A
masquerade is a
ball,
dance, or
party; in which, participants wear
costumes and hide their true
identity.
"
The Masquerade" is a
fictional term, from
White Wolf's
Vampire: The Masquerade; describing the efforts of the
vampiric Camarilla to hide from
humanity. This practice was begun during the
15th Century, in response to the
Inquisition.