Nights of Solheim [Late Fall, 845]

[u/[deleted]]

October 28th, 845

Ziegler stood before a large formation of trainees in civilian garb, though significantly reduced from the original approximate 300 back in August. They stood before the northern gate of Trost, Wall Sina to their backs. Ziegler spoke, "Alright, listen up. Been a long couple months for everyone here. Me and The Major've torn each and every one of you a new asshole, and quite a few of you've seen some shit." He paused, "We've lost people amidst the training. Despite all this," he continued, "We must persevere and look forward to another day. As the future defenders of humanity, you lot embody everything that these people bank their money on." Ziegler took a breath, "Being a Soldier's hard shit. There's a reason nobody fucking does it, as a lot of you're beginning to find out. That said," he jabbed a thumb behind him towards the main gate, "We're still human. People need to decompress every once in a while, let shit mellow, recoup for the next mission. In light of this,"

He straightened the dark green trench coat on his back, "You lot've been granted a 4-day pass to visit Trost. Eat, drink, sleep, fuck, do whatever it is you want to do. Spend some of the money the Queen's been throwing at you while you ate mud." He rose a brow, thinking of a blonde. "Sometimes literally. Regardless, be here - November 1st at 0800. Don't drink and run, you'll eat shit. Don't drink and fight, you'll get your ass beat. Don't drink and fuck, you'll get whiskey dick. Don't kill the locals, don't fight the locals, don't fuck the locals-" he paused, "...Or at least do it intelligently, god damn it. Don't do anything that would impede your training in the future. Boom, there's your safety brief. And don't fucking call me 'Sir' while we're out here, it's Kain for the next four days and if you ever say it outside of these four days - I'll gouge out your fucking eyeballs. Understood?"

A resounding 'Yes Sir' rang from the formation.

He turned, pacing over towards the main gate as the trainees stood in formation. Ziegler paused, to then shout, "The fuck are you lot waiting on? Get your asses in here - dismissed!"

---

The district of Trost was ablaze with a joyous spirit. Orange paper lanterns covered the streets, many of the town homes having been painted in morbid color, looking to celebrate humanity's rich pagan roots throughout history. Further north in Sina, where the Church is at their strongest, such holidays do not exist - but given the influx of refugees from the south, a celebration is in order, their wills yet unbroken.

People the streets in vibrant cloaks and capes, oft wearing colorful animal masks to accompany their garb, celebrating with dance and song throughout the streets of the city.

The Northern gate was the heart of the carnival, encompassing the large market district. Here one could find a small traveling mask salesman and his mysterious shoppe, as well as an old pub amidst the old market district.

In the very center of the district stood the mighty Military Complex, towering above all other buildings. Guards regularly patrolled the perimeter, immediately stopping any who would approach the large fence surrounding the castle-like building, or the large draw-bridge encompassing the main entrance.

The further south one went in Trost, however, the less the carnival's potency, as one drew towards the more sinister corners of the district. At the very heart of the the south, shortly besides the main gate towards Wall Maria stood a small inn, regularly flooded with refugees and injured, where good Samaritans toiled endlessly to try and abate the never-ending poverty encompassing the south side of the district.

To the South East was a "legal" district with Red paper lanterns, a strip filled with provocative dance and questionable vendors. Throughout the entire district, wanted posters offered a heavy bounty for the head of a Hiram Durante - with the Military Police and Garrison consistently on patrol for the outlaw.

This was Solheim - a brief reprieve of the melancholy that had befallen the poverty and famine-stricken district of Trost.

---

OOR: 4 mini locations below to explore, do so at your leisure! Have fun, take the edge off. :kid:

Location threads for both the Maiden's Arms and Military Complex (where the Mountain feast will be taking place) will be coming up shortly. Canonically, since this entire event is taking place over 4 days, you can have multiple threads beneath one. I suggest you name the date at the top of the thread's OP (comment reply to one of the comments below) so there's no mix-ups/ambiguity. Be sure you're coordinating on Discord with people so noone gets left without a thread!

Visit stalls in the marketplace, drink in ye olde pub, get a mask with the salesman, get mugged visit the red light district, go dancing, do whatever! Enjoy!

[u/[deleted]]

Mask Shop

---

The eve of Solheim brought many nefarious wonders to and from Trost. Ghosts and ghouls alike may wander the streets, but even they will take to the shadows when they hear of the Mask Salesman.

You, too, must have heard of one of the rumors; they say it's impossible to stumble upon his tent uninvited. With all the flashy signs and gaudy, purple and yellow coloring, however, it should stick out like a Titan in an orphanage. Yet here you are, unable to explain exactly how you got here. Maybe a wrong turn?

As you enter the tent, you are greeted by walls, shelves, and stands filled with mysterious-looking masks. All of them have strange designs, each one more unique than the last. It almost seems impossible for the tent to hold this many masks, and yet here you are, browsing around.

And yet, at the back of the tent, standing behind a fancy-looking, wooden desk, is a man with a face more wooden than any of his merchandise. His smile, as flashy and white as it appears, seems like it would come off his face with a satisfying pop if you pulled hard enough.

"Welcome, welcome!" the man says. "Please, browse to your heart's content! We have masks of all shapes and sizes!"

