Better Armor Through
Tinkering
By Heloicious Burtam
I've done it!
I've found a better way to
make that armor that
everyone around here seems
to be making these days.
You'll need some materials,
but any resourceful Gnome
| can find them. If you do
this my way, you'll make
armor that's just as good
as the stuff they make, but
it will be much more
efficient and functional.
Let's start with the cloth
stuff, since it's the
hardest to work with.
You'll find that attaching
gears and springs to cloth
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isn't very easy. Let's see
if you're any good.
First, take the silk that
they use to support the
cloth and toss it out. You
won't need it. We'll
fasten and reinforce this
stuff the right way. Get
two sets of parts from a
contraption. You'll be
able to use them for
| fastenings and support.
Then find some of them
innovative gears. Working
in your toolbox is best,
it's the only place you'll
be sure to have what you
need, secure the gears to
the fabric with the
contraption parts. The
gears will improve mobility
and, well, they add that
special touch.
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If you want to work with
metal then you'll need some
sturdier stuff. If you
want plate armor, find some
gears and a couple of
knuckle joints. These will
allow you to give the
movement of the pieces some
added smoothness and power.
To fasten on your
improvements use innovative
| bolts. Now, you'll
probably want to reduce
some of the weight, and
with the improvements
you've made you won't need
the extra metal the smiths
use. That lot is paranoid
about blades and mallets
and have a tendency to
overuse metal for
reinforcement. So toss the
fortified bronze bar out of
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their recipe.
Chain armor is just as easy
to make. Again, toss out
the extra bar of fortified
bronze. Use metal
fastenings to attach the
chain together, as well as
to attach some cogs and
sprockets. When you're
done you'll have a
masterpiece of gnomish
| invention.
With the added power of
your innovations and skill
the armor will be as good
as any a smith can make.
Most of all, it will have a
style that none can match.
How those smiths can live
their lives without the
sound of gears moving is
incredible to me. And the
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smell of oil and fresh
steam! They'll never
understand, and that's
their loss.
Good luck and keep
tinkering!
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