Cleric's Cabalist Coat of the Afflicted

Cleric's Cabalist Coat of the Afflicted hung heavy against the back wall of a dim merchant's tent, the fabric a rain-dark wool that seems to swallow light. Its cut is long and steadfast, with broad shoulders and a hem that brushes the tops of worn boots. The lapels are trimmed in baroque black leather, stitched with silver threads that catch a glint when a lamp swings overhead. Brass buttons, etched with a sigil that flares faintly when magic stirs nearby, march in orderly rows along the front, while the sleeves taper into cuffs lined with a velvet-red satin that peeks out when the coat moves. The hood sits close to the neck, not so much to hide as to cradle a whispered history, and the lining bears stains like old rain puddles, the kind you only notice in moonlight. A pocket watch-shaped patch near the chest glints with a field of tiny runes, and a leather strap holds vials discreetly, as if the wearer preferred to heal without parading every tool of mercy. Lore surrounds it as tightly as the wool itself. They call it the Afflicted because the Cabalist order who forged it walked with oaths to ease torment even as they walked through danger. Some say the robe was stitched from cloaks of healers who faced a plague so terrible it wore names down to rumors; others insist the cloth drinks sorrow, trading a portion of the bearer’s fear for a stronger will to mend broken bodies. The coat’s texture, coarse on the outside and whisper-soft inside, is said to mirror the paradox at its heart: healing that thrives on sacrifice, light that grows in the shadow of losses. When a healer wears it in the thick of battle, the sigils along the front glow a pale blue, as if prayers were being whispered through the threads. In gameplay, the Cleric's Cabalist Coat of the Afflicted isn’t merely a garment but a conduit. Worn by a dedicated support or condition-damage hybrid, it channels a steadier stream of renewal and resilience to the group. Players report that the coat’s enchantments magnify healing power and extend boon duration, turning a crisis-clearing moment into a sustained river of recovery. It helps keep the frontline alive when a party cluster is pinned by lingering wounds, and its aura seems to pull the team together, a reminder that mercy is a strategic choice, not an afterthought. The coat’s lore-tinged aura also resists a particular kind of paranoia—fear of failure—by quietly sharpening the wearer’s focus, making it easier to time cleanses and shields in the heat of a skirmish. Market days lend the coat a different rhythm. I watched a trader at the Saddlebag Exchange unroll a cloth map of the surrounding stalls, the murmuring crowd pressing in as coins clinked and voices rose. The price reflected the moment—the coat’s beauty and power carried weight in the trade winds—yet bargaining carried the story along with it. A well-preserved Cleric's Cabalist Coat of the Afflicted might fetch a few golds, sometimes more, depending on the wearer’s reputation and the current demand for healing relics. The seller spoke of barter and balance, of conscience and coin, before sealing the deal with a nod toward a ship’s wake where caravans converge and depart. As I walked away, the coat settled against the rough leather of a shoulder, and I understood why this piece remains a thread in a larger narrative—one that binds the afflicted to those who refuse to give up, one stitch at a time, from market stalls to wind-whipped battlegrounds.