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the-maskerade-universe · 6 years

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You, But Stronger

"What an ugly costume..." you say. You don't know why you said it, or at least, you don't know why you said it out loud, especially when the girl at the counter gives you a little frown.

"I dunno!" She says. "I think it'd look nice on you. Yknow that only came out a few months ago? It's getting pretty popular."

You couldn't understand why. Not for the life of you. You hold the mask in your hands, grubby sleeves pulled back just enough to expose your contrastingly clean hands. It stares into your eyes with its own, a sort of "pie with a slice taken out of it" shape, as if from an old cartoon. A cheeky little grin and painted on buckteeth and whiskers that you'd thought would be adorable, but now just make you a little sick to look at. Round rubber ears that flop if you move them too fast or get caught in a strong breeze. A uniform coat of white paint across everything else.

You stare down into a perfect replica of your own face, and you feel a little jolt of sadness.

Nemesis had brought you into the city with her. Part of an idea she had, while you were living with her. She'd just... bring you with her, once a week, while she ran errands. To help you get adjusted to other people. She said you didn't have to talk to anyone, you just had to be there. She would even let you stay Glamored.

You didn't have to say yes. You knew today wasn't going to be a good day for you, October was always a bad time of year. You even knew Nemesis would never be upset at you, no matter what, but you said yes because you wanted to make her happy. And maybe, to some extent, because you'd wanted to try and get better.

You'd been walking down a busy street when one of the storefronts caught your eye. A costume supply store, surprisingly empty for mid-October. And in the window, on a mannequin head, was the mask. Your mask.

You'd asked Nemesis if you could go in, and have her come get you later. She'd just seemed thrilled you were taking some initiative, not even noticing the mask in the window, and she'd given you a little hug and told you you could take as long as you needed. And now, here you were.

You shake your head a little, staring into your own lifeless eyes. "No. I don't really think this'd work for me." You reply, managing to get your wandering mind back on track.

The girl smiles a bit sympathetically. "Well, were you looking for something else? It's almost Halloween! It's always fun to dress up!"

You think about what you're wearing. A grungy, patchy coat over a pair of grey sweatpants and a t-shirt you think is two sizes too big for you. Dressing up, huh?

"N-no, no, I'm just... going to browse, I guess." You tell her. You beg the First Mask that she'll leave you be. You know she's just trying to be friendly, but your nerves are fraying at breakneck speed and if you have a breakdown there's no telling when Nemesis will be able to get you. To your relief, she just tells you to let her know if you need any help, then goes back to browsing something on an old desktop. Some distant corner of your mind helpfully mentions that it seems to be a 2007 make.

You try to pretend you're looking at costumes, while in reality your mind is a million miles away. She'd said that the mask was getting "popular". She had no reason to lie to you at the time, especially not after you openly insulted it.

The idea stuns you a little. That anyone would want to look like you. That they'd wear your face, be you, even if only for the duration of a Halloween party.

You can barely stand being you, having to exist like this. A life of endless anxiety, mooching off people who love you, hiding yourself in a dark, locked room assembling electronics and wishing the entire world could just leave you alone.

And yet, people would willingly choose to be you...

Nemesis arrives after an hour or so, when you've given up on pretending to browse and just found somewhere to sit down and check up on your dozens of programming chat groups. You'd been engaged in a rather vigorous recommendation of hand-assembly for gaming PCs when she gently said your name, and told you it was time to go.

The two of you walked home in relative silence. Briefly, she'd brought up a Halloween party she was going to attend with Tiamat, and asked if you'd wanted to go. You told her you'd think about it.

She must have noticed how troubled you'd looked, but she knew by now that it was best to let you deal with this sort of thing at your own pace. She trusted you to tell her if something got serious enough, and you knew better than to betray that trust.

A few days later, you agreed to at least stop by the party for a little while. Just to see how it was. By the time October 31st came, you'd forgotten all about the costume store.

You'd come to regret that lapse in memory.

The party wasn't nearly as bad as you'd thought it was going to be, actually. Nemesis hadn't made you dress up, and even suggested you go in Glamor before you told her it would make more sense if you didn't.

When you'd arrived, Nemesis and Tiamat had offered to stay with you until you adjusted. But you could tell they were eager to socialize and catch up with friends, so you'd let them go.

