The helmet of disjunction was a powerful magical helmet that was capable of breaking any 'enchantment' within its vicinity.[2][1] It was a highly sought-after artifact by groups across the Realms, from gnomes of the Underdark, to the Cult of the Dragon,[3] and adventurers from the Sword Coast North.[2][1]
Description[]
A close look at the design on the brow.
It was a sleek, golden, open-faced helm with ridged and dimpled patterns. A design over the brow displayed two draconic figures rampant and flanking a symbol comprising three circles: one small, one large, and one small, arranged vertically. Two diamond-shaped emeralds were set above and below these.[2][1][note 1]
Powers[]
The helmet of disjunction required attunement and its powers could only be commanded by a mage, whether a wizard, a sorcerer, or a warlock.[1]
With the helmet of disjunction upon their head, the mage could use to emit a powerful pulse of antimagic up to 300 feet (91 meters) away in all directions.[1] This was capable of disabling all magical enchantments even partly within the area,[2][4] destroying magical scrolls and potions, ending active spells, and suppressing magic items for 1 minute,[1] thus shutting down everything from driftglobes[2] to the powerful Mordenkainen's arcane seal.[2][4] It appeared to replicate the effect of the spell known as Mordenkainen's disjunction.[speculation][note 2] The user themself was protected, with their own magic items unaffected. Artifacts were also not harmed by the effect.
Alongside this pulse was a wave of force that could knock over all creatures within a range of 30 feet (9.1 meters) away.[1]
It could be used once, and then not again for one to four days afterward.[1]
History[]
It was first created by the wizard Mordenkainen of Oerth; it's unknown if he ever made more than one.[1] In any case, he later wanted nothing to do with that "accursed thing".[3]
The Battle of the Evermoors[]
Sometime around 1400 DR,[note 3] the helmet of disjunction was in the possession of the Elk tribe chief, Stanhard Grimwulf,[2][5] but desired by Rakor, the black dragon of the Evermoors who supported by the Cult of the Dragon.[2][4][5][note 4] The two sides clashed in the ensuing Battle of the Evermoors. Although Stanhard's Elk warriors outnumbered the Dragon Cultists, Rakor more than made up the difference by flying overhead and vomiting acid on the barbarians' ranks. Badly pressed, Stanhard gave the helmet of disjunction to one of his men, Toke Horgath, to carry to safety, but Toke was abruptly cut in half by a Dragon Cultist. Ordering a retreat, Stanhard retrieved the helmet and entrusted it to his fastest rider, Ven Salafin, to get it away from Rakor however he could, before the chief was killed as well.[2][5]
Xenk being entrusted with the helmet of disjunction by the dying Ven Salafin.
But as Ven fled the field of battle with the helmet of disjunction, he was injured and lost his horse. He was forced to crawl to safety, then collapsed, and lay dying. At last, he was met by the heroic Thayan paladin Xenk Yendar, who inspected his wounds but could not help him, and promised to protect the Helmet. Believing him, Ven gave up the helm and expired.[2][6]
Quest to Secure the Helm[]
Xenk then set out on his quest to secure the helm, keeping it safe from those with nefarious intent. He rode atop his steed to locales across the Realms; he visited the mage tower of Mordenkainen himself during one of his trips to Waterdeep, who wanted it nowhere near him for fear it would destroy everything magical he owned, and was forced to fight off renewed attempts by the Dragon Cult to steal the helm back.[3]
The gnome Trick, losing the helmet to Zuphelithid's minion.
