Horkos Masquerade

> *"You know why you're here. Now is the time to prove yourself! We, the Order of Horkos, will purge the weak, so only the strong survive! Fight like a wolf, or die like a sheep!"*
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The Order of Horkos have shipped their greatest celebration in the form of the Horkos Masquerade. Join them now during this three-week event where you fight in the arena of the Horkos's variation of the Carousel of Death: the Carousel of Horkos. Fight both the opposing team and the lone Horkos Challenger to prove to Astrea that you and your brethren are the strongest.

The festivities for the Horkos will come to an end on April 1st, so take advantage of the celebration and loot what rewards you can before the end of the wild party.

## Overview

> *"The Horkos Masquerade is a grandiose celebration that is also... very deadly. Only the strongest will survive and celebrate!"*
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Those determined to honor Apollyon's Legacy, and to create a new order ruled by the most deserving warriors of Heathmoor, often pledged their alliance to Horkos. Among the various initiation rites that would allow someone to join the Order, the Masquerade would pit a promising challenger against other warriors in a deadly battle. Only the survivors would be accepted in the Order. It was a way to keep the strongest in their rightful place, while bringing new recruits in the Horkos.

### Carousel of Horkos

> *"A Carousel of Death match with a Horkos twist! As usual, you win when your opponents die at the same time."*
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> *"It's a Single Pick match with no Revive, no Feats and no Gear Perks. Defeat the Horkos Challenger to steal their modifier!"*
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The Carousel returns yet again, but under the rule of Horkos. Not only will you and your team fight the opposing team, respawning until the other team is fully wiped out, you will also have to be careful of the Horkos Challenger, a Zhanhu who will deal fire damage and rain their Scorching Deluge upon all in the ring. However, whichever team lays the final blow on the Challenger will be gifted with the Challenger's fire damage until the end of the round.

**Carousel of Horkos** is a modified version of the ever popular *Carousel of Death*. The gamemode is a best-of-five match that consists of two teams of four Heroes pitted against each other in an Arena. Respawn timers start at 5 seconds long, but become 5 seconds longer with every subsequent death. A team wins when the entirety of the other team is dead at the same time. However, in this interaction of the gamemode, at the center stands the Horkos Challenger who will add chaos to the whole fight.

The Horkos Challenger is a Zhanhu who had failed an assassination attempt on Astrea, and is now condemned to fight in the Carousel of Horkos on his own, with no assurance that he will ever live. However, he shouldn't be underestimated, as he packs as much as health as the Guardian from the Breach gamemode and fights much like a lvl 3 bot. On top of this, the Challenger will deal fire damage to all that he hits, inflicting 30 damage over 5 seconds, along with having access to Scorching Deluge, which will target all Heroes on both teams, resulting in utter chaos. Whoever lands the finishing blow on the Challenger will be fully healed, while also receiving a special buff for their team, attaining the same fire damage on all hits until the end of the round. It is not necessary to kill the Challenger to win the round.

This game mode is Single Pick, meaning there can't be two of the same Heroes on one team, and there are no Feats or Perks active.

### Map Changes

The event takes place on the Pit map, which has become overriden by the Horkos. All deer symbolism have been removed while Horkos symbols have been spread around the ring. Stigandr has been removed from his thrown, replaced by a lowered platform where Astrea and one of her wolves watch the festivity. Horkos warriors line the fences and surrounding areas, celebrating with music or cheering the warriors who fight in the pit. In the background, fireworks and other devices can be seen in the distance.

## Other Changes

### Event Rewards

Outside the Event Order, players who participate in the event can loot exclusive in-game rewards, including new Chimera themed outfits, ornaments, and Chimera Symbol Mood effects. However, unlike Events before, cosmetic loot is attained by a free Event Pass. The free Event Pass enables players to earn the outfits, ornaments and effects over the span of 30 tiers, removing the randomness players faced previously when trying to attain these cosmetic items. New weapon visuals represent the Horkos's deeper roots in being a twisted but sophisticated force of corruption.

Players can also opt to purchase the special items that are exclusive to the event. There are two new cosmetics in the form of an Illustrious Outfit, the Horkos Aspirant, where you done a special headdress of special Horkos mysticism. The other is the Feast upon the Weak execution, where you summon ravens to eat your foe to bits. Both are exclusive, so purchase them before they become unavailable after the event.

## The Covenant Games

> *"Prove your worth to Astrea in another Carousel of Horkos. Only the strongest will survive and celebrate!"*
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The Horkos Masquerade made a swift return during Year of the Covenants Season 2 a few weeks prior to the midseason. The gamemode occupied the Event Gamemode slot on the warmap, and while not much changed otherwise, Astrea made her return on the main menu screen. New event rewards were available in the form of a battle outfit and an ornament, only obtainable by playing the event gamemode. The Daily Orders also featured lore from this event, together with Daily Order lore from the Visions of the Kyoshin event that are Horkos related.

## Unique Orders

During the Horkos Masquerade event, the daily orders and Event Orders will be tailored with unique names that references the special game at hand.

