The Sword Dancers of Eilistraee were the specialty priests of the Dark Maiden.
Organization
Only female elves, drow, half-drow and half-elves could become Sword Dancers. Any priestess of Eilistraee who wished to become one had to spend at least one month on the surface, dancing each moonlit night for Eilistraee, and had to witness dawn at least once. They also had to be quick and agile, proficient in the arts of dance, song and acrobatics and skilled diplomats.[1][3]
Hierarchy
Like the rest of the clergy of the Dark Maiden, the Sword Dancers didn't have a rigid hierarchy or chain of command and recognized Qilué Veladorn as the spiritual guide of all followers of Eilistraee.[3]
Activities
As priestesses of Eilistraee, the Sword Dancers acted according to her teachings. They had the duty to lead and be on the frontline in missions to find, encourage, assist and protect any drow looking to return to the surface (or that could be made to return) and join a different life, far from Lolth. They put a lot of effort into promoting harmony and cooperation between the drow and other races, and as a result they usually lived near elven (or other races) settlements. There they worked to aid the local population by bringing food, cures and protection, in order to establish friendships and offer to the drow converts a place on the surface world.[3]
The Sword Dancers were artists, excellent dancers, fit acrobats and—like all priestesses of the Dark Maiden—skilled in the arts of singing and playing the harp, flute or horn. They were also known to nurture beauty, music and song and to work to spread joy whenever they could.[1][3]
Relationships
The Sword Dancers shared the same allegiances and enemies of the church of Eilistraee. They were little known and often seen as enemies by the surface dwellers, even as the priestesses tried to establish good relationships and to live in peace with them.[1]
The Sword Dancers were in direct opposition with the church of Lolth, due to joyless and cruel life that their tyranny forced upon the drow. Followers of Vhaeraun, Ghaunadaur and Kiaransalee also counted among the Sword Dancers' enemies.[1]
Abilities
The Sword Dancers were skilled sword wielders, known to use their art while fencing. They fought employing an agile and acrobatic style, that allowed them to quickly and gracefully move on the battlefield, with movements that resembled a dance.[3]
They could form a particular bond with their sword, which allowed them to infuse the weapon with Eilistraee's magic. They could imbue it with a variety of magical enhancements, let it sing like a singing sword (making them strike with increased precision and rallying their hearts), or let it dance (like a dancing weapon) to attack the enemy on its own or to protect the priestess.[3]
The Sword Dancers had the ability to cast the magic missile spell, or to use its energy to empower their next sword strike, surrounding their blade with blue-white flames. They could also use their magic to temporarily enchant a bladed weapon with a silvery glow that increased the precision of its strikes, without the possibility of it being dispelled.[1]
The Sword Dancers could sing and dance to channel the power of Eilistraee and had the ability to sing their magic even amidst the chaos of the battle, while dodging and dancing around or while wounded. They could use a particular kind of Spellsong. A solitary spellsinger could replicate the effects of many spells (of 4th level or lower), heal a given creature or grant her protection from magic, a choir of them could create more powerful beneficial effects (like restoring lost limbs).[1][3]
Other magical abilities of these specialized priestesses were the capacity to cast spell turning, commune, true seeing, stone telling and plane shift.[1]
Appendix
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1995). The Seven Sisters. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-7869-0118-7.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.