Bracelet of Protection

"Why, it's saved my skin a good two or three times now. I always say, a lady's best defense is the one that stays hidden!"

--Ezti Darling, speaking on her own Bracelet of Protection

Many dangers exist in Edda, and so too must many methods of protection exist. Bracelets of Protection, the aptly named magical accessory, are one such method. While they won't stop explosive fireballs or rampaging manticores, they do enough to blunt weapons and brusts, keeping the often fragile common citizen safe for that little bit longer, enough to hopefully get away.

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Mechanics & Inner Workings

In days of antiquity, the mechanics of the bracelet all came down to Enchantment. An enchanter would take the desired piece of arm wear and give it its defensive properties, maybe inlaying a jewel or drawing a rune to do so. This would allow the user to make a defensive shield over themselves for a short period of time.
As Item Enchantment moved to grander or more niche effects, the practice of Artifice reenergized many of their older techniques. Now it can be activated manually or automatically, reading the internal mana flow of the user to start shield generation where they're about to be hit. Activation usually happens with a verbal command, or in a state of mental duress, as internal mana flow closes the circut of the bracelet, activating the shield effect.

Manufacturing process

The process for a Bracelet of Protection is rather simple. First you take the bracelet itself and attatch two small Lacrima, usually flat on at least one side, to either end of the bracelet on the inside. While some prefer to use glue or other strong adhesives for this, a touch of careful soldering or metalshaping will secure the gems much more. The Lacrima should be internally etched with some basic circutry for defensive magic, but also with a method for detection and analysis so the bracelet can be used for automatic defense.
The next step is to make grooves of circutry along the band of the bracelet. This is what will give the shield its shape and durability, as for Artificers their circutry and designs are akin to a wizards circles or magic words. Once the grooves are made with a careful etching tool, and any dust or sediment is cleared away, the next step will be to use a small paintbrush to coat the grooves in some Liquid Lacrima. Only enough to coat the edges is needed in most cases, but if one makes their grooves too deep they might want to have a thin layer extra as well.
The next step is to fill in the grooves with a conductive material. For those who don't mind showing it off as a magic item, this is often done with simple fairy resin, a viscous material gotten from fairy-net trees that're as prevelant as oak across Edda. But for people who want it to blend in better with the bracelet, for fashion or discretions sake, then Chameleon Cast is the primary solution, as it's a magically conductive metal that takes the color of metal its around upon being cooled.
And then, voila! After some testing and quality assurance, plus a bit of time to get the mana from the Lacrima connected to your own internal mana flow, you have your simple method of self-defence.

History

In older times, artifacts of defense such as these were only used by merchants going to dangerous areas or the adventerous sorts that didn't mesh well with typical armor. However, as time has marched to the modern day many people feel that danger has gotten only closer to home, especially as organized crime increases in cities all over Edda, large and small alike.
Most people weren't aware of the item, or how simple it all was, until about five years ago (1004 EE), when stage actress Ezti Darling spoke in an interview that she never left the house without one after surviving an attempted mugging.

Item type

Jewelry / Valuable

Creation Date

Before -600 EE

Rarity

Bracelets of Protection are a common piece of defense for people in Edda. While you won't see them everywhere people in larger cities, less defended areas, who work dangerous jobs, or who just want that little piece of mind will often get them. They are also quite popular with more fashion-thinking people, as it blends in well with various outfits and styles.

Weight

Depends, on average 20 grams

Dimensions

Sized to users wrist. Designs vary, on average half-an-inch in all but length

Base Price

Depends on matierals, market average (Steel) 3 Silver (~$30)

Raw materials & Components

The parts used for the bracelet really depend on the wearer. Some like to use leather cuffs or bracers, some like a simple iron band, some like fine gold or platinum bands. Either way, it takes some form of solid sturdy material to make the circutry, chains cannot be used for this enchantment. Once the bracelet is selecetd, it's a simple matter that only takes the right tools, two small Lacrima, and some Chameleon Cast a type of magical metal that is silver when molten, but matches the color of metal around it when cooled.

Tools

All it takes to make a modern Bracelet of Protection is a soldering device and an etching tool, although since bracelets are usually rather small it's best to have them in smaller sizes.