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Is it fluffy that a Troupe would join a Farseer’s company for a particular mission?

Do they get along?

Would they be friendly or would they keep each other at a distance (eating together, regularly talking, sleeping next to each other etc…).

Being the disciples of Cegorach, Harlequins are kind of to the side of the Eldar/Dark Eldar divide. I'm pretty sure they can go anywhere in any Eldar domain.

Its absolutely fluffy that a Harlequin troupe would join a farseer's company for a while. "Do they get along" is a much harder question I think (and may be irrelevant)

I think the Harlequins would keep to themselves, as they are not really part of the other eldar societies.

Harlies absolutely hang out with craftworlders and other aeldari. Harlies will fight and die to protect their fellow space elves if doing so is relevant to their interests.

As for how "friendly" they are... That's going to depend on how much tolerance the farseer has for a harlequin's theatre kid energy. Every novel I've seen with harlies interacting with non-harlies tends to have the non-harlies getting frustrated with them over time as they're always in-character, tend to not give straight answers (even by eldar standards) and are frequently basically trolling you even if they're genuinely there to help.

If you have Audible, the short story where a troupe helps out Yme-Loc illustrates this very well.

Also, you could probably make the case that characters would get along with harlies more easily if they weren't so busy being grim and dark. Which is sort of the point of harlies. If you're going to be super serious and edgy, they are absolutley going to draw attention to that to make you reflect.

Harlequins are involved with all of the non-Chaos Elder factions. They even freely visit Commoragh. It's important to remember that while the game table focuses on the battlefield exploits of harlequins, the troupes also have an important non-combat role. The Harlequin Troupes are the ones who preserve the ancient Elder myths and legends, and retell them to the various Elder communities through performances by each troupe. As such, they're seen as an important component of reminding the Elder of what they lost and how it happened.

Also, antagonizing Harlequins probably isn't a good idea...

Harlequins also serve as go-betweens for Craftworld and Commoragh.

I can’t recall the specifics, but it was Harlequins that arranged for an Imperial Governor/General to be handed over to Commoragh, after sustained attacks on a Craftworld.

usmcmidn wrote:
Is it fluffy that a Troupe would join a Farseer’s company for a particular mission?

Do they get along?

Would they be friendly or would they keep each other at a distance (eating together, regularly talking, sleeping next to each other etc…).

There was a box released at one point that was pretty much this (I want to say around 6 or 7) with Deathwatch vs Eldrard and a bunch of harlequins with them all going on a secret mission of eldrads linked to the lauch of the Yncarne triumverate box

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
Harlequins also serve as go-betweens for Craftworld and Commoragh.

I can’t recall the specifics, but it was Harlequins that arranged for an Imperial Governor/General to be handed over to Commoragh, after sustained attacks on a Craftworld.

It was in WD when the 3rd Ed Codex came out.

He murdered a Craftworld’s ambassador when he wouldn’t give the Governor his soul stone then used the (now inhabited) stone as jewellery.

The Craftworld went full xenocide on the rest of the planet, but captured the Governor and had their rangers hunt down some Harlequins in the Webway specifically so they could take him to the Dark Eldar who were equally unimpressed and vivisection him, while keeping him alive and in agony for many times a human lifespan.

coinbiter wrote:

usmcmidn wrote:
Is it fluffy that a Troupe would join a Farseer’s company for a particular mission?

Do they get along?

Would they be friendly or would they keep each other at a distance (eating together, regularly talking, sleeping next to each other etc…).

There was a box released at one point that was pretty much this (I want to say around 6 or 7) with Deathwatch vs Eldrard and a bunch of harlequins with them all going on a secret mission of eldrads linked to the lauch of the Yncarne triumverate box

7th. The Death Mask (Death Masque?) box. I think that was when harlies' new models were first introduced?

 Wyldhunt wrote:

coinbiter wrote:

usmcmidn wrote:
Is it fluffy that a Troupe would join a Farseer’s company for a particular mission?

Do they get along?

Would they be friendly or would they keep each other at a distance (eating together, regularly talking, sleeping next to each other etc…).

There was a box released at one point that was pretty much this (I want to say around 6 or 7) with Deathwatch vs Eldrard and a bunch of harlequins with them all going on a secret mission of eldrads linked to the lauch of the Yncarne triumverate box

7th. The Death Mask (Death Masque?) box. I think that was when harlies' new models were first introduced?

The Harlies weren’t new in that box, but wthe death watch were, and Eldrad got his plastic model too.

The Harlequins are basically one of the major factions of the Eldar. Since the Fall, the Eldar have fractured into several factions with distinct ways of life and methods towards preserving themselves against the threat of Slaanesh. They aren't totally airtight factions and it is possible for Eldar to move between them.

The Harlequins are the descendants of the ancient performing troupes following the Laughing God Cegorach. As detailed in the Codex Harlequins, they all retreated into the Webway right after the Fall in response to an apparent summons by their god. When they returned they had become the Harlequins, the fighting performers we see today. They recruit from the other Eldar factions as apparently once someone joins and takes on a Harlequin role, they assume it totally and seemingly to the extent of not procreating anymore. Upon joining, an Eldar also leaves behind any soulstone as they no longer need it, believing that their souls will join their god upon death and hence they are free from Slaanesh. The old Citadel Journal said they underwent a ritual, called unimaginatively the Ritual, that freed them from Slaanesh.

Though they travel between the Eldar factions, they serve their own purposes and act for the interests of their god. The other Eldar wonder whether this is truly in their own interests but accept Harlequin aid nevertheless, as Harlequins are known to hate Slaanesh just like other Eldar so chances are whatever they are doing will ultimately hurt Slaanesh.

