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Name: Eliana Dae Rana ("Shadow Wanderer")
Specie or race: Elf
Social Class: Lower
Age: (Appears about) 21

Appearance: Eliana isn't the largest, most intimidating-looking woman you've ever seen, at least not until you've had a chance to watch her in action. She's short to average in height, around 5'4", with a wiry build. She has a surprising strength in her lean muscles, but couldn't hope to go head-to-head with any bruisers in a fight. That's what sneakiness is for.

She has the pointed ears, typical to her race, and soft, light blond hair that she keeps cut boyishly-short and lightly spiked. Her eyes are icy blue and appear to be slitted like a cat's (perhaps attributed to, or in fact aiding her ability to see in the dark). She prefers to wear leathers, both out of comfort and function. Mostly seen in black leathers if she can get it, though if not, the darkest color she can attain instead. While she has no interest in such pursuits, she knows the value of being able to manipulate men (and even some women) with sexual attraction, so her clothes are often snugly fit, or with strategically placed tears and slashes. Just enough to cause the mind to wander.

Her weapons of choice are small blades, at least two of which she always has hidden on her person at a time. This is besides the pair she usually wears, one strapped to each thigh. She also keeps her nails filed sharp, but short and strong, almost like claws.

Powers: When her powers first began to manifest, Eliana did not follow the traditional path of most pyros. As her early life was consumed with the desire to be unseen, to pass through life without making waves, so too did her abilities develop in a more subtle fashion. The shadows themselves seem to envelop her at will, allowing her to slip into the darkness and emerge from it, as if it were a part of herself. In the darkness, her eyes catch even the slightest bit of light, amplifying it so that she can see almost as well as in the daytime. Rather than creating fires, she can draw the existing heat from an object by touching it. She can transfer this heat to another object, or merely absorb it in small amounts, as her body temperature seems relatively cooler than most humanoids (only a few degrees, but enough that her skin normally feels cool to the touch...if you can get close enough to touch her, that is).
-- Shadow Walk
-- Night Vision
-- Thermal Transfer (Chilling Touch)

Talents: Deft with her hands and good with small blades; moving without being seen; drinking a lot *or at least seeming to, in relation to her small stature) without getting alcohol poisoning
Specialization: Rogue

Background: The only child of an elven ranger and an apothecary, Eliana was raised in the relative isolation of the forest wilds. Her father made a living as a ranger, taking jobs from travelers in need of a guide or possible bodyguard against minor threats. Her mother supplemented their income with the potions and healing draughts that she made using the forest's bounty. All in all, it seemed like a peaceful life.

At least from the outside.

Behind closed doors, the women lived in fear, never knowing when a fit of temper would result in violence. The ranger liked his ale a bit too much, and even without, his temper would flare unexpectedly at times. With no other target to take his frustrations out on, he turned to his wife and daughter. He was frustrated with his lot in life, believing that he deserved more than he had, at the same time, warring with secretive feelings of inadequacy and self-pity. Everything was about keeping a good public face, in some small hope that he might still succeed...all rage and frustration at himself to be kept private and redirected towards other targets.

Self-preservation is a strong instinct; especially so for the young Eliana. She learned to predict her father's rampages, and make herself scarce before they erupted. Of course, doing so meant that her mother took more of the abuse than she, but she never considered that, and her mother believed it her duty to protect her child however she might. Eliana learned to be unnoticeable by necessity, moving silently by honed instinct, somehow managing to keep just out of the range of sight of others when she wished. As soon as she came of age, she fled, seeking to find her own way in the world, sure that it had to be a kinder place than the home she'd grown up in.

Unfortunately, she found only new conditions, much the same. She fell in with the 'wrong crowd', having no money, nor special trade skills with which to earn her way. She did, however, have a natural talent for sneaking. She started out as a pickpocket, light of foot and deft of hand. In time, her skill set expanded, growing to include hustling, armed robbery, prostitution, and even an assassination or two. Whatever it took to get by. Manipulating people came easily enough once you understood what made them tick. Along the way, she even changed her surname, symbolically leaving her old life behind and starting anew.

Personality: Eliana is sneaky, sly, and distrustful of anyone other than herself. She's never been given any reason to trust anyone else, so why start now? She also has an innate distrust, bordering on loathing, of males of any species. She will never 'trust' one, so to speak, but she may grow to at least tolerate their presence in time. However, no one, male or female, is welcome in her personal space if she has not explicitly allowed it. Violence is likely to follow any transgression of this rule.

Several instances seem to imply that she might be slightly twisted, harboring sadistic tendencies and an unhealthy fascination with causing pain to others, simply for the pure joy it brings her. The purpose of life is the pursuit of pleasure, even if pleasure is in causing others pain.

She does not seek out 'friends' as such; more like, she seeks to find useful purposes for those that insist on intruding in her life. People are merely tools, in a grand game of power that she intends to win. Of course, no one is going to use her.

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