Eventually, Xenk took the helmet of disjunction into the Underdark, to a region near the ruined deep gnome city of Dolblunde. There, Xenk encountered two sisters, Trick and Trap, who first tried to trick the stalwart paladin, but then appealed to his sense of honor and justice. The sisters sought the helmet to save their fellow gnomes, who had been subjugated by the elder brain Zuphelithid.[3]
And so Xenk Yendar took on the liberation of the gnome people as his next quest. He and the gnome sisters worked together to slay the terrible elder brain and free the enslaved gnome people. In gratitude for all he had done, Trick and her people created a safehouse for the helm of disjunction within the ruins of Dolblunde.[3] In the part of the city suspended over lava, they placed it inside a gnomish mechanical box and rigged the bridges to collapse if not traversed in an intricate sequence only known to, and understood by, Xenk Yendar.[2][7][7] Xenk believed it would be safe here, because it was "the last place anyone who values their life would go."[2][8]
Retrieval From Dolblunde[]
There it would rest for a hundred years or so, until, in the late 1490s DR,[note 5] a band of thieves consisting of Edgin Darvis, Simon Aumar, Doric, and Holga Kilgore—a warrior of the Elk tribe who remembered her tribe's role in the battle—went in search of it to aid them in cracking the Mordenkainen's arcane seal securing the treasure vault of Castle Never in Neverwinter.[2][4] They exhumed the bodies of fallen Elk tribe warriors at the Evermoors cemetery and used Simon's deathly token to speak with the dead in order to learn the fate of the helmet of disjunction.[2][9][5] The eternal rest of the helmet's bearers and others were all disturbed for the sake of a few questions, mistaken identities, and misused spellcasting.[2][5][6]
They went to Mornbryn's Shield to ask Xenk about the fate of the helmet of disjunction[2][10] and gained his assistance by speaking of their desire to rob and bring down the corrupt and tyrannical Lord Forge Fitzwilliam of Neverwinter and of his connection to a Red Wizard of Thay, Sofina, and by promising to share any stolen riches with the Neverwintan people.[2][6][10][8]
Venturing down into the Underdark, the party arrived at the ruins of Dolblunde. After negotiating the trapped collapsing bridges, that is triggering and collapsing them before Xenk could finish explaining the intricately complicated technique needed to cross them,[2][7] Simon used a hither-thither staff to cross into the city. Finding and opening the gnomish mechanical box, Xenk retrieved the helm and entrusted it to Edgin, who passed it to Simon. After battling and escaping undead Thayan assassins and the red dragon Themberchaud, they escaped the ruins of Dolblunde with their lives and with the helmet of disjunction.[2][11][12]
Some time later, they emerged in the Sea of Swords and swam to shore, where they rested on the rocky beach.[2][12] However, the hard part still lay ahead of them—Simon Aumar would need to attune to the helmet of disjunction, something he had a hard time doing.[2][4] Each time he donned the helm, he was confronted with a vision of the ethereal plane and of his illustrious ancestor, the great mage Elminster Aumar, which would dismiss Simon's efforts and end the process, knocking him over and sending the helm flying off his head. Eventually, Simon feared he could never attune with it.[2]
Simon finally activates the helmet of disjunction.
Ultimately, though, in the heat of the moment of trying to break the Mordenkainen's arcane seal on Castle Never's treasure vault, and pursued by the Neverwinter Guard, Simon tried the helmet again. This time, he confronted the vision of Elminster, finding it to be nothing more than himself holding him back. He successfully used the helmet of disjunction, bowling over the guards, opening the vault, dropping driftglobes, and obliterating magic across a swath of the city, as well as making him feel better about himself.[2]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The three circles appear similar to the three rings of the hilt of Mordenkainen's two-bladed sword, suggesting a connection to either him or to his spell, Mordenkainen's disjunction.
- ↑ Given the similar name and function of the spell and helmet, and its creator, it is most likely producing the spell.
- ↑ The following events are undated but are "a century ago" from the date of Honor Among Thieves, which is itself undated but assumed to be the late 1490s DR. The Year of the Exorcised Helm, 1402 DR, is a likely candidate.
- ↑ It's unknown how and why Stanhard had the helmet of disjunction, nor why the Cult of the Dragon wanted it beyond its magical and monetary value. The product description for the Rakor Nerf blaster toy describes Rakor as unleashing acid breath on adventures who dared challenge him or touch his treasure, which is perhaps meant to imply the Elk tribe stole the Helmet from his hoard. This at least fits the Elk tribe's usual habits.
- ↑ The Honor Among Thieves movie and its tie-ins are as yet undated. As discussed here, from the condition of Castle Never and Dagult Neverember's reign, this wiki estimates a date of the late 1490s DR for the main events of the movie. Prequels and flashback scenes are set up to 11 years before this.
Appearances[]
Novels & Short Stories
Film & Television
Comics
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Legendary Magic Items. D&D Beyond. Wizards of the Coast. (2023-03-31). Retrieved on 2023-03-31.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley (2023). Honor Among Thieves. (Paramount Pictures).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Jeremy Lambert, Ellen Boener (February 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Feast of the Moon. Edited by Jonathan Manning, Zac Boone. (IDW Publishing). ISBN 978-1-68405-911-9.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chaps. 11, 12, pp. 81–83. ISBN 0593647955.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 14, pp. 95–98. ISBN 0593647955.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 15, pp. 99–104. ISBN 0593647955.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 18, pp. 119–124. ISBN 0593647955.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 17, pp. 112–118. ISBN 0593647955.
- ↑ David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 13, p. 92. ISBN 0593647955.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 16, pp. 105–111. ISBN 0593647955.
- ↑ David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 19, pp. 125–132. ISBN 0593647955.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 David Lewman (February 28, 2023). Honor Among Thieves: The Junior Novelization. (Random House Worlds), chap. 20, pp. 133–140. ISBN 0593647955.