Commission from (also at https://twitter.com/Avalugg_)

As the settlement grew and stabilized, Hearth-Under-Stone made contact with several nearby settlements. While initially treated coldly, regular trade and technology exchange warmed relations considerably, particularly those with 3 of the geographically closest city-states, Vendest, Zachon, and Artral. While exact years and dates are fuzzy, most scholars agree that by the end of the Campaign of 15 Miracles, the federation of the 4 settlements was complete, with H.U.S being the economic, technologic, and cultural heart of the soon-to-be Empire.

Moyolehuani is showing off the frontline soldier's kit near the end of the Campaign of 15 Miracles. Vendestian metalworking techniques were combined with Zachonian arms and armor stylings to make an effective use of Hearthan materials.

The traditional masks of Hearthans were made with more protection in mind, leading to a padded metal faceplate. Artisans would show off their skill with a variety of expressions, though many remained more practical and were without special shaping. Sandals gave way to more protective boots. Body armor greatly evolved, from cloth and wood to a leather and bronze chest plate with pauldrons to protect the shoulders. Frontline soldiers received protective gauntlets to protect the forearms and hands. The thin shields of leather and wood were replaced with a tower shield of riveted wood, allowing for Hearthan formation tactics to become incredibly effective, even away from their home tunnels. With more advanced metalworking techniques the Hearthans were better able to shape their plasteel, allowing for more powerful thrusts to pierce armor or chitin with ease, as the weakest point on the weapon became the pin of the socket, rather than the glue binding the individual shard of metal. While there was still an upper limit in the size of an individual piece of plasteel, the new techniques allowed them to combine uselessly small shards into effective blades.