Masks are soulforged artifacts worned by wraiths on their faces, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment.
Overview[]
Among wraiths, the use of Masks is a cultural tradition that plays an important role in Stygian society, for many of them wear masks in order to hide their original identity. In a society where Moliation is common, tradition holds that an officeholder is denoted by their mask. As a consequence of this, many officials have separate identities when masked and unmasked - and the same office may be occupied by different individuals without public acknowledgement of such.
For example, the most visible masked officials are the Deathlords, although almost all Stygian officials of rank wear a mask in official business. The politics of the Stygian society and the whims of Charon are such that most Stygians assume that each Deathlord has been replaced at least once, and this speculation extends all the way up to Charon himself. The confusion caused by masking policy also extends to groups like the Ladies of Fate; as the official representatives of the Lady of Fate, these masked women are themselves subject to a fair degree of speculation as to how many of them there are.
The Ferrymen's relationship with masks serves as a condemnation of the Stygian policy, not the least of which because masks are almost invariably soulforged Artifacts. Before the Ferrymen were banished, the Navigatus of the Boatmen's Society would wear a small mask to indicate solidarity with the Hierarchy, this practice is no longer followed. Ferrymen themselves do not wear masks, but instead wear their hoods over their faces to hide their identities.
References[]
- WTO/cMET: Oblivion, p. 44, 73
- WTO: Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition, p. 47-48, 425, 426