Masque of the Frozen Stars
The Masque of the Frozen Stars is a Harlequin Company.[1]
Overview
Playful and sinister, the Frozen Stars is well known for its players' sense of humor. Standing vigil over Maiden Worlds in the Eastern Fringe, these Harlequins possess hope for the future of their race[1] and believe it can be saved, even after the Rhana Dandra.[5] A such, the Masque cares only for the resurgence of the Eldar and none else. They view the galaxy's other races as vermin[1] and think all other races must be purged from the galaxy.[5] This has led the Masque to subject non-Eldar to violent pranks and practical jokes. Humanity, T'au, and countless other minor alien races have suffered at the Frozen Stars' hands. Over the millennia, this Masque's players have overloaded the reactors of Hive cities, plunged spacecraft into the Warp, and even depopulated whole worlds, all in the name of the Laughing God's amusement.[1] The Masque of the Frozen Stars agree with Alaitoc on the supreme threat posed by the Necrons, and aid the Craftworld in their campaign against the mechanical race.[3a]
As a testament to the cruel humour of the Masque of Frozen Stars still stands the planet Sibeleos. Resting on the edge of T'au Empire, it was untouched for centuries. When T'au scout drones discovered this planet, they found it ripe for colonisation. But the T'au could not know that they were merely one of dozens of trespassers and the ground of the planet was already littered with the bones of their unfortunate predecessors. Shortly after the establishment of the T'au colony, Harlequins of the Frozen Stars launched a dozen attacks against them. Ruthlessly destroying all of the T'au, Harlequins left only a single Shas'ui alive. Imprisoned in his own battlesuit, his image was projected by Harlequins into the void. Any unwary T'au that came after would see fate that awaited them if they dare to land on the planet.[2a]
Special mention is deserved by the Troupe Masters of this Masque. The Deadly Dance of Twelve Players and the Twice-slain Solitaire — well-known battles of the Light Troupe Masters. In these battles are heroes risen anew and enemies overcome by the unmatched grace of the Eldar.[2b]
By the contrast, Troupe Masters of the Twilight have become supporting players to some of the Eldar's greatest war conflicts in the Eastern Fringe. It was the followers of the Twilight Path of this Masque that saved the maiden world of Ethero, allied with the warriors of Craftworld Biel-Tan, and ripped apart a tendril of Hive Fleet Kraken. Coming through the secret passage of the webway, the Eldar's starships smote the Tyranid fleet, while the Harlequins' Shadowseers created a mass illusion of a prey world that lured hive ships into the fiery embraces of Ethero's star.[2b]
The Troupe Masters of the Dark are most frightening of all. They have destroyed entire civilisations and mercilessly doomed worlds in incidents like Drecroth's Last Gleaning and the Pit of Teeth.[2b]
The Masque is known to harbour a great distrust of the Ynnari, though it is not currently known why.[4]
Notable Battles
- The Battle of Velos
- The Battle of Iathglas[3b]
- War Zone Laevenir[4]
Sources
- 1: Codex: Harlequins (7th Edition), pg. 36
- 2: Harlequins Painting Guide – Warriors of the Laughing God:
- 3: Psychic Awakening: Phoenix Rising:
- 4: Warhammer 40,000 9th Edition Rulebook, pgs. 161-162
- 5: Warhammer: Visions 14, pg. 47 - Harlequins
