Harlequin
From Lexicanum
The Harlequins are a sub-group of the Eldar race. They are fighters and performers at once, masked and appearing in bright colors and employing powerful and fearful weapons. They are the keepers of the Black Library of Chaos and serve the Laughing God. Both feared and welcomed by all other Eldar factions, they possess a grace and agility unsurpassed even by other Eldar.
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History and Society
The Harlequins (Rillietann) are a faction of the Eldar, and the most enigmatic of that mysterious race. They roam the Webway, fighting Chaos and its influence. Their purpose is to battle the forces of Chaos, and Harlequins are even known to temporarily ally with other races battling their common enemy.
Harlequins must pass a trial known only as The Ritual upon initiation into a Harlequin band. This ritual is said to free the Harlequins of Slaanesh's claim on Eldar souls. This is why Harlequins do not wear waystones, and do not have to endure the tiring soul-draining that other Eldar endure when in the Webway for prolonged periods of time.
It is revealed in Citadel Journal #10 that this ritual consist of an Eldar being possessed by a Greater Daemon of Slaanesh and throwing it off. This causes one of three things to happen. The first is that the Eldar will throw off the possession of the daemon and therefore be both illuminated and never have to fear the warp again. The second is that the Eldar's soul will be lost and the Harlequin present at the ritual must put down the possessed Eldar's body. The third is that the Eldar's soul will be ripped free from its body, even though it was able to cast the daemon out and retain control of itself. This final result is how a Solitaire is born.
Harlequins have no allegiance to any one Craftworld, traveling from world to world, and between Eldar and even non-Eldar societies. They are a unique caste of wandering warrior-troubadours, fighting and performing in troupes, formed of Harlequin troupers.
The central figure of Harlequin belief is the Cegorach - the Great Harlequin, also known as the Great Fool, the First Fool or the Laughing god. According to Eldar legend, this deity survived the Fall because his mocking nature distanced him from the decadence that became Slaanesh.
The Harlequins' self-appointed task is to keep alive the legend of the Fall of the Eldar through their performances. They travel the Webway constantly, presenting entertainments based on Eldar tradition and the Fall. They have been known to perform their dance dramas for humans and other non-Eldar, since they believe the Fall holds a lesson from which all races may benefit.
The Dance Without End
The Dance is the greatest of the Harlequins' works, telling of the Fall of the Eldar. It is performed only rarely as only a Solitaire (who often stay distant from even the rest of the Harlequins) is capable of playing the role of Slaanesh. Nine troupers dance the part of the old race, while three Avatars dance the part of the Fallen gods. As the dance reaches the climax of the Fall, the Solitaire leaps into view, appearing as Slaanesh. One by one, seven figures appear behind Slaanesh to mingle with the old race. First, four Mimes, appearing as daemons who pass their sensual and disturbing movements to the rest of the dancers. Secondly comes three dark figures, the Death Jesters, their suits displaying skeletons as they leap and slay among the Fallen gods, bringing their inert forms to the feet of Slaanesh. As the last god falls, the Warlocks emanate a psychic scream which echoes through the minds of the audience. The scream becomes a laugh of madness and depravity. As the High Avatar enters, there is within the laugh, another, ironic laugh. As the Laughing God, he strolls casually onstage, laughing at the cosmic folly of the Fallen. For a moment he is lost among Slaanesh's servants, but leaps clear of them tumbling to face them. One of the dancers he drags free of Slaanesh, the writhing figures on the dancer's suit dissolving and taking on the lozenge pattern of the Laughing God. The rest of Slaanesh's servants fall or flee, at which point Slaanesh confronts the Laughing God. The battle which seems to go on forever, ends suddenly, unresolved.
Organization
To the Harlequins, there is no distinction between art and war; this can be seen in way their organization remains the same both in performance and battle.
A troupe is the basic Harlequin squad, consisting of a number of troupers, led by an officer called an Avatar (athair) who plays the part of the Laughing God.
A masque is a Harlequin force, consisting of a number of troupes plus specialists, and led by a High Avatar (ardathair).
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Equipment
The Harlequins are highly accomplished warriors, each Trouper, as their warriors are called, almost a one-man close combat army.
Even compared to other Eldar they are graceful and lithe; they augment this natural prowess with so-called 'flip-belts' that generate a small anti-gravitic field around them and allow them to leap unnaturally high. They also wear 'holo-fields' and 'masks of fear'. Holo-fields are a sophisticated substitute for armour: whenever the Harlequin moves, their image is shattered into a cloud of crystal shards that dance and swirl around with vigour proportional to the speed the Harlequin is moving.
The Mask of Fear is a small holographic device worn as a mask. It projects daemonic visages and scenes of death onto the mask and has a short-range psychic amplifier which increases enemies' sensitivity to fear and despair.
Other versions of the Mask of Fear include the Rictus Mask, which projects an aura of death in the general vicinity of the wearer, or the Dread Mask, which acts as a mirror of an enemy's worst fears, along with a more potent psychic amplifier like the ones used on the Masks of Fear.
Harlequins are also noted for their exotic and deadly combat weapons. The most gruesome of these is the Harlequin's Kiss. The Harlequin's Kiss resembles a sharpened tube, tapering to a wicked point, fixed to a warrior's forearm. The tube is actually filled with monofilament wires. When the Kiss is punched into a victim, the wires uncoil and flail around, slicing the victim apart from the inside.
Less disturbing is the Stormglove (or Riveblades). The Stormglove is basically the Harlequin version of the Power Glove used by humans. It is a set of blades worn on the forearm, or more typically, on the hand as a glove.
Harlequin army lists
The Harlequins were available as a complete army (and as an allied contingent to Eldar armies) in first edition, and had an experimental army list published in later editions.
See also
Sources
- Warhammer 40,000: Compendium (1989), Harlequins Army List
- Harlequin Army List (PDF)
| HQ | Avatar • Autarch • Farseer • Warlock |
|---|---|
| Elites | Fire Dragon Squad • Howling Banshee Squad • Striking Scorpion Squad • Wraithguard Squad • Harlequins |
| Troops | Dire Avenger Squad • Ranger Squad • Guardian Squad • Guardian Jetbike Squadron |
| Fast Attack | Shining Spears Squadron • Swooping Hawks Squad • Warp Spider Squad • Vyper Squadron |
| Heavy Support | Support Weapons Battery • Dark Reapers Squad • Wraithlord • War Walker Squadron • Falcon • Fire Prism |
| Transport | Wave Serpent |
| Characters | Asurmen • Jain Zar • Karandras • Maugan Ra • Fuegan • Baharroth • Yriel • Eldrad Ulthran |