### Daily Orders

* ***Daily Guaranteed Order:***
	+ Warrior:
		- **The Factions** - "The war between factions was not over, but legions and armies saw the new Covenants as opportunities to seal alliances based not only on cultures, but also on moral values and political interests."
		- **War Never Changes** - "Several years had passed since the Battle of the Eclipse. Horkos and Chimera had become Covenants, formal alliances that were made between several legions in Heathmoor."
		- **Purging the Weak** - "The Carousel of Horkos had two purposes: To put to the test any new warrior wanting to join the Order; and to ensure only the strongest wolves thrived within the Order."
		- **Factions and Covenants** - "A warrior would fight for their home and choose a faction accordingly; their views of the world, of who their enemy should be would lead them to favor one of the Covenants."
		- **Unsettling Rituals** - "According to some rumors, warriors who slayed the Horkos Challenger would be allowed to feast upon their corpse and draw strength from them."
		- **Aftermath of the Eclipse** - "The population of Heathmoor declined after the many battles between Horkos and Chimera. The survivors began to enjoy more resources for themselves; water, food, and supplies became abundant again."
		- **The Myth of Horkos** - "For most of the Order, Horkos was less an embodied god, more of an abstract ideal that could take many forms. An ideal of righting the wrongs, of clarity and growth."
		- **Recruiting Season** - "With more resources available, but less warriors within their ranks, the leaders of Horkos and Chimera began to seal new alliances for the battles to come."
		- **Agreements** - "Warriors joining the Horkos would benefit from a unified force, with a strong hierarchy and great resources. Those forming an alliance with Chimera would gain dependable allies and fruitful trades between factions."
		- **Chimera Festivities** - "The Chimera Alliance had their own way to celebrate any new warriors joining their ranks. The host of such festivities was a famous warrior who knew how to put on a show."
	+ *Complete 2 matches of any game mode.*
* Attacker - **Beast of Horkos**:
	+ "It was told that a mysterious black wolf saved Astrea from an assassination attempt after the Battle of the Eclipse. The Warmonger saw the beast as a manifestation of the divine Horkos."
	+ "As the legend of Astrea being saved by a wolf grew among her ranks, the Order of Horkos began to use the silhouette of a wolf as a new emblem for the Covenant."
	+ "Astrea would often be seen with one or more wolves to her side, as companions. These mighty beasts would growl at anyone who had ill-intent toward the Warmonger."
		- *Capture 5 zones in any game mode.*
* Adaptable Warrior - **A Scribe's Journal**:
	+ "When Astrea invited me to the Masquerade, I thought I would be the one being sacrificed, but I was wrong. She told me that all great leaders needed a voice to tell their story. I'm still not sure why she chose me."
	+ "I guess my main strength is that I look harmless. I've become friends with many warriors over the past decade. Usually they don't want to tell me the truth. They ask me to show them in the best possible light."
	+ "The Horkos Masquerade was... quite an experience. It was sophisticated yet violent, gorgeous yet terrifying. The warriors were battling endlessly, as if under a trance."
		- *Complete 2 matches of any game mode with 2 different Heroes.*
* Slayer:
	+ **The Horkos Challenger** - "The Zhanhu had no choice but to fight for his life in the Horkos Masquerade. He had to battle alone against not one, but two legions of ruthless warriors in a grandiose arena. His chances of survival were slim."
	+ **Murderous Wolf** - "On a moonless night, a masked Zhanhu slaughtered Horkos guards and tried to assassinate Astrea but failed. Instead of killing the Zhanhu, Astrea chose to put him to the test in the next Masquerade."
	+ **The Horkos Challenger** - "Nobody had ever seen him without his mask, and no one knew his real name. It seemed the Zhanhu didn't believe in either Horkos or Chimera. All he wanted was to avenge his mother's death."
		- *Perform 10 takedowns in any game mode.*
* Executioner - **Horkos Mentality**:
	+ "According to the warriors of Horkos, the cause of all evil was weakness. People would be unjust, disloyal and dishonorable only when they did not have the strength to stay true to themselves."
	+ "The warriors of Horkos believed that people were not born equal. Some were born to rule, while others were meant to serve. A constant struggle was the only way to keep the strongest at their rightful place."
	+ "Life was not a given nor a gift according to the Horkos views. In this troubled world, people had to earn the right to live and fight. The weakest had their part to play too - - in serving the strong."
		- *Perform 3 executions in any game mode.*
* Event Special:
	+ **The Horkos Challenger** - "The Zhanhu was not interested in politics or any grandiose scheme. He did not even care about factions or covenants. But his mother, a simple farmer, died an unjust death."
		- *Deal 220 damage to the Horkos Challenger in Carousel of Horkos.*
	+ **A Scribe's Journal** - "Even if most people were struggling to survive the drought, some Horkos wolves still rejoiced and celebrated their Masquerade. They wanted to show that they were as strong as ever despite their hardships."
		- *Perform 6 takedowns in Carousel of Horkos.*

### Event Orders

Each week, there will be a unique Weekly Order.

