Protective

A device roughly shaped like a cross between a dessert bowl and an old-style German helmet. When given to Carrot Ironfoundersson by Mr Varneshi, it causes some confusion at first, but Carrot soon gets the hang of the various straps and securing thongs. Apparently Varneshi would not have been here if his grandfather had not worn it...

Presumably something like a cross between a codpiece and a cricket box. On an interesting historical footnote, the term "cod" had come to mean "male genitalia" in 15th century Englande, hence the term "codswallop" (nonsense) is ruder than I always believed. It also gives a rather new meaning to cod and chips...