You'd gravitated to the snack table, picking at a few chips and grabbing a can of soda before finding an isolated corner with a comfy looking couch to seclude yourself in. You curled up in the safety of the Dream Coat and watched everyone else enjoy themselves. It was pleasant. But someone had snuck up on you, while you were lost in thought.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He was a guy your age. Tall, slender, dressed in all black. When you turned to look, you couldn't help but find him a bit cute. Until your gaze had left just his body, and you saw the mask he was wearing.

Your mask.

"You just looked kinda lost. Do you need anything?" He asks. You can hear the concern in his tone. He was genuinely worried about you, a complete stranger, to the point of walking up to you just to offer you his help.

Your entire body goes cold with a sudden, irrational negativity. You stare into your own eyes, your own face, perched upon someone who is not you, but is someone who is probably better than you in every way.

The cold is washed away with white-hot fury as you realize this. Replaced with an odd sort of indigation. Where does he get off, acting like this?!? Who is this man, who would choose to be you, but then act in a way you only wish you could?!?

You wonder if he even knows the person he's pretending to be. If he knew the hopeless failure he mimicked just by putting on that shaped hunk of rubber. If he'd tear it loose, disgusted, if he knew what it meant to wear that.

You consider saying all of these things to him. Telling him you're not okay, and that you need far more than he could ever hope to give you. Instead, you begin crying so hard your entire body shakes.

He tries to comfort you, which only makes you cry harder. Somehow, as if alerted by sheer providence, Nemesis arrives. She makes the boy leave, identifying him as "Klaus", and scoops you up in her arms. She carries you out the door, past a gaggle of concerned partygoers, and says nothing while you cry the whole way home. When you reach the apartment, she brings you into your room, shifting you into one arm while she uses the other to clear the junk off your bed before putting you down in it.

You keep crying for a long while, and she remains quiet. She lets you go until it seems you're quieting down, then softly, gently asks you what happened.

You manage to inelegantly stammer out the series of events that led to your breakdown. How you'd been off in your own little world, stock still, and how Klaus had come to check on you.

You put a most likely disturbing amount of detail into that portion. An ugly moment of internal and external loathing, seeing (and being briefly attracted to) a version of yourself who was tall and attractive, yet empathetic and social enough to offer help to someone he'd only just met. Someone who flaunted their body, who attended parties by himself, who was okay with being...

You trail off there, descending into more choked sobs. She gently strokes your back under your thick coat, and lets you cry yourself out. You can tell that seeing you upset like this is tearing her apart, and you feel oddly selfish. But you know she doesn't blame you, never would...

You don't know how long it goes on for, but at some point, you wind up falling asleep. You wake up November 1st with an awful headache, a mouth that feels like a desert, and a large bag of taffy on your bedside table.

A note beside it is written in Nemesis' dainty handwriting, with an addition in Tiamat's rough but readable script.

"We love you!!! You're so strong!"

"Every day you do a little better. Remember that."

You stare blankly at the note, trying to process what they were talking about. Numbly, you fall back into bed, not willing to face the day just yet. Maybe not at all, today. You know they won't judge you, if that happens. They know this is a process, and their patience is seemingly endless when it comes to you. They're so convinced that you can do this. You wonder what you did, to make them have so much faith in you.

You wonder if there's anything you'll do someday that will make them stop...

#maskerade universe #loki pov #short story #mask nemesis #mask tiamat

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the-maskerade-universe · 6 years

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Introductions Finale, Or, "A Sampling Of Masks"

So, I've come up with a couple Masks to offer an idea of what they're like! Namely, the fact that they're as unique as regular people, and what Artifacts can be like. Here are three to start us off!

Barachiel

He/Him

Personality: Barachiel is a whimsical, slightly absentminded young man. Positive in the face of quite a few things, with a bit of a mischevious streak, at least as far as loving to mislead people about his origins and abilities. He has a bad habit of losing his train of thought, and tends to be a bit cowardly overall.

Appearance:

Artifact: Goswhit. Formerly a warhelm with mind-control powers owned by Barachiel's father, it took on its current wizard-hat form and powerset upon being passed down to him. Goswhit allows Barachiel to use Sorcery, a sort of variation on "traditional magic", where he may change reality in certain ways through the proper gestures and magic words.

