The Masquerade is the common name for the trait about the world of Offetstine that while individual humans are frequently personally indoctrinated into the worlds of magic and demi-humanity, the general public remains broadly unaware of this development. While the effects and applications of magic thrive, especially in cities with an unusually dense concentration of magical energy such as in the greater Offetstine area, only a select few individuals and organizations are privy to the very existence of magic.
To an untrained eye, it seems natural, although closer inspection would reveal that the specific nature of the Masquerade in Offetstine, especially when combined with the chaotic and explosive nature of some demi-humans, is artificial. While there is fierce debate over the ethicality and practicality of the Masquerade, it remains one of the most potent aspects of magic in the world of Offetstine as it stands. While most mages and demi-humans remain content to not disturb the Masquerade, no attempt to disrupt the peace appears to succeed.
In practice, the Masquerade is perpetuated by the Veilkeepers, an organization of magically empowered and controlled people, predominantly human, with the power to erase parts of history and the sworn duty to protect civilian humans, mages and demi-humans alike from disrupting their respective societies.
History
Main article: Veilkeepers § Creation Myth
The exact history of the Masquerade is unknown, as by its inherent nature, it resists documentation. Accounts of its origin, however, are extant in the form of mythological oral tradition passed down by the Veilkeepers, the organization responsible for perpetuating the Masquerade. The commonly accepted creation myth of the Masquerade is often posited to have taken place in modern-day India or China, and tells the story of a witch in approximately the third century BC.
The witch, reputed for her power among the local human population, adopted and cared for a number of demi-human children. While the group was ultimately benevolent and harmless, they faced continued antagonism from the local people citing prior encounters with more vengeant demi-humans. Due to the persecution increasingly endangering her family, the witch slowly grew isolated from human society, and eventually used her power to create a barrier separating human and demi-human society.
While the effect was initially local, it spread over the course of centuries to most corners of the world through the Will of the People. Demi-humans who travelled and traded on the Silk Road vied particularly for the Masquerade. Over time and with increased global trade, it became a global phenomenon. Many regions were initially resistant to the Masquerade, although it spread primarily through the introduction of writing. The Masquerade was prevalent across the majority of Europe and Asia by about 300 AD, and took further centuries to become completely and unequivocally global.
Real life
In real life, “masquerade” refers to a common trope in speculative fiction wherein the very existence of an often vast society that underpins a story is veiled from the general public.