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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore

1965 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2015 :  16:39:15  Show Profile Send Fellfire a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Looking into this subject has led me to the 3e DMG(Darkwood), Races of the Wild (Leafweave and Wildwood) and the MIC (Bronzewood and Darkleaf). I have also see references to Duskwood, but am unsure if this is homebrew, something I'm missing, or a 3rd party. Anybody made a study of this?

Misanthorpe

Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.

"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises

Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out

Diffan
Great Reader

USA
4430 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2015 :  21:18:34  Show Profile Send Diffan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I'm not familiar with duskwood, as armor or otherwise. Might have been in a 3pp supplement.
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Delwa
Master of Realmslore

USA
1268 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2015 :  21:39:50  Show Profile  Visit Delwa's Homepage Send Delwa a Private Message  Reply with Quote
This might help: Duskwood

Edit: Fixed URL

- Delwa Aunglor
I am off to slay yon refrigerator and spoil it's horde. Go for the cheese, Boo!

"The Realms change; seldom at the speed desired of those who strive, but far too quickly for those who resist." - The Simbul, taken from the Forgotten Realms Campaign Conspectus

Edited by - Delwa on 21 Jan 2015 21:42:22
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BenN
Senior Scribe

Japan
382 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2015 :  21:56:59  Show Profile Send BenN a Private Message  Reply with Quote
There's some info here too:

http://www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/races/elf/items.shtml
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6648 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2015 :  22:28:29  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I've long had in my head a suit of "chainmail" called Ortheur, a sacred relic of Silvanus, made from hundreds of interlocked suth wood "rings" (using 'warp wood'), magically hardened and toughened. It's the equivalent of +2 chainmail but has the same weight, dex modifier and arcane spell failure chance as leather armour and a range of other powers (fire resistance and a few others). Of course, it also had a realmslore-filled back-story. Might finish that idea off one day.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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combatmedic
Senior Scribe

USA
428 Posts

Posted - 21 Jan 2015 :  23:49:38  Show Profile Send combatmedic a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Historical, RW note:

Some of our Indians , back home in the Pacific Northwest, made armor out of wooden slats and elk hide.

Of course, their metal-working technology and access to ore was limited during the period such armor was made.



D&D note:
Bronzewood comes from Oerth. Was it also incorporated into FR, then, as with a number of other GH things?



YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary. I'm putting it here so I don't have to type it in every other post. :)
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
Moderator

USA
36782 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2015 :  00:18:51  Show Profile Send Wooly Rupert a Private Message  Reply with Quote
In the Riftwar books, the Tsurani homeworld had few metals available for use. The Tsurani were able to develop certain resins that made wood nearly as strong as steel.

It was never really discussed if it only worked for certain types of wood, or the difficulty involved in making the resins and treating the wood... But they used it for armor and weapons just as readily as other worlds used steel.

Magic can make glass as hard as steel... I would think that doing the same to other materials would be as simple.

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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7974 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2015 :  00:29:10  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Volo's Guide to All Things Magical describes a few woods said to be as strong as metal. Special selection, preparation, and treatments are needed to make best use of their special properties, requiring some sort of master woodworking/armourer craftsman. Seems like it would be developed to a sophisticated art by elves. Druids could make good use of such wooden armours too, albeit they seem less likely to focus on manufacturing them.

I recall some sort of 2E spell which would harden a chunk of wood, allowing it to be as unbreakable as steel. Perhaps a glassteel variant?

[/Ayrik]
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combatmedic
Senior Scribe

USA
428 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2015 :  02:06:47  Show Profile Send combatmedic a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Ayrik

Volo's Guide to All Things Magical describes a few woods said to be as strong as metal. Special selection, preparation, and treatments are needed to make best use of their special properties, requiring some sort of master woodworking/armourer craftsman. Seems like it would be developed to a sophisticated art by elves. Druids could make good use of such wooden armours too, albeit they seem less likely to focus on manufacturing them.

I recall some sort of 2E spell which would harden a chunk of wood, allowing it to be as unbreakable as steel. Perhaps a glassteel variant?