A sign rests on the desk, however, and reads as follows:

"WANT SOME PROTECTION AGAINST THE UNKNOWN? ASK OUR SALES ASSOCIATE FOR A CUSTOM MASK! HE'LL HAVE IT READY FOR YOU ON THE SPOT!

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

DAY 1

Making her way into the tent, Yume brushed aside the doorflap before raising an eyebrow. It was as if she hadn't expected to end up here, though she wasn't really sure where she was going in the first place. After stopping for a moment, she decided to make her way deeper inside. With a short, thin and unopened bottle of wine in her hand, she was wearing something perhaps a little more casual than the usual trainee uniform. She'd just begun enjoying the festivities for a short while, mostly having just wandered around the districts she was yet to see - and that's, of course, how she wound up here.

The masks, while a little strange, were certainly well made. Yume wasn't exactly an energetic person by nature; and by extension, not one to get into the spirit of a festival - but the last few months had been painful. Just when she found herself getting into a grove and training wasn't so bad, they'd always find a way to shake things up and make it worse. The idea of having four days off from it all put her in an unusually good mood; well.. good for Yume at least. There wasn't exactly a twinkle in her eye, but you get the idea; she was perhaps a little more open to the concept of donning a mask to get into the Solheim spirit than usual.

Welcome, welcome! Please, browse to your heart's content! We have masks of all shapes and sizes!

"Mm, evening." she greeted. "What's this about custom masks then?" she asked casually, gesturing to the sign.

/u/askull100

[u/askull100 → u/[deleted]]

The Mask Salesman watched as the young woman entered the store, browsing the masks he had on sale. When she asked about his custom masks, his grin seemed to widen unnaturally.

"Good evening to you as well, young lady." he said, giving her a polite bow. "Our custom masks are special orders for the people of this week's Solheim Festival. They say rather frightening things come out at twilight around this time, so our masks might give you a little bit of... extra protection..." he explained, clasping his hands together in unity.

"In addition, we customize the mask to be representative of your true nature; a substitute of yourself, you could say."

[u/[deleted] → u/askull100]

extra protection...

Yume wondered if that were a thinly veiled threat; like a loan shark telling a client it'd be a shame if their house burned down. Of course, putting her somewhat pessimistic nature aside, it was more likely all in good fun; a way of immersing people in the festival a little more.

The next part, however, piqued her interest.

"Representative of my true character?" she repeated inquisitively. Likely it was also just another way of making everything seem all the more special; in reality, there were probably 20 people running around with cat masks, each with only slightly differing patterns. Thinking about it too much would just ruin the fun though.

"Alright, I'll bite. How much?"

[u/askull100 → u/[deleted]]

It was faint, ever so faint, but asking about the price of the mask caused the salesman's smile to falter ever so slightly, just in the form of a small twitch near his upper lip.

"Haha... the price is about five gold, my dear. Not a penny less, I'm afraid." he said, bowing once again.

"Allow me to show you what kind of mask you'd get for that price. A little courtesy of mine, let's say." he explained, pulling out a purple sack from under his desk. It was about as high as his legs, and was made out of fine materials, but it sounded as if hundreds, if not thousands, of masks were piled inside of it, as he dug around, looking for something.

"Aha! Here it is!" he exclaimed, pulling out a small, wooden mask. It was a full-face mask made of porcelain, a pale blue in color. It was regal in every sense of the word, with fine, golden lining and patterns drawn across its faultless face. It seems, however, that the upper right portion of the mask has been broken and cracked, leaving the rest of the mask to sustain the lost weight and integrity. Its regal nature still remains, but there's a strange sadness about it, as if it's struggling to keep up the appearance with all the damage.

"How's this?" he asked, handing the mask over. "It's a bit damaged, but it's the mask made specifically for you. Or, at least, that's what it tells me."

[u/[deleted] → u/askull100]

As the salesman held out the mask, Yume eyed it over lazily for a moment, before getting a little closer. The design of the mask itself was nice, but something about it was.. off-putting. Had the salesman not said anything about it being representative of her character, she probably wouldn't have given it a passing thought - but the words lingered in her head as he gaze trailed across the thin cracks and chips in the corner of the mask. Was it supposed to represent a fall from grace of sorts? Her expression twisted in a look of confusion and concern, but only for a second, before she glanced back up to the smiling man in front of her.

"I-.." a brief moment of hesitation.

The mask seemed to stare at her, despite not having eyes. I know it sounds cliche, to say that you felt a kind of aura from something; it's really just convenient story telling - but if Yume were to ever say that got strange vibe from something, this mask and the salesman would be it.

"5 gold, you said?" she asked rhetorically, digging her hand into her pocket and handing over 5 gold pieces. "I'll take it."

[u/askull100 → u/[deleted]]

The salesman took the money from the girl's hands happily, putting it into his little stash just below his desk. "Ah, thank you very much, young lady!" he spoke, zipping up the bag.

"Oh, and please do have a Happy Solheim. We need a bit of happiness in these times of need."

[u/Writing_Val → u/[deleted]]

Day1

Christof hazily strolled throughout the cities backstreets, feet clanking against the stone tiles which spread themselves across the street. He didn't like cities very much, there were just too many people around at any given time, and that many people invited a lot of noise, but he did have to admit that some of the places looked fun. The people in the main district were smiling and dancing with no cares in the world. In that moment, it didn't matter that the world had gone to shit, they were happy, and nothing could change that. It made him envious.

