mask 30: mask of bones
He knew he could not gain her back as he was. To be with his lover again, he would need to don the Mask of Bones.
And so he journeyed into the wood, to the mouth of a lonely cavern, and crawled inside.
His family, sensing his plan, sought after him. Their calls bounced between the trees, echoing down to his lonely perch, begging him from this path. But they could not find him.
He hardened his heart to their pleas.
So he sat. And he waited. And he waited. And he sat. And he grew hungry. And he grew thirsty. And he grew tired. And he grew thin. And eventually the voices stopped seeking him.
When next he moved, all his bones rattled, like dry poles.
He was so very thirsty, now. He ran to the river. When he bent to drink, he saw it there in the water, grinning fiercely. It startled him, but he didn't run away. He couldn't change it. The tears ran down his face, arcing around the edges of his smile.
He looked up. They were all there: His family. His ancestors. His love. They were weeping, too. For they could see his face - He was wearing the Mask of Bones.
The Mask of Bones shows the kinship between the living and the dead.
To the living, it reminds them they must one day die. All living beings meeting its gaze have their morale penalized, and all healing fails them.
To the dead, it reminds them they were once alive. All deceased beings meeting its gaze become valid target for effects which worry the living:
- They may be touched and caressed.
- They may enjoy the taste of food and drink.
- They may feel happiness, fulfillment, and loss.
- They may forget themselves in a moment.
- They may catch sickness and disease.
- They may be struck by violence.
- They may die.
All apply equally to the wearer, as suits their vitality. The mask cannot be removed except by use of raise dead / slay living, or natural cause.