Drawbacks: Goswhit is beholden to what Barachiel calls "The Will of Wit". Upon casting a spell, several variations of it will be created. The funniest variation will be used instead. Barachiel must also have one free arm and the ability to speak in order to use magic, and if he is not actually wearing Goswhit, he can't cast magic.

Godhead Trigger: Mortal Peril

Godhead Description: Barachiel becomes engulfed in an aura of bright red light, including twin beams of it emanating from his eyes, and Goswhit transforms into a decorated hood. He becomes capable of casting spells with only a thought, and the Will of Wit also ceases to apply. However, he must still be wearing Goswhit to use his magic.

Loki

She/Her

Personality: Very quiet, both in the sense of not speaking very much and in the sense of keeping a low volume when she does. She is remarkably intelligent and witty, though she has a bad habit of rambling about her pet topics when given the opportunity. She is incredibly socially awkward, though friendly with people she knows, and she has an odd distaste for her physical appearance. Very conflict averse, with a tendency to outright panic in the face of aggression.

Appearance: Rather short and gender-neutral, thanks to her mask of a white rat and the obscuring nature of her trenchcoat Artifact. Underneath said coat, she has olive-tinted skin, and tends to wear sweatpants and assorted t-shirts for media she enjoys. She always appears a bit grubby, and visibly underfed.

Artifact: The Dream Coat. A large, patchy trenchcoat that's visibly too big for Loki, she likes it rather well and wears it everywhere. Through manipulation of space and time, Loki is capable of reaching into its depths and withdrawing just about anything she can think of. Or, at least, something close.

Drawbacks: Besides the expected limitation of Loki only being able to withdraw items that would fit inside of a trenchcoat, there a myriad of other conditions to the coat. She can't grab items that do not currently exist, or that didn't exist prior. Likewise, she can't use it to get other Artifacts. The inside of her coat is also subject to the Perception Rule, meaning that anyone who can see into its depths will prevent her from using it. As well, if she attempts to take an item that someone is paying attention to, the Perception Rule will apply there, forcing her to withdraw something similar, and likely of lower quality.

Godhead Trigger: Loathing for another Mask.

Godhead Description: The Dream Coat becomes a cloak, obscuring all of Loki's features and surrounding her in an aura of darkness. Her head outright disappears, though this is obscured by the cloak's hood. While a Godhead, Loki may withdraw anything she could ask for from within the Dream Coat, though Artifacts and things that do not exist still elude her.

Nemesis

She/Her

Personality: Nemesis is, usually, a big ray of sunshine. Easily excited, friendly to the point of nearly being overbearing, and with a seemingly endless energy, most wouldn't expect the Executioner Mask to be so positive. All of this changes when another Mask becomes Condemned, though...

Appearance: A tall, shapely young woman, most often clad in frilly, colorful outfits that fit her bright personality. Her mask is shaped like that of a dog, and similar in levels of unbearably cutesy. Her skin is rather pale, almost unnaturally so.

Artifact: The Shroud of Justice. A blindfold of fine white silk, wrapped around the eyes of Nemesis' mask. Rather than obscuring her vision, it provides her the ability to detect the powers of another Mask, as well as detect their "Condemned Status". Simply put, when a Mask commits enough misdeeds, they become Condemned, and Nemesis becomes both empowered and required to punish them as she sees fit. While pursuing a Condemned, Nemesis is nearly invincible, her power level increasing in proportion to the power of her target. If she dies, the Shroud will revive her in a week, awakening in her bed unharmed.

Drawbacks

-Nemesis cannot act to harm or hamper a Mask that isn't Condemned, even in self defense.

-Nemesis feels a strong psychic compulsion to pursue a Condemned, starting as a discomfort and becoming outright sickness. Some hypothesize she'd outright die from the stress if she put it off long enough.

-Condemned are automatically made aware that they are Condemned, and always have a vague sense of how far Nemesis is from them at any given time. Though this is an effective intimidation tool, it also allows Condemned time to prepare for her arrival.