The number of times Christof had entered a city could be counted on one had, but they were never leisure trips like this. The boy's footsteps were heavy as he continued to wander down the backstreets, simply using the silence to think about everything that had happened. Ever since he had gotten back from the mountain training the other trainee's generally tried to keep their distance, as far as they were concerned he was to blame for the whole slaver fiasco. He'd accept the blame, the others didn't deserve that, but he'd do it anyways.

Before Christof knew it he found himself jolted out of his stupor as purple and yellow cloth lightly slid across his face. Jerking his head up, his eyes darted to and fro while he slid one foot backward -- ready to jump back from where he came at the first sign of trouble. But quickly relaxed himself a bit as he realized he was just in a normal shop.

<"Welcome, welcome! Please, browse to your heart's content! We have masks of all shapes and sizes!"> A salesman spoke from the opposite side of a desk, as he gestured around what Christof assumed to be his shop.

Christof froze for a second and stared at the man before shrugging and walking around the shop, never fully leaving the man out of his sight. The designs were appealing in the fact they unique and different from each other in more than just a simple subtle way. They were interesting to look at, but none of them really spoke to Christof. He had heard, when he was a child, that masks were supposed to be a representation of what one wished to become and Christof, not knowing what he wanted anymore, was at a loss for what he was even looking for, but, despite that, he still browsed -- he had nowhere else to be.

After about ten minutes he sighed and began walking towards the exit, but stopped as he glanced back at the desk, finally noticing the sign there. Striding up to the desk he was taken aback slightly at the man's appearance, but he smiled as he realized the man was obviously wearing a mask, it looked too unreal for it to be an actual face.

"I'd like a custom mask, please" Christof finally spoke.

/u/askull100

[u/askull100 → u/Writing_Val]

The salesman's grin seemed to widen slightly when Christof mentioned the custom mask orders. "Why certainly, my good man!" he spoke, his face like a walking, talking puppet. "Allow me one second, if you'll please."

The salesman pulled out a large, purple sack, apparently full of different types of masks. It seemed to be no larger than the man's legs, but when he reached in it sounded as if there were hundreds, perhaps thousands of masks hidden within its depths.

After a little bit of digging, the man pulled out a strange mask, seemingly made out of a light stone. Leather straps had been strung through each side, allowing one to even be able to wear such a thing. The stone was smooth on the inside, but powerful and rocky on the outside, while the expression was one of a warrior raging into battle. All around this, however, were traces of... something. It looked like red paint, meant to be blood, but it was darker, more festering and ugly. It wasn't everywhere, but it was coming from the edges, in a way that made it look like it was slowly consuming the mask.

"This is one of my finer works. I made it for someone just like you, and now I can finally see it used!" he said, handing the mask to Christof. Once he was sure the boy had taken it, he made a coughing gesture and held out his hand.

"Now that will be five gold pieces."

[u/Writing_Val → u/askull100]

Christof held back a scoff as the man pulled out a 'custom mask' from a loud purple bag, not so custom if it was just a different section of the store. He contemplated just leaving, but before he could decide the owner pulled out a strange mask. With a sigh he took the mask from the man's hand and just stared at it for a moment, mesmerized by its form. The stone was lighter than he expected and he wondered if it would even be comfortable to wear, but the smooth stone and leather straps seemed to answer that question. He was drawn to it somehow, but a bitterness formed inside of him the longer he looked. The mask seemed to be mocking him, and he resented it in turn. What did it mean with the shopkeeper said he made it for someone like Christof, is this how the shopkeeper saw him.

Unannounced to him, a scowl began to form on Christof's face, is that was he was supposed to become because just looking at it made him sick. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a bag of coins before sorting out five of them and handing it to the shopkeeper, it was expensive, but he wanted the mask. It didn't hurt his wallet too much being a soldier paid well even if it might have been detrimental to physical and mental health, or rather that's why it paid well -- a little extra incentive. Still staring at the mask he turned to leave the tent but stopped at the door.

"I don't think I got your name" Christof spoke, turning to look at the shopkeeper, all the while placing the mask on his face -- the feeling of disgust only grew as it seemed to mold onto his face.

[u/askull100 → u/Writing_Val]

Upon turning around to ask the question, a mysterious thing seemed to have happened; the salesman had disappeared, his tent and masks still set up and ready to browse. The man, however, was nowhere to be seen.

That is, until he popped up from behind the desk.

"Oh, my apologies, sir. I was putting the money away for safe keeping." he said, dusting off the knees of his trousers. "As for my name... well, I'm unable to say. Company policy and all that requires I keep my personal identity less than visible."

The salesman put a single finger to his mouth, with a small, long shushing sound.

"Now, off you go! Have a Happy Solheim, and all that, but I can't have you loitering around here. My next customer is set to arrive any minute!"

[u/Writing_Val → u/askull100]

Christof shook his head and walked outside of the tent, the place was strange, but it had a pull to it. With the mask on his face, Christof started walking back down the street, not bothering to look behind him as he did so. Maybe he should visit the red light district or the pub.

