Some masks hide the face. This one hides the soul—and steals it when the curtain falls

This post details a dangerous magic item from my solo campaign set in the Bay of Spirits, using the gritty low fantasy RPG Tales of Argosa.
If you’re new to the adventure, start with Session 0 for character introductions, setting details, and the tools I’m using.

Today, we delve into the legend of the Masque du Dernier Soupir—the mask that sings, seduces, and steals.

Origin

The mask was fashioned from bleached coral gathered along the shore near an inlet in the outer bay, a place known to locals as the Mouth of the Drowned. Few venture there willingly. The tides speak in riddles, and the wind carries the scent of forgotten performances. It was here that Virelle, leader of the troupe of travelling mistrals Les Égarés du Voile found the coral—and bound her final act to its brittle bones.

The mask gleams with a porcelain-white sheen that belies its brittle nature. Virelle, in her final act of hubris, bound a demon of vanity and deception to its hollow form—an audience of one, forever whispering praise and poison.

During a stormy show in Larkton, Virelle of the Veil disappeared mid-performance, leaving only her signature mask. The mask was both her crowning achievement and downfall.

• Appearance: Porcelain with shifting expressions, crimson lacquer stains the inside like dried blood or rouge.
• Effect: Grants the wearer unmatched mimicry and charisma, but slowly siphons their soul with each performance.
• Demonic Influence: Possessed by a minor demon of vanity and deception. It whispers seductive lines, urging ever more daring acts.
• Lore: The mask remembers every soul it has consumed. In moments of silence, faint echoes of past performances can be heard.

Performance Mechanic for Tales of Argosa

When worn during a performance, the mask grants the wearer enhanced charisma, allowing them to perform far beyond their usual capabilities. The mask offers visions or voice to the wearer.

Roll 1d6 to determine the nature of the echo: 1–2: a line of dialogue; 3–4: a musical phrase; 5–6: a fleeting emotion.

However, this power comes at a price.

At the end of the performance, the wearer must make a Willpower check:

Result	Effect
Great Success	Gain +1 Charisma for one week. The mask hums with approval.
Success	No lasting effect—just resounding applause and a lingering thrill.
Failure	Lose -1 Constitution permanently. The mask feeds on the soul.
Terrible Failure	The mask steals your soul. You are no more. The performance ends in silence.

“Some masks are worn. Others consume.”

The mask now rests in a battered old satchel slung over Melodie’s shoulder, nestled among sheet music and broken reeds. Neither she nor Juliette suspects its true nature. To them, it is merely a relic of tragedy—a porcelain-white mask of bleached coral, once worn by a vanished starlet. They do not hear the whispers. Not yet. But the demon waits, patient and poised, listening to the rhythm of their footsteps and the hush between their songs.

Link to Piper’s Quay and the Secrets of Wyrm Cove. (session 0)