Wednesday, February 13, 2019

The Monsoon Ghats: Skyclad & Linen Armor

Depending on one's varna, luck, and worldliness is how one dresses while adventuring in the Ghats. Regional styles of decoration, the influences of the Bel Shahih from the northwest, and the variety of dyes available for the cotton, camel hair, and silk of the land make the Monsoon Ghats an eclectic and colorful region. Those wise in the way of fashion can tell where a man is from, what a man has lived, and what a man does by virtue of their dress. 

What follows is a partial set of armor rules I'm using in my home game that I'm playtesting on the weekends; but the randomizer tables will certainly be useful even if you personally do not like my armor rulings. 

Said armor rulings are as follows:

  • AC = 10 + Dexterity Modifier. It ascends.
  • Shields, Helmets, and other such items have a Protection Value, which can reduce damage at the cost of reducing the dice of the Protection Value. A roll of 1 means the breakage of the item. 
  • Poor Quality Items last one expedition before they must be replaced or repaired.
  • Adequate Quality Items may suffer 1d3 expeditions, in need of replacement or repairs after a roll of 1. 
  • Exquisite Quality Items must be destroyed or tarnished through violence or hardship to be in need of repairs or replacement. 
  • Magical Items are of Exquisite appearance and can only be destroyed by magical means.
As I am at work, and have much more work to do before this is worthy of being a total article (randomizers for each category and type of armor by quality), here are simply the first two items: Skyclad depictions and Linen Armor.


Skyclad: To go skyclad is to wear nothing, to put your faith against the metal of your foe and to let fortune divine the victor. When fighting skyclad you gain your Charisma Modifier as a bonus to AC, but enemies inflict a critical hit on a 19-20 range rather than just upon a 20. A naked character is not necessarily considered to be skyclad.

What it looks like (d8):
  1. You have dusted yourself in bhasma, sacred ash, caking yourself in grays.
  2. You have painted the mark of your patron daeva upon your brow, it makes you daring.
  3. You have been painted with the face of a great beast upon your belly, like a tiger. You feel as though you are connected to this totemic image.
  4. You have painted upon your brow a devotional tilaka, for the achievement of central focus.
  5. You have dribbled red vermilion across your face, pulled down over your eyes as though expectant of blood to shed.
  6. You keep a single red upward brushing of the thumb upon your brow.
  7. You have ornate calligraphy inscribed upon your nude form in henna, devotional mantras.
  8. You have danced in audacious, gaudy kumkuma, embracing the illusory spirit of the world made manifest.
Linen Armor: Composed of finely quilted linens, reinforced beneath by studding of nail, scale, or metal plates. Clothing of quilted linens caries no social stigma, can be tailored to fit a variety of styles, and can be worn comfortably when travelling in arid climates. (AC +1) [If you prefer to, use this to replace any generic Light Armor by using a different value.]

What color is it (d30):
  1. Yellow, like mango blossoms.
  2. Yellow, like the desert sky before a storm.
  3. Yellow, like the soft light of a morning sun.
  4. Blue, like the ocean on a summer day.
  5. Blue, like a peacock's cerulean feathers.
  6. Blue, like the hottest and most sacred of flames.
  7. Green, like a fresh hog plum.
  8. Green, like a forest in a valley gazed from a nearby hill.
  9. Green, like a skittering lizard's scales.
  10. Red, like the bitter clay of the desert.
  11. Red, like the blush of a young lover.
  12. Red, like the warmth of a heart illuminating a home in evening.
  13. Orange, like the wings of an evening moth.
  14. Orange, like an evening sun.
  15. Orange, like the baked flesh of an unfortunate wayfarer.
  16. White, like snow upon the mountain.
  17. White, like foam upon the river waters.
  18. White, like teeth, like bone.
  19. Black, like the midnight sky on a starless night.
  20. Black, like back of a sun bear.
  21. Black, like the hair upon a child's head.
  22. Pink, like coral from the bay.
  23. Pink, like the last bright light before evening takes hold.
  24. Pink, like a sunburnt elephant's chapped hide
  25. Violet, like pressed lavender flowers.
  26. Violet, like the twilight sky.
  27. Violet, like the bruises upon a fighting-man.
  28. Brown, like the down upon a chick.
  29. Brown, like the richest of coffees.
  30. Brown, like the tan upon a well-traveled man.
Poor Quality Modifiers (Cloth, d6)
  1. ...which always smells of mildew.
  2. ...which is stained with incriminating and embarrassing colors.
  3. ...which is torn and ratty from years of use.
  4. ...and it itches fiercely.
  5. ...which looks like you stole it off a pauper.
  6. ...which looks like you stole it off a corpse.
Adequate Quality Modifiers (Cloth, d6)
  1. ...patterned with images of stylized fauna in silver thread.
  2. ...patterned with images of stylized flora in contrasting thread.
  3. ...which carries with it a scent of perfumes.
  4. ...patterned with geometric symbols.
  5. ...which brings you some small comfort when worn.
  6. ...which shows signs of clear care from the one who crafted it.
Exquisite Quality Modifiers (Cloth, d8)
  1. ...elaborately patterned with scenes of aquatic life in golden thread.
  2. ...elaborately patterned with depictions of cosmic powers in golden thread.
  3. ...inlaid with small gemstones which shimmer like starlight.
  4. ...feathered with the plumage of peafowl and birds of paradise.
  5. ...crafted from only the finest silks, imported from beyond the northern mountains.
  6. ...sewn with thread woven by the hands of the divine at a loom beyond this realm.
  7. ...which scintillates through various colors dependant on how the light hits it.
  8. ...which is always comfortable and lavish to wear, regardless of climate.
Next time: Rattan Armor & Styles, Hide Armor & Styles, and Poshteens I've got a good few books on the textiles of India back at my apartment, and I really want the inventory/armory for this project to allow for interesting looks and interpretations for each type of armor. Outfits, and regular clothing, are deserving of the same sort of love but I might save this for things like clan/tribal groupings/varnas or regional purposes.

Just doodling up further randomizers while at work, as today is a very slow day.

Regarding Firewood for Gaming Purposes
