Since I am a games lover and demon-based games are, of course, one of my favorites, I was curious to ask the OM players what are their thoughts about the masquerade ball event.
The cards we have for this particular event depict Asmodeus, Satan, and Mammon. We have two sides for each card and the other side shows the tree demons wearing masks inspired by Japanese mythology. This is not my field, so I am sorry if I am going to say something inaccurate.
The sad thing is the game does not explore these aspects, even if the game has supernatural nuances. I don't want to complain though, since this is a gotcha game that has other priorities. For that reason, I am going to share my ideas with you, hoping you can find this post if not interesting, at least entertaining. Let's begin then.
Asmodeus and the Kitsune mask: I like this association since Asmodeus is, despite being a demon, an entity that represents love, sexuality, kindness, and closeness to human beings. The kitsune is a spirit well known for shapeshifting and living in a very close relationship with humans. These foxes are also known for shapeshifting to beautiful women the majority of the time, which is another thing that can be associated with Asmodeus since he represents beauty and feminine energy.
Satan and the Oni mask: originally I mistook this mask for a tengu, but as one of you pointed out, Satan's mask symbolizes an Oni. An Oni can be a demon, but it is not necessarily evil. Usually, it is portrayed with a red, black, white, or even yellow body. Initially seen simply as souls of the dead, the Oni became, especially when referred to as kishin, a wicked soul with a hunger for human flesh. According to mythology, it can cause calamities such as plague, war, or earthquakes. It is believed to change his form to a handsome man to better allure its victims. As a demon, Satan can have lots in common with this entity. Surely his wrath is what combines him with this particular demon (thank you @o-n-i-c-h-a-n for your account).
Mammon and the crow/Karasu mask: we already know thanks to the game that Mammon has a strong relation to crows and ravens. He has a lot in common with these animals. He is not only attracted to precious things such as coins, jewelry, and similar, but he is also a trickster-like creature and very smart. Yes, he is. Since he represents the trickster archetype such as Loki and Hermes, who are not by chance protectors of thieves, he is very smart indeed. As for the mask he's wearing in the card, we can assume that represents Karasu or Yatagarasu, the three-legged crow. This creature is already present in the game as a helper for the mc and a symbol appearing as an emote in chats. This creature is often a guide for those who see it and that is particularly true for Mammon since he is not only a guide for the mc but also a protector in general.
As I said I am not an expert on Japanese folklore, for that reason feel free to correct me or add something to this post. Maybe you have noticed some details I didn't see in those cards. I am eager to know your opinion on that! If you are curious to see the other cards, you can find all the cards on this useful website:
Karasu OS is a card and tool database for the game Obey Me! by NTT Solmare Corporation.
you can find all the cards you are interested in just by searching for the character, rarity, or attribute.
Sources for the post: Picken, Stuart D. B; Historical dictionary of Shinto.
