Carrion Banded Pauldrons of the Citadel

Carrion Banded Pauldrons of the Citadel rest heavy on the shoulders, bone-colored plates braided with iron bands. The shells resemble carved ivory, etched with ribs turned to steel, each segment lacquered to a dull, wet sheen. Narrow iron bands wrap the joints, riveted with copper-tinted pegs that catch the light in slow glints. A central boss bears the Citadel’s sigil—a cracked crown encircled by thorned laurels—that seems to breathe with a whisper of chalk and old battle-lore. The texture stays cool to the touch, a paradox of warmth from skin and the chill of the grave; you half-expect a dampness, as if the armor remembers the damp cry of a march through plague-washed streets. Inside, leather is supple, edges stitched with care, as if the wearer is girded for a rite as much as for combat. Lore connections: scribes say the Citadel forged these pauldrons for plague wardens, sentinels who held rot at bay as a shield against it. The carrion motif—bones and bands—reminded the wearer that death travels in patient steps, and that protection sometimes means bearing decay so others survive. If you listen close, the sigil hums when the wind shifts across ruined ramparts, as if the armor remembers every oath whispered in corridors lined with fungus and banners. On the field, they are more than ornament. They offer a durable silhouette and a balanced stat spread that appeals to tanks and condition-build specialists alike, granting a sturdy cushion for the torso while sharpening the senses of the wearer. In the hands of a warder, they become a symbol and a tool: the carrion motif unsettles foes who would leer at the living, and the iron bands stiffen the shoulders for bearing heavy line penalties. They pair well with setups that lean into survivability and sustain, giving a moment of pause in chaotic skirmishes before the next wave of rot-born adversaries is repelled. Market and memory entwine in a way that makes this item feel like a story you wear rather than a spare piece of kit. Traders speak of the Citadel’s long shadow—the way those bones and bands were rumored to have saved a last stand on a broken causeway, a tale told in taverns to keep the night from swallowing the day. In Saddlebag Exchange, chatter around a pristine or slightly used pair centers on its stat rolls and its potential to slot into a larger set. I’ve watched listings drift around the common-price range for rare armor, and the best examples fetch a premium for their patina and the lore that clings to them, a price tag that makes the eye dart toward the coin purse. Ultimately, wearing the Carrion Banded Pauldrons of the Citadel feels like wearing a village’s whispered history on your shoulders—a burden and a badge, inviting new stories as you walk the line between decay and defense. For any collector or frontline fighter, the pauldron's weight reminds that protection is earned, not given, and every scar tells a wandering tale today.