Gosfet
Through veil we see the world eternal.Gosfet (: ), also known as Witch Veil, or Lamia Mask, is a broad term predominantly referring to a type of magical mask, bestowed by Lomot, crafted by the , and introduced to Album during the of 333. Gosfets hold great significance for the lamias as divine protection, sacred tombstones, and powerful Tenuma amplifiers. They had been worn by many lamias entering the mortal realm, yet that number has dwindled notably throughout the years. The few masks that remain today are coveted by many art collectors and jealously guarded by witches of Marevet.
Origin
Our Dormant Mother ʝąƖơɱơɬ gave us her faces, so we too could dream forever.The origin of the gosfet dates back to the Endless Immortal War - an era unbound by time and devoid of any written records. As such, there are only the surviving testimonies of old lamias to shed light on the matter of the masks.
Legend of the Faces of Lomot
Introduction to Album
If the forest was our womb, the gosfet is the umbilical cord.It is unknown to what end gosfets were used back in Gallana Amon, but their role after the Great Exile of the Witches was always evident. Crossing the border into the mortal realm of Album stripped the lamia of most of their powers. Their Tenuma grew significantly weaker, as did their connection with Lomot. Worst of all, their immortality drained away from them, aging the oldest lamias so rapidly death claimed them in an instant. The only ones who were immune to the curse of mortality were those fortunate enough to have their gosfets on as they entered the Albian Kingdom. The few masked elders thus became the Damurim - 'witch-leaders' of their people. They gradually split into separate small communities, each headed by at least one Damuri. Most Albian settlements demanded the removal of the gosfets before the lamia could be admitted as refugees. This led to several communities scattering to the wilderness, while others hid their Damurim or negotiated a compromise.
Art
'She dared not look at me. I dared not avert my gaze. Her face was filled with a lust for the flesh, holding unknown depths; a true gosfet of a woman.'For the first hundred years after the exile, lamias managed to hide the gosfets' supernatural essence from humans. The Albians feared or admired the Damurim solely based on the mysterious nature of their masks. Their shapes were all unique and intriguing, featuring designs that weren't conceived of yet in Album. This sparked newly-found inspiration with up-and-coming artists hoping to make a name for themselves. One such man was Behen Ailemasela, whose most successful paintings managed to engrave the gosfets' beauty and untold value in the kingdom's collective perception. This - along with other celebrated works - eventually led to a nationwide craze with the masks. Many sculptors attempted to imitate the gosfets' enchanting appearances, and citizens from all parts of the land began to wear them as a fashion statement. Some young lamias decided to wear the imitations as well, creating a cultural bridge between the two races for the first time.
War
To show your face is to show your humanity. Witches have none.During Album's second civil war, lamias were targeted by the Imansipata Militia and treated as hostile enemies. This was the last straw for several communities that decided to break their peaceful ways and fend off their aggressors. In one of the most famous battles of the war, the Battle of Bloody Tears, a Damuri witch revealed her hidden magic in a violent display of dark Tenuma. Her gosfet shone brightly as Sleep-Demons were unleashed upon all who threatened her people. Although the witch's strength was overwhelming, an Imansipata soldier, Zalem, was able to best the masked witch, kill her and claim her gosfets. Following this revelation, there were rumors of a secret expedition into Gallana Amon in search of more masks. Queri, a collector from Mavar, claimed the gosfet she possessed was bequeathed to her by her grandfather, who was a part of said expedition.
Properties
While each gosfet has its unique appearance, there are definitely similarities between them. They are all large, heavy pieces of an unknown crystal-like substance. One theory suggests that the number of eye holes reflects how many lamias had given their faces to any specific mask.Tenuma Abilities
Whether there is credibility to the legend, it is certain that 'true gosfets' hold incredible magical powers that are only accessible to those the masks deem worthy. Aside from multiplying the potency of a lamia's Tenuma, they are known to give their user access to the 'dream realm', drawing a unique power tied to their gosfet. Some rare humans are said to be worthy of giving their face to Lomot and gain her influence.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Aaah so first of all, masks!! God I loved reading that article so much, it was fascinating. So, as usual- time to get some extensive feedback going! Also quick note- I really love the word "gosfet" all around, where does it come from?
Intro: A good, clear overview of what the article is about! I liked that you included music, it worked really nicely with the rest of the article.
Origin: I'm a big fan of the legend of the Faces of Lomot. I have to admit though I'm curious as to how the actions of the younger child are viewed, and at large how taking the faces of loved ones is viewed by lamias and non-lamias.
Introduction to Album: Don't have much to say for this section- its clear, well written.
Art: I loved this section! It was interesting to read about an aspect of lamia culture that people seemingly admired rather than feared, and also a little unexpected considering I tend to find masks a little unsettling (part of why I love them). The quote is very interesting, mostly because I'm not 100% sure how the phrase "a true gosfet of a woman" is meant to be interpreted.
War: Uuuugh I hate Zalem, what a dick (an understatement I know). I think a little tooltip on what Sleep-Demons are could be nice, but also not necessary.
Sidebar: I love your sidebar so much! The use of documents to provide another type of quotes and additional information is really amazing, and especially the way you use them to almost tell stories just ugh. Huge fan.
Collectors: This is a really interesting section overall! I wasn't expecting such a big focus on them at the start of the article but considering your world it makes a lot of sense, and its a very interesting way of illustrating all the factions that might come into conflict. Quick typo I spotted- "significantly Across humans"
Fake vs Real: Oh boy thats grim. I love that even in sections like this you manage to bring in new elements like fake masks being made from skulls (like damn). The fact that these gain a worth of their own is not only interesting but also makes a lot of sense! I wonder if following that discovery it was made illegal to make forgeries (or if it always was).
Famed Gosfet: Ah damn the layout of this section is just *chefs kiss*! I love the inclusion of a little history section for each mask, and the fact that most are unaccounted for just makes me want to harass you (in a good way) so you write a book about them, so that I can read it :')
Overall Design: I mean what to say, your layout is great and easy to read, the masks are just sublime (kudos to you and Yurii), the notes and documents are just amazing (Oh right! One thing I might suggest is finding a way to include a written transcript for those who might have trouble reading the documents- either because pics wont load or because they cant read them well).
Amazing feedback! Thank you for taking the time. Hope you enjoyed reading the article as much as I enjoyed writing it. Looking forward to the next exchange ~
That's actually a word constructed from my Xivi conlang. I used the three ideograms of 'face, 'mercy' & 'hidden' to spell the word. That has less to do with gosfets, so I excluded it from this article. It is definitely an important part of the lamia lore that will be expanded in future articles. Well, the quote talks about 'lust for the flesh' and 'unknown depths', which the Albian author relates to the gosfet. Though, it might not have been clear. Ooh just you wait hehe They don't serve any purpose other than just examples for a gosfet's power, so I didn't bother expanding on it (the Damuri herself is not even mentioned by name). Yeah, I wonder as well hehe. Done! Great idea btw. I added a hover tooltip for each document pic.