The Harlequin

Not to be confused with the jester or fool who often pantomime their look, the Harlequin is an engima. Also know as the Harbringer, Death Jester, Motley Assasin, Joker of Fate, the Shattered Mirror (revolves around certain superstitions of saying the name of Harlequin into a mirror will draw their unwanted attentions), and a host of other names, the Harlequin is a legendary figure often associated of the Northern Gods (specifically Woden) and the Wild Hunt. The Harlequins began as an ancient faction of Elves Hunters, but over the millennia have expanded to a collective of many races. They roam the World, fighting wars and influencing outcomes. Harlequin are often mistakenly identified as Otherworldly apparations, appearing out of the mists, during times of battle and war and death. They often are seen dancing and flitting through ranks of soldiers, bolstering the morale of the troops, while weakening that of the enemy.

The Harlequin lifestyle is very like the life of a roaming mime or troubadour of the medieval times. They wander the World and occasionally appear at settlements, but most often where war is being waged. They perform frenetic, acrobatic dances for the spectators there which are called Masques. Their artistic works portray various battles of ancient times, the legendary decline that destroyed ancient empires, the birth of the new kingdoms risen from the ashes of the old, and many other War related legends. THese dances and performances are all geared to affect and influance the moral of those fighting the battles, both positively and negatively. It is said that the arrival of a Harlequin can change the tide of a battle.

The Harlequins are highly accomplished warriors and each Trouper, as their warriors are called, can be a considerable force in melee combat. They are already graceful and lithe from their lifestyle and dances and Harlequin augment their prowess with specific training in the combat arts, from hand to hand training to military tactics.

The Motley Uniform

A harlequin wears a close-fitting costume with tights that resembles a unitard. Its simplicity is to facilitate agility and acrobatics. The pattern is variegated with sharply contrasting colors, such as Black and red or Black and White and Red. There are 15 stages or levels of rank that a Harlequin can achieve and as a Harlequin advances through each, his motley becomes less complex starting as a multiple variegation of small intricate diamonds, eventually progressing to a party coloured quarters to finally just black and white or black and red on each side. Although his head is completely shaved, a harlequin wears a cap that matches his costume and has removeable silver bells attached to the tips. The harlequin wears a mask to hide his identity.The Mask is generally a plain affair, leaving the lower face uncovered at lower levelsbut after the 10th level of progression the mask becomes a full faced affair often depicting a smiling visiage on one side and a crying visiage on the other or a skull face or on occasion either a happy faced visiage or it's opposite. the masks can be of a solid colour or partied coloured. Some Harlequin have also been known to adopt a plague mask but these masks are uncommon.

Weapons

Harlequins are noted for their combat weapons. The most gruesome of these is the Harlequin's Kiss. The Harlequin's Kiss resembles a baton, however, the ends have hidden spring loaded blades. When the Kiss is punched into a victim, the spring out and pierce, and by moving in a particulat way the harlequin can slice the victim apart from the inside. Another weapon is the Harlequin's boots. Each boot is affixed with a spring loaded blade in the toes which can be devestating in close combat as the harlequin leaps and kicks in his Dance of Combat. Harlequin are also master jugglers and deadly with thrown weapon. Finally each harlequin is armed with a wooded sword. These swords are crafted of a specially blessed hardwood and soaked in the blood of an enemy defeated in unarmed combat. The swords become indestructable and as sharp as a sword made of metal and function much as the holy sword of a palladin

The Ritual of Ascension

Harlequins must pass a trial known as "The Ritual of Ascension" upon initiation into a Harlequin band and then to advance through each level of the Order. This ritual binds them to the Laughing God (Harlequin), which is said to free them from the fear normal mortals have of other gods, and the chaos of wars and strife fought in their names. Each part of the ritual is secret and only revealed as each harlequin is ready to advance to the next stage. Either the Harlequin's original sponcor or the Grand Harloquin himself appears to the candidate to instruct on each phase of the ritual as it is to occur. The Phases of the ritual are as follows:

Rite of Initiation: The candidate is offered the life of his worst enemy or rival. He must take the rivals still beating heart and eat of it and then craft a wooden sword and soak it in the blood of his victim. If successful the candidate becomes one of the Order and must leave behind his former life totally. even giving up his name. From this phase on the harlequin is known only as that "Harlequin". THey may use aliases for their many disguises only. (The Harlequin begins Spell-craft at lvl 1, See the Experiance/magic combat table)
Rite of the Cloth: The Harlequin must craft his first Motley (which becomes Armour SDC 200 AR 15)
Rite of the Dance: The Harlequin must Craft his bladed boots
Rite of the Kiss: The Harlequin must craft his Baton
Rite of Independence: The Harlequin must go on his first assignment unaided in anyway by the Harleqin order and fulfil his contract without anyone discovering he is a harlequin.
Rite of Performance: The Harlequin must survive the duration of a war in an enemy camp without breaking disquise or being discovered as the ememy.
Rite of the Masterpiece: THe harlequin must compose an aria based on the exploits he experianced serving in the armies chosen in his rites of performance and Independence.
Rite of Blooding: THe Harlequin must leave the Order only to return when they are stained by the blood of someone (assigned by the order) closest to them in their former life. (Note: They are never told they have to kill, even if it is heavily implied, they are only asked to returned stained in the blood. The Order judjes their alignment, motivations, and reasonoing for further assignments based on how they interpret the concept of "stained in the blood")
Rite of Music: The Harlequin must craft a Musical instrument that is also a hidden weapon. The instrument must be fully functional for both purposes.
Rite of Brotherhood: THe Harlequin mus select and offer the rite of initiation to a new candidate for the Order. The candidate must accept for the rite to be completed.
Rite of Ruin: The Harlequin must select a war and fight on the side of the winning army only to totally undermnine in totally and bring it to ruin, without ever discovered to be working against it.
Rite of Restoration: The Harlequin must select a war and fight on the side of a losing army that has almost no hope of winning and bring it to complete victory.
Rite of Joy: The Harlequin must research and craft a completely new Morale boosting spell.
Rite of Sorrow: The Harlequin must research and craft a completely new De-moralizing spell.
Rite of Being: They must attack and become the Avatar of Harlequin (The purpose of this rite is for the Harlequin to die, and be reborn as a complete avatar of Harlequin. THe harleqin is never told this. They are told that there is only one Avatar of Harlequin and to progress any further in the order they must face him. When the Harlequin attacks they will ineviidably fail. If their performance was deemed acceptable by the Avatar they will be returned to life as a new Avatar. All 15th level Harlequin are Avatars of the God Harlequin as the actual god was shattered and his fragments cast assunder. Each new Avatar brings a fragment of the god together. The Avatars do not hold the power of a true god but are quite powerful in their own rite and can greatly influance the outcome of battles and the people around them.

Note that each phase of the ritual must be completed before the Harlequin is allowed to advance to the next level. There is no limit as to how many times a harlequin may attept the ritual save for the very first rite, that of Initiation. If the Potential harlequin fails this rite eh will nefver be approched to join the order again nor be allowed to join should he take the rite on his own accord after refusing it the first time. If the potential Harleqin does turn the rite of Initiation down he is left to go his own road with no consequence but will forever more be monitored by the Harlequin order.

The Harlequin

The Motley Uniform

Weapons

The Ritual of Ascension

Harlequin O.C.C.