a theory...
I was rereading Realms of War, the short story Continuum (by Mr. Kemp) to be exact, when it hit me. Mask is not dead in the new 4E Realms. First, I'd like to remind everyone that WOTC did not reveal Mask's fate because Shadowrealm wasn't due out yet, which tells us that what Mr. Kemp writes of Mask and Shar is canon.
Mask is hiding in (or masquerading as) Evervis Cale's son. I know it's hardly believable but hear me out. We know that Mask manifests in the mortal realm frequently, especially around Cale and his friends. One very recent manifestation escaped my notice, until now.
In Continuum, a short story set during the Shadowstorm, Varra, the lover of Cale and mother of his unborn child, met a strange dark man during her flight from home who reminded her of Erevis. Later when she was running away from shadows and wraiths into the woods, the same man rescued her. What he did next made me go ya-TAAA! When Varra asked the man what he was doing there, he replied, "Fiddling around the edges." Grinning like a madman, he then touched her belly and she screamed and blacked out in pain.
After she woke up, she asked him who he was, in which he replied he was an actor, with a mutual acquaintance. Yeah, it's Mask, and he made the baby his ace in the hole. Urged then to run away to safety to a glade full of avenorani flowers (fey flowers that grant wishes), she almost fell to the undead shadows until she wished she was "somewhere, anywhere where she can raise her child in safety and light." She disappeared, leaving behind a large patch of wilted flowers.
Brennus (Rivalen's brother, a diviner) was keeping scry-tabs on her during all this, and he could not see anyone with her during her encounter with the dark dude. He thought she was talking to herself. And when she disappeared from his scrying, he tried to scry upon her again, but he couldn't locate her anywhere in the world. My guess? She's in Abeir, safe. And THAT ladies and gents is how Mask escaped the Spellplague and Shar's murderous schemes.
Mask is hiding in (or masquerading as) Evervis Cale's son. I know it's hardly believable but hear me out. We know that Mask manifests in the mortal realm frequently, especially around Cale and his friends. One very recent manifestation escaped my notice, until now.
In Continuum, a short story set during the Shadowstorm, Varra, the lover of Cale and mother of his unborn child, met a strange dark man during her flight from home who reminded her of Erevis. Later when she was running away from shadows and wraiths into the woods, the same man rescued her. What he did next made me go ya-TAAA! When Varra asked the man what he was doing there, he replied, "Fiddling around the edges." Grinning like a madman, he then touched her belly and she screamed and blacked out in pain.
After she woke up, she asked him who he was, in which he replied he was an actor, with a mutual acquaintance. Yeah, it's Mask, and he made the baby his ace in the hole. Urged then to run away to safety to a glade full of avenorani flowers (fey flowers that grant wishes), she almost fell to the undead shadows until she wished she was "somewhere, anywhere where she can raise her child in safety and light." She disappeared, leaving behind a large patch of wilted flowers.
Brennus (Rivalen's brother, a diviner) was keeping scry-tabs on her during all this, and he could not see anyone with her during her encounter with the dark dude. He thought she was talking to herself. And when she disappeared from his scrying, he tried to scry upon her again, but he couldn't locate her anywhere in the world. My guess? She's in Abeir, safe. And THAT ladies and gents is how Mask escaped the Spellplague and Shar's murderous schemes.
Mask's pulled a Bane, so to speak?
Kind of. I don't think Mask is using the baby as an avatar/shell to later burst out of. It could be more of a saftey deposit baby with some measure of his divine spark he can use as a beacon or back-up. Much like what Mystra did with Elminster during the ToT.
On the other hand, I do not believe the baby is Mask or any incarnate of him.
Do I believe it is touched? Yes.
Remember, Mask is playing chess. He's setting up his pieces--not an heir or avatar.
Isn't he still a few chosen shy of his goal? Maybe the baby is a future chosen, and Mask is just getting a head start on the process.
-Masks Chosen:
Kesson Rel
Erevis Cale
Drasek Riven
Avner of Heartsdale
?
-I wouldn't expect this child to be a Chosen of Mask, thought, because no other mentioned Chosen exist in the setting right now. Once it's carte blanch, might as well leave it that way.
-Masks Chosen:
Kesson Rel
Erevis Cale
Drasek Riven
Avner of Heartsdale
?
-I wouldn't expect this child to be a Chosen of Mask, thought, because no other mentioned Chosen exist in the setting right now. Once it's carte blanch, might as well leave it that way.
I would say, "Huh?"
Twice to that response.
When I first read the book, I thought perhaps the child died and Mask raised it, or that it was ijured and he healed it. Then I also thought it might be one of Mask's future chosen, since the fifth had not been named yet, he also told her quite plainly to take care of that child.
The child being Mask, or perhaps a baby Mask growing now inside of Varra is quite possible and a really good theory, I think.
That chosen thing is strange. Asks Masks chosen are said to be alive yet in the 4E realms. I don't recall it saying his former chosen, but his chosen themselves. Which could very very much mean Mask is alive and his chosen still have their powers.
-The Chosen of a deity would no longer have their powers if their deity was slain. See Sharruppak.
-To clear and elaborate on my previous post, I meant that the Chosen of various deities were culled/hidden/not mentioned/etc. I would find it strange that one of the first things the designers do is add new ones in after doing that.
-Not catching you.
And me, you either. Thus the
Then I also thought it might be one of Mask's future chosen, since the fifth had not been named yet, he also told her quite plainly to take care of that child.
Thus, my point with chess. And this child is but a piece.
And me, you either. Thus the
-Did my statement elaborating on what I originally said help any?
-The Chosen of a deity would no longer have their powers if their deity was slain. See Sharruppak.
-To clear and elaborate on my previous post, I meant that the Chosen of various deities were culled/hidden/not mentioned/etc. I would find it strange that one of the first things the designers do is add new ones in after doing that.
My take (from an admittedly short read of the FRCG), was that there weren't any more "Chosen" currently, except that some former Chosen (of various deities) were still alive and presumably without Chosen powers. Some died, some became Exarchs, some are normal humans now. In the case of Mask's Chosen, they might be alive but without their former "Chosen powers".
The FRCG even had a sidebar that said something along the lines of "post-Spellplague, there are no Chosen who aren't Exarchs".
Avner of Heartsdale
Hopefully the Seraph of Thieves ends up being an Exarch of Mask.
Thus, my point with chess. And this child is but a piece.
So was Qilue to her goddesses, Danifae/Halisstra to Lolth, such and such. And they all were avatars to their respective gods sometime in their lives. A child's body would be the most inconspicuous and "hidden-in-plain-sight" hiding place for a god, even if it was a small part of it.
But yea, the child is a really important piece of the puzzle.
A child's body would be the most inconspicuous and "hidden-in-plain-sight" hiding place for a god, even if it was a small part of it.
Next to a god slaying sword, of course.
Do I believe it is touched? Yes.
Mask "touched" a baby? Ewwwwwww!
Mask "touched" a baby? Ewwwwwww!
-Let's not forget: He is an evil deity, when push comes to shove.