Runic Vambrace

A Runic Vambrace is a piece of armor worn over an arm. Its creation is the culmination of a joint study Alvis Norling and Casey O'Doherty began towards the end of their 3rd year in May of 2009, looking into the semi-forgotten knowledge of runic armors.

Much of the associated artificing is still in its experimental stages. The latest model has been stable for a few years, attracting interest from various security-minded institutions. Phaëthon Artifice was founded to control the rights to this invention.

Origins

Alvis & Casey's unlikely partnership began with a study of defensive runes in the Hogwarts Armor Gallery (A Knight In Sour Armor). Combining their resources, Alvis devised an arrangement of several ancient language traditions to house the enchantments after encountering an unknown style of writing on the Egypt 2009 trip, as written over correspondence that summer (Runic Musings). In short, the user's name is translated into a runic language housed in an arrangement like an Egyptian cartouche. Casey constructed a simple shield using this method that later protected him during the Wizarding Blood Alliance attack on St. Mungo's in July (When Trouble Comes Knocking). An early flaw had the shields absorb spells to the point of critical failure.

At the start of their 4th year, resuming the defensive runes project was off to a shaky start with the duo's conflicting personalities and Legilimency/Occlumency talents (Lazy After-Runes) leaving much of development in the background over various 4th year drama. Over the winter holiday, Alvis attempted to engineer that flaw into a new feature. Meeting in January, he debuted a new prototype that used a set of interchangeable runic amulets within an armored sleeve for the forearm, or vambrace (Demonstrations, Conversations, Information). This prototype used cubic zirconium amulets able to store up to three spells which could be recasted using Prior Incantato in place of the usual incantation. However, this model lost 30% of the spell’s power each absorption and casting.

Further testing found the amulets were much more fragile to spell storage than initially expected. Trying to stabilize spell absorption/return was ultimately shelved as the duo went back to perfecting the armor's redirection capabilities.

Design

As of 2018, the Vambrace has two models, each framed in various runes. There's the buckler sleeve model for the forearm only, and the fully armored arm from shoulder to wrist. Wrist guards are interchangeable for left/right handedness. Cosmetic heraldry is optional.

There is a slot on the armor for a gem sized amulet. The amulets house the core defensive enchantments using Alvis Norling's runic naming convention. These amulets must be attuned to the user. Improved results occurred when adapting from cubic zirconium, the base model, to gem based calendars such as birthstones. Alchemically created gems are being researched. In this way, multiple people can borrow the same armor frame but each has their own specific amulet.

Usage

The Runic Vambrace has similarities to the Shield Hats , Shield Gloves & Shield Cloaks introduced by Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. In fact, without the amulet inserted, the Vambrace serves as a more durable (and more expensive) version of those products. It gets a lot more interesting when the user is properly attuned with the armor.

Once a spell hits the armor, the wielder has seconds to channel that spell into a new direction. Depending on reaction time, this could redirect the spell to the original caster, a new target or some other desired direction. The buckler model has the freedom of movement but smaller surface area to redistribute the spell. The full arm has greater coverage at greatly reduced flexibility.

Most wix find it easier to train with the Vambrace in their non-dominant hand. Wearing the buckler on the wand hand would still allow for changing defensive and wand-casting stance when adjusting for weight. However, the full arm model is too much of detriment to conventional wand casting.

Limitations

As redirection is influenced by human reaction time, spells that emit colored energy (ie, spellfire) are the easiest to track. The general rule of thumb is that if Protego can block the spell, the Vambrace can channel it.

Invisible spells are much harder to track. The Vambrace is also ineffective for redirecting physical conjurations and mental targeting spells (such as Legilimens). As for the Unforgivable Curses, you're lucky to time it just the once to block such a spell, as if having cover behind a physical object. The amulet and armor would be destroyed in the process, however.