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Sure Footed Hoofguards of the Coastline 880

—

by

Dale
in

From: Lineage 913 of the Tideglass Artificers

This is a set of four interlocking plates forged from a lightweight, corrosion-resistant bronze alloy. They are custom-fitted to the avatar’s semi-webbed, cloven hooves and are secured by a series of enchanted leather straps. The underside of each hoofguard is etched with a complex Aque-Script glyph representing “unyielding grip.” The magic of these runes grants the wearer exceptional traction, preventing them from slipping on wet, slick, or unstable surfaces such as the deck of a storm-tossed ship, algae-covered rocks, or loose scree.

Lore

These hoofguards were not crafted by Caelia herself, but were one of her first pragmatic acquisitions upon deciding to leave the sheltered life of her enclave. Recognizing that her own expertise was in the delicate art of glass and not the rugged functionality of adventuring gear, she sought out the best specialist she could find. Her quest led her to the docks of Port Aqua-Vel and to the smoky, salt-scoured forge of an old Apsaran smith named Morgrun, a legendary crafter of gear for mariners, guards, and explorers.

Morgrun forged this specific set from “Tidal Bronze,” a unique alloy smelted only in the industrial heartland of Iron-Tide City. The alloy incorporates copper purified with sea salt and is quenched in magically charged water, granting it an incredible resistance to both mundane and magical corrosion. Morgrun, a master of practical runecraft, spent three days meticulously carving the complex “unyielding grip” glyph onto the underside of each plate, a secret design passed down through the Mariner’s Guild. The enchanted leather straps were made from the hide of a Deep-Clasped Barnacle, a creature known for its impossible grip. The hoofguards are not a work of high art, but of high craft—a perfect fusion of rugged materials and pragmatic enchantment, designed for the singular purpose of keeping an Apsaran on their hooves, no matter what the sea or land might throw at them.

Item Values

  • Tier One Stat Modifiers:
    • Agility: +1 bonus to all saving throws made to resist being knocked prone or forcefully moved.
    • Movement: The wearer’s movement is not considered difficult terrain on slick, wet, or shifting surfaces like loose scree or a storm-tossed deck.
  • Skills Gained:
    • Acrobatics (Balance): The wearer gains proficiency with this skill, but only for checks made to maintain their balance or avoid falling.
  • Passive Magical Effects:
    • Coastal Sure-Footing: The core magic of the “unyielding grip” glyph is always active. The wearer cannot be unwillingly knocked prone or lose their footing due to environmental effects like ice, grease, algae, or rushing water.
    • Vibration Dampening: The enchanted bronze alloy absorbs and neutralizes minor, jarring vibrations from the ground. The wearer has advantage on saving throws against area effects that would create tremors or unstable ground.
    • Muffled Hoof-falls: The runes magically soften the impact of the metal plates on hard surfaces. The wearer’s hoof-falls on stone, wood, or metal are unnervingly quiet, removing any disadvantage to stealth checks that would normally be caused by wearing shod hooves.
  • Activatable Magical Effects:
    • Tidal Grip (At Will): As a minor action, the wearer can cause the glyphs to generate a weak field of magical adhesion. For the next minute, they can move along steep inclines (up to 60 degrees) of stone, wood, or metal at their normal speed without needing to make a check to climb. This does not allow for walking on vertical walls or ceilings.
    • Anchor Stance (Once per Short Rest): As a reaction to being subjected to a magical or physical effect that would push or pull them from their position (such as a powerful wind or a telekinetic shove), the wearer can activate the runes. The glyphs flare with a dull bronze light, and the wearer becomes magically rooted to the spot, completely negating the forced movement.
  • Specific Slot:
    • Hoofguards
  • Tags:
    • Hoofguards, Apsaran, Utility Gear, Movement, Enchanted Bronze, Runic, Tier 1, Mariner’s Gear, Non-Armor, Sure-Footed, Stability, Morgrun’s Craft, Port Aqua-Vel Forged, Mariner’s Guild Design, Tidal Bronze, All-Terrain, Prone Immunity (Environmental), Forced Movement Negation, Difficult Terrain Mitigation, Acoustic Dampening, Situational Climbing, Pragmatic Design

Unlike Caelia’s other, more unique possessions, the Sure-Footed Hoofguards of the Coastline 880 are a product of high craft rather than high art. While they are masterfully made and enchanted, they are a specialized tool created by a working smith for a niche market. As such, they (or items of identical make and quality) can be bought and sold in specific, high-end, practical establishments.

