The Church of Mask

The church of Mask is the collective of individuals across the Realms that venerate Mask, the Lord of Shadows and Faerûnian god of trickery and deceit. While the church is viewed by many as mere scatterings of thieves and charlatans, the Maskarran faith is of the wealthiest churches in all Faerûn. They manage to achieve this defeat despite operating primarily beyond the reach of lawfulness and in the shadows of civilized society.

Structure

Mask's collective church is separated into individual priesthoods, each of operated independently in cities across Faerûn. These autonomous entities carry out unrelated operations to ensure thieves of different guilds do not interfere with neighboring enterprises. In those cities where multiple guilds conducted business within close proximity of each another, holy sites of Mask are considered neutral territory for everyone involved.
The extensive network of the Maskarran church comprised countless regional organizations and independent operators. Information and secrets flowed freely between various parties only to the extent that head clergy members deemed necessary. Their direction allows church operations to best align with the ever-shifting landscape of religious and governmental politics.

• Titles

Maskarran clergy members are known colloquially as Darkfingers, but refer to each other as Brother/Sister Shadow regardless of their ranks, and hold the titles (in order of rank):

• Hidden Ones (High Priests)
• Lord/Lady Master (Leaders of temples)
• Master Brother/Sister
• Veteran Brother/Sister
• Proven Brother/Sister
• Unproven (novices)

Select priests are granted the title of Demarchs/Demarchesses. These individuals are stand-outs in the faith and are usually blessed and granted this title by an Outsider servant of the Shadowlord.

Culture

When partaking in the larcenous arts, Maskarrans most prefer to steal valuable gems, as they are the absolute ideal offerings to the Lord of Shadows. Stealing these gems and replacing them with valueless replicas is considered the highest form of their craft. The longer the exchanged went undetected, the more perfect the crime in Mask's eyes. Local priesthoods of Mask work diligently to support their partnered thieves' guilds. Among the services and assets they provide are: pre-fabricated disguises, agents acting as spies and informants, or the protection and seclusion of certain individuals, for a specified time. These church-sponsored boons are always granted for nominal fees, which are offered on top of the tithings regularly collected from the guilds.
When it is deemed necessary, Maskarran priests release large amounts of currency from their reserves into local economies. This is often done to manufacture increased costs of goods or spur inflation in certain cities or regions.

Assets

Collectively, Maskarran clergy hold tremendous wealth stashed in secreted away caches. These riches are expertly directed to further the faith's agenda, whether by hiring skillful agents, bribing politicians, or other forms of solicitation. It is believed that only the church of Waukeen holds more accumulated wealth within their coffers and among their holdings.

Religion

• Rituals

While not held on a regular date on the Calendar of Harptos, the Ritual of the Unseen Presence is held at least once per month in each of Mask's temples. During this ceremony, clergy members concede to Mask the wealth in currency they had acquired and melted it down before their temples' Altar of the Masked God. This ritual, along with the church's darker rites, are always performed under the protection of conjured striking shadows.
The ritual of Shadow Walking is a sacred Maskarran ceremony by which one of the Shadowlord's faithful could attune their physical body to shadow itself. By performing this rite, they exchanged a portion of their life essence, and became what were known as shadow-walkers.
Some folks including pickpockets and other petty criminals would wear Mask's purse, in clear view on their person. These simple pouches held a few coins that made easy targets for other thieves. The loss or acquisition of one of Mask's purses was seen as a small gift from the God of Thievery, or a sacrifice made to him in tribute.

• Prayer

Maskarran clerics offered prayer at night, when under the cloak of darkness, or during times of need. A courtier appearing before a noble court or even a member of a political envoy would beseech Mask's favor to ensure favorable discussions.
During the daily 'Sunset Prayers', Maskarran clergy offered coins to their immediate superiors within the church's hierarchy, beginning with the Unproven. Once the Lord or Lady Master received their tribute, they presented it before the lowest-ranking clergy member as a token of appreciation for Mask's sardonic sense of humor.

• Celebrations

While not a Maskarran holiday by any means, celebrants of Liar's Night often offered tribute to Mask and wore face coverings that resembled his holy symbol.

Tenets of Faith

Mask's faithful believe that the god sees everything that happens in the dark and to trust it, as one would be made an easy target by walking into plain light. The abilities to deceive, as truth is a foolish virtue and manipulation is better than brute force, and to be dextrous are also appreciated. Whilst the faith advocates for accumulating riches, it also said to only steal what was necessary. They also believe that owning something simply required being in possession of it. The church of Mask states that wealth rightfully belongs to those who can acquire it. Honesty is for fools but apparent honesty is a very valuable thing, and subtlety is everything.

• Steal or deceive daily; the Lord of Shadows is most pleased if you manage both.
• Mask's followers believed that any events that occurred "within shadow" fell under his domain.

Priesthood

Maskarran clergy held a dynamic view of property rights and ownership of belongings. A individual or organization only held right of possession over assets so long as they remained in their physical possession.

• Attitudes

“Wealth rightfully belongs to those who can acquire it...Honesty is for fools but apparent honesty is a very valuable thing.” — Excerpt of the charge taken by Mask's Unproven.
Subtlety, caution, and discretion were virtuous held in the highest concern by the church. The ability to gain an edge over other with poised articulation―often utilizing feigned platitude―was considered a mark of distinction among clergy members. Integrity however was always maintained when working alongside other members of the church. Exemplary priests of Masks dutifully fulfilled the objectives proposed to their superiors within the church, even if numerous attempts were required for success.

• Orders

While the church of Mask sponsored no knightly orders, a number of its more daring and calculating members joined the Circle of the Gray Ribbon.
The Night Masks of Westgate were one of the numerous thieves' guilds of Faerûn that considered Mask as their patron deity. Yet others like the Shadow Thieves of Amn, merely venerated the Lord of Shadows in name only.

• Classes

Priesthoods of Mask predominantly comprised thieves, clerics, and specialty priests known as demarches or demarchesses. Quite often there were a few more demarches within each Maskarran order.
A priest of Mask that chose to work specifically in large, densely-populated cities could take on the role of a catfoot, whereas one that preferred to be out in the wilderness could join the ranks of the nightrunners.

Mask (Intermediate God)
Master of All Thieves, Shadowlord, Lord of Shadows

• Symbol

A black velvet mask, tinged with red

• Alignment

Neutral Evil

• Clergies Alignment

LN, N, CN, LE, NE, CE

• Worshippers Alignment

NG, CG, LN, N, CN, LE, NE, CE

• Portfolio

Thieves, thievery, shadows

• Domains

Darkness, Evil, Luck, Trickery

• Favored Weapon

Longsword (“Stealthwhisper”)

Type

Religious, Organised Religion

Demonym

Maskarran

Legislative Body

The clergy of Mask police themselves.

Controlled Territories

• The Gift of Shadows

Notable Members

• Morn Greyspire
• Olive Blackkettle
• Raeth Dundragon