Chapter 380: — The Price of Armor

Elarion — Council Chamber

Lucien checked the armour catalogue first, then moved to the complete blueprint packages. Neither section displayed a single milestone discount.

“Nothing suitable, my lord?” Lucas asked, watching his expression.

“Its actually the opposite,nothing on sale.”

Ironbreaker caught the administrator’s instantly relieved expression across the table. “You could at least pretend to be disappointed, Lucas.”

“I am grieving within my means,” Lucas replied without breaking stride.

Lucien closed the listing interface and turned toward Malen. “Before we consider buying a completely new design, tell me what is limiting the armour we already make.”

“It serves the commandos well, my lord,” Malen explained, leaning forward. “But these advancement cards will give us fifty Peak Knights and five Legendary Knights. Their equipment has to keep pace with that level of power.”

Ironbreaker spread their current armour drawing across the table so everyone could see it. “Our materials are approaching their structural limits. The frame and joints must withstand far greater force, and the conduits have to carry more power. If we try reinforcing everything with thicker metal sections, we’ll eventually obstruct the wearer’s movement.”

“And the movement assistance has to respond faster,” Malen added. “A Legendary knight can change direction before our present control systems even finish processing the first instruction. I want my men fighting the enemy, not wrestling with their own shoulder joints.”

Gandalf drifted closer to the table, his long white beard hovering just above the floorboards. “We can also eliminate several duplicated controls. Right now, multiple functions take the exact same measurements separately, which wastes precious internal space and power.”

“The emergency reserves stay,” Ironbreaker said firmly, tapping the blueprint.

“Those are safeguards,” Gandalf clarified gently. “I am referring strictly to unnecessary repetition.”

Cedric placed a finger beside the chest plate on the diagram. “We also need a personal shield, my lord. We need something that can intercept magical attacks before they ever reach the physical plates or the wearer.”

Lucien studied the familiar layout. “Then let us buy the specific knowledge required to improve those parts. We already have a suit design that works.”

Brakka nodded in agreement. “Provided the knowledge teaches us how to manufacture those components ourselves, my lord.”

“That is precisely what we will look for.”

Aurethar opened one golden eye from his spot beside the fireplace. “How disappointing. I was looking forward to seeing Lucas’s face when you ordered fifty-five complete suits.”

“Remain awake,” Lucas said dryly, dipping his quill. “They have already found another way to spend the money.”

Lucien opened the knowledge catalogue. This time, glowing discount marks appeared beside several listings.

“Materials first.”

CERAMITE MANUFACTURING AND REPAIR

Origin: Imperium of Man — Warhammer 40,000

Knowledge: Production and repair of tough, heat-resistant armour ceramics. Requires specialised processing equipment.

Price: 320,000 → 64,000 Points

Remark: A splendid way to keep a soldier alive inside a furnace. Teaching commanders not to send him into one apparently proved too expensive.

Lucien explained the material’s protective properties.

“That would be useful for the outer plates,” Ironbreaker noted, considering the description. “Does it cover the structural frame or conducting channels, my lord?”

“No. It only covers the plating.”

“Then we should keep it under consideration, but we would still need another purchase to handle the frame and channels.”

Lucien nodded and opened a broader metallurgical reference.

RUNIC COMPOSITE METALLURGY AND HIGH-FLUX CONDUCTORS

Origin: Kharadic Forge League — World of Kharad

Knowledge: Advanced alloying, composite manufacture, runic stabilisation and conductor production using iron, mithril, adamant-bearing stock, aetherium and runesilver.

Price: 300,000 → 60,000 Points

Remark: Six centuries of tradition have produced six centuries of the same limitations. Please stop submitting your grandfather as a material specification.

Ironbreaker scowled at the text. “The ingredients are promising, my lord. But the author is a complete bastard.”

Aurethar raised his head from his paws. “You haven’t even bought the book yet, Shorty, and already you recognise a professional colleague.”

Brakka’s deep laugh shook his entire beard.

Lucien continued before Ironbreaker could hurl a response across the room. “The methods produce new material grades through superior combinations and treatments. The package also includes the dies and treatment fixtures we would need to build.”

“So we improve what the base material itself can carry,” Maerath observed, “rather than asking another magical inscription to compensate for its physical limits.”

Brakka examined the listed raw inputs carefully. “Those are all resources we already use in our workshops.”

“Yes,” Lucien confirmed. “Though there is another option with higher stated load limits.”

THERYSIAN STARSTEEL METALLURGY

Origin: Orinthian Concord — World of Therys

Knowledge: Complete refining, alloying, forging and treatment methods. Requires Therysian aether ore.

Price: 400,000 → 80,000 Points

Remark: The instructions are discounted. The ore is not. Congratulations on discovering which half of this bargain belongs to us.

Lucas laid his quill down cleanly on his ledger. “Do we actually possess that ore, my lord?”

“No identified source. It has to be bought separately.”

