(a copy is given to Headmistress for herself and one for the Grandmaster)

Honored Head Instructors,

I write this letter to inform you of the completion of Zhai, a drow female, in the art of Shadow Jumping and the completion of two of the three instructors evaluations. She has the unfortunate trait of a female drow when addressing a male, having been disrespectful to me, as her instructor, on several occasions. I passed this off as her many years of upbringing in the Drow halls and the fact she has been trapped in the Abyss for the last six years. It seems to have affected her mind as one might guess.

Other teachers and instructors that witnessed this instruction were Instructor Derrin, Master Haan, Mistress Miranda. Both Master Haan and Mistress Miranda told me afterward they felt I did an excellent job and even my old Instructor Derrin gave me a small compliment saying that while I could do better, it was good enough.

Given Instructor Derrin's nature, I was most pleased with this evaluation from my friend and teacher. It feels good to have a hand in training those that seek to further strengthen their tie with the Shadow.

//(also DM msheeler as DM Samantha saw the RP and awarded 1 DC to all involved I believe)

I have taken two other students now that this first one had been completed. Beau and Hazor. Both are Hin and both will be trained individually and possibly, together, if I think they will make a good team. Derrin and I have found that a pair of Dancer, in tune with each other, is a very effective team on more then one occasion. Be it reconnaissance, patrol, escort or surgical strike, the team works well if one will be seen and one keeps to the shadows. The one that is seen will be the main target at the beginning leaving the other to do what we do best.

I will further reports on the progress of these two as thing develop.

Also, Haan, Derrin and I have discussed something that we feel is needed for the honor of Dancers and the Academy. A personal accountability of instructors and teachers for those they instruct in an effort to keep our profession seen as honorable. Many new dancers are merely seeing our art as a tool, like a thick club or knotted tree branch, to be use simply to bash the heads of something. We all know that it is far more then this. It is something as elegant and beautiful, to me more so, then any Weave enchantment, any spinning attack of a Weapon Master, any prayer offered or enemy smitten by god or fiend warrior. No commander of knights, no defender of nature, no crafter of the Weave is more elegant or beautiful in their profession then we are in ours.

Rogues know how to keep to the shadows...we become them.

Assassins strike from the shadows....we are those shadows...to bring death or gain information.

We are masters of deception, stealth, misdirection. We are the Shadow and the Shadow is us.

I would propose a code that all Dancers of the Academy must adhere to in order to bear our symbols. If a former student will not submit to the authority of the Academy, then they are to be hunted down and dealt with in whatever manner they must, up to and including death. This is to insure that the honor of the Academy, the reputation of all here, is never tainted.

I do not speak of some high minded code like the Knights. Some lofty ideals of a religious sect or that of monks. But a code of conduct that provides a base for respect and honor that this Academy deserves and has long since gone without in the general minds of most.

Here is the code I propose. There are five principles. I call it Tydi os si Palaes which is High Elven for Code of the Dancer.

The Five Principles of Shadow Dancing


Valor

Valor is a principle that cannot be used out of pure impulse. It must only grow out of commitment that grows out of obligation. When valor is not driven by obligation it is not true valor in the service of the Shadow.

Enthusiastic valor, the product of violent impulse, is only a temporary burst of passion and anger that creates strength. But if a Dancer relies upon violent impulse and enthusiastic valor, they are not traveling upon the avenue of true valor.

Relying on violent impulse and purely enthusiastic valor does not give you strength for long as it ends up fizzling out. Impetuous or violent impulse will only cause resentment towards loyalty and excellence. This will cause thorough evaluation of matters and/or proper preparation for battle to be unattainable. As a result one will only be concerned with saving oneself, therefore annihilating the enemy and/or achieving the goal will ultimately fail.

Simply this principle indicates that being a Dancer means that valor should only arise out of the obligation to one's friends or master. In this way the correct path of a Dancer is not different from the correct path of a Knight. The only difference being the willingness of who the Dancer counts as a friend or a master.


Loyalty

This principle relies on total devotion of one's heart, mind, and spirit. A Dancer must entrust their spirit and body in the service of the Shadow and/or their master so that nothing of one's self remains at the bottom of one's heart.

Loyalty is the principle that depends on a Dancer's dedication and willingness to serve his or her master even at the cost of their property, family, or the ultimate sacrifice of life.

This is not to say that a Dancer's master can not be family or a friend. It is to say that once a Dancer chooses his or her master, they are to be loyal to their choice and thus, should choose wisely.


Virtue

This is walking hand in hand with Sincerity. Simply alluding to the pureness of one's spirit, heart, and mind, Virtue is like water in that if it is pure then its form is clear. Simply the mind and spirit is without any negative thoughts and therefore sustains life and one becomes focused. If the water is impure then its form is muddy, the spirit and mind is impure containing negative thoughts and becomes unable to sustain life.

Virtue determines what one believes to be right and wrong. Virtue also is a part of Loyalty to the Shadow and/or one's master. Being Virtuous mean your master will know they can depend on your virtue as a vassal or student. It is akin to what a Knight calls Honor.


Sincerity

Sincerity is one principle that is integral to not only a Dancer, but in all arts.

This is the direction of the spirit and mind. If your mind and spirit is not sincere, you can not succeed in your aim. This means that if your mind and spirit is wavering and unfocused, you can not accomplish even the most simple strategy and can be easily defeated. If sincerity is not embraced and practiced, then you will only fail as a Dancer.

Sincerity also plays a part in one's relationship with the Shadow and/or their master. A Dancer must always be sincere with the Shadow and/or one's master. If you are not sincere toward the Shadow and your master then all Loyalty, Valor, and Virtue are lost and become worthless.


Wisdom

This principle is possibly the most important one in the path of a Dancer.

Every Dancer must have wisdom for how they fight, where they fight, when they fight, how to gather information secretly, how to disguise themselves, and what strategies they use when infiltrating the opponent's territory. A dancer must be able to be aware of the environment they are in and how to be resourceful with that environment.

This principle extends past stealth, warfare, or information gathering.

Dancers are expected to learn many things through intense study. This includes studying cultures, arts, philosophy, agriculture, and medicine. All Dancers are expected to know how people dress, what hair styles are popular, and what types of people allow them to disguise themselves from their enemies so that they hide in plain sight, seen, yet unseen.

So it is evident that Wisdom is the most essential of the five principles of Dancer.

This is code I propose we use for all students of the Academy from this day forward and enforce on all dancers present and prior. Each instructor will be responsible for their students. This is not a moral code of judgement but, a list of principles all Dancer should follow for by doing so, we keep the Virtue and Honor of being a Dancer pure and the name of the Academy clean.

_________________
Ya see, long time ago, me father taught me somethin that be right true.
An amateur practices until they get it right. A professional practices till they can't get it wrong.
Dwarves are professionals at what we do.