Mask of Deception begins atop a snowy mountain where the protagonist awakens in an unfamiliar wilderness, surrounded by deadly creatures, with nothing but a hospital gown and a splitting headache. However, he's rescued by a beautiful girl named Kuon, who sports both adorable animal ears and a beastlike tail. Finding that the hapless man has no memory of anything, Kuon decides to take the amnesiac into her care, naming him Haku. As their journey takes them across the land, Haku will (reluctantly) encounter colorful characters (yes, that means more animal people), build deep relationships, battle ruthless enemies, and find himself inexorably dragged into the political machinations of the mighty nation of Yamato.