Helm of Darkness

An evil helm by all definitions, the Helm of Darkness lives up to its name in more ways than just one. '''Forged of blackened silver and steel, the Helm of Darkness is a fully closed-face helmet, shaped in a smoothed triangular design to allow it to be worn without complaint, and featuring a conical top designed to deflect any blows that would dare to strike it. The surface of this dark helm is set with thirty-six black opals along its lower edges, with a great wildstone firmly set in the front. The lower sections remain sharp and angular as they flow over the lower areas of the face, while the overall image that this helm portrays is gaunt and devious, infused with an image of dire apathy and malicious intent. Remaining a closed-helm, the face of the wearer is totally hidden behind the tenebrosity of the metal it is constructed of, with only the flattened v-shaped eye slit providing any hint of the visage of the person who dons it, surrounded by a border of reflective obsidian. This narrow slit, that which allows the wearer of the helm to see, is perhaps the most innocent of the reasons as to why this unique helm is named as such, for the lack of light the helm allows into it filters blindling sunlight as if it were nothing more than twilight.' However, the history of this Helm - what little of it there is - tells of the true meaning of the helm. It is not known when the Helm of Darkness was made, nor by whom, or for what purpose or intention. What is known, however, is when the Helm was first encountered: 472 ATA (After the Aegis), upon a woman named Ariana Nightfall. That a woman would opt to take up arms against the innocent in full armor for no real reason was just one great mystery that confounded the Shadowscourges who finally slew her. That she died amidst the corpes of three Shadowbanes that she had slain before the Shadowscourges could stop her was an even greater one. The Helm of Darkness, along with the rest of Ariana Nightfall's possessions, was swiftly deemed evil and promptly locked away in the vaults of Halo to prevent such items ever being used against the Church again. That the Helm went missing three years later remains a testament to the fears of those who locked it there. The Helm of Darkness vanished from the history of Fastheld after it managed to find its way from Halo, and was never seen again. Until recently, that is, when it quite innocently found itself auctioned off to a collector of such rare and mysterious items. Though not deemed Shadow Touched by the Church, those who locked it away in 472 ATA feared that the darkness of the Helm never the less had the power to slowly corrupt its wearer to the Shadow's influence, so that the darkness eventually gains itself a new ally against the Light.''


 * Status: Owned by the Imperial Tribune