1. The Specialist Smithy in Port Aqua-Vel

  • Type of Shop: This is the workshop of the original creator, Morgrun, or a smith of equivalent skill. The shop, likely named something pragmatic like “Morgrun’s Mariner Forgeworks,” is located near the docks of Port Aqua-Vel. The air is thick with the smell of coal smoke, hot metal, and sea salt. It’s a functional, no-nonsense space, its walls covered in specialized tools and half-finished projects for Apsaran adventurers: custom barding, specialized climbing harnesses, and, of course, hoofguards.
  • How it is Bought/Sold: This is a direct, personal transaction with the master craftsman himself. A buyer would need to show they are a serious client. Morgrun would take a precise tracing of the buyer’s hooves to ensure a perfect, custom fit. If he has a set in stock, the sale can be made immediately. More often, a client must place an order and wait a week or two for their set to be forged and enchanted. The price is based on the cost of materials and labor, and while firm, it is considered the fairest price one can find.
  • Cost: This is the baseline market value.
    • Cost to Purchase/Commission: Approximately 25 Platinum.

2. The Mariner’s Guild Quartermaster

  • Type of Shop: The Mariner’s Guild hall in any major Aegean city would have a quartermaster’s office that functions as a members-only supply store. This is a secure, well-organized establishment that stocks guild-certified equipment, from masterwork navigational tools to enchanted gear like these hoofguards. The Guild holds the rights to the “unyielding grip” glyph and commissions smiths like Morgrun to produce these items for their members.
  • How it is Bought/Sold: The transaction is formal and bureaucratic. A buyer must prove their membership in the Mariner’s Guild or present a writ of sponsorship from a high-ranking member. The quartermaster, a retired sea captain, consults a ledger for the fixed price. There is no haggling. The quality is guaranteed by the Guild’s reputation, and each set comes with a mark of authenticity.
  • Cost: The Guild applies a markup for its services.
    • Cost for Guild Members: 28 Platinum.
    • Cost for Sponsored Non-Members: 35 Platinum.

3. The High-End Adventurer’s Outfitter

  • Type of Shop: A well-known outfitter’s shop, such as “The Sea-Serpent’s Scale,” located in the prosperous merchant quarter of a city like Tidehaven or Port Aqua-Vel. These stores cater to successful adventurers of all races and stock a wide variety of high-quality magical and mundane gear. They would likely carry a few sets of these hoofguards as they are considered “best-in-class” for their Apsaran clientele.
  • How it is Bought/Sold: This is a more traditional retail experience. The hoofguards would be displayed on a stand, their properties detailed on a small plaque. A knowledgeable shopkeeper would extol their virtues and answer any questions. The price is higher than at the source, reflecting the shop’s overhead and the convenience of immediate availability. There is some room for negotiation, especially for a regular customer. This is also the most likely place to sell a used pair, though the shop would offer significantly less than their retail price.
  • Cost:
    • Cost to Purchase: Approximately 40 Platinum.
    • Value if Selling (a used set): A shopkeeper would offer around 15 Platinum.

4. The Shipyard Chandler

  • Type of Shop: A massive chandlery located in a major shipyard, a sprawling warehouse that supplies everything a sea vessel could possibly need, from sailcloth and rope to rations and weaponry. In their “Special Cargo & Security” section, they might stock a few sets of these hoofguards.
  • How it is Bought/Sold: The transaction is impersonal and commercial. These items are typically purchased by ship captains or trading companies as part of a much larger order for outfitting a vessel and its crew. The buyer is likely a clerk or quartermaster, and the hoofguards are simply one line item on a long manifest. The convenience of acquiring all necessary supplies in one location commands a premium price.
  • Cost: This is the highest retail price, paid for convenience.
    • Cost to Purchase: Approximately 45 Platinum.

The Sure-Footed Hoofguards of the Coastline 880 are a foundational piece of gear, transforming the wearer’s interaction with the world by granting absolute mastery over their footing. In roleplay, this translates to turning the Apsaran into an immovable bastion of defense or an unstoppable, terrain-defying offensive force.

