The Double Kilij is a curved small blade that comes in pairs. It originates from the Shendar tribe and is mostly used by the men since the women prefer the bane whip. The blade was used in fights and battles since the Shendar tribes formed. In times of peace its usefulness circles around the beauty it contains when employed in the Shendar Sword Dance. It is both deadly and beautiful.

Description.[The Double Kilij has a blade length of almost two fores and curves out towards its tip spanning to nearly a palmspan at its widest point. The sword has a 'T' shaped cross section on the back of the blade that helps to give it greater strength. Despite the expansion of the width the metal is kept thin. The tip of the blade flares out causing a 'u' at the very top where the point on the left of the u is slightly higher than the right and more pointed. This part of the sword is called the yelman.

The hilt of the Dou‘Kilij is thick with grooves made for the hand of the particular Shendar who wields it, making it slightly uncomfortable for everyone else but the original owner to use it perfectly. The sword hilt is thin due to the groove across the hilt where the swords attach merging them to one sword. A warrior might choose to fight with the Double Kilij as one sword or separate it into two depending on the situation. It also makes it easier for carrying and deceiving opponents that are unfamiliar with the weapon.

Usage. The Double Kilij is used by the Shendar tribe and mostly wielded by the men. Nowadays it is a weapon needed for dealings with outsiders who can only understand strength by weaponry. The Kilij shows that because its deadliness is apparent in how it looks as well as how it is used. In former time its predecessor, the single Kilij was primarily invented to be able to solve quarrels between the tribes without killing the opponent.

Because of its length and its curved shape it is a weapon that can be used both on foot and riding. Its curved blade is good for cleaving and swinging. The Dou'Kilij is in every way an offensive weapon and though the initial intention of its design was that it could be used without damaging the opponent too hard, it is perfect for killing as well.

In times of peace the Dou‘Kilij is used in a Sword Dance. This is a competition, mostly among the men, where the wielder shows his agility and the beauty of the blade through a dance. It is a magnificent as well as dangerous dance where the best are invited to perform in ceremonies.

Fighting Style. There are two different styles how to fight with the Dou‘Kilij, one can use the swords as Two-in-One or fight with them in Double style:

• Two-in-One
  When the blade is attached by the hilt it can be used as a single sword. This can be useful when riding. Since one just needs to swing when going by. The curved shape is good for cleaving and the yelman strengthens the weapon's ability to slice and make deeper wounds. Unfortunately the grip on the sword is harder to maintain in this form and so makes it easier for a person to unhand the weapon in face to face combat.

• Double
  Using the weapon as two swords is the most useful. The weapon slices deep and has the ability to cleave things in two with greater ease because of its curved form. The tip can be used for hooking and jerking, a very brutal practice of the Kilij. The width of the blade helps to deflect aerial attacks. The inside of the blade is used in order to hook swords and to unarm opponents. This part of the blade can be used to crush instead of cut if necessary.

One of the disadvantages of the weapons is that the attacks are mostly done from the side. The blade is not made for thrusting, so it therefore limits the motions the swords can be used to perform attacks.

Origin/History. The forerunner of the Double Kilij was the Single Kilij, a weapon invented by Kadar the True, the man who became later the very first H‘rul Zheon. He was one of the greatest personalities the Shendar people ever had, concerned about the welfaring of all Shendar and not only of his birth tribe, the Shen-D'auras. As the driving force behind the unification efforts he wanted to develop a weapon which could be used for fights within the sub tribes themselves, which occurred quite often back then. The idea was to provide a means of fight without necessarily deadly consequences.

The actual Double Kilij was the idea of Asilah, daughter of Asra, an outstanding woman in the Shen-Siuu tribe. Trade with Strata and Thalambath led to contacts with a different way of life and Shendar men were scoffed due to their new formed society where it seemed that the woman had all the power - and the property. They were even attacked because they were seen as weak. Seeing that the men of outside societies judged strength by violence it was obvious that an appearance of strength was necessary. So Asilah, who was a skilled swordfighter, thought about how to improve appearance and properties of the Kilij.

This appearance of strength was invented with the Double Kilij. She enhanced the old simple Kilij to a new weapon, one which was both physically daunting as well as deadly, but also one that would allow for fights among tribe members without leading to death. The blades grew in popularity and soon they came in use by the northern tribes of the D'auras and Kha'si as well.

The Sword Dance. The Double Kilij is a beautiful weapon. So it is not astonishing that it was soon used outside fights and internal quarrels - as a tool for the most challenging dance - the Sword Dance. The origin is lost, but lore goes, that Bardavos artists initiated it in a way. Many famous names could be counted here, but only two shall be mentioned, Mahir, son of Rihanna, a Shendar man from the Kha'si and and Rukan, daughter of Sah'lah, a woman from the Shen-D'auras. They danced together in a way unsurpassed till now.

The Sword Dance as an acknowledge way of competition soon developed into a sort of duel as well, letting the competitors fighting through the dance instead of actual violence. Serious disputes between two Shendar which cannot be solved in another way are fought out by dancing with the sword. Before the ruling-dance the terms of clearing are fixed - the better dancer wins.

1st Passing Clouds 1666 a.S. Information provided by Vylias and Talia Sturmwind