Five masks from Ocarina of Time you could see at the Night Parade of Ten Thousand Faces.
Keaton Mask: This mask depicts a popular character from children's stories. The Keaton is a fox character visually reminiscent of Pikachu. The mask has no major mechanical effect, but wearing this mask earns warm welcomes from kids and nostalgic reactions from adults.
A story tells of a time when the Sun Goddess was forced into the form a white wolf. The wolf’s glittering fur was easy to spot, so prey could easily elude the hunting wolf. In desperation, the proud Goddess humbled herself to a passing firefly, promising to do good works in exchange for the firefly’s help. This mask is often worn in honor of those that overcome their pride to accomplish their goals.
Skull Mask: This mask is available from the Happy Mask Shop after Link purchases the Keaton mask for a guard’s son. While wearing the mask, Link looks just like the sacred Deku forest totem and has a face the odd forest spirit Skull Kid desires. Link can sell this mask to Skull Kid at a loss to unlock the Spooky Mask from the mask shop.
Rattlebones is a popular character parents use to scare their children into behaving well. Children are regaled with stories of how Rattlebones gathers up poorly behaved children and leads them on a forced march until all the flesh has been worn from their feet and their bones rattle on the ground. This mask is most often worn to terrorize young children during the parade.
Spooky Mask: The third mask in the mask sequence, this unnerving mask is made from coffin wood and is very similar to the masks worn by the undead. The only person interested in the mask is a young fan of the local gravedigger.
The story of the hanged executioner is a cautionary tale of moral degradation. An executioner became so obsessed with their work that they started to frame innocent citizens for capital crimes just so they might have the chance to enjoy more executions. This vile scheme was eventually found out and the executioner was lynched by a raging mob. A noose worn around the neck of an executioner’s hood is a popular guise for those interested in more macabre history.
Bunny Hood: The final piece of headgear in the mask trading sequence, the bunny hood is sold to a jogger for literally as much money as Link can carry. The jogger thinks these ears will help them hear voices. There may be some truth to that since the hood has the unexpected ability to halt skeleton children from spawning in the fields at night.
Legends speak of a shining city on the surface of the Moon inhabited by the Great Hare’s chosen followers. Every fifty years, the Great Hare and an envoy of loyal followers come down from the Moon to walk the lands, meet the people, and bless the chosen. Those blessed by the Great Hare are invited to return to the lunar utopia. The mask of the hare is worn to extoll divine virtues.
Zora Mask: One of four rewards for completing the mask trading sequence, the Zora Mask has no major mechanical effect in Ocarina of Time. All this mask does is somehow convince people the Link looks exactly like a true born member of the Zora tribe.
This mask, depicting the visage of an icthyian doomsday prophet, is a relatively new sight among the masked faces of the Night Parade. The prophet has quickly gathered a zealous following eager to hear their lurid visions of the impending apocalypse. According to the prophet, the end will be heralded by the arrival of towering monstrosities leading swarms of unnatural creatures in their wake. Only the prophet's most fervent followers would proudly wear such a mask as the Night Parade.
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The framing story was inspired by the Hyakki Yagyo, Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, but I wanted to have a more mundane event where regular people donned the guise of the demons to make some sort of statement. In my mind, the parade is a popular event involving people from all walks of life. Some individuals wear masks to make statements, others simply like the way the mask looks. I was hoping to create some sort of Halloween holiday that I could use in my world building without having it simply be Halloween.
I often think about the McElroy’s Candle Nights for inspiration when trying to create my own fantasy world holidays. Are there any holidays, real, fictional, large, or small, that inspire you in a similar way?
Please use my work personally however you would like but do not profit off my efforts without my consent.
Celebrate the Wyld Stallyns by being excellent to everyone.
-Ceph
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