Defensive Roleplay (The Unmovable Bastion)

Defensively, the hoofguards are used to negate environmental dangers and enemy attempts to control the wearer’s position, making the Apsaran a pillar of stability for their allies.

On a Storm-Tossed Ship Deck

This is the environment the hoofguards were born for. As a huge wave crashes over the deck, sending barrels and other combatants sliding, you’d narrate your character’s reaction: “I brace myself, planting my hooves. The world pitches violently, but the runes on my hoofguards flare with a dull bronze light. I feel a magical force lock me to the deck, and the torrent of water splits around my legs as if I were a stone carved from the ship’s own hull.”

When a large foe tries to shove you, you can use your Anchor Stance. You’d describe it as a reaction: “Just as the ogre’s charge connects, I trigger the anchor rune. My feet feel as though they’ve become part of the ship’s keel. The ogre slams into me with a shuddering crack, but I don’t give an inch. It stumbles back, stunned by my impossible stability.”

In a Crumbling Ruin or Cavern

The hoofguards turn treacherous terrain into a minor inconvenience. As the party navigates a floor of loose scree and crumbling tiles, you are the vanguard. You would describe your movement: “While my companions pick their way carefully, I move with confidence. The shifting stones and slick, mossy patches offer no purchase, but my enchanted hooves find a perfect, unyielding grip on every surface. I am the bedrock upon which they can advance.” This allows you to defensively position yourself to protect allies, drawing fire or blocking a passage while they safely navigate the hazard you can completely ignore.

Offensive Roleplay (The Unstoppable Force)

Offensively, the hoofguards are used to leverage the environment, create tactical advantages through aggressive movement, and enable maneuvers that would otherwise be impossible.

The Uphill Charge

The Tidal Grip ability turns a defensive position into an offensive opportunity. Imagine your enemies have the high ground on a steep, rubble-strewn cliffside, raining arrows down on your party. Your roleplay would be aggressive: “They think the cliff protects them. I focus on the runes, feeling the magical adhesion take hold. I lower my head and charge—not at the base, but straight up the 45-degree incline.” You’d narrate scrambling up the treacherous surface at a full run, shale scattering from your magically-gripped hooves, as you slam into the shocked enemy archers and shatter their carefully prepared position.

The Living Anchor Point

The hoofguards’ stability can be used as a team-based offensive tool. You’re fighting a massive, rampaging beast that your allies can’t pin down. You would shout a command: “Tie your line to my harness!” Then you would use the Anchor Stance. You’d describe it thus: “As the rogue throws the grappling line around the beast’s leg and pulls the other end to me, I activate the anchor. I become an immovable object. Now, the beast isn’t fighting the rogue; it’s fighting the very ground itself, and with every step it tries to take, my unyielding stance pulls it closer to falling.”

The Silent Flank

An Apsaran in metal hoofguards should be heard from a hundred yards away on stone floors. The Muffled Hoof-falls ability turns you into a terrifyingly silent predator. In an attack on a guarded fortress, you would narrate your approach: “I move through the stone courtyard under the dim moonlight. My massive form should be creating a loud clatter with every step, but the runes swallow the sound. I am a four-legged shadow, gliding silently across the open ground to get into the perfect flanking position behind their sentries.” This turns your greatest stealth disadvantage into a lethal offensive advantage.

Perception of Activation:

When the Anchor Stance ability of the Sure-Footed Hoofguards of the Coastline 880 is activated, the perception is a sudden, violent, and deeply grounding event, a stark contrast to the subtle hum of the item’s other abilities.

User’s Perspective

As this is a reaction, the perception is almost instinctual, a flash of sensory input in a moment of crisis. As the force—be it a charging beast, a crashing wave, or a blast of wind—is about to connect, you feel a sudden, searing heat in your hooves as the runes awaken. The world seems to slow for a fraction of a second.

The moment of impact is not a push but an immense, jarring stop. Instead of being thrown backward, you feel an incredible surge of weight and density in your lower body, as if you have instantly become a petrified iron statue. The sound is a deep, subterranean GRIND that you feel in your bones more than you hear with your ears, the sound of magic slamming a metaphysical anchor into the very bedrock of the world.

