Ashin Varanin
Professional Enabler
Intent: The last boots you'll ever need.
Development Thread: No
Manufacturer: Akure Executive Leatherworks/Akure Executive Interstellar
Model: 844 Spring Line Bloodwalker
Affiliation: Open market
Modularity: Available in black, brown, natural, gray and red. Available in thigh-highs, for those who dig that sort of thing. Can be comfortably fitted with a knife sheath.
Production: Minor
Material: Tikulini leather from AEI's free-range farms on Kyrikal 17. Available with a wide range of inserts, cushioning, arch supports, etc. Toe and sole protection made of duraplast. Rubber sole.
Classification: General protection, anti-lightsabre (minimal)
Weight: Comparable to hiking boots.
Quality: 7
Special Features: Mild lightsabre resistance (may withstand a slash or two, but not sustained contact, a full-power chop, or a full thrust).
Description: The Bloodwalker Boots are the first new product from AEL since the temporal suicide of its founder, Rave Merrill. Their marketing campaign hinges on frontier adventure, Wild Space and the Unknown Regions, in connection with AEI's half-finished hyperlane, the Blood Trail. Target markets include mercenaries, star pilots, explorers and Mandalorians (for casual wear). Farther toward the Core, target markets include rebellious teenagers and earnest punks, with appropriate market sensitivity. (You ever tried marketing a punk on anything? Doesn't go well. These boots just happen to be excellent.)
Bloodwalkers are made from 100% grade-aleph premium tikulini hide, with a mild treatment of the proprietary alchemical reagents that AEL has always used to maintain the special qualities of tikulini hide after the creature's death. Specifically, tikulini hide is immensely tough and lightsabre-resistant, and has featured heavily in AEL's product lines. Bloodwalkers have all the durability and incompressibility of steel-toed boots without the weight, and their rigidity is optimized for long hiking excursions. They are somewhat time-consuming to put on, but will never come off unintentionally. They are completely waterproof, even in severe conditions, as demonstrated in HoloNet commercials of interim CEO Selka Ventus splashing through acid puddles on Vjun.
Primary Source: None.
