Here on the Web and on the Net, I go by--and sometimes take on the role of-- Border Guard Captain Larathia Falernian Nightraven, known to all but her family as the Nighthawk.
Larathia is an avariel elf, or winged elf. In my AD&D realm, the world of Seromath, there are two nations of avariel elves, each oblivious to the existence of the other. Larathia hails from the more "civilized" of the two, a secret country surrounded on all sides by high mountains, called simply Variel by its folk.
Variel is a caste society, but not an entirely rigid one. Unlike the AD&D standard avariel, these elves' wing and hair color go all around the rainbow, from white, black and grey through the eight colors. It is the color of wing and hair that denotes caste, with white being of the royal family, the standard rainbow colors denoting various necessary crafts, grey denoting mixed heritage (avariel/grey, avariel/high and so on) and the black are called the Nighthawks.
The treatment of nighthawks is the main blight on the otherwise peaceable nation. They are very rare, and a nighthawk is the only deviation from ordinary heredity, generally occuring (but not always) when the nighthawk's parents are of color castes whose colors cannot blend. (Such as a red/green pairing, or blue/orange). Nighthawks have no status, and their only means of gaining respect is to join the Border Guard that defends the secrecy of the nation from outsiders. Nighthawks are generally to be found serving as guards to highly placed individuals, since they have no color/caste to be loyal to (or so it is thought). Otherwise, they are generally rendered wingless and exiled, with a powerful forget spell and a geis not to return.
Larathia is secretly a nighthawk that was born to the royal clan. Her parents, closely related to the king and queen, left her as an infant in the recruiting office of the Border Guard to be taken in or abandoned. Larathia is not aware of this, but the dark bluish tints in her otherwise black wings (blue is the color of the priests, and the Royal Clan) are indicative. She was taken in and trained by guards possessed of rather more compassion than the ruling caste, and rose to eminence in the Guard quickly. She is an expert in the longbow, all forms of crossbows, dagger, throwing star, and oddly the long sword. She is also an accomplished elemental mage, specializing in air as most of her race tend to do.
Unware of her true parentage, Larathia began to gain status for her entire caste on the death of the then Captain. By a polite means of blackmail, Larathia got herself installed as the new Captain (she most certainly would have gotten the post anyway had she been of another caste), and proceeded to create a few branches of the Guard to suit her own desires.
At this writing, Larathia is Captain of the Palace Guard, Border Guard and the Scouts. Palace guards and Border Guards are now dominated by nighthawks, while the Scouts (responsible for setting up trade links with other nations) are of the other colors, since Larathia is well aware that some at least will be taken for servants of a higher power. She controls all members of all branches of the Guard through amulets of her own creation, which allow them to communicate with her, and she with them, at any time via a ring on her finger. This amulet is also capable of transmitting spells, allowing Larathia to effect an imprisoned avariel's escape from bondage, or in the case of treason allowing her to completely immolate the offender through a powerful fireball spell. (This is only rumor; no one has ever witnessed this, and obviously the dead can't talk.)
Larathia is of slender build, and tall for an avariel (about 5'6"). Her hair and wings are black, but they have an odd bluish tint at times. (If you read ElfQuest, think of Winnowill's hair; it looks something like that.) Her eyes are a deep and intense green. She wears only black and silver, supposedly as mark of her "shame",but in reality to remind certain people that color doesn't count nearly as much as mental acuity. She wears a dark amethyst set in silver on one finger, and the holy symbol of Aerdrie Faenya around her neck. (Again, supposedly out of devotion, but in reality to remind the priest caste that the avariel goddess is rather more chaotic and free than her followers.) She is somewhat bitter about her family's abandonment of her as well; there is no one living in Seromath beyond her true parents who know Larathia as anything but the Nighthawk. Larathia has renounced all ties and loyalties but those to her own kind, and in a vague sense of the word to her race.
Since the Nighthawk's ascent to power, nighthawks have become a secret force in Variel. The so-called Palace Guard, responsible for internal peace and personal protection of highly-placed individuals, is also rumored to divulge the secret sins that it uncovers to the Nighthawk herself, and the Border Guard is strong enough in training, coordination and magical skill that it can take on and best dragons easily--providing Larathia with a not-too-subtle stick to wield if someone should cross her. The Scouts are a separate organization, answering to Larathia but not at all trusted by the other branches. Though it too is loyal, it is rumored that it is only through a general loyalty to the kingdom and somewhat to fear of its leader and her amulets. Larathia does not wish to rule, however. Her power is used mainly to create a safe haven for her kind, and to make sure that nighthawks are granted respect based upon ability and not color. It is for this reason alone that Variel has not fallen into all-out revolt.
I took Larathia's name because she was the first character I played in AD&D, and I have grown very fond of her. When I became a DM, I made her Captain and gave her a great many magical items. Any avariel in my campaign is directly under her control, PC or not. (Most PC's are Scouts.) I role-play her on the muds, generally, though I am thinking of altering my talker personas to match the original character as well. She is taciturn, and sometimes arrogant; very fierce and extremely stubborn. However, if one gets to know her, her loyalty can only be broken by direct betrayal. You'll know whether it is Larathia or myself that is talking; Larathia uses an archaic mode of speech. Generally I let Larathia come to the fore when I mud; when I find I like someone, I let her fade to the background and just be myself.
Read up on other adventures that affected Nighthawk; she's been lots of places!
See a rendering of Larathia by Bobbi Logsdon. (by the way - all other renderings, used by me everywhere you see the black-winged-avariel image, were done by Michelle Nicholson, aka Naiadkitty of the Eyrie.)
Larathia as rendered by the inimitable Eclier. There is also a WinAmp skin based on this picture.
Larathia, as drawn by Naiadkitty. I love the belts :)
Larathia perched in a window, watching the Realm, by Sadia.
A more humorous take, done by Sadia.
An icon doll I sometimes use to represent myself, just because it's that cool, made by Naiadkitty.
A winamp skin based on the Tripleflame introduction screen version of Larathia, designed by NaiadKitty.
Check the spells that Larathia has invented. (AD&D format).