Your extra-sensory perception is a powerful, grounding rush. You feel a powerful connection surge downward from your hooves, a tap into the unyielding stability of the earth itself. It’s a brief, overwhelming sensation of absolute immovability, a conceptual feeling of being as ancient and permanent as a mountain. For one brief, violent moment, you are the immovable object.

Observer’s Perspective

An observer witnesses an act that seems to defy the laws of physics. They see the Apsaran about to be struck by an overwhelming force. At the precise moment of impact, the Aque-Script glyphs etched into the four hoofguards flare with a sudden, intense pulse of dull bronze light.

Instead of being sent flying, the Apsaran stops dead, their form locked in place with impossible solidity. The impact creates a loud, resonant THOOM, like a colossal hammer striking a subterranean anvil. The ground beneath the Apsaran’s hooves may crack and spiderweb from the sheer, focused force being channeled. For a moment, a dense, earthy aura seems to cling to the wearer’s lower body before dissipating. To a magical observer, it appears as if a pillar of pure, solidifying magic has erupted from the ground to anchor the creature in place.

Positives

The primary positive is its function as the ultimate defense against forced movement and repositioning. It can completely negate an enemy’s attempt to push you off a cliff, into a fire, or out of a critical defensive position. By arresting the momentum of a charging enemy, it leaves them overextended and vulnerable to an immediate counter-attack by you or your allies. It can also be used to protect allies, allowing you to serve as an unbreakable anchor to block a narrow passage or absorb the concussive force of a blast that would otherwise scatter your team.

Negatives

The activation is a violent, jarring experience. While you are not moved, you still absorb the kinetic shock of the impact, which can be physically taxing. The immovability is absolute but momentary; you are locked in place for that reaction and cannot choose to be moved, even if a tactical retreat might be the better option. Its use is also a loud and obvious declaration of your capabilities. Any intelligent foe who witnesses it will know you possess powerful defensive magic and will adjust their tactics accordingly, perhaps choosing to ignore you and focus on your more vulnerable allies. Finally, its limited use makes timing critical; wasting it on a minor shove could be a fatal error when a more powerful blow comes later.

Mariner’s Guild Standard: Unyielding Grip Hoofguards

This document details the approved guild process for forging a set of Tier 1 magical hoofguards. This is a standard, reliable design valued by Apsaran mariners, explorers, and city guards for its pragmatic and life-saving enchantments.

Materials Needed

  • Primary Alloy (Four Ingots): Four ingots of high-purity Tidal Bronze. This alloy must be created by the smith and consists of:
    • Five ingots of Iron-Tide Copper.
    • One pouch of coarse-ground Sunstone Coast Sea Salt (as a purifying flux).
    • A pinch of powdered Mithral (for tensile strength).
  • Straps & Bindings (One Hide): The cured, thick hide of a single Deep-Clasped Barnacle, prized for its natural toughness and adhesive qualities.
  • Runic Medium (One Vial): A vial of specially prepared ink made from giant squid sepia, mixed with finely powdered and magnetized lodestone.
  • Quenching Liquid (One Barrel): Water collected from the ocean during a powerful storm surge. The chaotic, energetic nature of the water is essential for properly sealing the enchantment.
  • Finishing Wax (One Cake): A hard wax made from rendered sea-drake fat and beeswax, used to seal the leather straps against the elements.

Tools Required

  • High-Temperature Forge & Crucible: A forge capable of reaching the high temperatures required to create a stable copper-mithral alloy.
  • Apsaran-Sized Anvil: A large, heavy anvil suitable for shaping the robust hoofguard plates.
  • Master Smith’s Hammer & Tongs: A set of high-quality, well-balanced smithing tools.
  • Runic Chisel Set: A specialized set of fine-tipped, hardened steel chisels designed for the precise work of engraving magical glyphs into metal.
  • Leatherworker’s Kit: A heavy-duty kit with awls, knives, and punches capable of working the tough barnacle hide.
  • Quenching Trough: A large trough or barrel, filled with the required storm-surge water.

