Silverweave armor

Silverweave armor was a type of light armor fashioned by the tritons and shalarins of the Sea of Fallen Stars. "Tried on a silverweave heartsleeve once during my travels there, and I daresay I cut a dashing gladiatorial figure. I marveled at the fact that a shark tried to bite my arm and I felt only the pressure of its jaws (and none of its teeth) on my protected arm."

- Elminster

Description
Silverweave was as light and flexible as cloth but as strong as chainmail. It was crafted to be skin-tight on the wearer in order to reduce drag underwater, and thus was less restrictive than even normal clothing. It was often worn as leggings to protect the legs of underwater humanoids as they swam about during combat, but was also commonly fashioned into protective pieces for tails, chests, and arms. A common piece was a heartsleeve, which covered the left arm and left side of the chest.

When removed from the water, silverweave swiftly dried out and became brittle.

Creation
Silverweave was created from silver coral. While the coral was still alive, it was cultivated in calm waters where the fronds could be woven together in a net-like pattern, causing the coral to fuse together as it grew. To craft silverweave, a patch of this netting was cut away, and a skilled armorer would work quickly to thread additional silver coral fronds through the gaps. If done correctly, the whole weave would fuse together over the twelve days it took for the coral to completely die. The material was then cut and shaped&mdash;often fitted specifially for the individual who would wear it, if possible&mdash;before being repeatedly heated and cooled until it became as strong as metal without losing its flexibility.

Usage
Silverweave was the preferred form of armor among the tritons of Serôs and one of two favored armor types among the shalarin (the other being the much bulkier pearl armor). While the creation of silverweave was credited to the tritons and shalarins, silverweave was used by all races of Serôs, with the leggings being particularly favored by the aquatic elves.

Prior to the Fifth Shalarin Passing in the, silverweave armor was exclusively worn during wartime. However, in the years following this event, shalarin began wearing this armor more commonly.