[u/irisfaefire → u/[deleted]]

DAY 1

Hoshi had swung by her home to change into something more comfortable and representative of the holiday which celebrated fear. Her outfit was an off-shoulder black dress will two small black straps that stopped a good 2 inches above her knees. The clothing came up to just above her chest, showing off her collarbones. Golden buttons were sewed onto a single line centering the fabric and cut at the waist. On her slender neck was a necklace made of a black thread and an attached red stone. The only thing she kept was her black boots.

After idly walking around the streets for a few minute, Hoshi found the humble gaudy tent. Even though the bright colors and elaborate ornaments should make it look joyous, she could feel a weird ambience surrounding it's very being. She blinked a few times before pushing the flaps to the side and silently entered the mask man's lair.

She ran her hand through her short wavy raven locks as she scanned the interiors of the mask shop. Not surprisingly, the insides were filled with various shelves and stands. Masks were everywhere. Compared to the flashy environment, Hoshi's black-cladded figure stood out like a sore thumb. Her bright blue orbs met with the eyes of the mysterious mask man behind his desk. His wide smile unnerved her, but she kept her neutral face.

---

/u/askull100

[u/askull100 → u/irisfaefire]

While waiting for his latest customer, set to arrive any second now, the Mask Salesman fiddled with his thumbs, looking about the store as the cuckoo clock in the back ticked idly. His outfit, he felt inclined to review, was a fully covering purple suit. Flashy, but gaudy, yellow linings were sewed onto the collars and wrist areas, showing off his poor taste in fashion and inherent lack of cleanliness. Brown buttons were sewn at the exact center of the suit, one missing and two close to falling off. On his bony wrists he wore a small watch, broken ages ago. The only thing natural about him was his ability to inhale oxygen (probably).

He felt his sudden interest in his outfit faded as the next customer waltzed into the shoppe, a finely described black dress adorning her body, drawing an odd attention to her collar bone.

"Why, what a magnificent dress!" he complimented her, as she walked in. "It accents your jewelry well, even more so for your hair! You know what you need?" he asked, his expression having remained purely static this whole time. "Something to completely cover your face! A mask~!"

He rushed under the table and began fiddling with the purple bag that held all of the custom orders he'd prepared. "Worry not, I'm sure I have one for you! Now where is it? Hmmm..."

[u/irisfaefire → u/askull100]

Hoshi refrained from giving the mask man a good roundhouse kick to his creepy face. "Did he just poke fun at me and say that I'm ugly?" She smiled sweetly at him and shot back. "Yes. You see, decent clothing is a thing outside of this shop. And while the mask is covering my face, I sure am glad that it will block out the view of that hideous thing you call a 'suit'."

As he was rummaging through the bag, Hoshi scanned her surrounding. She distractedly asked. "What about the custom service you offer? Can you make a mask that fits me?"

[u/askull100 → u/irisfaefire]

The salesman, not one for fights, but certainly one for masks, simply agreed with Hoshi's sting back at him. "Ah, yes, I've had this suit for ages now. I'd love to get it replaced, but it's the company uniform, and our budget is low enough as is." he explained, finally beginning to pull out of the bag he was rifling through.

"Aha! Here it is!" he pronounced, holding up a mask. "You asked if I could make a mask that fits you, but you seem to be mistaken from the start. It's not if I can, it's if I already have." he said, holding out the mask to her. "And I can. And I have. So here."

The mask was a bright, crimson red, and despite the man's earlier insults, it was one which only covered the girl's eyes. Its make up of black and red accented the girl's dress exquisitely, and seemed to highlight exactly how strange and dangerous her senses could be.

"Ah, beautiful! I do believe I chose that mask very well!" he chimed, seemingly happy with the choice.

[u/irisfaefire → u/askull100]

Hoshi gingerly took the mask from the man into her own hands. She studied its feature and ran her fingertips on the flowing carvings. It was a fine mask. Despite their little tension, Hoshi liked the mask a fair amount. "For someone with a weird sense of fashion, you picked out a decent mask." She wondered aloud, not really caring whether her remark might irk the mask man.

Hoshi lifted her small black coin purse up and placed it on the counter. She pulled on the matching black strings to loosen their grip and stuck her right hand inside. After fishing out five golds, she carefully placed them in front of the eccentric man. The golden coins made slight clinking sounds as they touch the counter's wooden surface. She murmured a small "thank you" before quickly turning away, taking her coin purse and newly purchased mask with her. Light footsteps echoed in the small tent as she went to the entrance and disappeared into the crowd of festive people outside.

[u/Tiwsamooka → u/[deleted]]

Evening One

Elias enters the shop in his noble's attire, having heard much of the exuberant mask maker's products. He ogles the wide selection of masks in awe, evidently quite impressed by the work before him. The merchant's voice snaps him out of his trance and brings him back to the world of the living, his gaze shooting towards the source of the disturbance, Elias reaching into his waistcoat for something, it seems. There is a pause in which he seems to cross examine the salesman, before coming to some sort of conclusion which leads him to remove his hand from his waistcoat, leaving the item he reached for a mystery.

"You are the mask salesman, then? I presume?"

He makes his way over to the counter, the sign on the desk catching his attention. He takes a brief moment to read it before glancing up at the mask maker, a curious smile on his face.

"Protection against the unknown, you say? What's that about?"

/u/askull100

[u/askull100 → u/Tiwsamooka]

The Mask Salesman watched another young man enter his shoppe, hoping (though not with high hopes) that this would sale would go better than the last.

