Lore:Crafting Motif 77: Stags of Z'en Style

The   will tell you that all the world is a tree. Evils burrow under the bark like weevils and drink the goodness out of life. The Green's warriors search the boughs, plucking vices from their hiding places and devouring them with relish. Transgression and consequence. Wickedness and payment in kind. We   exact that punishment. We claim that payment in blood.  , god of toil and vengeance, demands nothing less.

AXES

Like all right-thinking  , we observe the Green Pact gladly. Let no tree suffer the axe; only enemies should feel the cleaver's bite. The Stags' great axe-heads feature multiple prongs and cutting edges to ensure every wound we inflict is grievous and irreparable.

BELTS

In  , a loose fit spells death. Razor-sharp thorns, snare-like vines, and the grasping claws of great beasts always seek to drag us to an early grave. Our sturdy leather belts cinch tight as a  's coils, keeping our profile lean and our midriffs protected.

BOOTS

All too often, the raking briars and venomous  s of Valenwood make a meal of unprotected shins and calves. A Stag's boiled leather and beetle-chitin boots afford the wearer the same protection as iron greaves at half the weight.

BOWS

Wooden bows, no matter their origin, carry the stink of filthy loggers and woodland-oppressors. A Stag's bow relies on flexible root-beetle chitin extracted at the very moment the imago emerges from its husk. Of all the weapons we Wood Elves carry into battle, this one does   and Z'en the most homage.

CHESTS

We Wood Elves excel at all crafts, but butchering monstrous beetles remains one of our most time-honored traditions. Crafting a Stag brigandine requires hundreds of delicate cuts to create a flexible garment. Affixing the chitin plates to a leather jack can take many long hours, but the results speak for themselves.

DAGGERS

Few weapons embody the virtues of their wielder as completely as the Stag dagger. Fashioned out of chitin and steel, the blade resembles a serrated leaf. What could suit a servant of the Green finer than a lethal frond?

GLOVES

Tight leather wraps and expertly cut chitin plates make Stag gloves the envy of woodland warriors everywhere. Weapons can rarely find purchase on the slick surface of beetle-hide, making these vambraces the perfect armor for a slippery duelist.

HELMETS

A true Stag of Z'en should inspire more than fear. The transgressor must see the face of cold, dispassionate justice. We do not extract the toll on behalf of ourselves—we claim it in Z'en's name. So we hide our faces behind the mandibles and mask of a predatory insect. Insects do nothing needlessly. They lead their life of violence with an eerie calmness. As do we.

LEG GREAVES

Flexible chitin plates laid over rugged leather trousers allow us to remain protected while moving swiftly from foe to foe. For a Wood Elf, speed and safety are one and the same. In these armored leggings, we can move very swiftly indeed.

MACES

The head of a Stag mace closely resembles a flower preparing to bloom. But the petals are far from delicate. Heavy, spiked chitin wrapped around a prodigious iron weight make this the most brutal weapon south of the  .

SHIELDS

Sometimes chitin needs no alteration. Take the Stag shield, for instance. Z'en's aegis is little more than a beetle's thoracic carapace affixed to a rugged leather base. Y'ffre, in his wisdom, set the beetle in a shield-like shell. What fool would alter what is already perfect?

SHOULDERS

The shoulder is the steady root of the arm, and like all roots, it needs protecting. Stag armorsmiths devised perfect shoulder cops that feature spiked chitin plates and imposing mandibles to enhance our already terrifying silhouette.

STAVES

The staff of a Stag mage reflects the Green's sublime power with fearsome mandibles and sharpened leaf motifs. Any spell channeled through such a weapon carries the full blessing of Z'en. Should you face off with hostile mages, this staff ensures that you pay their bloodshed back in kind.

SWORDS

Like our daggers, the swords of a Stag reflect the beauty and terror of the Green through sharpened chitin and leaf-like motifs. Despite their size, these weapons enjoy a remarkable lightness. For every enemy sword-stroke, we can reply with two of our own. Under such an onslaught, even the hardiest   will fall in short order.