arly
he/him
THE MASK SELLER APPEARS...
All you wanted was an escape. From the stress of your daily obligations, from the expectations placed on you by others, and more than anything, from the burden of being human. And the Mask Seller was there to give all you could ask for.
He appeared to you alone, when your need for escape was at its strongest, and told you he would grant your every wish. He asked for nothing in return. He disappeared before you could give your answer, leaving only a wooden animal mask in your hands.
So you put it on. What harm could it do to wear a cheap toy, even if it was given by a strange man?
The moment it touched your face, the mask came to life.
What the Mask Seller offers is more than just wood and paint: His masks give the wearer the ability to change form on command. With the mask of an animal, you were suddenly given a free pass from the burdens of your human life. You could sneak away in animal form whenever you wished, and come back to humanity as if nothing happened, entirely at your leisure. And the senses of an animal grant more than the form itself: After adjusting to the mask, you found yourself able to see what no human could, the path to another side known as the Whisker Bureau. It serves as a strange but welcoming getaway for humans turned animal. Though, the others who frequent the area seem far less human than yourself--they refuse to speak, and they never seem to take off their masks, almost indistinguishable from the animals they mimic.
Make no mistake. The Mask Seller is true to his name, and his offer was not one of charity: He's only waited to collect his payment. The more you wear the mask, the more your humanity slips away, and the closer he gets to claiming your debt.
There are five others like you. Five young people from your area, some of whom you've even met in passing, each given animal masks of their own and allowed into the Bureau. All, like yourself, are too new to their circumstances to have lost themselves, and too excited by the possibilities to notice the risks. But together, maybe you'll be able to turn back before it's too late.
Or maybe, you'll decide to give up humanity for good.
犭
Welcome welcome! This is a small group inspired by the film A Whisker Away, though only the very core premise will be the same. Our characters are six humans in Tokyo who use the animal masks to escape the stresses of their lives. Though they all live in the same area, none are more than acquaintances until they meet in the Bureau : A parallel pocket of reality that only those with the masks can see.
Little do they know, the longer they wear their masks, the harder it becomes to return to humanity. Within the weeks and months that follow, the Mask Seller plans on stealing their human lives for himself. So the rp will start with them excitedly exploring their new shared secret together, but as they grow closer and slowly start to grow suspicious about the draining powers of the mask, they'll have to decide whether they're willing to face their human lives instead.
ROLES...
CAT (open): For their entire life, the Cat has had a reputation as a troublemaker and a delinquent. They found early on that it was the only way to get attention from the caretakers who seemed to ignore them otherwise, and bad attention was better than no attention at all. What the Cat didn't realize was that they'd be able to actually push too far. Now as an adult, their latest mistake seems to have finally put them over the edge: Their parents have cut off contact, and their friends want nothing to do with them. When the Cat first uses the mask, it's to visit the family home they're now unwelcome at in their new form. Being seen as a stray grants them the freedom to do whatever they please without consequence, and all the attention they could desire just for playing cute.
DOG (open): The Dog comes from a rich and well-established family. Their home was always a cold one as they fought for their family's approval, and all the Dog ever wanted was the warmth seen in the lives of others. Their desire for companionship was exploited when they entered a whirlwind relationship with someone disapproved of by the family. When they came clean about their love, the family instantly cut them off and removed any chance at inheritance. After the allure of their family name was gone, their lover showed their true colors and disappeared, leaving the Dog truly alone in the world for the first time. The mask offers a chance to be turned into a creature easily loved and accepted, even by strangers.
FOX (open): The Fox has been taught all their life that they're rotten through to the blood. Raised by a single parent, they watched as their guardian did everything possible to get by: Lie, cheat, steal, and most damningly for them both, take on massive amounts of debt. When the world caught up to them and their parent was imprisoned for those crimes, the Fox was thrust into adulthood fast. It's up to them to fulfill their parent's previous debt, and they've done so the only way they know how: By becoming a con artist. But with the mask, they can leave behind the shackles of debt and reputation that tie down their human name.
TANUKI (open): The Tanuki was always warned against a creative career, but they had faith in their passions and chose to follow their dreams. Moving to Tokyo was the first step towards that goal, the starting point to making a name for themselves. At least, that was the plan. But now, after over a year in Tokyo, the Tanuki only has a dead-end job to show for it, one that leaves them too tired to do anything but make ends meet. They dodge calls from home whenever they can, too ashamed to carry on their lies about those dreams coming true. With the mask, they can hide away from both their work and their shame, and disappear to the fantasy world they've always been warned away from.