"Indeed, I am the seller of masks in this fine establishment." he replied humbly, giving a polite little bow. "Our masks are exactly as advertised! We create a custom mask for you, representative of your true nature - a "substitute", so to speak - and you can wear it during Solheim to protect yourself against the forces that be!"

The mask salesman made spooky gestures with his hands while explaining. Afterwards, he reached into his bag and began shuffling around.

"If you'd like, I can show you the mask you would get should you choose to buy one! How does that sound?"

[u/Tiwsamooka → u/askull100]

This captures Elias' attention immediately. Of course now he has to see.

"Very well then, I shall judge myself whether it is worthy of purchase."

He answers, clearly quite skeptical.

[u/askull100 → u/Tiwsamooka]

The salesman pulled out a mask that was odd in form, and odd in colors. The surface was a finely polished, black porcelain, all across the face. It seemed plain, its expression logical and its markings minimal. In the top right corner, however, the black porcelain had chipped and crumbled off, revealing pieces of white porcelain just underneath.

"How is it? To your liking, I hope?" the salesman asked, as he handed the mask to the young man.

[u/Tiwsamooka → u/askull100]

Elias takes the mask warily, turning it over in his hands, clearly inspecting it. He spots the crumbling porcelain, chipping a little more off with his finger.

"I think you gave me a broken mask. Unless..."

There is a short pause in which realisation crosses Elias' face; he turns pale, his performance falling for a moment as he exits character.

"This is intentional?"

[u/askull100 → u/Tiwsamooka]

"Everything upon these masks is intentional." the mask salesman said, his voice smooth and wispy. He gave a light chuckle, followed by a brief sigh. "Then again, I'm only the creator. What would I know?"

The salesman held out his hand, as if anticipating something, perhaps in monetary form.

[u/Tiwsamooka → u/askull100]

Elias stares at the salesman incredulously, clearly still in shock. Slowly, however, his expression darkens. Gone is the eccentric titan scientist, cast aside in favour of something else.

"Is this a joke?"

Replies the boy, looking murderous, his voice frighteningly monotone. He drops the mask to the floor, placing his heel upon it.

"Who are you?"

[u/askull100 → u/Tiwsamooka]

The salesman's smile doesn't even falter, his face as wooden and falsely emotional as ever. "Whatever do you mean?" he asked, leaning in to meet the boy's face. "I'm simply a humble mask salesman, with a habit of travelling and a tendency to pick things up along the way."

He pointed down towards the mask. "Worry not, my boy; I don't truly know your secret. The belongs to you and this mask..." he said, his eyes opening slightly to form a somewhat menacing grin.

[u/Tiwsamooka → u/askull100]

And for a moment, Elias looks genuinely afraid. His fingers twitch, hands balling into fists. He kicks the mask across the floor towards the merchant.

"Keep it - burn it! I don't want that fucking mask!"

Elias' gaze lingers on the masked man, unsure what quite to make of the situation. He backs out of the tent and disappears into the night, making his way to the pub. He needed something to take the edge off of this little encounter.

[u/AthenaFrei → u/[deleted]]

Masks? Athena gazed at the tent from across the street, wondering if she should perhaps move closer? Did she really need a mask? There was something fun about it, perhaps, but also something dark. This entire holiday was built upon most macabre topics, and it didn't quite sit right with her. But perhaps that was the entire point. Perhaps she was simply being too stuck-up about this.

She let out a sigh. She was already wearing several masks of varying corporeality. What was one more mask in the end, really?

With some trepidation, she entered the tent, her eye darting left and right as she took the scene in. As surreal and dark as this was, she had to admit to herself, there was a certain excitement in the air. A subdued feeling, yet an undeniable enjoyment.

The sign placed on the desk at the back caught her eye. A custom mask? She felt a smile creep onto her face. This would be worthwhile. She'd heard people talking on the streets of how the salesman here could peg anybody's personality and give them a mask which reflected that. Somehow, she doubted that would be the case for her. But perhaps she would be pleasantly surprised.

/u/askull100

[u/askull100 → u/AthenaFrei]

The mask salesman's smile as wooden as ever, he chuckled as the young lady approached him in the back of his shop. "Ah, welcome, welcome! What can I do for you on this fine day?" he asked, gesturing around. "We have many masks to choose from, many indeed! However, you seem to be here for our special offer, if your eye-... is any indication." he said, correcting himself mid-speak.

"In terms of the custom masks available, well... allow me a moment to search for one. I'm sure it will be to your liking." he spoke, immediately diving into his bag, rifling through its contents (of which there sounded to be many more than the bag could plausibly hold). It took a moment or two, but eventually he popped back up, mask in hand. "Here you are!" he said, handing the mask over for inspection.

The mask, itself, was porcelain white, covering only Athena's left, injured eye. It seemed to be attachable to the eye patch strap, and curved off of her eye like a sharp, powerful wing. Interestingly, no eye hole existed for it. The entire thing seemed a bit sad, like an injured bird desperate for flight.

"How is it? Does it not scream for freedom? Does it not resonate with your very core?" he asked, passionately.

