The Masquerade is the code by which most all WoD (World of Darkness) based vampires live. It preserves their way of life and assures that they don’t feed themselves into extinction, or bring about an all out war between kine (humans) and kindred. It allows vampires to co-exist with humanity as little more than figments of humanity’s imagination. It is the equivalent to any self-preserving company’s mission statement. The Masquerade is the goals and tenets in place to preserve and further vampire existence while prohibiting humanity from knowing fully of their actual presence as a parasitic being using humanity as both food and entertainment. It basically says no barring fangs on national television (or public/local access), no taking bullets in the head and then grinning sadistically (learn to play dead), and absolutely no feeding on the voluptuous blonde strolling through the retail mall in the middle of the holiday shopping season. Well, you can have her, but all in good time... just use your pimp-daddy skills of presence or dominate to persuade her to meet you in a dark alley in the shady district of town in which you reside. Of course, she’ll be donning a recently purchased Victoria’s Secret leather and lace getup when doing so (In my pre-ordered copy of Bloodlines at least).​