Urban fantasy blends magic with the modern world, where the supernatural exists just beneath everyday life. Often, magic is hidden from the public eye—a concept known as “the masquerade.” In these settings, magical beings like vampires, werewolves, fairies, ghosts, succubi, sirens and mermaids, dragons, nymphs, deities, elemental beings, shapeshifters, witches, and mages use charms or glamours to blend in with humans. Some run cafés, clinics, or companies that quietly serve both human and supernatural clients, while others work ordinary jobs in secret. There are also mortals who know the truth—monster hunters or those sworn to silence—who help maintain the fragile balance. Sometimes, the hidden world takes darker forms, such as supernatural mafia families operating beneath the surface of modern cities or even existing in the circles of modern high society. Despite occasional conflict between humans and the hidden, most urban fantasy worlds exist in a delicate but lasting peace where the extraordinary quietly coexists with the ordinary.