“Then every single batch we forge would depend on a fresh purchase from the shop.”

Ironbreaker weighed the two metallurgical packages against each other. “The Kharadic methods cover more of our immediate workshop requirements, my lord. We can always investigate Starsteel later if those grades turn out to be insufficient for our needs.”

Lucien marked the Kharadic package and moved to the defensive shield category.

Gandalf pulled a blank sheet toward himself beside the armour plan while Maerath listened to the details of the first entry.

PERSONAL ENERGY-SHIELD THEORY AND EMITTER FABRICATION

Origin: UNSC — Halo Universe

Knowledge: Field generation, emitter manufacture, regulation and recharge control. Requires advanced components and a compatible power supply.

Price: 350,000 → 70,000 Points

Remark: Requires state-of-the-art components and a power supply that won’t throw a tantrum mid-battle.”I have magic doesnt solve all the problems after all”.

“The package covers physical impact and energy protection,” Lucien explained. “However, its exact response to our local magic remains unestablished.”

“We could certainly study that interaction,” Gandalf mused, “but building and powering those specialized field components would be another substantial task on top of our existing work, my lord.”

“Then show us the magical alternatives,” Malen requested.

FOCUS-BOUND PERSONAL WARDING

Origin: Serathi Temple Cities

Knowledge: Wearable wards, reinforcement and recovery. Requires the wearer to maintain the spell formation.

Price: 150,000 → 30,000 Points

Remark: Simply maintain flawless concentration while somebody tries to stab you. The saving should be a great comfort to your quartermaster.

Lucas glanced down at the number. “That is half the cost of the material reference.”

“It is also an additional mental burden for the man fighting,” Maerath countered immediately. “A trained mage might manage it comfortably, but the commandos would have to learn to maintain an active ward while under extreme combat pressure.”

Malen shook his head decisively. “I would prefer protection that stays active automatically while my men concentrate on killing whoever is attacking them.”

Lucien opened the third shield entry.

AUTONOMOUS PERSONAL AEGIS CONSTRUCTION

Origin: Orinthian Concord — World of Therys

Knowledge: Barrier theory, shield-crystal preparation, emitter manufacture and power regulation. Includes configurations for Peak and Legendary equivalents.

Price: 450,000 → 90,000 Points

Remark: Maintains protection without requiring constant intelligent input from the wearer. Procurement officers often described this as a breakthrough.

“This project forms a protective barrier around the wearer, covering the gaps between the plates as well as the solid armor,” Lucien detailed. “It intercepts physical impact, elemental attacks, and directed magical force.”

“What defeats it, my lord?” Cedric asked.

“Sustained force, extreme pressure, or direct disruption. It also does not replace our existing safeguards against internal corruption or curses.”

Maerath cross-referenced the conductor requirements with his earlier notes from the Kharadic reference. “The Kharadic production methods should provide suitable conductor grades for this system. We can compare their measured capacities directly.”

“And we can manufacture the necessary crystals and emitters ourselves,” Gandalf added. “This is clearly the best choice, my lord.”

Lucas underlined the price on his sheet.

Lucien navigated to the next category. “For movement assistance, there are several forms of artificial muscle listed.”

Brakka leaned forward as Lucien opened the first entry.

MANA-RESPONSIVE MYOFIBRE MANUFACTURE

Origin: Orinthian Concord — World of Therys

Knowledge: Artificial filament production, conductive sheathing, bundle formation and attachment. Requires precision weaving and rapid mana control.

Price: 320,000 → 64,000 Points

Remark: Will faithfully reproduce your movements, including the one that gets you killed. Tactical brilliance sold separately.

“Opposing bundles contract under controlled mana pulses,” Lucien explained. “They pull the joint in either direction and can replace some of the bulky assistance assemblies.”

“How quickly can they reverse, my lord?” Malen asked.

“The listed arrangements support the ranks we are equipping. Their actual response depends on the controller, supply and mounting.”

Brakka traced a route beneath the shoulder plate.

“That would distribute the pull through the frame. We could recover space around this joint.”

“What wears out?” Ironbreaker asked.

“The fibres suffer strain and heating. The reference gives inspection limits and arrangements that allow a damaged bundle to be disconnected without locking the limb.”

Ironbreaker nodded. “What are the alternatives, my lord?”

ELECTROACTIVE ARTIFICIAL MUSCLE FABRICATION

Origin: Helion Orbital Union

Knowledge: Synthetic fibre manufacture, electrical drive systems and actuator construction. Requires insulated power delivery and fast electrical control.

Price: 240,000 → 48,000 Points

Remark: Contracts precisely when ordered and does not request an extra allowance. Your officers are advised not to take the comparison personally.

“These respond to electrical stimulation,” Lucien said. “We would need to convert and regulate power from our cores.”

“Achievable,” Brakka said, “but that introduces another system to build and maintain. Does the cheaper price outweigh that?”

“Possibly in another application,” Gandalf replied. “The mana-driven fibres fit our present approach more closely.”

