Gosfet

Through veil we see the world eternal.

— Xusfia of the Hidden Covenant

Gosfet (: ), also known as Witch Veil, or Lamia Mask, is a broad term predominantly referring to a type of magical mask, bestowed by Lomot, crafted by the , and introduced to Album during the of 333.
Gosfets hold great significance for the lamias as divine protection, sacred tombstones, and powerful Tenuma amplifiers. They had been worn by many lamias entering the mortal realm, yet that number has dwindled notably throughout the years. The few masks that remain today are coveted by many art collectors and jealously guarded by witches of Marevet.

Origin

Our Dormant Mother ʝąƖơɱơɬ gave us her faces, so we too could dream forever.

— Lyxia the Grin Witch

The origin of the gosfet dates back to the Endless Immortal War - an era unbound by time and devoid of any written records. As such, there are only the surviving testimonies of old lamias to shed light on the matter of the masks.

Legend of the Faces of Lomot

When Lilu met Lomot in the greatest depths of , the goddess presented her with the Pact of Faces. Lilu's face was torn away and devoured by Lomot, and in exchange, her people became the lamia - 'children of the waking dream'. The endless war came to an end - like many other endless things - yet Lliu's people did not. Protected from Mavet's snow and Leva's , lamias would live immortal until they reached the Amonim.
The first one to achieve the perfect dream was none other than Lilu herself. She carried the truth with her into the sacred grove of Gallana Amon and opened the path to Lomot's embrace. Her eight daughters observed her transcendence, stricken with grief and joy as they watched their mother's body crystalize and her soul illuminate.
Lilu's crystal form became her tombstone, and all her daughters stepped back in reverence - all but one. The youngest of them approached her mother's sleeping corpse and carved out its face with a knife she crafted from shroud. The young lamia held up her mother's face and wore it as her own in front of all of her sisters. Cries and screams echoed through the deep forest, only to be lulled a moment later. The young one exited the grove alone with the gosfet over her face, Lilu's spirit dwelling within.

Introduction to Album

If the forest was our womb, the gosfet is the umbilical cord.

— Giva the Glaze Witch

It is unknown to what end gosfets were used back in Gallana Amon, but their role after the Great Exile of the Witches was always evident. Crossing the border into the mortal realm of Album stripped the lamia of most of their powers. Their Tenuma grew significantly weaker, as did their connection with Lomot. Worst of all, their immortality drained away from them, aging the oldest lamias so rapidly death claimed them in an instant. The only ones who were immune to the curse of mortality were those fortunate enough to have their gosfets on as they entered the Albian Kingdom.
The few masked elders thus became the Damurim - 'witch-leaders' of their people. They gradually split into separate small communities, each headed by at least one Damuri. Most Albian settlements demanded the removal of the gosfets before the lamia could be admitted as refugees. This led to several communities scattering to the wilderness, while others hid their Damurim or negotiated a compromise.

Art

'She dared not look at me. I dared not avert my gaze. Her face was filled with a lust for the flesh, holding unknown depths; a true gosfet of a woman.'

— Albian literature

For the first hundred years after the exile, lamias managed to hide the gosfets' supernatural essence from humans. The Albians feared or admired the Damurim solely based on the mysterious nature of their masks. Their shapes were all unique and intriguing, featuring designs that weren't conceived of yet in Album. This sparked newly-found inspiration with up-and-coming artists hoping to make a name for themselves.
One such man was Behen Ailemasela, whose most successful paintings managed to engrave the gosfets' beauty and untold value in the kingdom's collective perception. This - along with other celebrated works - eventually led to a nationwide craze with the masks. Many sculptors attempted to imitate the gosfets' enchanting appearances, and citizens from all parts of the land began to wear them as a fashion statement. Some young lamias decided to wear the imitations as well, creating a cultural bridge between the two races for the first time.

War

To show your face is to show your humanity. Witches have none.

— Zalem the Drunk Blight

During Album's second civil war, lamias were targeted by the Imansipata Militia and treated as hostile enemies. This was the last straw for several communities that decided to break their peaceful ways and fend off their aggressors. In one of the most famous battles of the war, the Battle of Bloody Tears, a Damuri witch revealed her hidden magic in a violent display of dark Tenuma. Her gosfet shone brightly as Sleep-Demons were unleashed upon all who threatened her people.

Although the witch's strength was overwhelming, an Imansipata soldier, Zalem, was able to best the masked witch, kill her and claim her gosfets. Following this revelation, there were rumors of a secret expedition into Gallana Amon in search of more masks. Queri, a collector from Mavar, claimed the gosfet she possessed was bequeathed to her by her grandfather, who was a part of said expedition.

Properties

While each gosfet has its unique appearance, there are definitely similarities between them. They are all large, heavy pieces of an unknown crystal-like substance. One theory suggests that the number of eye holes reflects how many lamias had given their faces to any specific mask.

Tenuma Abilities

Whether there is credibility to the legend, it is certain that 'true gosfets' hold incredible magical powers that are only accessible to those the masks deem worthy. Aside from multiplying the potency of a lamia's Tenuma, they are known to give their user access to the 'dream realm', drawing a unique power tied to their gosfet. Some rare humans are said to be worthy of giving their face to Lomot and gain her influence.