Masquerade (Promptober 2025 #5)

Humans? Changelings?

When humans host a huge party in high society, coteries of doppelgangers organize a masquerade, a push your luck game of blending in and standing out. Each coterie of doppelgangers has their own specific rules and taboos, but we explore the generally-accepted guidelines for the game below. Sometimes two different coteries play two different masquerades at the same human party. In these cases, discovering the other masquerade may or may not cause disqualification.

Rules of the Masquerade (Generally)

First Rule: Don't get caught.
This goes without saying, but pretending to be someone who was invited to the party or schmoozing your way in requires fooling people. If someone figures out you're not human, you've lost. Some doppelgangers lay deception on top of deception in onionskin layers, hoping that enough misdirection will keep their true secret safe.

Second Rule: Don't expose others.
If you do get caught, the safety of the coterie takes precedence over your pride. Keep your mouth shut and escape when you can. Pointing fingers at another masquerade player reeks of sour grapes, and is condsidered bad form, sometimes resulting in excommunication.

Third Rule: Best collection wins.
Coteries can decide to base the masquerade scoring on any number of things. Many stick with the pedestrian rogue targets of precious gems, valuable jewelry, or magic items, but others go a little more esoteric and experiential. Some coteries collect boutonnieres and corsages, while others rank the most outlandish lies to determine a winner. Some collect kisses or expressions of love. One recent scandal involved two wedding proposals to the same masquerade player. She won the game handily, and her human likeness was never seen again, breaking two human hearts in the process.

Other variations and limitations exist. New Faces Only requires every doppelganger to take the form of someone they haven't before, which remoes the advantage for those with long-standing human personae. Some goals require witnesses, as anyone can lie about being kissed behind closed doors.

A masquerade involves huge risk to the coterie if anyone gets caught. Most masquerades involve coteries with well-established members of high esteem, or those who are already known to humans in positions of power, though some will use it as a means to establish themselves in a new city.

Part of the Promtober project for 2025.