Though they vary greatly in appearance, personality, background, age, and character, Masked share a few specific qualities with each other that are universal:

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1. They can transform freely between

their Masked, fae form, and their original 

form. Their Masked form reveals their true

fae natures; their original forms are that 

which they were before they were sealed to

their mask. All Masked are fae, but not all

fae are Masked. In fact, there are many

kinds of fae travelling between Alfheim

and Mundis, the name of the fae for our,

familiar world, which presses close to Alfheim, the land of the fae, and is separated only by a thin veil that even inexperienced fae can effortlessly cross. Any non-magical creature of Mundis can be sealed by a fae to become Masked. Though a Masked can take on the illusion of their original form whenever they wish, their true nature is changed forever, bound inextricably, like all fae, with magic and the earth.

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2. They always bear the masks that they were sealed with and cannot discard them. While they are in their Masked form, the mask is worn on whatever part of their anatomy it was sealed to by the fae that created them. For many, this means the mask is worn on their face while in Masked form, but many bear their masks on other parts of their bodies: a turtle-like Masked might wear their Mask on their shell, while a werewolf-like masked wears hers on the back of her huge paw. Still another might be so small, they are almost engulfed by the size of the mask, for the sealing ritual of Masked is unpredictable, and while most masks adjust magically during the sealing to fit the new anatomy of the Masked's fae form, there are always masks that seem absurdly large or tiny for the Masked that bears them.

     When a Masked takes off their Mask, they will take on the original form they possessed on Mundis, before their sealing, and their mask changes size if necessary and attaches itself to a different place on their form. To reassume their true Masked form, all the Masked must do is place their Mask on the spot of sealing with their hands or will, and they will immediately take on their Masked form again.

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3. Masked cannot drop or throw away their Masks. Nor can they tear their Mask permanently from themselves. If they try to drop their mask after removing it to transform into their original form, the Mask will simply reattach itself to them swiftly, as though through a magnetic force. If a Masked's Mask is ever completely destroyed, it results in immediate death.

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4. Their masks can be shattered or broken due to great trauma, pain, or

damage inflicted either directly onto them, or indirectly, through

damage to the environment around them. Environmental damage

contaminates their magic and has very negative impact on fae.

For Masked, severe damage to their mask is deadly, and can

quickly lead to death if not healed by an experienced healer

and allowed to recover. Having their mask cracked or broken can

greatly alter their personalities, thoughts, behaviors, and actions,

often rendering them semi-conscious or in a heavily-altered

state of mind. Their masks can take a long time to heal magically,

even with the help of medicines and a skilled healer. If the damage

is severe enough, they may need the help of ancient fae, humans,

or animals skilled in healing. If the repairs are not done swiftly,

the Masked may die, or worse, become a Revenant: an angry,

demonic ghost that cannot be controlled or owned as player characters, and who attack those living between the two planes.

 

5. All Masked belong to either the Seelie or Unseelie Courts

of fae. A fae's court is inherent to their being; it isn't

something they choose, but rather something they

become the moment they are sealed. Both fae Courts

have distinct rulers, culture, and magics available to them,

but they also have a great and vast variety of individuals.

They share similar characteristics that make it easy to

spot a Masked's Court immediately: Seelie Masked

have bright, light, or pale colored masks, while

Unseelie Masked have dark, deep, or dim colored

masks. Only Seelie fae wield Blessing magics, while

only Unseelie fae learn Curses. However, it is valuable

to remember that the Court does not define the fae;

rather, the fae define their court.

     * Read the lore on The Seelie and Unseelie Courts.

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6. Masked can choose to act as emissaries, loners,

wanderers, healers, warriors, rebels, or destructive

forces within Alfheim and Mundis. The Seelie and

Unseelie Courts have been making Masked from the

inhabitants of Mundis since its creation, and your

Masked can come from any time period on earth, from

the distant past to ever-marching present. Though they

can be killed by the many dangers in Alfheim and Mundis,

the Masked, like many fae, can live indefinitely, and a few live

to be exceptionally ancient.

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7. The fae forms of Masked can vary widely in size, shape, and

appearance. They generally maintain some aspect of their original

forms, but this aspect may be subtle. Their Masked forms are

often chimerical, with odd combinations of animal, fungus, or

plant life. They may look like cryptands, mythical creatures,

fairies, or monsters. They can be anthropomorphic or completely alien.

The only unchanging physical feature shared by all Masked are their ever-present masks, but all have an obvious connection to the natural world. They can wear and make clothing and accessories to express their personalities, but their Masked forms should look naturalistic, like nature that was twisted, reformed, and shaped by magic.

* * *The exception to this rule is in the case of the rare Artifact Masked, created when a fae attempts to seal a mask onto a lifeless object. Only the most powerful fae can successfully complete such a difficult seal, because in order to fill something empty of life, they must summon a soul from the Astral Realm outside of Alfheim to fill the object during the Mask Seal.

     Artifact Masked always have some part remaining of their original form, whether this was a pile of bones, a stuffed animal, a rock, or a robot, though the magic of the astral spirit possessing the object often shapes and distorts it in unusual ways. Artifact Masked are very rare, for few Masked or even ancient ae are capable of the immense experience and outpouring of NYX involved to summon astral spirits, and all astral summoning's are unpredictable, for no Masked can know the soul they are calling, and whether the Astral is a Seelie or Unseelie is completely randomized, rather than being chosen by the player during character creation. For more info and lore on Artifact Masked, read HERE.

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8. Like most fae, Masked can eat both the food of Mundis and the food of Alfheim. However, food that is overly artificial or has harmful chemicals in it can easily sicken them. Wholesome food of both worlds gives them strength in body, spirit, and magic, all three of which are intertwined for a Masked. It takes an agonizingly long time for Masked to die of starvation, from years to decades. Starvation will slow the repletion of their magic, and when severe enough, this will cause them to waste away in body, mind, and magic. This makes their masks fragile and prone to breaking; one of the few injuries that can easily and quickly a kill a Masked if they aren't healed and stabilized immediately.

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9. In their fae forms, Masked can have the sexual and reproductive organs of any animal, plant, fungi, none, or a combination of any. Like all the fae, each Masked is unique and may be any gender, sex, or sexuality. However, unlike the fae, all Masked are sterile from the moment they are sealed, and the only way they can create new Masked is through sealing and creating a Masked themselves.

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10. Masked can only be created using powerful and ancient fae sealing magic. Masked of a high enough Level are able to use NYX to grant other inhabitants of Mundis masks of their own if they wish. For more lore and information on how to create Masked or to receive your own first Masked, click HERE! Explore the realms of the fae with your own Masked by telling stories, making art, and doing your part in healing and preventing the damage done to the earth!