When looked upon at first glance, Ilvanyë appears to mortals as beautiful and ageless as any other Elf, but a closer inspection of her general disposition and mannerisms shows a personality that can only be described with one single word: Unpleasant.

Sharply-defined cheekbones, a finely-chiseled nose, and stern, bushy eyebrows make the Elven Lady's Noldorin heritage all too clear, but her handsome complexion is marred by the subtle, near permanent crinkle of her eyebrows, and the slight downturn of her lips, almost as if she were perpetually sneering. Her choice of garb, rich silks and robes of silver and burgundy, and the presence of a scroll- and herb-laden pouch suggest a livelihood made through scholarly research and herbalism, though her posture in some ways mimics the martial stance of a warrior, stiff as a board and prideful in bearing.

A fiercely private person, the hiril Ilvanyë is a quiet, sullen one, yet haughty all the same. There is no shortage of arrogance in her voice, tenuously woven in-between her soft, lyrical speech, and her cold grey eyes are wont to wander over others in a scrutinizing and often condescending manner. Where most Eldar would wear welcoming smiles to a newcomer, Ilvanyë will only offer a short, curt nod, with no other exchange to make, giving the impression that she is quite aloof and high-strung.

Still, the woes of a long, hard-lived life visibly mark the old elleth, namely in the dull, near lifeless look in her eyes, and the slight sag of her shoulders, indicating the many burdens of ages past that she has had to shoulder alone. This, combined with her rather off-putting and unpleasant behaviour, suggests that her arrogant, abrasive attitude is a defensive front and coping mechanism to ward against incursions into her private life.

(Image courtesy of the lovely Morengwen, thank you!)

(Banner art by peet on DeviantArt)