RABBIT (taken): The Rabbit became a child actor before they could process the concept. While young, they were famous for their appearances, and became the main source of income for their family. But no one escapes aging, and as their childish charm faded and jobs stopped coming in, the tension in the family grew stronger and stronger. Now, even as an adult, the Rabbit is pressured into acting like their childish persona by their parents, who demand that they continue trying out for roles--nevermind that the Rabbit no longer has any interest in the spotlight. The mask gives them a chance to run from the predatory eyes of both their family and the public.
MOUSE (open): The Mouse was always praised for their maturity as a child, and they seemed to excel in every subject. It was a given that with such a great mind, they would follow in the footsteps of their parents and pursue the same illustrious career. The Mouse always assumed that at some point they'd find the courage in themselves to say no, and finally admit their true passions to anyone besides themselves. But even now, as an adult by all accounts, that moment hasn't come. The Mouse is on track to be successful in every sense of the word, but they feel as if their life doesn't belong to them. With the mask, they can slip through the cracks and do as they please, entirely unnoticed.
RULES
ONE. While the rp itself shouldn't be graphic, the character backstories can deal with some heavy themes, so all players must be 18+. The characters themselves will all be young adults: Technically grown, but all still immature enough to run away from their problems with magic facial accessories.
TWO. Roles aren't necessarily first come first serve, but I'll be judging the best fit for the roles as applications come in. We'll be using an application process, so you won't have to fill out a full character sheet until the role is absolutely yours! The roles are designed to be flexible (for example, the Tanuki's passion can be anything from painting to rakugo performance) so please feel free to get creative with it. If you have any questions, you can dm me at any time ^^ In addition, all faceclaims should be illustrated/animated.
THREE. Discord is required for OOC! Plotting will be an important part of this story. The major focus here is on the relationships between characters, and how those relationships change the way they approach the issues in their lives. Get juicy with it!
FOUR. Activity requirements will be lax, and I don't expect fast-paced posts. However, OOC communication is expected, and if you don't reply to multiple attempts to reach out after radio silence, you'll be booted from the server and your character will be written out. In terms of writing, lazy lit is expected: In-character posts should be multiple paragraphs, but there's no need to stretch for word count.
All you wanted was an escape. From the stress of your daily obligations, from the expectations placed on you by others, and more than anything, from the burden of being human. And the Mask Seller was there to give all you could ask for.
He appeared to you alone, when your need for escape was at its strongest, and told you he would grant your every wish. He asked for nothing in return. He disappeared before you could give your answer, leaving only a wooden animal mask in your hands.
So you put it on. What harm could it do to wear a cheap toy, even if it was given by a strange man?
The moment it touched your face, the mask came to life.
What the Mask Seller offers is more than just wood and paint: His masks give the wearer the ability to change form on command. With the mask of an animal, you were suddenly given a free pass from the burdens of your human life. You could sneak away in animal form whenever you wished, and come back to humanity as if nothing happened, entirely at your leisure. And the senses of an animal grant more than the form itself: After adjusting to the mask, you found yourself able to see what no human could, the path to another side known as the Whisker Bureau. It serves as a strange but welcoming getaway for humans turned animal. Though, the others who frequent the area seem far less human than yourself--they refuse to speak, and they never seem to take off their masks, almost indistinguishable from the animals they mimic.
Make no mistake. The Mask Seller is true to his name, and his offer was not one of charity: He's only waited to collect his payment. The more you wear the mask, the more your humanity slips away, and the closer he gets to claiming your debt.
There are five others like you. Five young people from your area, some of whom you've even met in passing, each given animal masks of their own and allowed into the Bureau. All, like yourself, are too new to their circumstances to have lost themselves, and too excited by the possibilities to notice the risks. But together, maybe you'll be able to turn back before it's too late.
Or maybe, you'll decide to give up humanity for good.
犭
Welcome welcome! This is a small group inspired by the film A Whisker Away, though only the very core premise will be the same. Our characters are six humans in Tokyo who use the animal masks to escape the stresses of their lives. Though they all live in the same area, none are more than acquaintances until they meet in the Bureau : A parallel pocket of reality that only those with the masks can see.
Little do they know, the longer they wear their masks, the harder it becomes to return to humanity. Within the weeks and months that follow, the Mask Seller plans on stealing their human lives for himself. So the rp will start with them excitedly exploring their new shared secret together, but as they grow closer and slowly start to grow suspicious about the draining powers of the mask, they'll have to decide whether they're willing to face their human lives instead.
