"I'm aware of the reputation of my race. We're not all a bunch of treehuggers though."
Aloof, arrogant and cynical. Athal represents a minority among the elves and he's proud of it. He appreciates vampires and the dark arts but doesn't consider himself evil. Nobody would really describe him as good guy though.
Dual wields two swords and has several small daggers hidden in his clothes. His magic abilities allow him to inflict severe pain and induce sickness or rot in other living beings. It also allows him to absorb energy and (on rare occasions) knowledge from weaker minds.
Athal Nerano was born a long time ago in an obscure corner of the elfish lands. During his youth he fell in with the wrong crowd which, as it turned out, kept themselves occupied with things most elves frown upon. When he finally left this group he had gained some notoriety and started a career doing the things most elves would be uncomfortable with. His fighting prowess and unconventional skills, as well as his experience with the other races, qualified him to become one of the champions of the elves.