The Battledancers are tribal desert Elves of the Southlands, found mostly in Ara'bia. They dress as most of the peoples of the desert and as such are commonly found in flowing robes and headscarves. Frequently favouring the colours red and black. All are trained in the Arts of melee combat, specifically trained to fight with twinned sword blades. Their grace in combat is said to be unmatched by any other mortal race that fights with swords.
Invariably a Battledancer will be gifted with the ability to cast Incantations by their Ancestor, Sehanine. She is affiliated with the Moon and all lunar phenomena, such as tides and seasons. These Elves believe that Sehanine (meaning "Moonbow") is their creator as well as their Ancestor, as they believe that they became who they are through her direct intervention. It is she that imbues her followers with Incantation and demands of them that they are tutored in the ways of ambidextrous swordplay. Sehanine is most closely identified with the full moon. As moon goddess, Sehanine is one who governs divinations, omens, and what is often termed "subtle magic", ie; illusion, elemental magic, alteration, and the like. She is also a protector against madness.
For the most part Battledancers are Duelists and Scholars. They are very capable in the fields of acting and, obviously, dance. It is also fairly common to find them adept at other Arts such as singing or poetry.
In brief - their beliefs are as follows; Long ago came a time when Sehanine looked down upon all of the Elven Race, and she saw that disaster lay before them. That the Elves would suffer a great calamity and their whole existence was at risk. (This time was not specified to me – but it seems reasonable to assume that this may have been either ‘The Sundering’ or the ‘Race Wars’).
She saw the High Elven Lords and Ladies, deep within their palaces and their forest glades and saw that they were oblivious to the threats that lay before them. They were so caught up in their decadent pleasures and facile distractions that they did not perceive the dire future ahead of them.
And she wept for all of her people and despaired that all was lost.
For many nights she looked down upon the Elves and pondered deeply upon their fate and her own likely intervention.
She was disgusted at the frivolity of the so called ‘High Elven’ nobles and their detachment from the realities of the world. She saw the only hope amongst the common Elves who toiled and struggled to survive around the outskirts of Elven society.
Sehanine spoke to a chosen few and set about teaching those worthy the ways of the Battledancer. She charged them with saving the Elven races and bestowed her wisdom upon them and them alone. These common Elves, or ‘Low Elves’ as they were seen by their more fortunate kinfolk, learned her ways.
The Battledancers believe that Sehanine has charged them with the salvation of the Elven races. They are sworn to harm no Elves and to learn the martial arts of their creed. They all wear masks, at their goddess’s behest and most carry two swords.
Due to their lowly heritage, no Battledancer may own land or acquire a Title or Rank. In practice this means that none will accept Faction positions but may, at times take on Guild responsibilities.
In addition to this, there are interesting peculiarities to Sehanine’s teachings. The Battledancers have a complex social structure revolving around different ‘roles’ or ‘parts’ that they play. In simple terms it is as if there was a play or a story that they all participate in. Upon coming of age each Battledancer will take on a persona which will dictate what role they will play in the task that their race has set itself.
For example; Nightsinger was the ‘Dark Dancer’ a kind of enforcer who is exempt from the law that states that no Battledancer will harm Elves. She was tasked with keeping Elves in line and played out the persona of the Dark Dancer within her tribe. There are many such personas which a young Battledancer might choose from and they will follow this role for all of their life. Now that Nightsinger is dead, a new ‘Dark Dancer’ will be chosen by her people. The particular role that an elf might take is signified by facial markings that closely resemble the markings that some beastkin exhibit. This may well be linked to the somewhat feral nature of the Battledancers, something they share with the Eldrin who are their closest kin.
The Battledancers most promenant within open society are those who are resident at the Beth Horon Dueling School in Ara'bia. They are based at Pitzburg. Pitzburg is a major trade center in the South of one of the 9 kingdoms of Ara'bia. That kingdom is Cyrenaica, the most North Easterly of the 9 kingdoms.