-Condemned may lower their Condemned Status by performing good deeds, even after becoming a target for Nemesis. If they lower their Status enough, they will no longer be a target, and Nemesis will be forced to cease the hunt.

Godhead Trigger: Being within a mile of a Condemned Mask

Godhead Description: Nemesis becomes engulfed in a blinding white light, her head becoming permanently obscured by a halo of equally bright golden light. Unlike most Godheads, Nemesis loses none of her Drawbacks, instead gaining power directly proportional to that of the Condemned she's pursuing. It is unknown if this has any true limits.

This should be all the information on Masks necessary for the time being! However, if you have any questions about something I may have missed, feel free to shoot me an Ask or a Message, and I'll answer you ASAP! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more in the future!

#maskerade universe #mask nemesis #mask barachiel #mask loki #info dump

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the-maskerade-universe · 6 years

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Introductions Part Six, Or, "A Semi-Tidy Summary"

So, let's summarize the important bits, just in case nobody particularly wants to slog through five posts of in-depth rambling about Masks.

-Masks are a seperate species from humanity. They appear human, but with heads resembling animal/mascot masks. They are stronger and more durable than humans, though this is not a guarantee.

-Masks are all subject to "The Perception Rule", which limits or outright removes some of their abilities while a non-Mask is paying attention to them. This may fail if a witness is sufficiently distracted, but it also works through cameras and other real-time viewing methods.

-Masks may use "Glamor" to disguise themselves as examples of their Host Species, though Glamor Forms tend to be rather bland and forgettable. Other Masks are not fooled by Glamor, and a Mask's Glamor Form will be the same every time they shift into it.

-All Masks possess a single object known as an "Artifact", which grants them unique abilities. Artifacts may be articles of clothing, weapons, objects, vehicles, or even works of art or entire buildings. Every Artifact has Drawbacks that limit its use, the severity of said Drawbacks usually being proportional to an Artifact's power. A Mask may always summon their Artifact from any distance, unless specifically prevented from doing so by outside forces.

-Every Mask has access to "Godhead Mode", a state of being where they may ignore most of the drawbacks inherent to their Artifact. Godhead Mode only triggers under specific circumstances, and ends immediately once those circumstances are no longer in effect.

-Masks and their Artifacts tend to be named after mythological or historical figures and objects. A Mask's name does not need to be related to who they are as a person, but Artifacts tend to share at least superficial similarities to their namesakes.

-Mask Biology is fully subject to the Perception Rule. Medical examinations will reveal a biology consistent with the sort of human a Mask would normally be, even if their actions prove otherwise. A Mask's head is fully removable, though such an act will simply reveal another, identical head underneath.

I initially promised to also provide several Sample Masks, but as this post is bloated enough as is, I'll do that in a Finale Post. Apologies!

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the-maskerade-universe · 6 years

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Introductions Part 5, Or, "Masked Possibilities"

So, how do Masks usually name themselves and their Artifacts? Lemme put it bluntly, it's a lot of cribbing from mythologies and historical figures. Mask names don't usually require any sort of adherence to who they're named after. For example, the biblical Barachiel was never particularly noted for his cuddly mask or bumbling tendencies. But Artifacts tend to at least share some superficial similarities to their namesakes, even if only at a surface level.

Goswhit was a warhelm in the tale of King Arthur, but instead serves as a fancy hat that offers magical power. Draupnir was a ring of solid gold that produced eight copies of itself, but here serves as a golden armband that lets its wearer produce perfect clones of themselves. They don't need to be exactly the same, but a tenuous link is usually better than none at all.

But where do the Masks come from? Why do they wield such powerful magic, why do they operate so differently from us? What are their origins? A few possible answers exist, and probably more besides.

-Masks are the living fragments of a former god, said to once rule all of reality before splitting themselves into pieces so as to more personally understand the universe it created. Artifacts are, likewise, all formed from the First Artifact, which the First Mask wielded.

-Masks are simply an odd species that evolved alongside the ancestors of humanity. Their abilities and biology are actually natural, but modern science is not quite at the point where it can be explained.

-Masks are visitors from beyond the stars, stranded on Earth ages ago, who evolved in order to blend in alongside the ruling species of the planet. Abilities and items that seemed everyday in their home are strange and powerful here.

