The Maskers

The Maskers are drawn from all the species and cultures of the Great Ring, and either have no homeland, or the largest one of any group. They are the travelling performers of the islands, going from place to place putting on plays, staging carnivals, and bringing news and ideas from here to there and back again. They have many names; in Ynyswr they are the Gwisgwyr, while the Empire of Wamato calls them the Tabijin and they are the Peripatētikí Theatrikí in the Kaphtor Islands. Wherever they go, they are masters of performance and set up whatever kind of show suits the local tastes. Some Masker troupes travel with exotic animals that join their shows, while others have mechanical devices that can create a unique thrill. But they always have some kind of stage performance where the masked players act out the tales and legends of the Great Ring.

Physical Appearance

The Maskers are drawn from every island and every species, and their physical appearance is correspondingly broad. They can be tall or short, dark or fair, slender or stocky. The only consistent feature is that every troupe is highly diverse.

Dress & Style

The Maskers are known for their flamboyant and exuberant dress, with bright colors and a lot of jewelry. Contrary to some rumors, they do not wear masks all the time - these are usually worn only during performances, although sometimes a Masker will choose to spend more time with a hidden face. In many places, especially in the Southern Region, the Maskers will shed most or all of their clothing in deference to the heat, choosing to adorn themselves with paint and glittering dust instead. They make a point to always stand out and be highly noticeable wherever they go (except when they have good reason to hide).

Masker's Magic

The Maskers have their own, mobile version of Folk Magic which manifests in a variety of ways. Various traditions and taboos are observed within the Masker communities that are unique to this culture. Some examples are as follows: a performance space must always have a light present to ward of ghosts, and certain plays may not be performed or mentioned at certain times of year. A particularly strong rules is that all performances must contain some kind of buffer against Invasive Narratives, which can be an object or phrase that reminds the audience and the players that they are engaged in a fiction and breaks the connection to alien stories.

But the most important, and secret, component of Masker's Magic revolves around the masks themselves. The Maskers put a great deal of effort into the creation and maintenance of their masks, with one assigned to every named character in their plays. During the course of many performances, the masks absorb the energy of the plays, and become invested with a pseudo-eidolon focused around the character they represent. The actors will feel this presence when they don the mask, making it easier to embody the character. When the mask has been fully invested, a Masker can even invoke mystical abilities ascribed to the character, exhibiting powers such as superhuman strength, or the ability to control animals or the weather. But doing so is somewhat risky - immersing oneself in the mask so fully as to access these powers involves surrendering one's own identity to the character. The possessed Masker will become the character, and behave according to their beliefs and desires, and can only be released if the character chooses to relinquish their body. In these instances, other Maskers will sometimes have to break the mask itself to free their comrade, if they can.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Main Article: The Common Tongue

Maskers speak many languages, and only the aggregate language of sailors and merchants is universal among them.

Foods & Cuisine

A Masker feast is considered a performance in and of itself, and they delight in using unusual combinations of ingredients and cooking techniques. Masker chefs will often seek out local dishes for new and interesting possibilities, and each troupe will usually have a few staple dishes that are unique to their band. These are as varied as the Maskers themselves, and are often only known to those who have traveled with the players.

Languages spoken

• The Common Tongue

Related Locations

• The Islands