[Note:  much of the information of this section is taken from the Everway  source materials and from the Everway Family Legends project.  Because of this, this page constitutes copywritten material.  It is reprinted here for the use of players in my Everway game only.  Copying material from this page for commercial use is illegal.
Everway is a great game, and the people who made it deserve the credit, and the financial support, of those who play it.]

Overview
 

The Mask family is one of the leading families of Everway, though it does not hold a seat on the Council. Officially, this family provides amusements, entertainments, and diversions. Mask members are jugglers, performers, musicians, etc. In addition, the Mask family runs the gaming houses in the north quarter of the city. Unofficially, the family is involved in numerous illicit activities including prostitution, smuggling, protection, money laundering, brokering stolen goods, etc. A few are also assassins. Finally, the Mask family controls much of the commerce in Strangerside (the area where Strangers and Outsiders live).

Background

The Mask family has been part of the Everway community for centuries, and comes from original Everwayan stock (rather than being a family founded by Spherewalkers from another realm or Strangers from a different kingdom of Roundwander). Originally a minor family composed of jugglers and clowns, it has risen steadily in power over the years. The family gained its current status during the civil wars 200 years ago when it was instrumental in wiping out the Whiteoar family which had previously controlled ferry business on the Sunset river. They then convinced the Great King to construct the three bridges which currently connect Everway to Strangerside, and began to infiltrate and exploit it. It is only the relatively staid political setup in Everway that has prevented them from getting a seat on the Council thus far.

Family

The Mask family can be broken down into three groups; those of high status, those of middle status, and those of low status. Each of the three groups is comprised of numerous sub-families who perform certain hereditary functions. Sub-families are usually referred to within the larger family by adding some descriptive term before the family name i.e. "Grey Mask", "Somber Mask", or "Flower Mask". The lowest status families are the street performers and street criminals. These are organized rather like gypsy families. Middle status sub-families will work at one of the many family-run establishments such as gaming houses , theaters, or houses of prostitution (though not as prostitutes - the family subcontracts those jobs). Individuals at this level may also be more prestigious criminals such as skilled burglars, talented con artists, forgers, etc. High status sub-families supervise large scale operations, such as running a gaming house or supervising a protection operation in Strangerside.

As is common in Everway, Mask families are matrilineal. The nucleus of each family is a Triumvirate composed of three individuals - either two women and one man or two men and one woman.
 
 

Dress and Habits

The most distinctive dress of Mask family members is (surprise!) the masks that they wear. The masks are less elaborate for lower status members (and are done away with entirely by some low level pickpockets and the like), but become increasingly elaborate as one moves up the status scale. These masks are distinctive, and provide a knowledgeable viewer with information about the individual’s sub-family, profession, and individual identity. The more elaborate masks are often heirlooms passed on from generation to generation, and some have magical powers. As with many of the leading families of Everway, the Masks have their own family ceremonies and deity. This deity, known as The Shadow, honors those who succeed through subterfuge, subtlety, or stealth, or misdirection. Especially among the middle and high status sub-families it is traditional for the majority of the family members to be nocturnal by habit. Since most family members have pale skin and light blonde hair this lack of sun causes them to take on an almost cadaverous appearance.