Armada - Scabmettlers in full clotplate

This is a weird one, so bear with me.

In Armada, a certain group of grey-skinned humans, dubbed Scabmettlers, are genetically gifted/cursed with blood that congeals almost instantly upon contact with the air. As a result, deep gashes seal shut well before the victim risks bleeding out, often trapping the slashing instrument in rock-hard scab mid-swipe. Not even a cut throat is enough to kill a Scabmettler.

In order to avoid blood clots in everyday life all Scabmettlers drink an infusion of a certain yellow flower, a flower with natural anticoagulant properties. This same infusion, when applied to both skin and a ceremonial skinning dagger, allow for the shaping of mineral-tough body armor. In Armada, the traditional Scabmettler fighting rituals draw huge crowds, beginning with the half-naked combatants drawing their own blood and subsequently shaping the flowing pulses of hardening blood into individual armor designs. Each design fits the fighter's personal style and physique perfectly.

All credit for this fantastical idea goes of course to the author of the book The Scar, China Miéville. I merely interpreted what it might look like in paint rather than words.