Lorica Tenebris

Two different accounts of the armor worn by the Vigilants and Praetorians of Atmora survive to the present, one an official description by an Atmoran smith and the other by a historian of the Near Haradrim who survived the meat grinder of the Praetorian line during the unsuccessful attempt to take the city of Atmora during the War of the Ring, where he apparently was one of the sword fodder spearmen. First, the description from the smith:
"The armor consists of steel for the most part, heavily blackened and specially made unable to reflect the light of the sun or moon. Upon the body of the man rests a steel lorica squamata. Over this is a linothorax, dyed pure black. On the forearms are black leather bracers, attached to gloves with blackened steel scales protecting the top of the fingers and the backs of the hands, with steel splints protecting the forearms. Protecting the shins are blackened steel greaves. The helm is of the [text is missing, but the helmets surviving are most like the "Corinthian" helms used in ancient Greece] type, with the opening covered by thin black fabric; save the openings for the eyes, which are open. In hot climates, the black coloration is not used"
It can be surmised that these hauberks could be very intimidating, as the account of the Near Haradrim shows.
"The southern men call the dark warriors 'Vigilants' or 'Praetorians'. The former appear to be the more skillful, but both are terrifying, especially the Praetorians. They march forth relentlessly, and when I saw one be slain, the men behind him simply stepped over the corpse and continued to fight..."
Category:Armor