The Masque's defining ability is perceptual manipulation. They do not shapeshift in the physical sense. They project a glamour, a filter layered over the observer's perception that makes the Masque appear as whatever the Masque wants them to see. A Masque can look like a specific person, an idealized stranger, or something totally unique. The projection is convincing but not omnipotent. It affects sight, hearing, and even touch, but it does not fool cameras or mirrors reliably. And it requires conscious effort, which means a sleeping or unconscious Masque is seen as it actually is. In their natural form Masques are difficult to describe; observation seems to slip off their unhidden form, causing a sort of exhaustion and mild confusion. Concerted attempts to observe Masques without their glamour generally create a sense of unease due to their generally incomprehensible appearance.
Masques are deeply embedded in Nod's economy and political structures. They are traders, diplomats, companions, brokers, and fixers. They take roles that reward their abilities and have found many critical roles that do so.
Masques originate in the Melody, and many are sworn to its Courts and bizarre royalty. For their part the creatures of the Melody seem to see the Masques as wayward children.
Transformation: Nod can either erodes a Masque's control over its own glamour or make it real. For the unlucky the projection stutters, slips, shows things the Masque did not intend. In advanced cases, the glamour begins operating independently of the Masque's will, projecting fears, memories, or desires the Masque cannot suppress. The most degraded Masques are surrounded by a constant involuntary broadcast of their interior life; these are known as Hollows because there is nothing left behind the mask but the mask itself, projecting endlessly. At the other end of the spectrum, the transformative nature of Nod can make something real of the entity behind the illusion, allowing them to develop and retain a true self that other Masques can only wish for.
Mythological Names
| Term | Origin | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Succubus / Incubus / Concubus | Medieval demonology | Masque Spectres who use their glamour for seduction |
| Changeling | European folklore | Masques who have replaced a mortal, or Masques with a connection to the Melody |
| Fae / Faerie | Celtic/European | Broad term for Masques and Melody-associated entities |
| Nymph | Greek mythology | Masques with nature-associated glamour |