Helm of Stone

Slot none; Aura overwhelming abjuration and enchantment; CL 30th; Weight 4 lbs.

DESCRIPTION

The Helm of Stone, the most ancient of all the artifacts of Stonehelm was forged prior to the creation of the world by the three supreme gods of the Stonehelmian pantheon; Seker, Arbiter, and Kerr. It was these three who gathered the gods of the world in a great council, where they concluded to create the world and place upon it humanoid life that would worship them and champion their various causes. Its primary purpose was to enable the imprisonment of one of the gods, if any should choose to defy the great council’s decision and seek to destroy the world and its new order. 

A very powerful but single purpose item, the Helm of Stone may only be located or utilized with the consent of a council of the gods. It has been used only once in the entire history of the world. During the time of the Great Battle, at the behest of the supreme three, the great wyrm gold dragon Oushwan employed the Helm of Stone to imprison the renegade god Korroth. In so doing, the offending god, along with the goddess Solstriss were banished to an unknown plane within a specially crafted box, and Oushwan was slain, the cost for using its true purpose. Because of his sacrifice, Oushwan the Great was brought back to life and placed in a position of honor and power to serve the world as its guardian. 

The Helm of Stone was fashioned by the god Orin Stoneforger at the behest of the three greater gods out of molten rock from the volcanic fissure where in lies his forge. It appears like nothing more than a great helm of cold iron, but upon wearing it, its true nature becomes apparent. 

If the use of the Helm of Stone’s primary power is ever again granted to a mortal, the wearer must realize that it comes at a terrible price. The wearer must be a willing participant for it to function and cognizant of the sacrifice that must be made, that of offering his or her own life. When the special power is used, the wearer’s life force is snuffed out and the person dies. Nothing short of a wish or miracle spell will return the slain participant to life. Even then, the individual suffers a permanent level drain of 2 levels and an equal permanent drain to their Constitution. 

POWERS

The Helm of Stone's primary power is to immobilize and render a god of the Stonehelmian pantheon powerless, for the purpose of judgment by the pantheon itself. This power can only be granted to a willing mortal at the cost of his or her life. 

The Helm of Stone also grants the following spell-like abilities. 

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 30, concentration +32)

• 3/day–charm person, hidden presence, suggestion

• 1/day–charm monster, confusion, hold person

• 1/week–dominate monster, hold monster

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Wearing the helm provides complete immunity to any and all mind affecting attacks, including those created by spells or psionics. The Helm of Stone also functions as both a medallion of thoughts and amulet of proof against detection and location, and grants a +5 resistance bonus to all saving throws.