There are no rapiers in Zakhara. If you are playing a class that gets rapier, you can now use a saber, which has the same stats as a rapier but does slashing damage instead of piercing.
(For nomenclature purposes, I would actually prefer to change the names of the two, but I don’t want to screw up the framework).
Some foreigners ‘especially pale-faced characters from the distant North’ have dubbed Zakhara ‘the Burning World’. Whether the setting is city, sea, desert, or jungle, the Land of Fate is uniformly hot by day, especially during the summer months. Only the high mountains of northern Zakhara offer relief from the searing midday sun, but in turn they offer new difficulties, such as unsteady footing and sheer slopes.
The omnipresent daytime heat shapes every aspect of life in the Land of Fate. Resting (or at least slowing the pattern of business) is common during the midday hours. Bazaars are busy during the early morn and late afternoon. But in between they may be empty, save for a few dozing businessmen and half-crazed barbers flashing their blades in the sun.
The most obvious concession to climate is dress. Loose robes are preferred to tight-fitting leggings. More importantly from a gaming standpoint, the heat also affects a Zakharan’s choice in armor. The heavy plate mail found in the distant North is a rarity here, used for occasional pomp and ceremony if at all. Full metal plate armor, encasing the body from head to toe, is unknown to the common Zakharan; those few suits which exist are collectors’ items, procured for their magic or as curiosities.
The reason for this is simple: heavy armor makes movement difficult and even dangerous in a hot climate. Foreigners who insist on wearing such armor often stagger and pass out with exertion. Even with ‘exhaustive’training, a man in full plate will be less effective in the Land of Fate than a man who chooses his armor more prudently.
Armor (not including shields) heavier than 20 lbs. is laborious to wear in Zakhara, inflicting a penalty to weapon attack rolls and physical ability and skill checks as follows:
Ring Mail and Half-Plate -1
Scale Mail: -2
Chain Mail: -3
Splint Mail: -4
Plate Mail: -5
