Sigmarite armour
A Sigmarite armour is part of the typical equipment of a Stormcast Eternal. They're forged using sigmarite, a metal extracted from Mallus. This metal gives them the ability to be transported back to Azyr when the wearer is slain and be repaired. Because of strange magic or the strength of a potent foe, sometimes pieces of sigmarite armour remain on the battlefield.[1] An example is Davos Silverclaw's helm, still used by Gordrakk as a piece of his armour.[2]
Contents
Forging
Sigmarite armours are created in the forges of the Six Smiths by the six duardin themselves and a legion of warsmiths[3]. During its forging, every armour is thrice blessed. The first blessing consists in carving the twelve names of Sigmar into the plates before hammering them smooth. The second one is the blessing of Grungni and it consists in inscribing runes of protection on its surface using sacred oil before burning them away at the forge. In the third and final blessing, one of the Six Smiths blesses the armour with the sweat of his brow while he hammers its final shape.[1]
Features
The typical sigmarite armour worn by a Stormcast Eternal is called Aegis armour.[1]
- Mask Impassive: the most notable feature, an armoured mask which always gives the warrior a stoic expression. There are many variants of the Mask Impassive, like the skull-faced one of the Mortis armour, worn by Lord-Relictors.[1]
- Honour Parchments: These parchment scripts flutter from Stormcast's armours. They're emblazoned with sigils of victory and conquest.[1]
- Reliquiaries: they're worn on the back-plate and they hold small, but powerful relics of Azyr. Each one is saturated with celestial energy which gives the wearer spiritual strength.[1]
Mortis armour
The armour worn by a Lord-Relictors isn't recognizable only by its skull-faced helm. It has many more honour parchments and some relics are encrusted on greaves and vambraces.[1]
Bastion armour
Typically worn by Paladin Conclaves. It's heavier than the Aegis armour, having a bigger right shoulder pad and reinforced legs and vambraces.[1]
Thunderstrike armour
A type of armour worn by Stormcast Eternals of the Thunderstrike Hosts.[5]
Thunderstrike armour was created to give Stormcast the power to pierce the Cursed Skies created by Be'lakor that now obscure the skies of the Mortal Realms in order to safely return to Azyr for reforging.[5]
The first Grungni's experiments with Thunderstrike Armour were not successful and some of them led to disasters, known as Dharroth Cataclysm and Actinic Unforging.[6a]
Heraldry
A sigmarite armour isn't only made of bare metal. There are notable decorations and they can be accompained by shields. Each Stormhost has its own heraldry, but there are some common themes and iconographies each of them adopts.[4]
Icons
This is the icon Stormcast bear on their left shoulder.
- Twin-tailed comet: Angelos Conclaves.
- Star: Justicar Conclaves.
- Lightning bolt: Redeemer Conclaves.
- Crescent Moon: Paladin Conclaves. This symbol is worn on the right shoulder.
- Blaze of arcane fire: Corpuscant Conclaves.
- Cog: Ordinatos Conclaves.
Shields
Many Stormcast Eternals use shields, which feature the same colors of their armour. All Stormhosts of the First Striking use the icon of the sacred hammer, but later strikings can choose from other symbols. Colors used on these symbols depend on the Stormhosts[4] Some shields are embellished with scrollwork that speaks of Sigmar's majesty the blessing of the storm.[1]
- Twin-tailed comet: it refers to how Sigmar entered the Realm of Azyr.
- Eclipse: it represents the light of Sigmar's salvation emerging from the shadow.
- Wielded hammer: it represents the Warrior Defiant.
Chamber Designation
Many Stormhosts choose to identify their chambers using different colors on plumes and crests. The exact color is choosed by the Lord-Celestant or other equivalent ranks like Lord-Aquilor or Lord-Arcanum.[4] It's common to find different elements of a Stormhosts that bind themselves using the same colour on plumes and crests. For example, the Hammers Draconis, first of the extremis-chambers of the Hammers of Sigmar, bears the same red of the Hammerhands warrior-chamber.[1]
Tabards
Each retinue within a conclave is identified by the colour of their tabard's trim. Up to three retinues can have the same colour on their tabards, but they can be distinguished by the colour of their buckles: gold, silver or bronze.[4]
Beastmarks
- See also: Beastmark
Beastmarks are honour markings Stormcasts use on differents parts of their armour, often worn by officers. They testify a quality or an aspect of the wearer.[4]
Sources
- 1: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2017)
- 2: Fury of Gork, by Josh Reynolds, Chapter 9
- 3: Age of Sigmar: Core Book (2nd Edition), Azyr, Realm of Heavens
- 4: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2018)
- 5: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2021/05/08/warhammer-fest-online-day-6-warhammer-age-of-sigmars-new-edition/
- 6: Battletome: Stormcast Eternals (2021)
- 6a: pg. 29, The Birth of Thunder