Andrathath's Mask

Andrathath's Mask was a powerful artifact.

Description
The mask was a skintight, glittering black facemask with two eyeholes, made of sheer silver and black silk. It covered the entire head and bonded slightly with the skin around the eyes, cheekbones and lips. It held an obsidian gem between the eyeholes. It was tight enough to obscure facial features, while disguising the subject's voice as a hollow monotone.

Powers
The artifact's powers changed depending on its wearer, unlocking more powers for a more powerful one. Some of its known powers included the usage, four times daily, of detect magic, detect lie, detect traps, and true seeing. For mages, it granted them a handful of extra spells per day to those they could cast, though none of the spells was of the same power as the others. Anyone who wore it at least three hours a day for a year gained 20 years of lifespan, up to a maximum of 800 years.

However, it had some complications. Anyone who wore the mask for so much as a month would be at risk of having chaos overtaking their personality; after a year, it was a sure thing. The mask granted spells to its wearer by covering their face while they slept, and if not worn to sleep, it would crawl on its own towards their faces while they slept. The mask was extremely possessive of its wearer, too, and was very likely to feeblemind someone other than its owner that put it on. In the case it accepted its new master instead, the previous owner's increased lifespan was instantly cancelled, risking turning them into dust. Though not truly sentient, it was semisentient, and communicated through empathic flashes.

History
Andrathath wore the mask until at most, as he had not worn it for over 800 years in. It was found on his face when his body, soulless and dead, was found at Dlardrageth Keep.

The next confirmed wearer of the mask was Llombaerth Starym, who wore it until his death in. The mask was later worn by Elminster, who then gave it to a mysterious female elf or half-elf, who wore it until at least. At that time, counting The Masked, Elminster Aumar, Llombaerth Starym and Andrathath, the mask had had seven known wearers.

The artifact later resurfaced in, worn by Marune of the Shadow Thieves, who acquired the mask sometime between and , plundering a tower in the Lost Peaks. He had the mask until at least.

Reputation
It was believed Andrathath's intellect could be within the mask, manipulating its owners.

Other rumored powers of the mask included unerring rays of fire shot from the eyes, the ability to possess an unconscious wearer to make them flee from danger, complete indetectability, and more. Many of those powers had not been activated for over 800 years as of.

Notable Owners

 * Andrathath
 * Llombaerth Starym
 * Elminster Aumar
 * The Masked
 * Marune

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Elminster in Myth Drannor