Skill Requirements

  • Primary Skill: Master Blacksmithing (Alloys). The crafter must be an expert in the creation and shaping of unique and magically sensitive metal alloys.
  • Secondary Skill: Runic Engraving. The ability to accurately carve the complex and magically potent glyphs of the Mariner’s Guild is essential. A misplaced line will render the enchantment inert.
  • Required Knowledge: Leatherworking. Proficiency in crafting durable, weight-bearing leather straps is necessary for the final assembly.

Crafting Steps

  1. Forging the Tidal Bronze (Duration: 4 Hours): The smith begins by melting the Iron-Tide Copper ingots in the crucible. At the moment the copper becomes liquid, the sea salt flux is added to burn away impurities. Just before pouring, the pinch of powdered mithral is stirred in. The molten alloy is then poured into four rough ingots and allowed to cool.
  2. Shaping the Plates (Duration: 1 Day): Each ingot is reheated to a glowing orange-yellow. The smith uses the hammer and anvil to painstakingly shape the metal into the four interlocking plates of the hoofguard. This requires great strength and an expert eye to ensure they are perfectly sized and balanced for an Apsaran hoof.
  3. The Runic Inscription (Duration: 3 Hours): This is the most delicate phase. Once the plates have cooled, the smith uses the runic chisel set to carefully engrave the secret “unyielding grip” glyph onto the underside of each plate. The lodestone-infused ink is then carefully worked into the engraved lines. This step requires absolute precision and concentration.
  4. The Storm Quench (Duration: 5 Minutes): The inscribed plates are reheated one final time to a cherry-red. They are then immediately plunged into the barrel of storm-surge water. The violent sizzle and steam is the sound of the chaotic energy of the storm being captured and bound by the stabilizing rune. This is the critical moment that seals the magic into the bronze. A hissing sound that ends in a low, resonant hum signifies a successful enchantment.
  5. Finishing and Assembly (Duration: 2 Hours): The cooled and enchanted plates are polished to a dull, practical sheen. The Deep-Clasped Barnacle hide is cut into thick, durable straps. Using the leatherworking kit, the smith fits these straps to the plates, creating a secure and reliable binding. A final coat of finishing wax is applied to the leather to complete the item.

Grynn and Rooted Stone

It is told, from words copied crookedly from a much older telling, that in the age before the high city floated, the Apsaran folk were mighty, but they were not yet masters of their own ships. Forsooth, the sea was a treacherous mother, and the wooden decks they trod upon were as slick as a greased eel. The greatest of their sea-captains was a lord named Grynn, whose lower body was the color of a storm-cloud and whose heart knew no fear. He was called the Wave-Walker, for he could read the ocean’s countenance as another might read a scroll. Yet, one thing he did fear: the slippery betrayal of a wet plank, which could cast down the strongest warrior in the blink of an eye.

And it came to pass that Grynn took his ship, the Sea-Dart, into the far waters, seeking the isles where the sun sleeps. But the sky-sea broke its temper upon the land-sea, and the mother of all storms fell upon them. The waves were as mountains that walked, and the wind was a screaming beast. Grynn’s crew, brave as they were, were thrown about like children’s toys. He shouted commands, his voice a roar against the wind’s own, but as he moved to lash the great tiller, a wave of impossible size struck the ship. The deck, slick with rain and spray, offered no grip. Grynn the Wave-Walker, pride of the fleet, was thrown across his own ship, his mighty leg striking the mast with a sound like a great tree cracking. Pain, a red and fiery thing, shot through him, and he could no longer stand firm. His ship, with no master’s hand to guide it, was devoured by the waves and shattered upon a shore of black, jagged rocks.

When the world came back to him, Grynn was alone. The sky was gray and weeping, and the bones of his ship were scattered amongst the rocks. His leg was broken, a hurt that he knew would never truly mend. As he lay there, a shape moved among the rocks. It was not a beast of flesh, but a thing of stone and sea-growth, ancient beyond knowing. It was the Great Clasper, the spirit of the Deep-Clasped Barnacle, a being whose entire life was the art of holding on. Its voice was not a voice, but the sound of stone grinding upon stone from inside Grynn’s own head.

“You are broken, little Wave-Walker,” the stone-thought said. “Your strength has been washed away. Do you beg for me to return you to your shining cities?”

