The Helm of Recluse
Overview
From the Task Force "Statesman's Task Force" given by Statesman.
Souvenir's Text
The Helm of Recluse
Though battered from the mighty battle where you faced it's owner, none can deny that this is the helmet of Lord Recluse himself, master of Arachnos and the Regent of the Rogue Isles. But even he couldn't stop you and your team when you faced him at the pulse-pounding culmination of Statesman's Task Force.
It all started when you learned that Statesman himself needed your help. It seems that Lord Recluse was close to completing the mysterious device known as 'The Web' on Grandville Island, and while no one knew it's true purpose, rumors were flying that Lord Recluse believed it would somehow make him the master of the world. You traveled to the Web Fab factory just outside of Grandville, where you gathered vital data and did enough damage to slow down the Web's completion.
The files you found revealed that the Web had been designed by Dr. Aeon, a Mad Scientist in Recluse's employ. You tried to use a portal to capture him in his base, but the wily scientist tricked you, hurtling you to a future where Recluse was triumphant and the world was under Arachnos control! You barely escaped by over-riding another portal, but the chilling message was there: If Recluse wins out, it could be the end of freedom in the world.
On Numina's advice, you sought a way to keep Dr. Aeon from using any more tricks to elude capture. To do that, you had to travel to Thorn Island, where the Circle of Thorns were feeding mystic energy to a great Tree of Thorns for their own dire purposes. You disrupted their plans and captured the energy of the tree for your own, to use against Dr. Aeon when the time came.
With the power of the Thorn Tree, you went to Cap au Diable to bring the mad doctor to justice. After fighting your way through the lieutenants of each member of Lord Recluse's inner circle, you confronted Dr. Aeon and his time duplicates. While you were able to catch Aeon this time, he revealed the true purpose of the Web: It was designed to siphon the powers of every other metahuman on Earth into Lord Recluse, rendering him invincible!
With the Freedom Phalanx paralyzed as the first targets of the Web, Statesman had to send you to take on Lord Recluse yourselves. And that you did. Legends will be told about the battle that day, as the very foundations of Grandville trembled beneath the mighty forces unleashed in the final battle. But when you hold this helmet, you know what those legends will say. That in the darkest hour this world has ever known, Heroes stood strong and cast that darkness back. And they will always stand ready to do so.
