Masks were decorative clothing in the Realms used to cover one's face.[1]
Description[]
Masks came with a variety of options, but the most common version covered the wearer's eyes.[1]
Availability[]
A masked spymaster.
- Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold a variety of traditional comedy and tragedy theater masks, all finely painted and crafted from spruce, under its "Bards' Emporium" section at a cost of 5 gold pieces each. It also sold black pantomime masks for a singular gold piece and for 8 gold pieces offered masks representing animals or monsters, everyday archetypes, or concepts. These respectively included such things as bears, cats, dogs, ghosts, hawks, mice, orcs, and snakes; a king or queen, a merchant, a noble, a peasant, a slave, or a trickster; death, disease, fate, melancholy, and rage.[2]
- Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue also sold simple, black thieving masks, under its "Thieves' Corner" section. With a six month notice, customers could alternatively special order a mask that was designed to utterly disguise its wearer when in dim light.[1]
- In Port Nyanzaru, masks among various other objects could be found for sale in the Grand Souk.[3][4]
Varieties[]
- Death mask
- otherwise known as a funerary mask,[5] were a type of mask made to be laid upon the face of a deceased individual before burial rites. Many were made from fine metals,[5][6] with gold bearded visages made for nobles typically valuing at around 44 gold pieces.[6]
- Domino mask
- A form of simple black mask that was commonly used by rogues.[7]
Significance[]
Masks were sometimes worn on special occasions in the Realms, such as holidays.[8][9] On Lliira's Night, it was common to see people wear star-shaped masks,[9] while on Liar's Night people were encouraged to don all manner of masks. Though the most commonly worn masks on that holiday were those designed to depict the symbol of the god known as Mask and the mirror masks of the Leiran clergy.[8]
Beyond their literal use, a number of organizations in the Realms featured masks as part of their symbol, such as the Night Masks,[7] the Shadow Thieves,[10] and the Church of Vhaeraun.[11][12]
Notable Masks[]
- Andrathath's Mask
- Bone mask
- The Dragon masks, a series of five masks that were associated with the goddess Tiamat.[13]
- The Faces of Madness, a group of seven a magical masks that were created by an alliance of Imaskari archmages known as the Cabal of Madness.[14]
- Fanged mask
- Mask of beastliness, a magical mask that allowed a wearer to temporarily transform their head into that of a beast.[15]
- Mask of the beast, a magical mask that enabled better communication with beasts.[16]
- Mask of the Dragon Queen
- Mask of the five senses
- Mask of persuasion
- Mask of relentless compassion
- Moonstone mask
- Whispering mask
- Winter's Mask
Notable Users[]
Businesses[]
- The Moonstone Mask, a renowned festhall in Neverwinter, was so named for having all members of its staff wear glowing masks that were trimmed with moonstones.[17]
Individuals[]
- Azaka Stormfang, wielder of the mask of the beast.[18]
- Jalynfein, a powerful drow wizard who hid his disfigured face behind a featureless mask of grey cloth.[19]
Organizations[]
- The members of the Night Masks typically wore domino masks.[7]
- The Rogues of Tilverton all wore black silk face-masks that they kept stored in hidden compartments in Grimwald's Revenge.[20]
Races & Sentient Creatures[]
- All batiri typically wore an oversized wooden war mask. Each mask was decorated and painted by its owner, designing them to intimidate their enemies. Besides being an article of clothing, these masks served the same purpose as coats of arms.[21]
Religions[]
- The main altar in a Maskarran temple often had mask of silk floating above it.[22]
- The priestly raiments of the Church of Leira included silvery, mirror-like masks.[23]
Appendix[]
Gallery[]
The symbol of Vhaeraun, a mask of black silk
The symbol of the Shadow Thieves, a silk mask impaled on a stiletto.
A cloud giant's personal collection of masks, each used to convey a different emotion.
A magic mask.
A mastermind hiding behind a mask.
Appearances[]
Adventures
Dungeon #19, "House of Cards" • Dungeon #19, "The Serpent's Tooth" • Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor • The Rise of Tiamat • Out of the Abyss • Tomb of Annihilation • Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus • Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden • Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
Novels & Short Stories
The Mage in the Iron Mask • Ironhelm • Elminster in Myth Drannor • Ladies Night at the Yawning Portal
Video Games
Baldur's Gate series (II: Shadows of Amn • Baldur's Gate III) • Neverwinter Nights series (2: Storm of Zehir • 2: Mysteries of Westgate • Tyrants of the Moonsea) • Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter • Sword Coast Legends • Warriors of Waterdeep
Board Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 18. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 28. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
- ↑ Rich Lescouflair (2017). A City on the Edge (DDAL07-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 6.
- ↑ Will Doyle (2016). Peril at the Port (DDEP07-01) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Tomb of Annihilation (Wizards of the Coast), p. 14.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Richard Baker, et al. (April 2015). Princes of the Apocalypse. Edited by Michele Carter, Stacy Janssen. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 105. ISBN 978-0-7869-6578-6.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 143. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Ossian Studios (April 2009). Designed by Luke Scull. Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate. Atari.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 187–188. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Cryptic Studios (June 2013). Neverwinter. Perfect World Entertainment.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 80. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (September 1993). The Code of the Harpers. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 1-56076-644-1.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 237. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt, Rodney Thompson, Robert J. Schwalb, Peter Lee, Steve Townshend, Bruce R. Cordell (November 2014). The Rise of Tiamat Online Supplement (PDF). The Rise of Tiamat. Wizards of the Coast. p. 4. Retrieved on 2019-07-03.
- ↑ Robert Sullivan (March 2001). “Bazaar of the Bizarre: Imaskarcana: Faces of Magic”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #281 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 86–89.
- ↑ Rick Swan (1995). The Complete Barbarian's Handbook. (TSR, Inc), p. 96. ISBN 0-7869-0090-3.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 207. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1993). Volo's Guide to the North. (TSR, Inc), p. 138. ISBN 1-5607-6678-6.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1999). Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark. Edited by Jeff Quick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 63. ISBN 0-7869-1509-9.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 202. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, Will Doyle, Steve Winter (September 19, 2017). Tomb of Annihilation. Edited by Michele Carter, Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 13. ISBN 978-0-7869-6610-3.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 46. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 94–95. ISBN 978-0786903849.