Klesta
The King of Ergonomic Assessments
Yula (left) and a male Near-Human Sith (right) wearing a Manah heavy armor
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To provide an unconventional lightsaber-resistant Heavy Armor
- Image Source: Skyrim mod
- Canon Link: N/A
- Restricted Missions: Malachor V: Day of the Free Festival (Open to All) - 36 posts, where Yula and [member="Manah"] visited the following areas on Malachor V, all of which were submitted by [member="Darth Abyss"], in that order: Spheres of Ash, The Blessing and The Tainted City, with orbalisks latching on to Yula's body after fighting a ring of orbalisk poachers.
- Primary Source: Heavy Armor
- Manufacturer: Meran Mechanics
- Model: Manah heavy armor
- Affiliation: Closed-Market
- Modularity: Yes: can change the equipment loadout
- Production: Limited
- Material: Orbalisk chitin, armorweave, electronics
- Classification: Multi-prupose
- Weight: 15kg
- Quality: 8
- Dark side aura
- Magno-grip soles
- Grav boots
- Temperature regulator; climate control
- Digitial Life Support System
- Broadband antenna; comlink (right wrist)
- Environmental filter, rebreather, oxygen filtration system, nutrient/water dispenser, oxygen tank (30 minute supply)
- Copper Faraday cage
- Side weapon socket (lightsaber or blaster)
- Ion flares (3)
- Grappling hook launchers (2), high tension wire
- Combat de-ionizer, blast energy sinks
- Energy rations, canteen, medpacs (2)
In the boots, are located two items that are useful in different capacities and are meant to be used in specific situations: the magno-grip soles are to be used mostly when one needs to grip at objects made of magnetic materials so that the wearer would not fall off (in a gravity field) or fly (without gravity), while the grav boots would activate in a fall in order to reduce the shock incurred. To ensure the comfort and survival of the wearer in hostile environments, a sophisticated climate control system has been implemented with temperature regulator, as well as a number of environmental features that allow it to enhance the survival in toxic environments. To round out the survival equipment, the energy rations, canteen and medpacs are also included. In combat, a blast energy sink and a combat de-ionizer is also added to help withstand blast effects and ion/EMP attacks respectively. Also, a few sockets have been installed, allowing ion flares to be used in an emergency, as well as the lightsaber socket. And, of course, the communications equipment, such as a broadband antenna and a wrist-mounted comlink, has been fitted.
Because of the orbalisk chitin used in the armor, the armor emits a dark side aura that has the following effects: it allows a NFU to pass for a Sith Acolyte-level Force-user, and it allows dark-sided Force-users to increase their apparent Force-signature one level (e.g. Sith Acolytes wearing it would appear like Sith Knights in the Force, and Sith Knights wearing the armor would appear like Sith Lords). However, light-siders would have their Force-signature lowered one level (Jedi Masters wearing a Manah would appear as Jedi Knights, Jedi Knights wearing one would appear as Padawans in the Force and Jedi Padawans would then appear as if unable to use the Force) while wearing it.
DESCRIPTION
Named after the eponymous Sith Darth Manah, the idea for the Manah orbalisk heavy armor came after Yula and Manah fought a ring of NFU orbalisk poachers on Malachor V, who illegally sold live orbalisks on the black market. It is manufactured by Meran Mechanics using a proprietary process that involves cloning orbalisks and then killing them so that the chitin would of the dead orbalisks be later collected and then ground to a paste. While the resulting paste retains the lightsaber resistance of the original chitin, it results in lower strength than pure orbalisk chitin, as well as not having an ability to enhance the wearer's healing. Nevertheless, the Manah carries several advantages over conventional orbalisk armor: the wearer can wear orbalisk armor without fear of the orbalisk's deaths killing the wearer, without having to endlessly endure pain or having to fear electricity attacks as much.
Of course, in normal circumstances, the joints would be made of armorweave underneath the orbalisk-based plates, and also allow the armor to be worn much more comfortably and with more freedom of movement than would otherwise be the case; it also allows to isolate the outside temperature from the temperature inside the suit. On the field, however, the sheer weight of the Manah makes their wearers slower than what would otherwise be the case since the grav boots only allow the wearer to float above ground or to absorb the shock of a fall without any bonus to the wearer's speed (or at least not beyond any boost provided by Force-speed; said boosts are reduced because of the weight of the armor).
One last thing: since the Manah was designed first and foremost for Force-users, several items, such as a HUD and night vision equipment package, are available only as an option.
Strengths:
- Highly Resistant to blasters, slugthrowers, and lightsaber strikes and can take several blows before failing.
- Wide array of equipment for a variety of situations
- Great resistance to elements
- Unlike conventional orbalisk armor, it can be worn by light-siders or by NFUs, and anyone can do so without pain
- Heavy and difficult to move around in due to the stiff joints
- If the wearer is rendered unable to use the Force, the wearer has no sensory means beyond what a NFU could have without targeting systems (in its stock configuration)
- Weak, stiff joints
- EMP/ion blasts can fry systems
- Unsightly and thus makes it difficult to blend into a crowd
- Even with the orbalisks being used under the form of chitin, the chitin still gives off a dark side aura that may make it unsuitable for stealth missions among Force-users
