Life in Synk

In this thread I'll post information about different, unique aspects of life in the city. Again, most of this information will be available to the average citizen, but I ask your discretion when it comes to things that might be a bit more obscure or mysterious.

Masks are a strange and mostly-unexplained aspect of life in Synk. Every inhabitant of the city awakes in the Catacombs with their mask already affixed to their face, and that mask is the essence of their magical ability. A mask can only be removed by the person wearing it, so long as that person lives, and while a person's mask is removed they are unable to use magic of any form.

As magic cannot be used when one's mask is not worn, masks and magic are thought to be intrinsically linked. Furthermore, one who removes their own to don another person's mask will, to some extent, "acquire" the other's magic to a limited extent, this factor being most pronounced when it comes to knacks. However, there can be negative ramifications from putting on a mask that is not your own, including contracting strange diseases, losing random specific capacities (such as sight, or strength, or the ability to speak) or even sudden death. These effects have come to be known as Mask-Curses. In particular it is known that a Wizard who attempts to wear the mask of a Witch, or vice versa, will almost certainly suffer a terrible Mask-Curse.

Aside from those basic facts, there is very little universal truth when it comes to masks. They come in a limitless variety of different forms (some only covering a small portion of the wearer's face while others cover the whole of their heads or even extend further) and are composed of numberless substances (many composed of ceramics, wood, metal, fabric or other more usual materials while others seem to be made of animal skin, stones or even otherwise unidentified substances) and many display some degree of animation. Some masks even have special characteristics which can act as a benefit for the wearer, including indestructibility, shape-changing or camouflage. Regardless of its shape, a mask adheres to its wearers face with no need for any form of observable support.

More skilled magic users claim to be able to distinguish the potency or even nature of a person's magic by looking at their mask, but even if this is true it is far from a reliable and exact measure.

A more recent discovery is that of unowned or “artifact” masks that can be rarely found hidden in odd locations around Synk and its surrounding environs. Though nothing more than a rumour to most, it is said that those who discard their own magic in favour of donning one of these unidentified masks can find themselves infused with strange and obscure powers.

Examples:

Harti Mikkillion wears a mask that appears to be made of rustling autumnal leaves, formed into a band-shaped mask that covers the upper face and nose. It turns the wearer's irises deep red in colour. Although the movement and quiet sound of the leaves that compose it seems to occur without any external cause, Mikkillion has seemingly learned to make her mask fall still and silent when she wishes it. The mask is referred to as the Red Leaves.

Koorom Rascalle wears a mask that covers his entire head, composed of what appear to be fine gold-painted white ceramics in the shape of a bearded old-man's face, its expression contorted in a perpetual frown which stands at odds to Rascalle's own rogueish nature. The "skull" of the mask is oddly conical in shape and various people have noted that the mask is unusually disquieting to look at. The mask is referred to as Leonol.

El Un Weekaw wears a mask that seems to be made of roughly-carved ice that takes the form of a simple oval plate covering the wearer's face. Its surface is angular and polygonal, but mostly featureless other than two eye holes and a four-inch long sharp pointed "nose". The icy appearance even extends to the clouds of condensation that Weekaw breathes when he wears the mask, although the material itself is not cold. The mask is referred to as The Glacier.

Charr Fayne's full-head mask appears to be the taxidermied head of a lion, its wide-open and sharp-toothed mouth forming the gap that she sees through, although in the darkness of the creature's maw her own features tend to be indistinct. The oversized mask's face is expressive, particularly affecting an angered appearance when Fayne wishes it, and can even roar at the whim of the wearer. The mask is referred to as Lion's Pride.

Yerin wears a domino mask, covering only the space around his eyes, made of what appears to be supple white leather. Written in black ink under the eyeholes are the words “sword” and “candle”, although the alphabet and language of the words is unknown. Nonetheless, anyone who looks upon them is able to read them. The mask is referred to as White Watcher.