The shield's broad face is layered with the scales of a great hydra, each one overlapping the next like dark emerald armor. Hydra scales are said to be harder than iron, refusing the edge of sword or spear with an unyielding resilience that no common forge could imitate. Yet this strength comes at a price. Each scale is twice as heavy as an iron plate of equal size, giving the shield a tremendous weight that would overwhelm all but the strongest warriors. Those capable of bearing it describe the burden as carrying a stone gate upon their arm, but once braced, the shield stands like a fortress wall.
The shield still remembers the beast from which it came. Rainwater beads and runs across its surface without soaking in, and in the silence before battle, some swear they can hear the faint hiss of distant serpentine heads. Whether truth or superstition, those who stand behind the shield find courage in its presence, trusting an ancient relic born from a creature whose own hide was nearly impossible to pierce.
Shields require the Utilize action to Don or Doff. You gain the Armor Class benefit of a Shield only if you have training with it.
Notes: Resistance: Poison, Bonus: Armor Class
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