“The Mask of Nikroma”

 

Part I: Prologue

 

          Some time ago I was fortunate enough to meet the holder of this mask, and to hear his tale.  He was very old and very wise, and has passed along the horrid story that you will shortly read for most of his life.  I survived my encounter with the mask, and thus will assure that its story is never forgotten.  If you are reading this, then that surely means that the holder of the mask has finally met his end, may he rest in peace.  After meeting with him I put down his words in hopes that they would stay with the mask, as assurance that no one would tempt the mask without knowing its story.  By what way you have come to possess this mask, I do not know, but I pity you for ever encountering it, and may this encounter be brief and may you be righteous before it.  You may think I am exaggerating the danger that this mask brings, but after you know the tale may you not think so.  I cannot tell this story so clearly in my own words, so I can only pass them along as I heard them myself in the words of the wise Belthasar, and hope that you take their meaning.  These are the words he said to me upon our meeting…

Part II: Words of an Old Man

I see the Mask of Nikroma has caught your interests young ones, as well it should, for there is a long and sordid history behind this mask.  If you would listen to the tale this old man has to tell I guarantee that your time will not be a waste, for you shall be wiser for hearing this tale, and mayhap even stronger!  This mask is not merely plaster and clay, nor is it a decoration.  It contains the very essence of a terrible man, and has mastered many a man, and has, itself, known know master.  No, young ones, I am not its master, merely its holder, its guardian if you will.  I only serve to see it travel this land in hopes that it will one day find a master that can control it.  Now, young ones, I will tell you the tale of Nikroma the Great and Terrible before I further divulge the mask’s secrets, for knowledge of this tale is needed to understand its very essence.

Part III: The Tale of Nikroma

Now, young ones, I am the sole holder of the tale of Nikroma, but do not take this to mean its falsity, for Nikroma existed in a time before man’s written history, and all those who would have recorded this history were destroyed by him or consumed by the mask.  Now great Nikroma existed when man still knew the arts of magic, and I don’t mean the slight of hand that passes for magic nowadays, but true magic, both dark and light.  Do not mock me young ones, for your disbelief could spell your end!  It is true that magic once existed on this earth, though few could harness its might.

It was known at a very young age that Nikroma would be a great master of magic, and could well lead the people of the time along a great and triumphant path.  Alas, it was not to be, for Nikroma was neither righteous nor courageous, and preferred the darker side of the magical arts.  Be assured, young ones, that he was a great master of magic, and not merely in one area either!  He was a most powerful Sorcerer and Necromancer, a summoner of great spells of destruction and commander of the undead armies.

His power was so great that there was neither a man nor army that could so much as mark him.  By his might the first great civilization in human history fell!  Believe it true that many a country greater than any since, for they were the great holders of magic, fell to him, and their great leaders wept at his feet, begging for their own lives.  Surely you know of the Lost City of Atlantis, young ones, and that it sank beneath the oceans in times not known by the men of today. 

In the time of Nikroma, Atlantis was the center of all magic.  It was the greatest of all civilizations, and all its citizens were great magicians.  No greater nation has existed before or since Atlantis, and the tragedy of its fall is great.  No one today knows this, but in Nikroma’s time Atlantis did not float on the sea, but in the sky!  I kid you not, young ones, Atlantis flew high above the clouds, sustained by its great magic.  A great war was waged on this floating continent.  All of the citizens of this great city used all their power to combat Nikroma, and they brought a challenge to him that no other could.  Alas, their strength was not enough, and Nikroma brought down the magnificent city and it was buried under the sea for all eternity in its defeat.

You may be asking yourselves, young ones, how a man so powerful could ever be defeated.  How could a man that caused the destruction of entire civilizations ever be destroyed?  Well, young ones, I would like to say that a grand and righteous hero arose to challenge and defeat this man of great evil.  I would like to say that the good of men would always triumph, and that evil could never in itself prevail.  Alas, I cannot, for mans righteousness and good is forever weak.  Evil will always live in the hearts of men, and the strength of good cannot overcome it, only give men another path.  For these reasons a man so evil and strong could not be defeated by mere men.

Then how is it that Nikroma no longer lives, young ones?  Remember, young ones, that Nikroma was still a man, and man is forever greedy.  Yes, it was Nikroma’s lust for power that brought him down!  In his continual search for power he attempted to harness the very essence of magic and take all its might as his own.  Though Nikroma’s power was great, not even he could control all magic, and thus he was defeated.  In his attempt to control all magic, he brought all magic, both light and dark, to a central point.  The light and dark balanced each other, and became one.  The result is the mask of Nikroma, which contains all magic, dark and light, and also the essence of Nikroma himself.  This, young ones, was the tale of Nikroma the Great and Terrible.

Part IV: The Power of the Mask

Take all of this to heart, young ones, for every word of it is true.  This mask holds within’ it all the power of all magic, though its strength no one can know.  The mask itself is neither evil nor good, for the magic it contains brings balance within.  The only nature this mask contains is that of its only master, whose soul is forever confined by it.  The reason this mask has never known a master is that Nikroma himself won’t allow it unless that master’s will is greater than his.  This is why all who have ever attempted to wear this mask have been destroyed.  Not merely killed, but erased from existence.  I caution you, young ones, though I search for the master of this mask, do not tempt it if you believe your will to be too weak.  If you believe yourself strong enough… I can only hope you are not wrong, for you will be as forgotten as the histories of Nikroma himself.

I see you have one question left on your minds, young ones, and a trivial question it is.  You want to know why the mask looks as it does!  The people of today are far to concerned with appearance!  No, the mask does not look as Nikroma himself did, but represents the spirit him.  Each color on this mask represents something, and I will tell you exactly what.  The head of the mask is black, representing the blackness of Nikroma’s heart.  The rounded, blade shaped white areas on each side of his face, coming from the top of his brow to the tip of his chin, represents the light which battled him, and the inherent good that even he possessed.  The burning green of the eyes represents his greed, which lead to his downfall.  The six tentacles, three from each side of the head, represent something themselves, besides what their color represents.  The tentacles represent the many powers he controlled, his great strength, and the overwhelming nature with which he destroyed.  Their color is the red of blood, and with good reason, for it represents the spilt blood of those who challenged him.  This, young ones, is all I can say.  Now, do you dare to try the mask yourselves?

Part V: Epilogue

This is the story as it was told to me by the wise old man, and I believe every word of it… I could never believe otherwise, after what I witnessed afterwards.  There were those among us who did try the mask… and when it was rested on their face there was a brilliant flash of light, and they were gone.  Now the same decision is for you, dear reader, do you or do you not tempt the Mask of Nikroma?  Choose carefully, for your very life is wagered on your decision.