Silverknight helm
| [ silverknight helm | |
|---|---|
| Appearance | barred helm |
| Slot | helm |
| Base size | small |
| AC | 2 |
| DR | 4 |
| MC | 0 |
| Magical item? | no |
| Properties | |
| Base price | 1 zm |
| Default weight | 45 |
| Base material | silver |
A silverknight helm is a type of helm that appears in dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack. It is a small-sized piece of armor that has a base material of silver and appears as a barred helm when unidentified.
Generation
Silverknight helms do not randomly generate, though they may be wished for or found in bones.
For Silverknights, a blessed +1 silverknight helm is buried under the mire at the up stairs of the first dungeon level.
Player monster Silverknights are always generated with a blessed +3 silverknight helm.
A hero with skill in smithing cannot make silverknight helms, and smith monsters cannot make or create copies of existing silverknight helms.
Description
While worn, a silverknight helm grants 2 base AC, 4 DR, and wearing or removing a silverknight helm takes 1 action. As silverknight armor, silverknight helms gain 3 AC against attacks made by holy hating monsters, but only if the helm is blessed, and always gain +3 DR. They also gain 1 AC and +2 DR against impure monsters, and 2 AC and DR against rot kin. Silverknight helms increase the duration of sickness effects by 10%.
A worn silverknight helm covers the wearer's entire head and face: this "faceless" behavior completely prevents them from eating, quaffing, or applying items to their face (including putting on or removing items such as lenses) if the helm is cursed or they do not have a free hand, and it will always block their bite attacks and tentacle attacks, but it will also block any intelligence drain attacks or similar attacks that target the wearer's head.
After chatting to King Arthur while carrying the Magic Mirror of Merlin, formally completing their quest, Silverknights can apply an upgrade kit to merge the silverknight helm with another magical helm. Merging both helms will destroy the used helm and convey its properties to the silverknight helm. These properties are not cumulative, and a silverknight helm that has already been merged with another helm before can only have its current property replaced with another. The sole exception to this is object properties, which are carried over between merges. The following items can be used to obtain properties:
- Silverknight helms can be merged with cornuthaums to confer clairvoyance
- Silverknight helms can be merged with plasteel helms to confer infravision
- Silverknight helms can be merged with helms of telepathy to confer telepathy
- Silverknight helms can be merged with helms of drain resistance to confer drain resistance
- Silverknight helms can be merged with any helm that has an object property to obtain it
Origins
The silverknight helms are inspired by the armor designs of Cleanrot Knights from the 2022 video game Elden Ring, who are tall, gold-clad fighters that can be seen wearing the Cleanrot Helm. Cleanrot Knights are loyal servants of Malenia and are prominently encountered in the scarlet rot infested mires of the Swamp of Aeonia. While they are never seen without their armor, the helm's item description reads: "Winged helm of the Cleanrot Knights, celebrated for their undefeated campaign in the Shattering. The Cleanrot Knights vowed to fight alongside Malenia, despite the inevitable, if gradual, putrefaction of their flesh. Their acceptance of their fate made these battles the fiercest of all.", implying that Cleanrot Knights are severely ailed from exposure to the scarlet rot. The item's material is tied to the Silverknights, which are a type of humanoid silverfish that take after the Kindred of Rot and their stark white coloration.
Encyclopedia entry
A delicately-filigreed helm that covers the face with close-
set bars. It smells as though someone was sick in it.
