Eyan Sword Dancerssword dancers

Sword Dancers", this is basically an underground religion, they are mostly women (with a very occasional male rarity) they are underground more because they see magic as a human right than anything else they follow those whom they call the Sword Lords. It is not entirely certain who they were though they appear to be a small group concurrent with the "Lords of Light" who transcended. The religions progenitor Larya was a direct companion of one of these "sword lords" and brought his lore to any who would listen. The Sword Dancers believe in perfecting themselves in preparation for the return of the First Sword Lord or perfecting themself till they can follow after like Larya the Mother eventually did.

Those who have the gift(of magic) will find various "secrets of the sword dance" have more active and visible effects, for instance they are able to see the "inner armor", though many consider this defensive ability just luck and attitude for the gifted it glows and is quite magical(very often any who cannot see it, manifest and gain the benefit of the aura anyways so if it is magical it is a mysticism trainable even by those without mystic perceptions).  The sword dancers encourage the few healers they find and promote healing knowledge in all forms and so all have herbal skills of one sort or another.. They practice group rituals featuring highly corriographed dances of spinng swords...  it is an ill omen if someone is injured in these dangerous magical dances. Sword dancers engage in group rituals typically disrobe atleast down to undergarment level (in hotter climates this is sometimes even nude) for purposes of the dance (this is said to be a reinforcement of the intimacy of the sword dance and to reinforce their connection to their subculture). The "inner armor" will not work in combination with physical armor perhaps because the inner armor is considered a manifestion of bravery.

In areas where Sword dancers are more public such as along the sea costs of southern pelusar they have been known to wear white flowing shirts and tight leather breaches and carry their swords visible. As well aswearing necklaces with  circular symbols with a sword crossing (this is also sometimes used as cloak binder even in areas where it is secret) Sword Dancers fighting style features nerves of steel precision but with rather circular indirect attacks that some consider hard to follow, they tend to act fearless as an invocation of their "inner armor". A sword dancer is expected to protect those they love and just as love cannot be sold neither can their sword arm. They teach the use of a very thin swords and long double bladed staff like sword often these swords are concealable in walking staffs or shepherds crooks. They also teach the use of a multi-reed piped musical instrument they call a "lee-yar".

The purposes of these rituals include predicting or perhaps influencing the future. As well as engaging various spirits in battle, especially spirits of disease, the gifted see the spirits rise as smokes from the ill and dancing about trying to dodge the blades.

One of the high rituals is said to be able to allow a dancer to cut a hole in the veil between worlds and pass on to other planes of existance.