An Ultimate helm is a magical item that grants its bearer the opportunity to captain the Spelljammer, the mightiest vessel in wildspace.[1]
Overview[]
Ultimate helms are created as part of the Spelljammer's process of procreation, and as such can take the form of any mundane but useable item. Essentially bait, the ultimate helms attract and select potential candidates to captain the Spelljammer, triggering the creation of numerous smalljammers, which are the larval young of the living vessel.
Ultimate helms are not sentient; however, they are driven by the imperative to select a potential captain and deliver them to the Spelljammer. As such, strange occurrences will befall a helm bearer, and events will eventually cause them to travel into space, willingly or unwillingly. Ultimate helms will test their candidates' worthiness throughout their search for the Spelljammer, and misfortune will often befall the bearer of a helm. The ultimate helm is instinctively aware that the more powerful the candidate, the better their chance of success.[1]
Description[]
Ultimate helms resemble any standard magical item, but may possess more than one magical ability. Ultimate helms also vary in their power level. The only consistent ability possessed by all ultimate helms is that once they have been worn or taken up by a potential captain, they cannot be removed or put down (similar to a cursed item.) Because they are not actually detrimental to their hosts, ultimate helms cannot be removed by casting a remove curse spell. A dispel magic spell will work, but will only cause the ultimate helm to drop away, where it will await another candidate. A wish or limited wish spell used to remove an ultimate helm will destroy it. Finally, killing the bearer of an ultimate helm will allow the item to be removed.[1]
Notable ultimate helms[]
Notable ultimate helms include the Cloak of the First Pilot,[2] worn by the Cloakmaster, Teldin Moore, and a sapphire pendant worn by the radiant dragon, Celestial Nightpearl.[3]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Jeff Grubb,The Legend of Spelljammer, Legends and More, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Ultimate Helms section, The Life Cycle of the Spelljammer, pages 26-30
- ↑ Roger E. Moore, The Cloakmaster Cycle, The Maelstrom's Eye, 1992, (TSR Inc.), pages 45-51
- ↑ Elaine Cunningham, The Cloakmaster Cycle, The Radiant Dragon, 1992, (TSR Inc.), page 249-252