Iracundus wrote:
They recruit from the other Eldar factions as apparently once someone joins and takes on a Harlequin role, they assume it totally and seemingly to the extent of not procreating anymore. Upon joining, an Eldar also leaves behind any soulstone as they no longer need it, believing that their souls will join their god upon death and hence they are free from Slaanesh. The old Citadel Journal said they underwent a ritual, called unimaginatively the Ritual, that freed them from Slaanesh.

The original Harlequin fluff stated that Solitaires were independent of the troupes, and lived as "normal" Eldar of whichever society they lived in. In the attached narrative, a troupe is visiting one of the craftworlds (Saim-Hann, iirc), and performing *most* of the troupe's performances. However, the troupe suddenly halts its performance when the troupe master realizes that there is a Solitaire in audience. Instead, he announces that the craftworld will be honored by the performance of the Great Dance, as the presence of a Solitaire means that there is someone who is able to safely perform the role of Slaanesh.

Subsequent versions of the Harlequin fluff have rewritten how Solitaires relate to the troupes, unfortunately.

Eumerin wrote:

Iracundus wrote:
They recruit from the other Eldar factions as apparently once someone joins and takes on a Harlequin role, they assume it totally and seemingly to the extent of not procreating anymore. Upon joining, an Eldar also leaves behind any soulstone as they no longer need it, believing that their souls will join their god upon death and hence they are free from Slaanesh. The old Citadel Journal said they underwent a ritual, called unimaginatively the Ritual, that freed them from Slaanesh.

The original Harlequin fluff stated that Solitaires were independent of the troupes, and lived as "normal" Eldar of whichever society they lived in. In the attached narrative, a troupe is visiting one of the craftworlds (Saim-Hann, iirc), and performing *most* of the troupe's performances. However, the troupe suddenly halts its performance when the troupe master realizes that there is a Solitaire in audience. Instead, he announces that the craftworld will be honored by the performance of the Great Dance, as the presence of a Solitaire means that there is someone who is able to safely perform the role of Slaanesh.

Subsequent versions of the Harlequin fluff have rewritten how Solitaires relate to the troupes, unfortunately.

Not entirely. In the novel Valedor a Solitaire is still like that, living independently and only revealing himself later. The Solitaires we see on the tabletop I guess are the ones who have already revealed themselves and who are travelling with the troupe temporarily.

I've always seen the harlequins as the "bards" of Aeldari kind- they have access to all the history of their people, so you sit down shut up and watch when they come to town. This is for all "Space Elves", be they Craftworld, Drukhari, or Exodite. I mean, this is Elf history, so it's expansive and the Aeldari always pine for "the good old days" before She Who Thirsts, so it's endemic in their culture to have a living tie with the past.
Yeah, originally they were the ones in the Webway that dodged Slannesh's birth, but they get their numbers from other Aeldari joining them- much like the circus coming to town and sweeping up the wide-eyed kids who dream of stardom. I mean, the benefits are great; Cegorach fights for your soul, and it seems you can leave if you want and what with the whole "wearing a mask" thing, you could switch "factions" more easily.
Solitaires are a bit more tricky- yes, they are Space Elf Clowns and demand respect, but they are also the only ones who performs "She who thirsts" roles. Plus, they have Pariah/ Blank-like powers, so Aeldari (Even harlequins) stay away from fear/ cultural revulsion. Remember, this is the race who looked at the Culexus Assassins and called them " a creature of utter abhorrence; of near unspeakable horror to me. Only the Humans could spawn such a creature, so debased are they, so lacking in breeding." .. So take that and make it into Eldar? Problems.

Being the equivalent of bards is one of their roles. But it's important to remember that it's not their only role. They are an entirely distinct culture within the Eldar race, and serve their own unique god who appears to still take an active role in advancing his own agenda.

Absolutely.

IIRC way back in the day before Allies/mixed codices were even a thing both Eldar and Dark Eldar codices had Harliquins as options.

It is important to remember that while the Eldar, Harliquins, and Dark Eldar are often seen as wholly different, they actually aren't. Not from their own internal POV anyway. They are all Eldar and see each other as Eldar. They just have different philosophies and techniques for staving off Slannesh. The Dark Eldar view the Craftworlders as stuffy and insufferable, and the Craftworlders view the Dark Eldar as depraved and foolish for continuing to do the things that got in the mess in the first place, but they both are still Eldar at the end of the day. They're estranged cousins at the family gathering with opposing views, meanwhile the Harliquins are just going around being massive trolls. Everybody is highly annoyed, but at the same time they kinda like them.

A large portion of Eldar society is also somewhat overlapped with Eldar and Dark Eldar as both populations love to engage in piracy, so you constantly have Craftworlders interacting and mixing with Dark Eldar in that lifestyle. Its enough overlap that the bulk of the Imperium doesn't distinguish between Craftworlders and Dark Eldar. They're all reavers and raiders because they both engage in that. And presumably there are Eldar who migrate between both societies on occasion, ditching their spirit stone for some naughty vitality draining stuff and vice verse.

In my own headcanon, the status of Eldar Corsairs & to a lesser extent Harlequins, is how the 3 major Eldar societies maintain order & at least some aspect of harmony, to keep them from self-destructing (again)> Born on a craftworkd, but you real, really like pulling the wings off of flies? join a corsair band, & eventually migrate to Corrmoragh. Born a DE, but really, you have a thing for space dinosaurs & working hard with just your hands? Join a corsair band & eventually end up in a Maiden world. This is in part supported by the literature (the Path series, IIRC, though it has been a long time since I read them).

Given the psychic proclivities of the Eldar to begin with, this might even be part of the racial gestalt that pushes individual into these directions, sort of how the Path system pushes certain Eldar into being garbage men, not because they necessarily want t be, but because society needs more garbage men. That's my interpretation, at least...

Damon.