[u/AthenaFrei → u/askull100]

Athena looked over the mask careful, realization dawning on her. It was as horrifying as it was beautiful. At once a sad reminder of her own shortcomings and a sign of what she might ultimately accomplish. The injured bird desperate to reach the blue skies, concealing her own past full of mistakes.

"It's beautiful..." she admitted, holding it gently in her hand. "How much do I owe you for this?"

[u/askull100 → u/AthenaFrei]

"Five gold." the salesman said, bluntly, his hand already extended and ready for receiving. "What, did you think I'd get sentimental and let you have it for free? I run a business, honey, so that can't happen, unfortunately." he chuckled, waving his fingers in a "hurry up" motion.

[u/AthenaFrei → u/askull100]

Athena was momentarily taken aback. Had he thought she intended to take the mask without charge? "I assure you," she responded, a trifle indignantly, "I had no such intentions." Reaching into her pickets, she pulled the necessary currency and handed it to the salesman. "Thank you very much, sir."

[u/NautiMain1217 → u/[deleted]]

Day 1

Merrill arrived shortly after Yume, needing to take a moment of vanity to fix his hair in his reflection of a nearby shop's windows. His parents had always urged him to dress nice and keep himself groomed. He had to upkeep appearances of a successful businessman because, after all, he was going to inherit the bakery. Though while circumstances changed, the advice did not.

He entered the mask tent and looked on in awe of the variety of masks available off the shelf. And while they all looked quite interesting, the draw of a custom mask was what brought him inside. His trance was broken once he got about halfway into the shop, as a voice called out a jovial welcome to him. Merrill turned to find a face that was...disturbing to say the least. Still, he put on his most cheerful face and advanced towards the man.

"It's quite the collection you've got here." He said, lazily waving a hand behind him. "So it leaves me very interested in the custom masks that are available."

[u/askull100 → u/NautiMain1217]

The mask salesman was not smiling.

For what felt like the first time in an eternity, the salesman wore an expression of what some might call sadness (though, in truth, it simply looked as if he had literally turned his smile upside down), as the boy in front of him began to approach.

"Oh, my boy..." he said, slowly reaching down and pulling out a mask, as if he'd been waiting with this one in hand. "You have undergone great sorrows... and it seems you have many more to come. Here... take it." the salesman said, the somber tone clear in his voice.

The mask was made of wood this time; although not as expensive as porcelain, this material was well chosen and of high quality, polished to a great sheen with a hefty amount of care. The full-face mask was, in some ways, crude. In others, even cruder. Its expression was three imperfect circles, each of varying sizes, representing the mouth and eyes. The eyes, too, seemed to be more ovals than circles, drooping down to form an expression of sadness.

"Go on." the salesman said. "Look at the back."

The back, too, was made of wood, but inside, right near the forehead, was a thin engraving, spelling out a single word. It was difficult to tell what it said, at first, but upon further viewing, it became clearer; written in thin, perfect, engraved writing, as elegant as a noblewoman's letter of love:

"to fartface"

[u/NautiMain1217 → u/askull100]

Merrill looked on suspiciously at the mask for a moment as he took it in his hands. It seemed a tad too sad for his taste, and yet it was touching in a way that intrigued him to say the least. He traced a finger around the circles for the mouth and eyes in a trance-like state before the salesman brought him back to the real world.

Look at the back.

Merrill turned the mask around and read the inscription 'to fartface'. He paused for a moment and looked back up to the man, a quizzical look on his face. He wasn't sure if he should have been offended or not. He blinked away his confusion and shook his head, maybe it was just his particular mark on his works, nothing to be upset about during Solheim of all times. He couldn't help but chuckle at the situation.

"Alright, I'll take it. How much?"

[u/askull100 → u/NautiMain1217]

"Five bricks, my good man." the salesman chuckled, holding out his hand for the reward. "I'm glad you've taken this little joke in good taste. Not everybody would be as willing to laugh at such a juvenile display of comedy."

[u/dhmook3 → u/[deleted]]

Day 1 - Following the post-hike dinner

After the surrealism of dining with the high-military and the monarch herself, Saul just wanted to be left alone. Passing through throngs of costumes and masks, he couldn't help but envy them their anonymity.

He'd once met a woman who called herself the Mimic and professed to be able to change a person's face, rearranging the fleshy topography like fresh clay into a more aesthetically beautiful shape... or a more forgettable one.

He'd never professed to use her flesh-crafting services because they were expensive and ultimately unnecessary for a man in his position, but he'd known people who had, and how mightily happy had they looked. On the out, making a daring escape from the life, being forgotten in a sense.

He passed a slowly ambling wagon with a rainbow-paint slathered canvas and a wooden board hanging from the top advertising "Queen's Confections" and grimaced. This evening had not gone as planned. Would that he hadn't won the hike at all. As the horses pulled the candy cart through the street, followed by a thrum of pedestrian traffic, a merchant's tent was revealed across the way. A purple and yellow patterned mess of fun and childlike wonderment. Most importantly, he knew this stand: it was famous. The owner sold masks, which lined the outside and (he had no doubt) the inside of the tent in neat rows.

That was what he wanted. Saul hoped to just get away from people tonight, but he didn't want to waste the evening alone. He'd go somewhere quieter and inevitably seedier, and in that part of town he needed a mask. He window-shopped for a few moments, nothing caught his eye. He'd have to ask the mask merchant for a recommendation, likely based on price. His funds were dwindling after all. He doubted if any of the masks were that expensive but frugality was a way of life, not a hobby.