-Masks are all deities, or at least were before forsaking it to live among the mortals. Godhead Mode is, in fact, their natural state of being, locked away under clauses to allow them to easier live alongside mortals.

Of course, none of these may be right! There may be some other explanation entirely, waiting to be discovered! It's all rather up in the air.

In Part 6, I'll summarize what's been stated so far, and several example Masks will be presented to give an idea of what they're like.

#maskerade universe #info dump #mask info #fiction

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the-maskerade-universe · 6 years

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Introductions Part 4, Or, "Godhead Mask"

In Introductions 1, I brought up the idea that Masks had a way to ignore some or all of the Drawbacks inherent to their Artifact. This is possible through something known as "Godhead Mode", a state of being in which a Mask may temporarily escape the limits of their powers.

Godhead Mode is, more often than not, triggered in specific, hard-to-achieve circumstances that are unique to each Mask. They are entirely temporary, though while they are underway a Mask will have the full potential of themselves and their Artifact.

Godhead Mode CANNOT:

-Ignore a Drawback where the Artifact must be worn or held to be used properly.

-Outright ignore the Perception Rule, though most Godhead modes have a way to cheat it.

-Render a Mask immortal, unless their Artifact already does so.

-Disable the Shroud of Justice.

What is the Shroud of Justice? That comes later. But everything else should certainly be taken into account. Godhead Mode will more often than not initiate an outright physical change in Masks, also unique to each one. There are, however, some recurring features.

-Major alterations to a Mask's head. Animal masks become outright animal heads, the Mask's head becomes replaced by a massive light or flame, extra eyes...

-The Mask's Artifact takes on a new, more ornate form. It may also change shape entirely, though this is less common.

-An aura of some sort, such as light, flame, electricity, or whirling leaves.

-Floating slightly above the ground.

Some examples of a Godhead Trigger include...

-Blind Panic on the part of the Mask

-A sufficiently large crowd of witnesses

-A genuine desire to end another Mask's life

-Pure despair.

Once the Trigger passes, which isn't always common, the Godhead mode will immediately end, regardless of what's going on at that exact moment. This has caused some significant problems for a cocky Godhead.

Well, this wound up being longer than I meant it to! Join me in Part 5, where I discuss naming conventions, and possible origins for Masks as a whole!

#maskerade universe #info dump #mask info #fiction

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the-maskerade-universe · 6 years

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Introductions Part 3, Or, "Mask Biology"

So, how do Masks work biologically? The answer is simultaneously very simple, and a bit muddled.

For academic purposes, a Mask is biologically identical to the Host Species of their world, with a few differences subject to both their unique circumstances and the Perception Rule.

Putting aside the issue of having masks for heads, a Mask is more often than not significantly more durable than a flesh-and-blood human, capable of surviving injuries that would outright kill a non-Mask. Likewise, despite not being noticeably more developed in a muscular sense, your average Mask has the strength of a particularly strong human.

This is accomplished through a simple method. Namely, their internal biology simply doesn't exist until it is being viewed. X-Rays will show a skeleton consistent with the body of the Mask (complete with disturbingly human skull), biopsies will usually turn out normal, blood tests will show no oddities... but anyone who examines a Mask outside of the lens of a scientific examination will quickly figure out they're inhuman.

Hypothetically, if someone could somehow witness a Mask's musculature and skeletal system outside of medical procedures, their enhanced strength and superhuman resistances would be subject to the Perception Rule. Science is, however, not at the point for this test to be anywhere near feasible.

Outside of this, Masks follow most of the same rules people do. As previously mentioned, they don't need to eat and drink, but this is the only thing they can ignore, short of Artifact use. Masks are also capable of having children with examples of their Host Species, producing Masks with a Mask mother, or more of the Host Species with a Mask father.

In Part 4, we'll discuss Godhead Mode, as well as providing the usual naming conventions for Masks and Artifacts, and a few potential origins for the species.

#maskerade universe #mask info #info dump #fiction

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the-maskerade-universe · 6 years

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Introductions Part 2, or, “More Mask Info”

So, we’ve talked about Masks’ most defining features, obviously. But that’s not all there is to them! This post will be dedicated to the discussion of other important things to consider about Masks, including some “Mask Culture”.

