Balorian Dreamstrider

The Balorian Dreamstriders are an elite caste within Balorian society, serving as assassins, spies, and warriors tasked with protecting their tribes from external and internal threats. Their name derives from the initiation ritual where aspiring Dreamstriders consume Spice and experience visions, allowing them to "stride" through dreams and unlock latent psychic abilities.

Roles and Responsibilities

Dreamstriders play a critical role in Balorian society, balancing their martial prowess with Teleka sensitivity and spiritual responsibilities:

• Assassins and Spies: Dreamstriders are trained to eliminate threats with precision and gather intelligence for the Witches.
• Tribal Protectors: They serve as the first line of defense against outside forces, ensuring the tribe’s safety and sovereignty.
• Errand Performers for Witches:
  • Retrieve powerful Teleka artifacts.
  • Eliminate suspected traitors and rivals.
  • Carry out executions of off-worlders who have displeased the Witches.
• Breeding Partners: Renowned for their physical prowess and Teleka sensitivity, Dreamstriders are often selected by the upper caste to produce offspring with heightened psychic abilities.

Initiation and Training

The initiation into the Dreamstrider caste is a rigorous process rooted in Balorian tradition:

• The Dreamstrider Ritual: Initiates consume Spice in a sacred ceremony, experiencing vivid visions that test their willpower and sensitivity to Teleka energy.
• Dream Walking: Successful initiates gain the ability to enter and influence the dreams of others, a skill used for interrogation, manipulation, and reconnaissance.
• Combat Training: Dreamstriders are trained in stealth, hand-to-hand combat, and the use of their iconic curved blades.
• Loyalty Oath: Each Dreamstrider swears a blood oath of unwavering loyalty to the High Witches and their tribe.

Appearance and Equipment

Dreamstriders adhere to strict traditional attire and weaponry that signify their caste and role:

• Attire: They wear only loincloths and body chains, leaving their chests bare as a symbol of their connection to tradition and purity. The body chains are often enchanted or adorned with tribal glyphs representing their loyalty.
• Weaponry: Their primary weapon is a curved blade, meticulously crafted with Teleka-enhanced properties to cut through magical and physical defenses.

Cultural Significance

Dreamstriders hold a revered yet feared position within Balorian society:

• Bearers of Strong Bloodlines: Their reputation as excellent child-bearers makes them desirable partners for the upper caste, ensuring the continuation of powerful Teleka-sensitive bloodlines.
• Mystical Aura: The ability to stride through dreams and influence the subconscious of others adds to their mystique and fearsome reputation.
• Guardians of Tradition: Dreamstriders embody the martial and spiritual values of Balorian culture, preserving and enforcing tribal customs.

Relations with Other Castes

Dreamstriders interact with other castes based on their duties:

• High Witches and Mystics: Serve as enforcers and errand-runners, carrying out sacred tasks and ensuring the Witches’ will is executed.
• Artisans: Depend on the Artisans to craft and maintain their weapons and body chains.
• Normitar: Dreamstriders view the Normitar as expendable but vital for the tribe’s functioning, often tasked with overseeing their labor.

Trivia

• Dreamstriders are said to inherit unique dreamscapes during their initiation, influencing their fighting styles and Teleka abilities.
• Their curved blades are often passed down through generations, each inscribed with runes detailing their wielders’ achievements.
• Legends speak of Dreamstriders who walked the dreams of powerful off-worlders, influencing galactic events without setting foot beyond Baloria.