Mask Keepers

The keystones of any clan, Mask Keepers are the guardians of their clan's traditions and values, transmitted through their masks. A task usually attributed to the elders, requiring wisdom and experience. They act both as living memory and teachers, but also have the heavy task of engraving the core tenets and achievements of the clan to be passed down history.

Mask Keepers, Mask Makers

While it is not always the case, most mask keepers are also expert craftsmen. Everyone will visit the mask keeper at least twice in their lives: when they are born, and when they come of age. The first time, the design of the mask reflects the expectation of their parents, and the clan, for the newborn, as well as the guidelines their name imposes.

The second time, it is an immutable part of any coming of age ritual. The young adult spend a full night in the mask keeper's lair, unmasked, reflecting on the profound values of the clan, their vision of the world and who they are at their core. When that is done, the mask keeper will design a mask in which they imbue the essence of the youngster's spirituality, their hope for a better future and harmony with the clan.

Then, either they give the blueprint to a master craftsman or they do it themselves, overseeing each step of fabrication, from choosing the materials to the last drop of paint. This is why most prefer to be the artisan, as their duty is to ensure that the essence of the mask's receiver is properly imbued into the wooden piece.

As a finishing touch, they conjure three spirits to guard the new adult, one for each notch of the mask. Whenever a notch breaks, it means a spirit protected the wearer from certain death and has now returned to its immaterial home. The role of a mask keeper, in this step, is to soothe the spirit and convince them to guard the wearer of the mask against all ailments, so that they may live a long and peaceful life.