ROLES...
CAT (open): For their entire life, the Cat has had a reputation as a troublemaker and a delinquent. They found early on that it was the only way to get attention from the caretakers who seemed to ignore them otherwise, and bad attention was better than no attention at all. What the Cat didn't realize was that they'd be able to actually push too far. Now as an adult, their latest mistake seems to have finally put them over the edge: Their parents have cut off contact, and their friends want nothing to do with them. When the Cat first uses the mask, it's to visit the family home they're now unwelcome at in their new form. Being seen as a stray grants them the freedom to do whatever they please without consequence, and all the attention they could desire just for playing cute.
DOG (open): The Dog comes from a rich and well-established family. Their home was always a cold one as they fought for their family's approval, and all the Dog ever wanted was the warmth seen in the lives of others. Their desire for companionship was exploited when they entered a whirlwind relationship with someone disapproved of by the family. When they came clean about their love, the family instantly cut them off and removed any chance at inheritance. After the allure of their family name was gone, their lover showed their true colors and disappeared, leaving the Dog truly alone in the world for the first time. The mask offers a chance to be turned into a creature easily loved and accepted, even by strangers.
FOX (open): The Fox has been taught all their life that they're rotten through to the blood. Raised by a single parent, they watched as their guardian did everything possible to get by: Lie, cheat, steal, and most damningly for them both, take on massive amounts of debt. When the world caught up to them and their parent was imprisoned for those crimes, the Fox was thrust into adulthood fast. It's up to them to fulfill their parent's previous debt, and they've done so the only way they know how: By becoming a con artist. But with the mask, they can leave behind the shackles of debt and reputation that tie down their human name.
TANUKI (open): The Tanuki was always warned against a creative career, but they had faith in their passions and chose to follow their dreams. Moving to Tokyo was the first step towards that goal, the starting point to making a name for themselves. At least, that was the plan. But now, after over a year in Tokyo, the Tanuki only has a dead-end job to show for it, one that leaves them too tired to do anything but make ends meet. They dodge calls from home whenever they can, too ashamed to carry on their lies about those dreams coming true. With the mask, they can hide away from both their work and their shame, and disappear to the fantasy world they've always been warned away from.
RABBIT (taken): The Rabbit became a child actor before they could process the concept. While young, they were famous for their appearances, and became the main source of income for their family. But no one escapes aging, and as their childish charm faded and jobs stopped coming in, the tension in the family grew stronger and stronger. Now, even as an adult, the Rabbit is pressured into acting like their childish persona by their parents, who demand that they continue trying out for roles--nevermind that the Rabbit no longer has any interest in the spotlight. The mask gives them a chance to run from the predatory eyes of both their family and the public.
MOUSE (open): The Mouse was always praised for their maturity as a child, and they seemed to excel in every subject. It was a given that with such a great mind, they would follow in the footsteps of their parents and pursue the same illustrious career. The Mouse always assumed that at some point they'd find the courage in themselves to say no, and finally admit their true passions to anyone besides themselves. But even now, as an adult by all accounts, that moment hasn't come. The Mouse is on track to be successful in every sense of the word, but they feel as if their life doesn't belong to them. With the mask, they can slip through the cracks and do as they please, entirely unnoticed.
RULES
ONE. While the rp itself shouldn't be graphic, the character backstories can deal with some heavy themes, so all players must be 18+. The characters themselves will all be young adults: Technically grown, but all still immature enough to run away from their problems with magic facial accessories.
TWO. Roles aren't necessarily first come first serve, but I'll be judging the best fit for the roles as applications come in. We'll be using an application process, so you won't have to fill out a full character sheet until the role is absolutely yours! The roles are designed to be flexible (for example, the Tanuki's passion can be anything from painting to rakugo performance) so please feel free to get creative with it. If you have any questions, you can dm me at any time ^^ In addition, all faceclaims should be illustrated/animated.
THREE. Discord is required for OOC! Plotting will be an important part of this story. The major focus here is on the relationships between characters, and how those relationships change the way they approach the issues in their lives. Get juicy with it!
FOUR. Activity requirements will be lax, and I don't expect fast-paced posts. However, OOC communication is expected, and if you don't reply to multiple attempts to reach out after radio silence, you'll be booted from the server and your character will be written out. In terms of writing, lazy lit is expected: In-character posts should be multiple paragraphs, but there's no need to stretch for word count.
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