Grynn, with a great effort, looked upon the spirit. His pride was as broken as his leg. “No,” he spoke, his voice hoarse. “My life as a sailor is finished. I do not ask for my own salvation. I ask for the salvation of my children, and my children’s children. Teach me the secret of your grip. Teach me the way of the unyielding root, so that no Apsaran must ever again be betrayed by the ground upon which he stands.”

The stone-spirit was silent for a long time. It had expected begging, or curses. It had not expected a plea for the future. “A worthy hurt,” the stone-thought finally ground out. “You seek to turn your great failing into a greater strength for your people. I will not give you magic, for that is a fleeting thing. I will give you a truth.” The great, stony creature turned, and pointed a craggy limb at the black rock upon which it sat. Carved by ages of water and pressure was a shape, a glyph of interlocking lines, a rune of perfect, anchored stability. “This is the shape of the world’s footing. This is the idea of the rooted stone. Forge this shape in honest metal, and it will remember its purpose.” And with those words, the spirit-thing crumbled, its long watch over the rocks finally ended.

Grynn, with much pain, made his way back to the cities of his people. He could no longer captain a ship, but his hands were still strong. He, the great mariner, became a smith. In a forge by the docks of Port Aqua-Vel, he spent the rest of his days. He learned to smelt the bronze that tasted of the tide, and with a fine chisel, he learned to carve the glyph of the rooted stone. He forged the first hoofguards and gave them to the mariners. And it was so, that they did not slip. He taught the secret of the glyph only to the Mariner’s Guild and to his own descendants, a legacy born not of his strength, but of his breaking.

The moral of the story is: The greatest strength is often discovered in the moment of our greatest weakness, and a fall can teach a person more about standing than a lifetime of perfect balance.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

The Yithian Gravitational Plates

These are not boots, but a set of four interlocking, bronze-like plates designed to be strapped to the wearer’s boots and shins. The alloy is of no known terrestrial origin and is strangely heavy. The glyphs etched into their surface are non-Euclidean and painful to look upon for long. They were recovered from a dig site that unearthed a pre-human, alien city.

  • Function: An Investigator wearing the plates gains a Bonus Die on any Athletics or Dodge roll made specifically to keep their footing or resist being knocked prone. The plates allow the wearer to ignore movement penalties from rubble, slick surfaces, or shifting ground.
  • Anchor Stance: By spending 2 Magic Points and focusing their will, the wearer can activate the plates’ primary function for one round. During this time, they become absolutely immovable by any physical force.
  • Cost of Stability: Activating the Anchor Stance forces the wearer’s mind into a brief, terrifying communion with a fixed, unmoving point in a higher dimension. This is profoundly unnatural and requires an immediate Sanity roll (0/1d3 SAN loss). An Investigator who fumbles this Sanity roll might become obsessed with the concept of immovability, developing a phobia of fast travel or a compulsion to brace themselves in doorways.

Blades in the Dark

The Anchor Boots

A pair of heavy, reinforced Leech-crafted boots with thick bronze plates and visible electroplasmic conduits. They are noisy and cumbersome when inert, but a switch near the heel causes the glyphs on the soles to hum with contained energy, ready to lock the wearer in place.

Special Item: Heavy, Occult Load: 2

  • Functions: As a piece of heavy specialist gear, the boots grant the following:
  • Weighted: You’re difficult to shove around. When you Resist with Prowess against an effect that would knock you down or push you, you get +1d.
  • You can activate the boots’ primary function as a special action: Set Anchor. Describe how you slam your heels down, driving spectral anchors into the surface. While anchored, you cannot be moved by physical force. You can hold a rope steady for an ally, brace a collapsing archway, or stand firm on the roof of a speeding train. You can’t move from your spot until you take another action to release the anchors. This is always a Risky action; on a 1-3, the feedback stuns you for a moment.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Boots of the Unyielding Coast

Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)

These heavy bronze-plated boots are etched with runes that glow with a faint, earthy light. They feel incredibly solid and grant the wearer a profound sense of stability.

  • Unyielding Step: You have advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock you prone or move you against your will.
  • Coastal Sure-Footing: You can move across difficult terrain made of rubble, ice, or slick surfaces without expending extra movement.
  • Anchor Stance: As a reaction when you are subjected to an effect that would move you, you can activate the boots’ magic. The forced movement fails, and your speed becomes 0 until the end of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Bronze Anchor Boots

A pair of incredibly heavy bronze-plated boots with strange, interlocking plates and glowing runes etched into the soles.