So, why do Masks have heads like they do? And how do they not attract tons of attention everywhere they go? Well, the first one is up in the air. It doesn’t seem too biologically advantageous, besides offering some resistance to head injuries. But generally speaking, a Mask spends their developmental years appearing as, for all intents and purposes, a young example of their host species. Upon reaching adulthood, a Mask is offered the opportunity to choose a head shape, as well as alter their body in ways they see fit, through a magical metamorphasis that is still poorly understood. Usually, young Masks take such things into account as local customs, the head shapes past family members have taken, and the aesthetics of their time before choosing their first head shape.

As for ways of keeping incognito, every Mask has access to a neat little trick called a “Glamor”, barring some sort of interference or accident. Using a Glamor, a Mask may appear as a completely generic, unremarkable example of their Host Species, though other Masks will still recognize them, and their Glamor Form is usually identifiable by people who’ve seen them before. Some Masks rarely ever leave their Glamor Form, while others openly flaunt the oddity of seeing an individual in a costume head waltzing around like there’s nothing strange about it.

This leads me into my next point, the “Perception Rule”. Simply put, a good numbet of Mask Abilities, and the powers of some Artifacts, will either weaken or outright cease to function while a non-Mask is paying attention to them. However, there is flexibility to this.

Specifically, witnesses have to be focusing on the Mask or their Artifact. If they become distracted, or their mind wanders, a Mask may be able to function even if they’re being outright stared at. In turn, though, the Perception Rule also functions through such things as live camera feeds, if someone is watching the footage.

Some examples of the Perception Rule include the way Masks eat, and what happens to removed heads. Generally speaking, Masks do not have to eat or drink, but they can, and derive as much enjoyment from the act as anyone else. Unfortunately, due to the Perception Rule, attempts to consume anything while they’re being noticed just causes messiness. Likewise, removed Mask heads have a tendency to just outright disappear when people stop paying attention to them, to the point that they’ll outright disappear out of people’s hands if they’re distracted enough.

Next post, we’ll discuss Mask biology, which will probably be less of an overall headache.

#maskerade universe #info dump #mask info #fiction

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the-maskerade-universe · 6 years

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Introductions Part 1, Or, "What's A Mask?"

So, Masks! The focal point of this setting! What are they, and why are they so dang important? Well, let's talk about that!

Nobody is entirely, 100% certain as to just what Masks are. Generally speaking, though, it's agreed that they're much older than people, and very much not human.

Masks are known mostly for their two discerning features. Their odd heads, and their tendency to tote around Artifacts. For example's sake, here's a healthy young mask to help us explain!

This is Barachiel! As you can see, both his Mask and his Artifact are on full display!

Mask Heads: The head of a Mask is both their biggest feature, and where they get their unofficial name. Masks disguise themselves as the dominant species of wherever they live, but always with odd heads designed similarly to that of a costume or mascot. Notice the way Barachiel's head has taken on a sort of "japanese mascot costume" depiction of a bear! For the most part, a Mask's head is fully removable, though all that happens is the revealing of another, identical head underneath, forever. Or until you stop pulling off heads like an impolite person.

Masks can be in a multitude of shapes and sizes, and for the most part, masks that depict the same animal/entity are rather common, as long as they aren't completely identical in design.

Artifacts: Masks are noted for their Artifacts, magical focuses that allow a Mask to channel unique magical abilities! Each one comes with a variety of drawbacks, both hampering the usual utility of an Artifact and usually forcing its user to be creative in using it.

Barachiel's artifact is Goswhit, the wizard hat he's wearing. It offers him access to Sorcery, a rare art akin to "traditional" spellcasting, allowing him to do most anything with the right gestures and magic words. However, his Drawbacks are pretty severe! For one thing, his spells more or less run on the Rule of Funny, gaining unexpected changes if it would be funnier for them to do so. Less restrictive, but still notable, is the requirement for a free arm and the ability to speak to use Sorcery, as well as requiring Barachiel to be wearing his hat at all times to be effective. There are, however, some ways around this that will be discussed later.

These are the most distinct things about Masks, but by far not the only things worth mentioning. More will be explained in upcoming posts!

#Maskerade Universe #Info Dump #Barachiel #Mask Info #Fiction

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