Helm of Nicolagaus
The Helm of Nicolagaus was a powerful mystical item worn by Nicolagaus the Seer was a powerful magus from the elder days. His name is mentioned in over 300 years with of history, from the Age of the Second Fellowship from around 600-900 CY. He is known to have been an ally of Ducateon and their advocate in the Second Fellowship. His signature mirror-like helm was a gift from the Ducateon to him, for some service he had rendered, now lost to time. The surface reflects nothing distinguishable – all appears as a blurry image to those looking at it.
The Helm of Nicolagaus was archived by the heralds of Dunstrand after in the Hall of Heroes after the Hunting Mendollin chronicle in CY 2-9169.
It was made by Nicolagaus The Seer. The helm protected him from his enemies by enabling him to see all around him, even behind him, even in his sleep. It was said he augmented its powers using an item he recovered from the Valley of Sighs. It was passed from him to one of his apprentices. It was last rumored to be seen on a magus fighting against the Sea-Kings near Dunstrand Vale thousands of years ago.
Item Powers (common and Attuned) can be found under Common Knowledge tab.
Knowledge/Facts About the Helm of Nicolagaus
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Estimated Value: ? (Silver Crowns)
Nicolagaos the Seer was a powerful magus from the elder days. His name is mentioned in over 300 years with of history, from the Age of the Second Fellowship from around 600-900 CY. He is known to have been an ally of Ducateon and their advocate in the Second Fellowship. His signature mirror-like helm was a gift from the Ducateon to him, for some service he had rendered, now lost to time. The helm was said to be made by Nicolagaus The Seer. The helm allowed him to see all around him, even behind him. It was said he augmented its powers using an item he recovered in the Valley of Sighs. It was passed from him to one of his apprentices. It was last rumored to be seen on a magus fighting against the Sea-Kings near Dunstrad Vale thousands of years ago.Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
The repeated use of the powers is believed to cause eventual madness. Only those with a high and persistent sanity can prolong this.
Item Purpose: To protect the wielder.
Requirements: Magic Aptitude 4; Attunement: Essence Lesser = 1 / Greater = +2 / Extraordinary = +4
Common Properties
Body Bonded: Once put on and Attuned, it cannot be removed. It is fastened until either something more powerful than a curse removal is applied or the wearer dies. All the top hair on the head of the wielder will fall out. Over time, their normal eyes develop huge red cataracts and they will go blind – the helm being the only way they can see.
Enhanced Vision: The wearers visual sensory input is significantly enhanced through the helm.
- All-Around-Vision: If the wearer closes their eyes, they can see all around them in a 360 degree vision and upwards.
- Enhanced Discern Magic: 1/Long Rest the wearer can spend 20 mana for a full set of Ritual of Knowing details.
- All checks for Meditation gain a +4 bonus.
i20™ Helm of Nicolagaus Details
Lesser Attunement (1 Essence)
The wielder can cast Mage Armor as a Reaction, Bonus Action or Action 1/day.
Greater Attunement (2 Essence)
- As an Action, you may cast Scry 1/day
- Acts as a Helm of Comprehending Languages and Reading Magic
- AS a Bonus action, you cast Detect Thoughts on anyone you can see, using 1 mana per 10m distance. Each time reduces Sanity by 1 (returns 1/day)
- Magical Resistance on all attempts to charm/sleep/influence the wielder
Extraordinary Attunement (4 Essence)
- Acts as if the wielder had the Alert feat
- Acts as a Ring of Mind Shielding – Makes the wielder immune to Detect Thoughts, etc.
- The wielder gains 2 sorcery Points per day to use in their spell casting, and the Distant Spell meta-magic ability to use them with
- When you make a melee attack through a familiar or Distant Spell extended melee attack, you always gain Advantage
- As a Reaction, you can cast the Shield or Mirror Image spells a total number of times each day without using a spell slot, equal to your Magic Aptitude
- The wielder gains another use of Concentration
Extraordinary Attunement (6 Essence)
- Completely immune to Surprise
- Brain Schism: For 1 Sanity (recovery at 1/day) the wearer can maintain another instance of Concentration automatically (nothing can break it)
iCore™ Helm of Nicolagaus Details
ORIG: Adds +1 VGR checks directly once attuned. Requirement: Magic Aptitude 5 + unknown?; Once per day it allows the wearer to cast Far Seeing for 5 mana (at 5x the normal distance); it grants +2 to Mana Sense; +1 to Meditation checks. Also, 1/week the wearer can identify completely a single target for 40 mana. + More (lost!?)
Item Source: iCore™ 2011
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
The Ducateon discovered the helm in an ancient, buried villa near the Dragon Caves – they did not craft it themselves. The item has defied many attempts to determine its origins, which appears to be not native to Helca. It is understood that its alien origins and makers account for the descent into madness by the races of Helca – who were never intended to wear or use such an item.
Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty
CHRONICLE > Dunstrand Rising is a Living World campaign set in Grand Duchy of Dunstrand in the Steel Realms of the [Fantasy] Steel Realms Setting (planet of Helca).
CY 9140’s > A grave was eventually discovered in Bar-Innis of Dunstrand, within the ancient cemetery of dilapidated church of a backwater called Braddon Bog. Within this was the fabled Helm of Nicolagaus. Eventually, the helm made its way into the hands of a sorcerer named Mendollin.
The Helm of Nicolagaus was archived by the heralds of Dunstrand after in the Hall of Heroes after the Hunting Mendollin chronicle in CY 2-9169. The druids of Pranin Moorswood had a chance to analyze it, but Dalcia Graf-Malor of House Malor and the herald Cal Warington of the Earl of Bar-Innis, and senior Herald Aila Vii of the Duke of Dunstrand delivered it to Mev, where House Malor transported it to Dunstrand City and the Guild of Solars took it to the hall itself.