A magic item for use in Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition tabletop role-playing game. This is a homebrew magic item created by Cloaks & Capes.
Keeper of the Searing Flame
Armor (heavy), very rare (requires attunement)
“This red heavy armor is always warm to the touch. It has a large, bright yellow gem affixed to the breast. When activated tendrils of flames erupted from the gem and snake across the wearer, lashing out at any creature that comes near.”
You have a +2 bonus to AC and Resistance to Fire damage while wearing this armor.
You can use your Bonus Action to speak the command word and envelop this armor in flames. While activated you have Immunity to Fire damage and create a 10-foot Emanation of flames that gives off Bright Light in a 30-foot radius and Dim Light for an additional 30 feet. Whenever the Emanation enters a creature’s space and whenever a creature enters the Emanation or ends its turn there they take 2d6 Fire damage. You can end the Emanation with a Bonus Action.
Our Fighter got an Armor upgrade! This is Splint armor, but I deviated from how it is usually depicted. For some historical armor infodumping readmore ->
Noting upfront, DND is Fantasy, it does not need to be historically accurate. I just like being nerdy about this stuff.
So the 2014 DND 5e description of splint is
"This armor is made of narrow vertical strips of metal riveted to a backing of leather that is worn over cloth padding. Flexible chain mail protects the joints." (There is no description in the 2024 rules.)
Thus this armor is typically depicted something like this:
Artist on tumblr linked in the image!
Now this art looks awesome! But armor like this has no real historical analogue. There is really no reason you would separate out the metal plates and not layer them unless you were REALLY strapped for metal. The fact that this armor is meant to be MORE expensive and protective than chainmail doesn't align with this.
The logic of this description is actually kind of backwards. Splint armor actually refers to more flexible leather joint pieces having metal splints added to make them more deflective.
You have the thin stripes so that it can go around a curved piece. A breast plate is not so curved that you have this issue, so again it does not make sense to have this be the case for the whole armor. But I did include it in the shins!
Now, taking Splint Armor to be a step above Chainmail and a step below Plate Armor, there are a lot of options to look at! In general for this campaign I've designed outfits mixing Celtic and Japanese historical styles, so I did the same here for the most part! Here are the ones I drew inspiration from for Ullr's armor depicted above.
First the skirt is meant to reflect a Kusazuri (草摺) for thigh protection. The small lamellar plates are less protective than thicker larger articulations of plate, but still very strong.
The Cuirass/Chest Protection is based on Roman Lorica segmentata. Kinda Splint like, just turned 90 degrees and layered lol.
And then on the arms, I saw a lovely post on tumblr, linked here, about jack chains as a method of protecting the arms with less armor and more mobility! Given Ullr already had a Mail shirt for armor, this made sense as an upgrade to his arms ability to deflect blows.
As the picture shows, typically they would be attached to padded armor, but I thought they would be a nice touch here also and still follow the principles of armor.
Okay that's all! Hope this was interesting!
Breastplate of the Valkyrie
Armor (breastplate), rare (requires attunement by a good or neutral aligned character)
Forged and blessed by the clerics of powerful gods of the forge. Each breastplate is infused with magic to ensure the safe return home of the one who wears it. Only handed out to the most dedicated and deserving of warriors.
The Breastplate of the Valkyrie grants you a +1 bonus to AC while you are wearing it. In addition, you can use your action to speak the armor’s command word. When you do so, you gain the benefits of the bless spell for 1 minute. This requires no concentration. You can only access this power once per day.
Angelic Flight: The armor also has 3 charges. Using your bonus action you can cause beautiful feathered wings to sprout from the back of the armor. The wings give you a flying speed of 60ft and will last for 1 minute.
The Breastplate of the Valkyrie regains 1d4-1 (min of 1) charges at dawn. If you expend all 3 charges, roll a d20. On a 1, the breastplate becomes nonmagical. However, the power of the armor can be regained by getting it blessed by a powerful cleric of the forge.
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An ancient technique kept secret by the dwarves. While wearing this armor, you gain a +2 bonus to AC. In addition, if an effect moves you against your will along the ground, you can use your reaction to reduce the distance you are moved by up to 10 feet.
Lycan’s Teeth - this piece hangs from the wearer’s neck. The large engraved fangs and molars may help deflect a hungry blade.
Helm of the Marauder - two horns are elegantly fastened to this weathered helm. Someone seems to have carved a strange “S” on the inside edge.
Serpentine Cinture - this belt was crafted from the skin of what must’ve been the largest snake you could imagine. That or a small dragon.
Runic Boots - these boots are covered in strange symbols that no one seems able to read.
Celestial Bracers - these bracers are covered in constellations and it feels like you can gaze into them forever. The galaxies depicted within seem unfamiliar.
Aegis Ring - It is said that this ring harbours the soul of a dedicated protective spirit. The ring shifts in ways that resemble the movement of an aurora borealis.
