Bascinet

Part of Armor of Juhnvechteya
The bascinet is an open-faced, tall-skulled helm which extends to from the crown of the head down the rear and sides to protect the neck. It is worn by both knights and infantry, and is regarded as the ubiquitous headgear. 
Evolving from the cervelliere skullcap in the early 500s/350s JC/VC, by the 540s/390s it had nearly come to replace the Topfhelm, which had been previously been considered the best protection for a knight. 
A bascinet will often be augmented with various additions. These include visors, which provide protection to the wearer’s face, along with an aventail, which protects the neck. While rare in the modern day, a topfhelm may be worn overtop. In this event, a bretache may be included to protect the majority of the face when the helm is discarded in close combat. 
Visors include the klappvisor, which is preferred in the lands of the Jorans. The klappvisor, a single-pivot, rounded visor, angled slightly to deflect blows rather than absorb them. Another visor, the Hundskull, is common to Tanderland and Toradzland. The hundgugel is a newer design, optimized for deflecting any blows away from the face, and has an exaggerated cone on most of the visor, while simultaneously providing superior ventilation. 
An aventail is a curtain of maille attached around the bottom of the bascinet, designed to protect the neck. It is near-exclusively found on sergeantly and knightly helms, and some of the wealthiest have their aventail made of interlocking plates. Some bascinets have large gorgets and bevors, which provide supreme protection to the neck at the expense of movement.
The bascinet is employed by both the knightly classes and the peasantry. While out of reach for many peasants, who opt for the simple eisenhut, the more complex bascinet provides superior protection, and so those with the means to afford it often opt for the bascinet. Those who cannot may also simply loot it from the fallen after a battle.
The bascinet is near-ubiquitous across Juhnvechteya, and is used in Cinelli, Stribrna Joraje, Tanderland, Toradzland, Beruvia, and Brankonya, and Khoorte in smaller numbers. This widespread usage is testament to its effectiveness as a protective item. 
Category:Armor of Juhnvechteya