  • Slots: 2
  • Qualities: Bulky, Noisy
  • Armor: Provides 1 Armor Point.
  • Abilities:
    • You cannot be knocked prone or moved against your will.
    • You are never slowed by difficult terrain like rubble, ice, or steep stairs.
    • As a reaction to being hit by a powerful blow, you can choose to take no damage, but you cannot move on your next turn.

Fate Core

Grynn’s Unyielding Stance

In Fate, this item is a significant piece of your character’s story, granting them a new Aspect and several Stunts. It could be a physical set of hoofguards for an Apsaran or adapted as heavy boots for another character.

Aspect: Heir to the Rooted Stone’s Secret

  • This is a core truth about you. You can invoke this Aspect for a +2 bonus or a re-roll on any roll where your unshakable stability is a factor, such as resisting a giant’s shove, navigating a ship’s deck in a typhoon, or holding a defensive line. The GM can compel this Aspect to make you overly stubborn, refusing to give ground in a negotiation or a fight when a tactical retreat would be wiser.

Stunts:

  • Unyielding Grip: Because I wear these hoofguards, I get a +2 to Defend against any physical attempt to push me, trip me, or otherwise knock me prone.
  • All-Terrain Tread: Because my footing is magically assured, I can ignore any situational Aspects related to difficult, unstable, or slick terrain when I take a movement action.
  • Anchor Stance: Once per session, I can declare that I am setting my stance. For the rest of the scene, I cannot be moved from my current zone by any physical force unless I choose to be. However, I cannot use my action to move to another zone while this is active.

Numenera & Cypher System

The Gravitic Anchors

This artifact consists of four heavy plates of a dense, unknown metallic alloy that magnetically conform to a creature’s feet or hooves. When active, the glyphs etched on their surface glow with a dull bronze light, emitting a low hum and a faint distortion in the air as they manipulate localized gravity.

Level: 1d6+3 Form: A set of four metallic plates worn on the feet/hooves. Effect: This artifact grants the wearer supreme control over their stability.

  • Passive: The wearer’s Speed-based tasks to maintain balance or resist being knocked prone are eased by one step. The wearer is not slowed by non-magical difficult terrain.
  • Active: Surface Grip. Action to activate. For one hour, the wearer can walk on steep inclines and even vertical surfaces as if they were flat ground, though their speed is halved.
  • Active: Anchor Stance. Action to activate. The wearer generates a powerful localized gravity field, locking them to the surface they are standing on. They cannot be moved from their spot by any physical force for up to one minute. During this time, the wearer is also unable to move from their spot. Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (Check only when Anchor Stance is used).

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

HOOFGUARDS OF THE UNYIELDING TIDE – ITEM 5

UNCOMMON, MAGICAL, ABJURATION, INVESTED Price 160 gp Usage worn hoofguards; Bulk 1

These four interlocking plates of tidal bronze are etched with complex runes of stability. Though designed for the hooves of a quadrupedal creature, they can magically reshape to be worn as heavy boots.

  • When you invest the hoofguards, you gain a +1 item bonus to your Fortitude and Reflex DCs against effects that would forcibly move you or knock you prone. You can ignore the effects of non-magical difficult terrain.

Activate (envision) Frequency once per 10 minutes; Effect For 1 minute, you gain a climb Speed equal to half your land Speed.

Activate (reaction) Trigger You are subjected to an effect that would forcibly move you from your space; Frequency once per hour; Effect The triggering effect fails to move you.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

The Mariner’s Grip Boots

These heavy boots are plated with a dull bronze alloy, etched with strange, wave-like runes. They feel incredibly solid and seem to grip the ground with a will of their own.

  • Weight: 8
  • Notes:
    • Sure-Footed: The wearer adds +2 to all Strength and Agility rolls made to resist being Shoved, pushed, or knocked Prone. They ignore all penalties from Unstable Surfaces.
    • All-Terrain: The wearer is never slowed by Difficult Ground.
    • Anchor Stance: Once per encounter, as a Reaction, the wearer can make themselves completely immovable until the start of their next turn. Any Shove attempts against them automatically fail, and they cannot be moved by any physical means.