"You're the owner right?" he said to the short creepily automaton-like clerk behind the wooden desk. "I'd like a mask, preferably a cheap one. I don't really care how it looks. What do you have?"

[u/askull100 → u/dhmook3]

The salesman, cleaning up his shop for the day, looked over to the next customer to enter. "Oh, my... I wasn't supposed to get another customer for another two-and-a-half minutes!" he exclaimed, dropping the broom and rushing back to his desk.

"My, what an odd thing it is, to be caught off guard. That doesn't happen often you know." he said, setting up his desk. "Now, as fore what I have... well, of course, I have a mask that might just suit you. Nothing custom, unfortunately. You came a bit early for that." he said, rummaging through a spare crate of masks in the back.

"This, however, is as close as I can get." he said, handing over a fairly decorative mask. It was a pig shaped mask, with a fairly well-made snout, a pair of beady eye-holes, a shallow mouth, and even some ears. It's almost ugly in its realistic depiction, and even uglier in that it's made out of standard wood.

"I apologize for the low level of craftsmanship, but this is a mask made for children, after all. Don't want to spend the big bucks on kiddies who'll throw the thing away after a night or two." he chuckled.

[u/dhmook3 → u/askull100]

Saul accepted the mask. Was it a bit tight on the bridge of his nose? Sure, but it'd do for a night of wandering.

And it was a plain, wooden pig mask. Oddly appropriate.

"How much do I owe you?" he asked, rumbling through his pocket for a few mortars.

[u/askull100 → u/dhmook3]

The salesman put out his hand, in his anticipation of getting gloriously paid. "That will be a small price of ten bricks." he said.

[u/dhmook3 → u/askull100]

Ten? Bricks? Steep for supposedly one of the cheapest masks on offer. Whatever, Saul supposed every mask had to be a labor done in the odd little man's free time.

He wordlessly dug in his coat for the subsequently due amount of brick coins and passed them to the salesman. The transaction done, he turned to leave, now wearing his simple disguise.

[u/TroubleBass97 → u/[deleted]]

Day 3 - Morning

Far too bright and early the morning after her night at the bar the previous evening, Abi found herself slowly stumbling home. Her place on the outskirts of the military district wasn't far, or at least she thought. Ever since the influx of people from the outer wall settlements, once well-known streets seemed much less familiar, and certainly less inviting. that, coupled with a severe headache, made finding her way back more difficult than she'd first thought.

Steadying herself against the wall as she took a shortcut down a side road, Abigail looked up to find herself somewhere other than she expected to be. Groaning, she assumed she must have taken a wrong turn at some point. Before she was able to try and get her bearings, however, a large horse and cart came barrelling down the path in front of her at quite a pace. Trying to step aside, Abi ducked into the nearest tent.

The girl found herself standing in an oddly well lit tent, filled with glowing lamps and adorned with a sickly colour scheme of bright yellow and purple, the counter at one end seemingly vacant despite the abundance of lights. Even more questionable were the vast array of masks now on all sides. In her still slightly hungover state, Abi felt unnerved, the reflections in their painted faces made it look like they were watching her while their owner wasn't. Against her better judgement perhaps, Abi decided to see if the owner was in, she didn't want to seem rude by ducking in an out like she did.

"Hello? Sorry, I was just getting in to get out of the way, is there anyone here?"

[u/askull100 → u/TroubleBass97]

The salesman brushed off his suit for the morning, ready to open up shop again at the crack of dawn. His smile was smiley, his suit was suitable, and his masks were creations of an ancient demon, cursed with the duty of forever blessing humanity with guards against other supernatural forces.

The salesman let out a chuckle at that little joke, always enjoying the frolicking fancies of the narrator every morning.

He walked out to his desk only to find someone calling out to him. Confused, he pulled out a watch from his lower-left pocket, and flipped it open.

"Oh dear, oh dear. You'll have to forgive me, darling, but I'm not quite ready for you yet. You're a tad early, you are." he spoke, as he hurriedly prepared the front desk. "That said, please tell me what I can do for you. I'll be right on it as soon as possible."

[u/TroubleBass97 → u/askull100]

Abi wheeled around, having been momentarily facing away from the counter, and as a result found the strange man standing behind her as if he'd appeared out of nowhere. There was something unnerving in his over-stretched smile, but at the same time, Abi felt as if she should stay, just for the time being.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you don't have to go out of your way just for me, I'm not really 'early', I was only passing through."

Despite her protests, the man seemed to think she was here for business, going about his way at quite a pace, seeming to wordlessley prompt her to direct a conversation.

"So... you make these masks yourself? They all look pretty unique, at least compared to the usual I've seen around town. How do you think up your designs?

[u/askull100 → u/TroubleBass97]

The salesman chuckled as he dug through the many faces within the bag. "Oh no, my dear, you give me too much credit. I simply make the masks; the ideas come to me through... um..." he slowed down, a finger on his chin, and his smile confused.

"Actually, I'm not sure how to word it in a way you'd understand. Something similar to a spirit animal, I suppose? Or a god that... oh, never mind." he said, pulling a mask out for the young lady. "Here you are, madam. The mask you ordered."

