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Masque

Unlike other magics there are no spells. Rather the mage constructs masks, which grant the mage various abilities when worn. The mask represents someone or something related to the desired abilities - it could be a Hero, a God, a Fortune Card or an animal or some sort of archetype. Only one mask may be active at a time - if the masks are constructed so that one can be worn beneath another the outer mask will take effect.

A side effect of this form of magic is that the mage also gains some of the personality traits associated with the mask. Most mages are careful not to wear one mask for too long, since these traits can become permanent. The more powerful the mask the stronger this effect.

The more powerful the mage the more powerful masks can be constructed. Below I suggest a set of point costs for various abilities that a mask could grant. The total points should be no more than the mage's magic score. GM's should feel free to adjust the costs if they seem wrong, or to add drawbacks which reduce the costs.

Replacing a speciality :

• 1 point

Replacing a Virtue or Fault :

• 2 points

Moving points from one element to another :

• 2 points for each element increased by one.
• 5 points for each element increased by two.
• 8 points for each element increased by three

Adding to Elements :

• To add 1 : 4 points.
• To add 2 : 9 points.

Adding powers :

• 1 + the cost of the power.

Other Magic :

• Twice the cost of the magic, and the mage is still limited by the appropriate element.

Some practitioners can make masks usable by others. The cost of such masks should be doubled.

Masque's particular version of this magic makes an active mask appear to be alive, as if it were the wearer's face or head.

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Character Story

A few years ago the woman now called Masque was a shy apprentice mage. Her master had taken up residence in her home town, looking for a place to settle down and pass on his skills. He had almost given up hope of finding a suitable apprentice when he caught sight of the girl

Her parents were more than happy to apprentice their daughter to such a prestigious profession, and she was to shy to refuse although she was frightened of the thought of leaving her parents - even only to study a few streets away.

Her shyness was at first a handicap - until she made a mask which had the confidence to talk to strangers.

Then the plague came. The girl could do nothing as first her master, then her parents and the few people she knew sickened and died. She lacked the strength to deal with the situation, so she made a person who could. Using her skill at magic she constructed a mask which gave her the courage she needed to bury her loved ones.

The population of her home town had been decimated. The mask she made to handle her career decided to move to the city, after the plague had passed.

The city was still suffering the aftermath of the plague. There were many problems and challenges to be faced by a lone woman. For each she made a mask, and her dependency on her masks grew and grew.

Using Masque : Place one of her guises wearing one of her masks where the player characters will meet and get involved with her - she could be doing almost anything, her first years in the city were very difficult and she may well have taken on some "menial" occupation - perhaps a barmaid.

Each mask can only cope with a limited range of situations and if at all possible she will attempt to retreat and change masks if she encounters a situation her current mask cannot deal with. Her deepest fear is that someone will learn that the person they see owes more to the mask than her real self, so she will not change masks where she is likely to be seen.

If the player character's see her without a mask they should see that she is in danger of losing what is left of her own personality. Either her face should appear "blank" or vague or perhaps it should be literally disappearing, the features being replaced by blank skin.

This character was inspired by the Michael Kaluta card "MS 2 ARIA :Personae" (also the cover for Aria Roleplaying).

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Everway is copyright Rubicon Games 1996. Everway is a trademark of Rubicon games. This document is not intended as a challenge to those rights.

This document is copyright Paul King 1997.