The Mask Makers

The Mask Makers are an organization similar to the Mafia and Camorista in Baccano! However contrasting other "families" this one does not denote the traditions of the mafia acting more like a mercenary group as opposed to a mafia which is en root a type of Secret Society. The original "Mask Maker" was Monica Campanella who lived and founded the group in the Pre-Advenna Avis Timeline, but her realitive Luchino Campanella currently runs the group in the 21st century, making this group the oldest organization known in Baccano!

1705: The Ironic Light Orcastra
The Mask Maker (than only a single entity) was a sprouting urban legend that arose coincedentally during the time of the Police's drug conspiracy against the aristocrats - which involved Nikki - and thus was believed by many to be responsible with the spree of deaths that was plaging Lotto Valentino. However the true master mind was Maiza and Gretto's father (who has yet to actually appear).

Though mentioned frequently in the book and the identity being present sense the earliest chapter, Monica did not actually done the Mask Maker identity until she confronted Elmer C. Albatross in his room and stabbed him. Later however she herself was suddenly confronted with the Mask Maker outside of her own window, much to her shock. It turns out that Elmer had recognized her and had donned a similar getup to get answers from her. She than explains that she had donned it to aid in Huey Laforet's money counterfeit opperations, she had begun to kill members of the drug trade. One of these incidents was witnessed by Nikki.

With this in mind Elmer and Monica than go to rescue Huey Laforet disguised as the Mask Maker.

Between books
Sometime between the events of 1705 and 1710 Elmer, Huey and Monica joined and created the group called the Mask Makers, working together.

Much later around the later 1990s the Mask Makers were contracted to kill the cult members who were worshipping Illness. When she was confronted by a member, she asked if she was a "god", this made the Mask Maker laugh, seeing a loophole in thier contract, as they "were not hired to kill gods" thus Illness was adopted by the Mercenary band and rose up the ranks eventually becoming one of their Four Great Weapons.

1710 Crack Flag
Yet to read==

2002 A Side: Bullet Garden
The Mask Makers are the main antagonists of the 2002 arc, being responsible for the highjacking of sister ships Entrance & Exit. In the current timeline the Mask Makers appear to be a rather happy-go-lucky group of rather eccentric but slightly malevolent movie-lovers. Early in the book one of the Four Great Weapons, and the supposed strongest: Death is killed.

Later during the highjacking of the Entrance Illness befriends Claudia Walken - who the other Mask Makers are fans of - and during the night Life sneaks aboard, and lays the ground work for the operation. However things got complicated by the unforeseen arrival of Bobby Splot and his three friends and their fellow stowaway Carnea who were looking for vengeance against the Martillo Family and seeking out Angelo respectively; vacationing Martillo Family Executive Firo Prochainezo and his wife Ennis plus Immortal Czeslaw Meyer; sibling duo descendents of the Rail Tracer and Chane Laforet Claudia and Charon Walken; and Angelo who was in pursuit of the Mask Makers and mistakes Firo for one.

Eventually Illness and Czes encounter Bobby Splots Gang capturing members Tall, Troy and Humpty (not thier real names), while Bobby and Carnea escape. Unfortunately for Bobby and Carnea they accidentally trigger one of Life's set up devices and are than persued by the Sin, along with the other members. Illness is notified of this and also engages in persue. Unfortunately for the Mask Makers she looks at the time and her mind switches from "Stowaways" to "Clauda" thus exiting to see her friend instead.

Structure
When it was founded it only had three members so no hierarchy or structure of any kind was necessary. However in 2002 the group consists of no less than twenty people who highjacked the Entrance and Exit each, bringing the minimum up to forty at least. Luchino Campanella is the boss of the organization and runs it despite his young age earning him the title of Rookie. Besides him is the Four Great Weapons who are the direct superiors to the rest of the organization and seems to be the orcastrators if Luchino is elsewhere. The members are all named after aspects of torture in life are are only known by their codenames: Aging, Life, Death and Illness. Luchino chose these four based on their abilities.==

Boss
Monica Campanella† → Luchino B. Campanella

Original Members

 * Monica Campanella†


 * Huey Laforet


 * Elmer C. Albatross

Four Great Weapons
Death †:was the strongest member of this group and was held in high esteem by the other members. Befitting hi name he is killed in the A side prologue, but is mentioned frquently throughout the rest of the book.

Illness: the youngest member of the group, while the other members commanded respect Illness is looked down upon for her age and mercy. However this lack of respect hides a very ruthless and capable fighter, whose skills are comparable to Nile's in hand to hand combat, as noted by Czeslaw Meyer after she took down Bobby Splot's group.

Life: is an alias that Fermet took up upon joining the Mask Makers despite being the murderer of their founder. Like the other members his name is poetic as he is immortal, and has survived being devoured no less than two attempts. To help hide his identity he wore mode-changing high tech goggles that could switch from regular vision, inferred vision, and night vision. It is implied that nobody within the Mask Makers has ever scene his face.

Aging: while the other members were on the Entrance, Aging was with the boss at the time planning their highjacking of the Exit and the kidnapping of Elmer C. Albatross.

Other Members

 * Misao: a minor member who made a phone call to her divorcee in A side, while she was on B side.


 * Elmer C. Albatross was invited to join after he revealed to Luchino the truth of Monica's death.

Strength
A good testament of the power of the Mask Maker organization is that it has survived for almost four hundred years without falling into obscurity. The group was a well revered Mercenary group and is thus far the only known group that was able to simultaneously highjack two ships. Their Four Great Weapons consisted of at least one immortal, and the young but strong Illness. Elmer C. Albatross recently joined the organization as well which further bolsters their numbers of one additional immortal. When they were founded its members were but three teenagers who used the Mask Maker urban legend to benefit their alchemy.

Trivia

 * in the 2002 Side A prologue an unnamed Mask Maker says that the Four Great Weapons are called the Four Heavenly Kings in Japan. This is a reference to Toriko!, where the titual character Toriko and his three adoptive brothers - Coco, Sunny and Zebra - make up a group in the IGO called the Four Heavenly Kings.