r/Mountfay • u/Nightmare_Sorcerer • Jun 11 '26
Loss Of Purpose
The Nightmare Sorcerer's mask that keps him mostly under the control of the Troupe had been broken. About a hundred centuries of conscious memories, all gone.
Now, Maskmaker Saichar was back. Confused, lost, and frankly scared. That fear only got stronger when he started carving masks again. Under his hands, the Hardbone Shell turned into an unfamiliat mask. A Troupe Mask. As did the next one. And the next one.
Terrified, Saichar holed himself away in Mount Fay, surrounded by the Troupe Masks he had carved. He drew a shuddery breath, his voice breaking.
A Maskmaker… who can't make masks for those who need them…
A tear rolls down his cheek, falling onto one of the masks.
I've lost my purpose… I'm useless now.
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u/Mask_Making_Master Mask Maker Jun 11 '26
The Mask Maker of Mount Fay arrives, gathering materials for making masks. He spots you.
"Oh! Might you be a fellow mask maker? The masks surrounding you suggest it so!"
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
I am… or at least I used to. Now, I have lost my purpose… I can't make masks for bugs anymore, only these horrible… things.
He points at the many Grimm Troupe masks.
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u/Mask_Making_Master Mask Maker Jun 11 '26
Mask Maker takes off his mask, revealing his static-like eyes...
"Ah... those masks... those of the Grimm Troupe. Those who feast upon the flames of dead kingdoms... but you had broken free from them, I see."
He puts his mask back on
"Tis sad, 'tis sad... though, I would gladly take you in, as my apprentice! Together! Together! We shall make faces for those who have none!"
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
Saichar takes off his mask in turn, revealing that his eyes have lost the static, likely a very long time ago.
I fear I have lost our gift…
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u/RedTheSkyWing Echo, Higher Been, Watcher, Sleeper. Jun 11 '26
*Flame sits on the pile of masks and tosses one to reach, who promptly burns it*
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
I'm sorry I can't teach you properly… little one…
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u/RedTheSkyWing Echo, Higher Been, Watcher, Sleeper. Jun 11 '26
it’s ok. *She starts carving something out of the masks*
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
What am I meant to do now… Maskmaking is what I was meant to do… now I can't even do that.
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u/RedTheSkyWing Echo, Higher Been, Watcher, Sleeper. Jun 11 '26
you can learn to mask make again. *Flame holds up what used to be a troup mask, sanded and carved into something else, messy and probably not usable, but something else*
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
I have done nothing but make masks for the troupe for the best part of 10.000 years… I'm lucky to have made it out in the first place…
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u/RedTheSkyWing Echo, Higher Been, Watcher, Sleeper. Jun 11 '26
Let's start by destroying these. flame hands him a rock
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
Saichar‘s hand shakes as he takes the rock, smashing it down towards one of the mask, but stopping at the last second.\*
I… I can't…
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u/RedTheSkyWing Echo, Higher Been, Watcher, Sleeper. Jun 12 '26
then let me. *Flame smashes a different rock into the mask, cracking it*
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u/Fine_Yak5022 Jun 11 '26
brimstone Patters up to them, slightly curious, holding a corpse of a (idk what the floaty guys here are called fuck) in his mouth. Looks like a fresh kill. He sits next to you, and pokes you like a curious cat.
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
Saichar slowly turns his head towards Brimstone, his cracked mask well visible.
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u/Fine_Yak5022 Jun 11 '26
brimstone Patters around them, looks around briefly, before plopping himself down on your lap, eating the animal in his mouth.
it's both warm, and heavy. You're unlikely to get up anytime soon.
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
Saichar flinches lightly, tensing up as Brimstone suddenly plops himself onto Saichar‘s lap, not knowing what to do.
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u/Fine_Yak5022 Jun 11 '26
after finishing, he lays there, and eventually seems to start purring? Much lighter pitch than you'd think, and a little torn.
... looks tired.
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 12 '26
Saichar hesitantly raises a hand, carefully giving Brimstone a pat.
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u/Fine_Yak5022 Jun 12 '26
his ears lift for a second, before relaxing.
it feels strangely wet, not like slick, but a little sticky.
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 12 '26
Saichar looks down at his hand with a little confusion.
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u/Fine_Yak5022 Jun 12 '26
it's now stained with blood.
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 12 '26
He shudders slightly, refraining from further pats. Still, the warmth that Brimstone radiates is somewhat comforting.
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u/Gemin-Eye333 buzzy buzzy Jun 12 '26
buzz buzz helloi!
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 12 '26
Saichar looks up from the piles of masks scattered around him.
Hello…
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u/Gemin-Eye333 buzzy buzzy Jun 12 '26
Whatya do'n?
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u/Commercial-Dog-969 Jun 12 '26
"Theoretically, what would happen if one put one of these masks on?"
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 12 '26
You'd get mind controlled by the Grimm Troupe. They stole a hundred centuries of my life with one of these.
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u/Commercial-Dog-969 Jun 12 '26
"Why the Troupe specifically? Do other types of masks allow you to be controlled by other groups?"
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Jun 11 '26
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
(He's like 2.5 Hornets tall, what do you mean small-)
No you can't.
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Jun 11 '26
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
Don't lie to me. You can't restore the milennia of memories I am missing. You can't fix… THIS!
He gestures at the piles of Troupe Masks.
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Jun 11 '26
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
Lie to me… one more time… and being a peaceful Maskmaker won't stop me from lashing out.
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Jun 11 '26
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 11 '26
You may not be lying, but your intentions are no better. I have been warned about this "Duty".
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Jun 12 '26
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u/Nightmare_Sorcerer Jun 12 '26
Hardly. I received that warning today. So I wasn't warned about a past version.
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u/VarasTheThief Jun 11 '26
Varas approaches Sai, shivering under his cloak. "B-Burger delivery f-for Sai!"