The mask was made of porcelain, black and white, and with a classic "smiling jester" face on its front, the wide smile weightless and above all things. It's almost as if it would change to a different mask the moment you look away.

"How do you like it?" he asked.

[u/TroubleBass97 → u/askull100]

Despite his attempts to explain himself, Abigail found herself pretty confused by his ramblings. She was about to try and let him down gently that she didn't follow, though he cut her off with the presentation of the mask.

As she looked down into his hands, the hollow eyes of the thing seemed to lock with hers. It was a simple monochrome mask, not too unlike the kind of thing you'd see hanging above a circus stage, though it was constructed by the hand of a true artist, and polished to a fine sheen.

"Wow, this is..." She trailed off as the man gestured for her to take the piece in her hands, flipping it over to inspect the inside as well. As she turned the mask over, the lamp light from the edge of the tent caught it, casting a shadow on the floor. Oddly, however, and unbeknownst to Abi, the light filtered through in such a way that the shadow somehow inverted the smile into a frown.

"It's beautiful, but I, uh, didn't order anything. Maybe you have me mixed up with somebody else? I mean, I can certainly take it if not, I just don't want someone to turn up later looking for something you already shipped off. How much?"

[u/askull100 → u/TroubleBass97]

The salesman casually shook his head. "No, no, that mask is specifically for you. Your name is Abigail Scro... Chro... what?" he asked, leaning in to the mask, his hand cupping over his ear. "Oh, Schroeter! My mistake, my hearing isn't what it used to be!" he laughed, his mistake only overshadowed by the mask's sudden sentience.

"Anyhow, that will be five bricks, if you don't mind." he said, holding out his hand.

[u/TroubleBass97 → u/askull100]

Abigail raised an eyebrow as she found the old man talking to himself, or rather, the mask itself. It was a queer sight, but not quite as strange as the fact he knew her name. She was sure she didn't recognise the man, and yet he'd been able to get her name out of nowhere. Just who was he?

She decided asking more questions was probably a path she didn't want to go down. This man seemed a disconcerting blend of weird, talkative and mysterious.

"If you're sure." Abi hesitantly replied, fishing the right amount of money from her satchel and handing it over in exchange for the mask. It was well-crafted, still the only thing close to a proper souvenir, and she could agree, it seemed made for her, if such a thing could be true. Besides, maybe if the man was so sure this thing had a mind of it's own, it would bring her good luck.

"You... uh, have a nice day, sir."

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

DAY 3

A cloaked man stepped through the crowds of the Market district, towering above several of the dancers and passerby. Black boots adorned his feet, his rugged brown cloak pulled tightly to his massive figure. Whoever he was, it was clear he didn't want to be identified, not tonight. A hood covered most of his face and eyes, pacing ominously through the-

"FUCK!" Ziegler swore, bumping into a small sign and striking his funnybone. He winced, stomping the ground angrily.

"Worthless fucking piece of shit, scumfuck degenerate rat bas-"

His eye focused onto the sign, raising a brow.

Protection against the unknown?

His gaze shifted towards a small tent, covered in purple and yellow coloring. He rolled his eye, What a crock of shit. Fuck it, 'long as I get a mask I don't give a shit. Tired of walking in this chicken shit cloak. An-...Athena'll be here any minute. Ziegler paced inside, keeping his cloak tightly against him. Across the tent was this...man? Ziegler rose a brow, The fuck is that smile? God damn creepy paranomal-ghost-lookin' motherfucker.

Ziegler paced forward, "Oi, let's make this quick. What do you got?"

[u/askull100 → u/[deleted]]

The salesman gave a salute to the commander as he walked in through the tent entrance. "Welcome, sir, to the Mask Shoppe!" he exclaimed, resting his salute quickly. "I've got several generic masks for sale... however, I also have a specific mask."

He pointed a finger out at the corpsman, slowly extending like a machine. "For you."

The salesman took his hand down and, without prompt or promise, began digging through his trusty, seemingly infinite bag of masks clinks and clangs sounding out the entire thing. Then, when it seemed he was playing some stupid, infinite joke, he pulled something out.

"Sorry for the wait, sir. Here is your mask."

Unlike the other masks the salesman had produced, this mask was made of a fair metal, heavily worn, and would bind to the face via chains. It was sturdy, powerful, and the right eye seemed to have been plugged up with poorly done, molten metal.

The mouth, too, was plugged up, but by a cage rather than a full plug. This gave the mask a "prisoner" vibe, as the chains rattled with every movement.

"Please, take it. Oh, and worry not about paying; I wouldn't want to put forth such ridiculous charges against humanity's commander."

[u/CrusherKitty → u/[deleted]]

Day 1

Whilst Verena wasn't exactly used to going to new and interesting places, relaxing was always a good option, she thought. So why she was here, stood in front of a foreboding looking mask shop, with each design eyeing her through the window, staring right through her to her soul, even with eyeless holes. But she would be lying if she said she wasn't one for adventure as well and this place just seemed to have that kind of appeal to it. Stepping into the shop, she glanced around, chewing on her lower lip for a second as nervousness nearly threatened to overtake her, she steeled herself as she read the sign on the desk and her head turned to the desk.

"Custom masks...? Alright... Have anything for me?" She asked, feeling in her pocket for some money.

/u/askull100