loops for whatever weapons they need. A buckle of green-dyed steel is embossed with the symbol of the Hidden Kindred.
BOOTS
- Stealth is more important than weight of armor for most Hidden Kindred. Boots are made of soft leather for mobility and a quiet footfall. Those of us whose duties require heavy armor add steel shin-guards and sabatons over their leather boots.
BOWS
- The unseen arrow from afar is an apt metaphor for the blessing of Prince Peryite's lethal plagues. A Hidden Kindred bow is a compound design of yew and steel, firing arrows with bodkin points. We do not need a powerful bow to drive arrows through armor and flesh; the merest kiss suffices to deliver poisons or contaminants.
CHESTS
- Since we must often pass unnoticed among our Princes' enemies, Hidden Kindred devotees seek to disguise the fact that they are armored. Breastplates of soft leather can be worn easily under cloaks or robes, helping them to remain concealed until the moment they strike. Even our heavy steel chestpieces are covered in thin leather to muffle sound and hide the gleam of metal.
DAGGERS
- No weapon better embodies the philosophy of the Hidden Kindred than the dagger. Easily concealed beneath robe or cloak, and deadly in the unexpected stroke. Our favored dagger is a double-edged blade, capable of slashing as well as stabbing. The wide fuller makes it especially suitable for envenoming.
GLOVES
- Since we often handle delicate containers such as alchemical flasks or glass bottles, we prefer soft, supple leather for our gloves. The last thing one wants to do while handling poison is fumble with the bottle. Hidden Kindred warriors in heavier armor add vambraces of dyed steel to protect their forearms in close combat.
HELMETS
- To join the Hidden Kindred is to surrender the self in holy devotion. Who we once were as individuals no longer matters, so we cover our faces in hoods and veils. In the case of heavy armor sets, this veil is replaced with a mask of dyed steel. All Kindred are equal before the Dreamweaver and the Taskmaster.
LEG GREAVES
- Clanking about in heavy plate armor is hardly conducive to going unnoticed in a crowd. We must make do with lighter greaves of soft leather so that we do not sacrifice stealth for protection. However, in those cases where heavier armor is warranted, a light plate of dyed green steel can be affixed to the leather greaves.
MACES
- Bludgeoning weapons are poor tools for delivering Peryite's abundant blessings, but knocking a foe senseless often delivers them into Vaermina's power. A Hidden Kindred mace is a sturdy war hammer with a haft of oak, weighty but well-balanced. Few foes wake from the dreams you bestow with such a weapon!
SHIELDS
- Secrecy is the Hidden Kindred's best shield. But when we are called to open battle, a light steel heater is an excellent second choice. The shield's embossed emblem is an ancient symbol for the Queen of Nightmares, our Dark Lady.
SHOULDERS
- Overlapping leather spaulders protect the shoulders and upper arms of a Hidden Kindred warrior. For heavier armor sets, a green-dyed steel plate is added above the molded leather pieces. Some of our initiates have requested embellishments such as spikes or skulls, but we have no need for such ornaments.
STAVES
- A Hidden Kindred staff is a deadly weapon in the hands of a talented mage. A sturdy oak body with a steel head serves as a simple focus for potent spells. It is far better to sap the strength of would-be heroes through pernicious magic than to offer battle; even the most powerful knights can be laid low with spells of fear or poison.
SWORDS
- A Hidden Kindred sword is a double-edged weapon of good steel, equally useful for slashing or thrusting. Wide quillons help guard the wielder's hands in the thick of the fight. The broad fuller in the center of the blade serves as an excellent channel for delivering poisons or other insidious substances to any foe the wielder wounds."