* **Wardens (5) - March 12 - 15**
	+ "...ijkjsxj tk y**m**jnw qfsi fsi ymjnw ujtuq**j**..."
		- *Be the faction with the most Carousel of Horkos matches won.*
* **Wardens (3) - March 19 - 22**
	+ "zdh**u** sduwldo sodwh dupru zlwk fkdlqpdlo"
		- *Be the faction with the most damage done to the Horkos Challenger in Carousel of Horkos.*
* **Wardens (?+?) - March 26 - 29**
	+ "Uivg amb wcb bw ikpqm**d**m bp**qa**, nme lw."
		- *Be the faction with the most Executions performed in Carousel of Horkos.*

### Loading Screen Lore Tips

Just like previous events, there were some lore bits scattered in the Loading Screen, some adapted from the existing Orders or completely original lore tidbits.

* **Dualist Philosophy:** *"The views of Horkos were an expansion of Apollyon's belief in a world led by the strong feeding on the weak."*
* **Beast of Horkos:** *"The warriors of Horkos believed the black wolf was a manifestation of the divine Horkos."*
* **Recruiting Season:** *"With more resources available, both Horkos and Chimera recruited new troops for the battles to come."*
* **Horkos Challenger:** *"A masked Zhanhu failed his assassination attempt against Astrea. Instead of killing him, Astrea put him to the test."*
* **Aftermath:** *"The Battle of the Eclipse decimated the population, but the survivors had more resources for themselves."*
* **Purging the Weak:** *"The Horkos Masquerade was meant to test a recruit, and to ensure only the strongest thrived within the Order."*
* **Beast of Horkos:** *"It was told that a mysterious black wolf saved Astrea from an assassination attempt after the Battle of the Eclipse."*
* **Agreements:** *"Warriors following the Horkos would benefit from a unified Order, while those joining Chimera would gain dependable allies."*

## Trivia

* Each of the event weapons given to the Heroes are named after an animal, likely indicating which animal spirit the Hero is close to. The following is the list of weapon names, their translation and which Hero it's assigned to (thanks to user Nutella for collecting this information).
	+ **Knights**
		- Warden: Equus (Horse)
		- Conqueror: Molossus (Dog)
		- Peacekeeper: Pardus (Leopard)
		- Lawbringer: Leo (Lion)
		- Centurion: Aquila (Eagle)
		- Gladiator: Pava (Peacock)
		- Black Prior: Buteo (Buzzard)
		- Warmonger: Cygnus (Swan)
		- Gryphon: Gryps (Griffin)
	+ **Vikings**
		- Raider: Hrafn (Crow)
		- Warlord: Bjorn (Bear)
		- Berserker: Jarfr (Wolverine)
		- Valkyrie: Falki (Gyrfalcon)
		- Highlander: Aon-adharcach (Unicorn)
		- Shaman: Hyena (Hyena)
		- Jormungandr: Ormr (Lindworm)
	+ **Samurai**
		- Kensei: Tanchozuru (Red-crowned crane)
		- Shugoki: Inoshishi (Japanese boar)
		- Orochi: Suzumebachi (Asian giant hornet)
		- Nobushi: Kitsune (Fox)
		- Shinobi: Sasori (Scorpion)
		- Aramusha: Araiguma (Raccoon)
		- Hitokiri: Kumo (Spider)
	+ **Wu Lin**
		- Tiandi: Laohu (Tiger)
		- Jiang Jun: Shishi (Foo dog)
		- Nuxia: Huedie (Butterfly)
		- Shaolin: Houzi (Monkey)
		- Zhanu: Qilin (Kirin)
* Currently, it has been noticed that the weapon visuals for the Wu Lin Heroes (except Zhanhu) are not the same visuals that were seen in the March 4th Warrior's Den showcase, even though they feature their intended names. It may be possible that these visuals are for a future release of weapon visuals.
	+ This issue was later recognized in an official blog post, addressed that the missing weapons and other event weapons of the Horkos Masquerade will make a return during the next event.
* Off-map, the "potty minion" from the Honor Games has made a return.
* The event orders are all solved using a Caesar Cipher, using the number given in the order title; in the case of the third week's order, the two previous weeks' numbers are added together as the key for the Cipher. The result of the decrypted text are excerpts from the Warden's main bio:
	+ "The Wardens are powerful, noble warriors dedicated to the **defense of their land and their people**. Striking a balance between defense and offense, wardens **wear partial plate armor with chainmail** and leather. Wardens wield massive two-handed longswords for slashing enemies and blocking attacks. Trained to be proud, loyal, and brilliant diplomats, the Wardens are expected to embody the highest values of Knighthood. **Many set out to achieve this, few do.**"
	+ Letters are highlighted in orange, which if put together make up the name of "Hervis."

## Gallery

### Video

For Honor- Horkos Masquerade Event - Trailer - Ubisoft -NA-For Honor- New Illustrious Outfits and Emotes - Weekly Content Update- 03-11-2021 - Ubisoft -NA-