Liar's Night
Liar's Night is a holiday celebrated along the Sword Coast on the 30th day of Marpenoth, paying tribute to the deities Leira and Mask. It is celebrated to appease the gods and guard against their unwanted attention. Revelers don costumes or glamers to disguise themselves and pretended to be that which they are not. Common masks include the symbol of Mask himself and the mirror masks of the priests of Leira. Though there is no limit on the disguise someone could wear, the more elaborate the costume, the more celebrated the wearer.
As of the late 15th century DR, Liar's Night is held in Waterdeep and in Neverwinter, where it has come to be called the Masquerade of Liars.
History
Beginning in the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, Dagult Neverember declared that Liar's Night in Neverwinter was to be extended into a grand festival known as the Masquerade of Liars.
Observance
The celebrations begin in the evening when people place candles into gutted pumpkins or gourds that have faces carved into them. Each pumpkin represents a person who has donned a mask, while the candle light represents who they truly are. For as long as the candle is lit, lies told and embarrassing acts wouldn't harm a person's reputation. As such, celebrations often devolve into chaotic anarchy. Bad luck comes to those who returned after celebrating to find their pumpkin's candle has gone out. Intentionally blowing out someone else's candle or smashing their pumpkin risks drawing the ire of both Mask and Leira.
Tricks, pranks, and even pickpocketing are common on this night; thus tradition has people filling their pockets with candy in lieu of money. Pickpockets take the candy and replace it with a small token such as a folded scrap of paper, or a trinket. More commonly, people will just trade candy at face value, and readily hand it out to children who ask. Illusionists and stage magicians are often hired to perform or wander the streets in hopes of garnering clients.
It is known that no deals are to be made, nor contracts signed on Liar's Night, as nobody trusted that the other parties would honor their commitments.
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