Animate Helmed Horror

Using a suit of magical armor—or magical armor bearing an Artificer infusion—you perform a long and arduous ritual to call and bind a willing spirit into an adamantine sphere. This sphere serves as the construct’s heart. During the ritual, the sphere is placed within the armor, where it begins to attune itself to the metal and the spell’s shaping magic. When the casting is complete, the armor animates as a Helmed Horror under your control for 24 hours.

To fully anchor the spirit and make the construct permanent, you must cast the spell every day for a month. Each daily upkeep ritual requires the same casting time and consumes 500 gp worth of incense, rare oils, and powdered gemstones offered to the spirit within the adamantine core. These offerings strengthen the bond and stabilize the animating essence.

After thirty consecutive days of upkeep, the Helmed Horror becomes permanently animated and no longer requires further rituals. At this point, the construct is fully loyal to you and will never betray its creator.

Before the thirty days are complete, the Helmed Horror can be dispelled by a spellcaster who succeeds on a dispel attempt against a DC 18 spell save. Once the binding becomes permanent, the construct cannot be dispelled by magical means.