NAME: Andariel

AGE: 14

APPEARANCE: When allowed to look like himself, Andariel has dark bluish black hair, the colour of a cloudy night sky. His eyes are a pale silver, slightly tinged with blue, large and impassive in an expressionless face of smooth pale skin. He is rather small in stature, only about 5'2" tall, and slightly built, although not appearing gaunt or frail. On his back, a large tattoo has been centred between his shoulder blades. It is of a golden crescent moon with feathery wings, wrapped and entangled in a long, loose silver scarf that is embroidered with stars.

APPAREL: In clothes that are mostly of his choosing, Andariel tends to wear dark blacks, blues and purples; velvet and silk; long-sleeved shirts tied at the waist when it's hot or with a vest when it's cool; and close fitting pants and boots. Quite often he is also made to wear a black velvet doorman's cap. He has been told that he must always wear a little silver cat-bell that he has been given, and it remains tied around his neck with a black ribbon.

HOME: Andariel lives in a large, richly furnished manor house that is settled in the centre of large expanses of well maintained country English garden. Everything, including Andariel is owned by the Marchioness, a powerful and extremely wealthy noblewoman known to the boy only as Lady. She provides him with a well appointed suite that contains his own king-sized four poster bed and ensuite bathroom. He has also been provided with an extremely well-stocked wardrobe of both male and female clothing. The clothing is part of his employment, however, and as noted above he prefers to dress as a boy. His room is the one place he is awarded privacy, with the strict proviso that he attend immediately when summoned.

EMPLOYMENT: He has no illusions as to his position in his Lady's her home, as he has been called to serve more times than he can remember. Although barely speaking to him, and never even having touched the boy at all, Andariel's body is given to any guests she may be entertaining at her frequent parties. On each occasion, he is little more than an unusual doll, being dressed up in a particular way and made to act out a part. He is extremely good at this, both at being able to look like anything or anyone, and also at being whoever he is told to be. He always does exactly what is asked of him and, although he cares nothing for the other person, he is able to sense what they like. Because of these skills, he is highly sought after and often used as a mark of the Marchioness's favour or as payment for a significant service.

RELATIONSHIPS: The mistress of the house is both a cold and distant figure in Andariel's life, even though she has complete control of him. Any time he is before her he is expected to respond when spoken to, answering to various derogatory terms including "puppet". Before guests, however, she is all charm and often refers to him as "angel". When he is not required, he is completely ignored. There are many other servants in the manor, but all know the significance of the bell around his neck and the penalties that interacting with him may carry, for the Lady has ordered him to be ignored but not interfered with. Most people's inward reaction is a mixture of revulsion, pity and fear. Only one stable boy (the Lady likes to Hunt) has ever disobeyed the rule and he has never been heard from since. Andariel still has dreams and nightmares about him.

PERSONALITY: Andariel has, unsurprisingly, a dissociative personality disorder. He has been made to stifle his emotions in front of the Lady, and to pretend to be other people so often that he has all but lost the ability to remember who he is. Everything in his life has a vague and surreal quality, as if he is watching it on a movie screen. This is especially true when he is required to perform for the various ladies and gentleman he is given to, gaining no pleasure and feeling no pain. At most times he is epressionless, never laughing or crying, smiling or shouting. Truly empty. There are rare times, however, sitting in his secret place in the hedge maze or lying in bed at night, when the hollow feeling becomes too much to bear. And there are other times when the bittersweet dreams of a forgotten past return to him: Memories of light and warmth and love... But when he wakes, they always fade back into the void.

NOTES: It is intended that Andariel's ability to change his appearance is supernatural. It is only illusiory, but it can affect all senses including touch. The changes he can effect are not dramatic, but alter the boy enough to make him almost unrecognisable. With this chameleon-like power, he can appear slightly taller or shorter, become more feminine or masculine, change the colour of his eyes and hair and even the tone of his voice can be altered. This is not something he thinks about much, or tries to use for himself. It is hard enough for Andariel to remember who he is.