Shadowrun (Sixth World)

Evo ‘GripStrider’ Balance System

A piece of high-end gear popular with urban explorers and corp security who operate in hazardous environments. The GripStrider system consists of a set of heavy, armored boots linked to a smart gyroscope on the user’s belt. The soles are made of a “smart-surface” polymer that can alter its texture and adhesion on command.

  • Type: Advanced Gear (Worn)
  • Armor Rating: +2
  • Availability: 12R
  • Cost: 18,000 Nuyen
  • Effects:
    • Auto-Balance: The integrated gyroscope and smart-soles provide a +2 dice pool bonus to all Gymnastics tests made to maintain balance.
    • All-Terrain Traction: The wearer ignores all negative dice pool modifiers from difficult terrain such as rubble, ice, or slick surfaces.
    • Magnetic Anchor: The boots contain powerful electromagnets. As a minor action, the user can activate them. If standing on a metallic surface, they cannot be moved by any physical force that does not first destroy the surface. Deactivating the magnets is also a minor action.
    • Wireless Bonus: When running wirelessly, the user can activate the Anchor Stance as a free action. This allows the system to instantly deploy micro-pitons or activate the magnets to negate a single forced movement effect, such as the blast from an explosion.

Starfinder

Gravitic Stabilizer Boots

These heavy boots incorporate advanced gravitic plating in the soles, a technology perfected by and typically restricted to the kasathan military. They allow the wearer to dramatically increase their localized gravitational field, granting them incredible stability.

GRAVITIC STABILIZER BOOTS – LEVEL 5 CATEGORY Magic Item; PRICE 3,000 credits SLOTS feet; BULK 1 DESCRIPTION These boots grant the wearer a profound sense of stability and control over their footing.

  • Unyielding Stride: You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to your Kinetic Armor Class against bull rush and trip combat maneuvers. In addition, you can move through difficult terrain, whether it is magical or nonmagical, without penalty.
  • Gravitic Anchor (1/day): As a reaction when you would be moved against your will by an effect, you can activate the boots’ anchor field. The forced movement fails.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Variable-Friction Grip Boots

A piece of advanced, high-tech footwear, often used by marine commandos and zero-g boarding parties. The soles of the boots are a smart-material mesh that can instantly alter its friction coefficient, from nearly frictionless to powerfully adhesive.

  • Tech Level: 12
  • Weight: 2 kg
  • Cost: 15,000 Cr
  • Legality: Restricted (Military Hardware)
  • Traits:
    • Adaptive Grip: The boots constantly adjust their grip, granting the wearer DM+2 on any Athletics (dexterity) check made to keep their balance on an unstable or slick surface. The wearer is never slowed by difficult terrain.
    • Anchor Mode: The wearer can activate the boots’ maximum friction mode. While active, the user is rooted to the spot and gains DM+4 on any check to resist being moved. However, their own movement speed becomes 0. Activating or deactivating this mode is a significant action.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition)

Dwarf-forged Grudge-Plates

These are not mere boots, but a set of masterfully forged gromril plates designed to be fitted over existing footwear. Each plate is etched with a single, potent Dwarf rune of ‘Grung,’ the Runic word for a solid, unyielding foundation. They feel incredibly heavy and seem to hum with a stubborn energy.

  • Armour Points: 1 (adds to Legs location)
  • Locations: Legs
  • Qualities: Durable, Fine, Runic
  • Weight: 2
  • Special Rules:
    • Grung’s Footing: The wearer gains a +20 bonus to all Athletics Tests to keep their footing. In addition, they gain a +2 Advantage on any opposed Test where an opponent is trying to push or move them.
    • Unbreakable Stance: Once per session, the wearer can declare they are taking The Unbreakable Stance. Until the start of their next turn, they cannot be moved from their spot by any non-magical means, no matter how powerful. They may not move while using this stance.
    • A Minor Grudge: The runes were forged for stalwart defenders, not fleeing cowards. If the wearer fails a Test to resist Fear or willingly flees from a battle they are not clearly losing, the plates feel unnaturally heavy and clumsy for the next hour, imparting a -10 penalty to all Agility-based Tests.

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