The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is an RPG that needs no introduction. The open-world fantasy game has been the muse of many gaming fans for over 10 years now, and players are constantly finding new ways to make Skyrim more interesting. With a long list of content to discover, and new secrets being revealed nearly every day, it's the perfect game to inspire the creative side of fans. One fan in particular has enough talent to craft a real-life Dragon Priest mask, entirely from scratch. Specifically, the Konahrik mask.
The Konahrik Dragon Priest mask is unique; it's only available to the player after they collect all other Dragon Priest masks, bringing them to the shrine within the ancient Labyrinthian. Konahrik (meaning Warlord in the Dragon language) is by far the most superior of the nine masks, with a unique trait attached. When the wearer's health is critically low, the mask has a chance of restoring a large portion of the player's health, while also damaging nearby enemies. This trait is aptly named Konahrik's Privilege, and is exclusive to this particular mask. Unlike the others, it is also the only mask that is not associated with an actual Dragon Priest, though fans of the series have plenty of ideas as to who Konahrik may have been in Skyrim.
This particular piece of art comes from Reddit user thecraftingnerd. As the name suggests, he creates a variety of masks and gadgets from their favorite franchises, including Skyrim. When looking at the mask in detail, it's clear that a lot of time and effort was put into the piece. Every facial detail is accurate to the in-game counterpart, from the slits of the eyes to the tusks that protrude from the bottom. Even the hood is an exact match to the original mask. Though the artist did not share the full process behind the creation of the mask, he did reveal that a special metallic paint was used to mimic the effect of metal. Overall, the quality of the mask is pretty incredible, and there are lots of TES fans out there that would love to get their hands on this piece.
This isn't the only Dragon Priest art to make it to Reddit. Recently, another Skyrim fan created their own Dragon Priest staff, complete with the same level of detail. There are hundreds of different artists, all sharing their passion for The Elder Scrolls in various ways. Reddit alone is home to digital artists, cosplayers, and engineers just like thecraftingnerd. But there are plenty of other mediums that players use to create, like mods, for example. Considering Skyrim is over 10 years old, it's artwork like this that keeps fans inspired.
Fortunately, fans of the series aren't likely to run out of content anytime soon. The Elder Scrolls 6 is still in development, promising even more locations and characters to explore. But whether it will truly deliver on its promise is still up for debate. There are many things Bethesda can learn from in Skyrim, and expectations are high for a series this big. Regardless, the next TES title will surely bring a new wave of creativity from the impressive artists within the community.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available on PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.