“The third can repair minor damage,” Lucien said.

Lucas looked interested until he heard the title.

CULTIVATED MUSCLE AND LIVING SINEW

Origin: Thalassic Biomancer Dominion

Knowledge: Tissue cultivation, attachment and regenerative maintenance. Requires sterile chambers, nourishment and specialised care.

Price: 210,000 → 42,000 Points

Remark: At last, armour that can call in sick. Remember to feed it before explaining why it must work overtime.

Aurethar gave a pleased rumble.

“An excellent opportunity to expand the ration budget.”

Lucas ignored him.

“How much maintenance can the men perform themselves, my lord?”

“Routine care. Serious damage requires trained specialists.”

Cedric shook his head.

“That would complicate extended operations. The synthetic fibres give us a simpler repair system, my lord.”

Lucien marked the mana-responsive myofibre reference.

“Then we need controls that can use them properly.”

Ironbreaker glanced toward Lucas.

“Any chance of finding one that coordinates expenditure?”

“You have been ignoring it for years.”

Lucien waited for Brakka to finish laughing before reading.

NEURAL INTERFACING AND POWERED-ARMOUR CONTROL

Origin: UNSC — Halo Universe

Knowledge: Neural interfaces, movement control and equipment coordination. Requires compatible wearer interfaces and advanced electronic fabrication.

Price: 350,000 → 70,000 Points

Remark: Installation requires more than enthusiasm and a sharp knife. This clarification has regrettably proved necessary.

“A direct connection to the wearer,” Lucien said. “But we would have to develop the interface and manufacture its supporting electronics.”

Maerath considered it.

“Worth studying eventually, my lord. For this upgrade, I would first examine methods that work through the aura connections we already understand.”

Lucien moved on.

INDEPENDENT RUNIC CONTROL NETWORKS

Origin: Kharadic Forge League — World of Kharad

Knowledge: Separate limb and equipment controllers, fault isolation and calibration. Uses common control crystals.

Price: 120,000 → 24,000 Points

Remark: Gives every limb its own management. At last, you can experience bureaucracy while falling down stairs.

Ironbreaker smiled at the description.

“Straightforward fault isolation. Damage to an arm controller need not affect a leg.”

“But it retains separate calibration and control arrangements,” Gandalf said. “We would improve local response while keeping much of the duplication.”

Lucas left the inexpensive entry unmarked.

“And the final option, my lord?”

UNIFIED AURA CONTROL AND POWER MANAGEMENT

Origin: Orinthian Concord — World of Therys

Knowledge: Shared wearer sensing, rapid movement control, power allocation, fault isolation and independent fallback methods.

Price: 300,000 → 60,000 Points

Remark: Prevents the shield from saving your life by switching off the legs you were using to escape. Such refinements are called progress.

“This coordinates the movement and connected equipment using shared wearer readings,” Lucien said. “It includes control of the myofibre bundles, with an independent fallback for vital functions.”

Gandalf drew lines through two repeated sections on the old plan.

“That would clear space here without sacrificing the emergency reserve.”

Malen examined the sketch.

“The important test is how quickly it follows the wearer while the shield and weapons are active, my lord.”

“That will be part of the trials.”

Maerath held the material notes beside the control requirements.

“We must also reconcile the Kharadic and Orinthian standards. Their documentation gives us the measurements and tests, but the completed suit remains our responsibility.”

Lucien looked toward the dwarves.

“Can you work with that?”

“Aye, my lord,” Ironbreaker said. “We have the design. These references give us better means to build the parts reaching their limits.”

“And the equipment that already works stays,” Cedric added. “Especially the weapon interfaces, communications and existing protective measures.”

Lucas completed his figures.

“The four references cost two hundred and seventy-four thousand points, my lord. Five hundred and seventy-six thousand of the milestone grant will remain.”

Dray shifted his naval drawings closer.

Lucas looked at him.

“Yes, Master Dray. I remember the rest of the table exists.”

“I haven’t said anything.”

“You have advanced those papers six inches since we began.”

Lucien smiled and confirmed the purchases.

Knowledge Purchases Confirmed.

Total Deducted: 274,000 Points.

Bound volumes and cases of drawings appeared on the cleared section of the table.

Ironbreaker opened the metallurgy reference. Gandalf and Maerath took the shield and control studies, while Brakka unfolded a diagram from the myofibre package.

“Begin with the material grades and fibre production,” Lucien said. “Work through the control and shield requirements alongside them. Malen and Cedric will set the field requirements.”

“Yes, my lord,” Gandalf replied.

Brakka placed a finger on the manufacturing diagram.

“We’ll need a precision loom.”

Lucas stared at him.

“We began this discussion with Legendary knights.”

“Aye. They’ll need exceptionally good thread.”

Aurethar’s laughter rolled across the hearth as Lucas opened another page in his ledger.

normal chap of the day i have 1 more pending i will write it in morning:)