Name: Luthien de Mendici
Gender: Male
Age: 33
Appearance:
Luthien appears to be younger than his true age, though not dramatically so. More noteworthy is his striking coloration -- stark white hair and metallic gold eyes. It's commonly assumed that he has altered his appearance with magic. Certainly he dresses to enhance the effect, as his outfits always incorporate both white and gold -- most frequently a silk-and-gold brocade vest over a white silk shirt.
His build is tall and slender, and he moves with an androgynous grace. Likewise, his elegant, long-fingered hands are generally artfully poised or gracefully gesturing. The only contrast to his overall impeccable appearance is his hair. It falls past his shoulders, and tends to be somewhat unruly, often seeming to be blown into disarray by a wind that affects no one else.
Personality:
Luthien is almost invariably calm and self-possessed, regardless of the circumstances. Very few have seen him angry... but those who have generally do not wish to repeat the experience. Although he strives to be even-handed, he is perhaps sometimes a touch cooler with those of the House of Sunlight, while seeming to be more forgiving of the more frequent misdeeds of the House of Candles. It is a subtle difference, but not an imperceptible one.
Luthien seems to take a fairly hands-off approach to running his school, leaving much of its day-to-day affairs in the hands of the Chatelaine, Mary Fairchild. He tends to retire to his tower for weeks at a time... except that those who attempt to find him there may-or-may-not succeed, leaving some to suspect that he is leaving the Academy entirely, though not by any of the known doors.
After such disappearances, he'll commonly show up to eat a meal with the teachers, or perhaps sit in on a class, observing without comment. In such cases, he'll sometimes ask a question or two -- generally either deceptively simple, or apparently unanswerable.
Rumors:
Luthien is the subject of all the usual rumors accruing to a self-made mage. He made a deal with a demon to gain his powers. He is a demon in disguise. Et cetera. Few of these rumors seem to have any substance behind them.
More probable, and perhaps more worrying, is the persistent rumor that he is absenting himself from the Academy for days or even weeks at a time, for purposes unknown. The idea that he has found a way to cross over into other worlds is especially striking. Just where does the third great door of the Academy lead to?