I'm pretty sure you are thinking of Ironwood

It's a druid spell in a couple of different editions of D&D.




YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary. I'm putting it here so I don't have to type it in every other post. :)
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combatmedic
Senior Scribe

USA
428 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2015 :  02:07:22  Show Profile Send combatmedic a Private Message  Reply with Quote

I'm pretty sure you are thinking of Ironwood

It's a druid (or plant sphere) spell in a couple of different editions of D&D.



YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary. I'm putting it here so I don't have to type it in every other post. :)
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Diffan
Great Reader

USA
4430 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2015 :  02:24:17  Show Profile Send Diffan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by BenN

There's some info here too:

http://www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/races/elf/items.shtml



there it is, a Dragon article
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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore

1965 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2015 :  02:45:56  Show Profile Send Fellfire a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Thanks, Scribes. I think I've seen it all. Unless, of course, Krash finishes his woody chainmail. I am pondering a treant-made-gift of mail. If I happened to miss anything, please lemme know.

Misanthorpe

Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.

"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises

Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out

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BEAST
Master of Realmslore

USA
1714 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2015 :  07:12:48  Show Profile  Visit BEAST's Homepage Send BEAST a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire

I think I've seen it all. Unless, of course, Krash finishes his woody chainmail. I am pondering a treant-made-gift of mail.

Actually, "woody chainmail" sounds to me like a male counterpart to "boobmail"!

"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)

<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works">
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BenN
Senior Scribe

Japan
382 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2015 :  07:17:27  Show Profile Send BenN a Private Message  Reply with Quote
What are codpieces made from, anyway? I'd imagine that chainmail wouldn't be very comfortable.....
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TBeholder
Great Reader

2392 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2015 :  15:06:06  Show Profile Send TBeholder a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

Magic can make glass as hard as steel... I would think that doing the same to other materials would be as simple.

If we're looking for permanent effects -
Glassteel (Wiz 8, PHB); Minor Glassteel (Wiz 5, Red Steel);
Ironwood (WJ 5, OA); Ironwood (Dru 5, Dragon #177 / The Voyage of the Princess Ark)
Veladar's Vambrace (Wiz 5, Volo's Guide to All Things Magical);
Crown Meld (Wiz 6, Volo's Guide to All Things Magical)
For temporary ones (that can be used in item enchantment), there's
[Nautical] Ironwood (Wiz 3, Dragon #220)
But then, if you're enchanting, is there any reason not to try and make powered armor? Even if it won't add strength (without a higher-level spell, at least), it could remove a lot of encumberance - probably more than its own.
Animate Wood (WJ 1, OA)

People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
11716 Posts

Posted - 23 Jan 2015 :  13:38:13  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Speaking of duskwood, has anyone put it to other uses besides shields in their games? It obviously doesn't bend well, but it sounds like it would be a sturdy material for making walls of a temporary castle, especially if soaked in something to reduce its chance of lighting on fire. I'm imagining a lot of smaller border forts would be made of it.

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist

USA
11716 Posts

Posted - 23 Jan 2015 :  13:39:20  Show Profile Send sleyvas a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas

Speaking of duskwood, has anyone put it to other uses besides shields in their games? It obviously doesn't bend well, but it sounds like it would be a sturdy material for making walls of a temporary castle, especially if soaked in something to reduce its chance of lighting on fire. I'm imagining a lot of smaller border forts would be made of it.



As I think on it, cost may prohibit this. But the question still stands, anyone have any other good uses?

Alavairthae, may your skill prevail

Phillip aka Sleyvas
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore

Australia
6648 Posts

Posted - 23 Jan 2015 :  13:46:50  Show Profile Send George Krashos a Private Message  Reply with Quote
In the write-up of Rillifane in "Demihuman Deities" (p.123) there is a reference to bark armor that provides protection equivalent to leather armor but the wearer incurs a -1 penalty for all saving throws against fire.

-- George Krashos

"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus
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