The Umbral Opera
The Umbral Opera is a thing of majesty and dread. In many ways it is the final law in Zevemlya, and the most certain end. Every citizen is required to attend, and many will never leave. The dancers are assassins and performers both, having mastered the ballet of night before they were fully grown.
The most technically skilled performers in the world perform on a stage for dozens, hundreds or thousands. The majesty and skill of Galvander's chosen on display to awe and inspire, though the inspiration is just as much fear as it is pride. The citizenry are cowed by the magnificence and razor's edge precision of the movements, and terrified that they might disappear during the performance, just to be another name that their families can not mention again in public.
During the hour-long performance, traitors are killed by the performers who dance into the shadows just outside of the spotlight, stepping into a shadow there and appearing anywhere else in the darkened hall to bring the silent judgement of Galvander to the unfaithful citizenry. In some performances, the citizens are simply killed in a silent fashion, in others, they are removed. A sign to the Zevemlyan people that no shadow is safe from Galvander's vision. That swift, silent, and unspoken violence awaits any who would dare to defy the will of the Godking of Zevemlya.
History
The umbral opera was developed after the creation of the Dancers as a way to maintain order in Zevemlya. All adults are required to go to the opera once a year during the time period determined by their birthday. Any who do not leave are considered traitors, and are never spoken of again in public.
Execution
While called an opera, there are usually only one or two singers, if any at all. The process is an elaborate dance that is changed for each performance. No two shows are exaclty alike, in part due to the violence that takes place. The lights are turned off everywhere but the spotlight on the stage, no one is to speak or make sound except those on stage. During the performance, you must keep your eyes ahead to watch the performance, and at the end you must clap. Traitors are removed during the performance, silently, almost always without the awareness of the other members of the audience.
Components and tools
Dancer's garb. knives. (Dancers)
Masks, suits, dresses, canes, tophats (audience)
Participants
The dancers perform elaborate dances that are inspiring to watch, and executions that are silent as shadows. the premier instructor gives the dancers their targets, and they are to be executed during the performance. Everyone who doesn't show, is given a visit by the Dancers, who will either kill them then and there, or give them a ticket to the next show.
Observance
The performance schedule is largely dependent on the size of the town Zharum-Khal , for instance has performances daily, while smaller villages may only have a single performance per month.
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