A Society of Masks - PPC Posting Board

Subject: A Society of Masks
Author: LonelyStar
Posted on: 2014-04-28 05:15:00 UTC

After reading several young adult romance novels, one thing I noticed was that the love interest was always hot. I've seen it in Twilight, I've seen it in badfic, and I've seen it in some good books, but I've seen it.

And I wondered, "What if looks weren't an issue?"

And so the world of Masks was born.

In this world, it's a social imperative to always wear a mask. Even when you're sleeping or bathing. There is a social imperative to never think of the mask as your true face, so you do get to see what you look like about once a year, in a special ceremony to ward off evil influences. The only other person to ever see your face is your fiancee, and that will only happen after a lengthy courtship and a marriage for love, because the idea is that only the most trusted person in your life should see what is to this society the greatest secret in your life.

So, the love interest may be pretty, and he may be ugly. You'll never know until the couple has already agreed to marry, and already love each other, not knowing what the other looks like.

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A Society of Masks by LonelyStar on 2014-04-28 05:15:00 UTC

My reaction (contains swearing) by 99Hedgehog on 2014-04-29 07:20:00 UTC Reply

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnAYgNnA5A0
This is actually really, really brilliant. That is all. (nm) by Ailavyn Siniyash on 2014-04-29 02:26:00 UTC Reply
Hey, that seems like a parody of our whole culture! by NotHimAgain on 2014-04-28 19:55:00 UTC Reply

In the modern west, the good guys are always attractive, and the bad guys aren't. Scars are only really disfiguring on the villains. There are no plain people, and the real life peoples' ambitions are centered on being the Venus or Adonis that they see on the television.

But in this world, no one even KNOWS what you look like. How someone looks doesn't even matter. In fact, they may not even have any idea what physical beauty is. I LOVE it! You should do it!

Actually, they do by LonelyStar on 2014-04-28 20:24:00 UTC Reply

This culture does have an idea of physical beauty, it's just seen as a highly personal thing, not to be shared with anyone you don't trust absolutely.

Aahh... by NotHimAgain on 2014-04-29 19:39:00 UTC Reply

I still don't get it.

So, are you saying that they have a basic idea of what physical beauty is, and they just fill in the blanks based on what they think?

There are traits seen as beautiful, yes (nm) (nm) by LonelyStar on 2014-05-01 18:31:00 UTC Reply

This reminds me of a story I read recently by Neshomeh on 2014-04-28 17:28:00 UTC Reply

"The Moon Moth" by Jack Vance is a science fiction novella that involves an alien society where everyone wears a mask all the time. Social status is everything on that world—it's like currency. Anybody can take anything they want, wear whatever kind of mask they want, providing they have the social chutzpah to back it up, and people know if you're faking it. They communicate with the aid of several small, tricky musical instruments, a different one depending on whether the person you're talking to is of a similar, lesser, or greater status, and how intimate you are with them; and the language is much more about communicating feelings than it is about concrete facts. Now, imagine a hapless Earthling suddenly dropped into this world to fill in for the previous guy who had his job, and then asked to find a dangerous criminal with no way of even recognizing him....

It's a really cool story. Good classic sci-fi. I recommend it, especially since you'll want to avoid duplicating it too closely. {= )

~Neshomeh

Okay by LonelyStar on 2014-04-28 20:30:00 UTC Reply

Sounds interesting, although the mask situation is different here; the mask you wear is based on your social station, and it's somewhat of a faux pas to wear a different mask, although it does happen.

Although the 'hard to catch criminals' things does apply, as most lawbreakers aren't adverse to breaking a few customs if it means not getting caught.
Okay by LonelyStar on 2014-04-28 20:27:00 UTC Reply

Sounds interesting, although the mask situation is different herre; the mask you wear is based on your social station, and it's somewhat of a faux pas to wear a different mask, although it does happen.

Although the 'hard to catch criminals' things does apply, as most lawbreakers aren't adverse to breaking a few customs if it means not getting caught.

Social questions. by DemonFiren on 2014-04-28 12:14:00 UTC Reply

Concerning, primarily, the mechanics surrounding the mask.

Will its appearance - how elaborate or simple it is - be regulated?
Will it depend on the wearer's social standing?
What difference will there be between genders?
How are children (especially infants) handled?
Is it possible to fake one's identity by wearing a different mask?
If the mask is destroyed in an accident (fire, water, machinery, simple constant stress on the material), how are replacements handled?

Trying to answer questions, even though the idea isn't mine. by Legacy on 2014-04-28 19:45:00 UTC Reply

Yeah. I was just thinking of these points, and I saw this convenient little post down here to answer. So...

As far as the appearance, I believe the mask would be full face, possibly even covering the whole head. (Do they wear hoods with the masks and cover the rest of their heads? Can you show off your hair? Things to think on.) This would be so that nobody's running around with a skinny little domino mask and showing off their face.

Social standing? i have absolutely no idea.

Well, we would be able to tell who's a boy and who's a girl, so there would probably a difference of styles between masks. Like color, or animal basis, or something like that.

As for the other questions, I'm running out of steam now, so I'll leave that to LonelyStar. :)

Answers by LonelyStar on 2014-04-29 05:48:00 UTC Reply

Yes, the masks are full face. Hoods are optional, although sometimes added.

Masks reflect your place in society, so a shopkeeper would wear a specific style of mask, and a servant would wear another.

There are ways to tell who's a boy and who's a girl, but I haven't really thought too much on that.

The animal-basis thing is only for the Emperor's house (House Phoenix), and several noble houses given the honor by House Phoenix for their services during a troubled time a long, long time ago.

I'd love to read this! by Iximaz on 2014-04-28 12:07:00 UTC Reply

Seriously, you should write this.

When I'll write it by LonelyStar on 2014-05-02 00:12:00 UTC Reply

I'm thinking of writing it later, when I've more skill in writing, and maybe have written some PPC stories.

Sounds Interesting by sjosten on 2014-04-28 06:06:00 UTC Reply

Do you have any of it written yet, or are you just putting the idea out there to see what the reaction is? I'd be curious to read some of this, should you end up writing it.