Legends

History and Lore of the Blade Dancer - by T.A. Saunders revision v2.5 2013

Blade Dancers and Imarel

One can only learn to be a Blade Dancer from a Master of at least one of the eight known forms. It is expected that most students will dedicate at least twenty to twenty five years of their life, perhaps more to simply become proficient in one form alone. Few humans ever learn more than one for this reason but there are exceptions.

A potential Blade Dancer must also be in good standing with Zorah, whom grants the spiritual vigor needed to achieve the Blade Dance. As the goddess of the Wild, she is the ultimate surveyor of Natural Law; of Life and Death. Ergo, those who do not at least have a healthy respect for nature will likely not get far as a Blade Dancer. In the case of Fallen Blade Dancers, who give themselves entirely to Khazaar and the lust for death, they are granted a similar spiritual vigor from him that fills their hearts with anger and fury.

Blade Dancers in and of themselves are not considered with any particular hostility or friendliness anywhere in Imarel, though due to the spiritual affiliation with Zorah, most Blade Dancers (save for those who have fallen) are welcomed in the Tallis-Kah Territories.

In truth, Blade Dancers have more to worry about from other Blade Dancers, in matters of loss of Honor, than they do from anybody else. A Fallen Blade Dancer is looked upon with both disgrace and shame by their fellows for the warping and twisting of the true purpose and intent of the Dance. When a Blade Dancer faces a fallen one, a duel to the death is inevitable.

Blade Dancers take their personal honor very seriously and affronts to that honor are taken with utmost gravity. Should it be deemed that a Blade Dancer has acted dishonorably themselves, most, even fallen ones will make an effort to correct the slight to maintain personal honor and credibility. Most slights to a Blade Dancer involve speaking ill of their skill or insulting their beliefs as they pertain to Blade Dancing. To steal, break or desecrate a Blade Dancer's chosen weapon is an insult without reproach, and often ends poorly for the violator.