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The '''Harlequins ''', or '''Rillietann''', are a unique subset of the [[Eldar]] race, who split their time between being talented battlefield fighters and theatrical performers. They exist outside of normal Eldar society and hold no allegiance to any [[Craftworld]] or form of authority other than to their own belief in the Eldar deity [[Cegorach]], the [[Laughing God]].^1a

*[[Avatar (Harlequin)|Avatar]] ('''Athair''') - A command-position on the battlefield, Avatars are leaders of troupes. This status will be marked out by their wardrobe and equipment choice, as well as the possession of a number of small batons which unfold into a flag representing the Harlequin masque the troupe beongs to (if any). This flag is generally left behind after an action, as a 'calling-card'. On the stage, Avatars play the part of the Laughing God himself.^1a1b *[[Warlock]] (Esdainn) - [[Psyker|Psychically active]] players who specialise in battlefield support with both their powers and [[hallucinogen grendadesgrenades]]. In performance, they take on such roles as that of wizards and narrators.^1a1b *[[Trouper]] ('''Rilletann''') - The main body of any company of Harlequins will be troupers, who perform as the chorus on both the stage and battlefield.^1a1b

*[[High Avatar]] ('''Ardathair''') - The leader of a masque, who performs much the same role as the lesser Avatars, but on a grander stage. They will take on the role of the Laughing God when the masque performs as one company, with Avatars playing the roles of the other Eldar gods. Their costume choice is notable in that High Avatars favour face-masks that either display daemonic or angelic visages, or that of the Laughing God himself.^1a1c*[[High Warlock]] ('''Athesdan''') - The most senior Warlock in the masque becomes the High Warlock, who may step in to over-rule directions issued by the Avatars, up to separating them from their troupes and banding them together as a unit. The High Warlock also acts as direct support to the High Avatar, on and off the stage. ^1c*The [[Master Mime]] ('''Athistaur''') - Director of the [[Mimes]] of the masque, the Master Mime advises the High Avatar on the technical aspects of warfare and performance, including espionage and politics. On the stage, the Master Mime often takes on the most difficult or leading role.^1a1c *[[Mimes]] ('''Distaur''') - Specialist dancers on the stage, Mimes are not permanent parts of troupes, rather kept under the direct control of the Master Mime. They also act as advertisers for the masque, being sent ahead of the company to organise performances. This role is reflected on the battlefield, where they act as infiltrators and assassins.^1a *[[Death Jesters]] ('''Margorach''') - Notable specialists in heavy weaponry on the fields of war, Death Jesters take on the role of Death itself, or similar morbid parts, when in performance. They are noted for being deeply ironic and possessed of black senses of humour, something considered unusual for the cultured Eldar race. Death Jesters near-uniformly wear black clothing and armour, decorated with death imagery.^1a1c

*[[Solitaire]] (arebennian'''Arebennian''') - One Harlequin role exists that, by its nature, is not a member of the masque. Solitaires are solo performers, who wander the galaxy alone apart from brief periods when they join a masque for a particularly dramatic performance, on the stage or off. They are the only performer who can take on the role of Slaanesh in Harlequin plays, and so the presence of a Solitaire is required in order for the Fall of the Eldar (termed '''The Dance''' amongst the Harlequins) to be put on. They are significant individual threats on the battlefield.^1a1c  == Equipment ==

''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 their 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.^1d

The Harlequins are highly accomplished warriorsposses several distinctive pieces of costuming/equipment, each Trouper, as most notably 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-fieldsAgaith'' and '; false-faces. These masks come with various Eldar forms of fear'. Holo[[auto-fields are a sophisticated substitute for armour: whenever the Harlequin movessenses]] and [[respirator]]s, their image is shattered into a cloud of crystal shards that dance and swirl around - with vigour proportional to the speed exception of the Harlequin is movingblank Warlock masks - are highly ornamented. The '''Mask of Fear''' is Avatars typically possess a small holographic device worn as a mask. It projects daemonic visages more advanced version equipped with holo-generators that allows it to not only adopt numerous styles, but record and scenes of death onto replay whatever the mask and Harlequin has a shortseen. Ths is normally used to replay the death-range psychic amplifier which increases agonies of enemies' sensitivity ...to fear and despairother enemies. Other versions of the Mask of Fear include the These morale-breaking devices are called '''Rictus Maskmarathags''', which projects an aura ("Face 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 insideDeath").^1e

Less disturbing is the Stormglove (or Riveblades)Even compared to other Eldar Harlequins 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. The Stormglove is basically the Harlequin version of the ^1a They also wear [[Power Fistholo-suit]] used by humanss; sophisticated substitutes for armour that also aid theatrical performance. It When set to battle-conditions, whenever the Harlequin moves, their image is shattered into a set cloud of blades worn on crystal shards that dance and swirl around with vigour proportional to the forearm, or more typically, on speed the hand as a gloveHarlequin is moving.^1e

==Harlequins are also noted for their exotic and deadly combat weapons. The most gruesome of these is the [[Harlequin army lists=='s Kiss]]. The Harlequins were available as Harlequin's Kiss resembles a sharpened tube, tapering to a complete army (and as an allied contingent wicked point, fixed to Eldar armies) in first editiona warrior's forearm. The tube is actually filled with monofilament wires. When the Kiss is punched into a victim, the wires uncoil and had an experimental army list published in later editionsflail around, slicing the victim apart from the inside.^1e