「即便『假面愚者』也會嚴肅地歌頌他們追隨的星神——因為祂永遠不會放棄你,永遠不會令你沮喪,永遠不會拋棄你,永遠不會讓你哭,永遠不會同你道別,永遠不會用謊言傷害你。」
——艾斯•里克利,艾普瑟隆Ⅻ星系流行巨星
「假面愚者」以一則寓言訴說著他們崇奉的神明是如何降生的——當歡愉之主攀上存在之樹的高枝,祂窺見真空冰冷可憎,星辰機械運轉,萬物意義讓位於虛無。祂繼續望去,直到目睹一名嬰兒落地啼哭猶如受盡委屈,便忍不住縱聲大笑。這清澈的笑聲撕裂了冰冷死寂的宇宙,迴蕩諸界至今。
愚者們深信:世界的真相只是一個笑話,萬物的終極意義存留於單純的笑聲。宇宙無情,卻有歡樂可以消弭痛苦,沖淡悲戚,抵抗虛無,治癒創傷。笑,是智慧種族的天賦之權,是唯一的答案。
在所有歡愉信眾之中,「假面愚者」的理念尤其激進,他們為了找尋樂子不惜一切代價,往往將所到之處攪得天翻地覆。笑英雄自以為是,笑王者權欲薰心,笑戀人痴纏糾葛,笑智者機關算盡……其所作一切都是為了攪動生命這潭死水,使之激盪變化,而愚者們自變化中解讀出值得嘲弄的樂趣。若有人能戲弄他們,那更是求之不得的樂事。
Masked Fools — Elation
"Even an organization like the Masked Fools sing praises of their Aeon. The Aeon will never give you up, never let you down, or run around and desert you. THEY will never make you cry, say goodbye, or tell a lie and hurt you."
— Ast Rickley, super popstar of the Epsilon XII System
The Masked Fools tell a parable of the birth of their beloved Aeon. When the Aeon of Elation climbed to the highest branch on the Tree of Existence, THEY saw the cold and despicable void, the stars operating like machinery, and how the meaning of all things bows before nothingness. THEY continued looking until THEY saw a baby fall to the ground and cry because it had been wronged. The Aeon burst into laughter, laughter so clear it tore through the cold universe and still reverberates through the universe today.
The Fools believe that the truth of the world is a joke, and that the ultimate meaning of all things lies in mere laughter. The universe is merciless, but there is joy to eliminate pain, dilute sorrow, resist nihilism, and heal wounds. Laughter, the gift of intelligent races, is the only answer.
Masked Fools are extremely radical when it comes to their beliefs among the followers of Elation. In their pursuit of pleasure, they do whatever it takes to find it, often causing havoc wherever they go. They laugh at heroes for self-righteousness, kings for their lust of power, lovers for their infatuation, and scholars for their overthinking. The Fools' objective is to stir the stagnant pool of life to create surges and change, because change is a source of mockery and amusement to the Fools. It would be a welcome sight if someone could turn the tables on them.