Eileen MacNamara, known also as Evangeline,is an Iku Eshu Wilder in Ireland and member of the Scalawags.
Overview
Eileen was born in the Bogside (the Catholic part of Derry) from the union of a local girl and a black British soldier and was kept a secret for the first 3 years of her life because her mother feared she might suffer or be killed if anyone knew she had an affair with one of the hated "Brits." But Mom scraped together enough money to move to Liverpool eventually. Eileen ran away when she was 11 after she discovered her faerie nature. She went back to Ireland where she met her eventual mentor; the woman who would give direction to her life: Doireannara of House Ailil.
Under the Unseelie commander's tutelage, Eileen learned everything she needed to know to become the perfect spy and assassin. She traveled to remote places on funds provided by the Shadow Court and learned techniques from terrorist groups. Even the groups who initially refused to deal with her because she was a woman came around eventually. (Enchantment helped.) She returned to Ireland and began moving from place to place gathering information for the Shadow Court and doing occasional wet work (read murder). So far these targets were human, except one vampire who couldn't fight back, being in torpor, but Evangeline dreads the day she may be asked to kill a Changeling. She travels with the Scalawags for her cover.
She plays the part of "Egyptian Royalty" to the hilt with kohl on her eyes, using a foreign accent, and moving languorously. She is always attended by her loyal bodyguard Tully who also fetches and carries and puts up with her teasing.
She is committed to the cause of Ireland's freedom from its "oppressive Sidhe overlords," and she certainly doesn't mind the idea of having her own barony which her mentor has promised her when all is done. She is beginning to notice that more Banality clings to her with each killing she does. She enjoys her role as actress, fortuneteller, dancer, and storyteller with the Scalawag Players and genuinely likes the people she travels with. If only she could tell right from wrong.
Image
With dusky skin, almond-shaped violet eyes, and midnight black silky hair, Evangeline is one of the most beautiful non-sidhe women many kithain have ever seen. Were her skin a little lighter she would look a lot like a young Elizabeth Taylor. She dresses in flowing, gypsy-esque clothing with an Egyptian flavor (an ankh and golden collar set with blue and red glass beads a little like those worn by pharaohs). She moves easily from that garb to what she wears as a fortune teller and what she wears on stage. When on a job she wears black clothing similar to a ninja.
Her fae mien is even more striking. Her hair falls almost to her knees and her eyes have a luminescent quality. She prefers gauzy outfits similar to those worn by Egyptian Queens. As the gauze is see-through for the most part, she has shocked the more staid members of courts from Cairo to Coleraine.
Personal
By day, Eileen is one of the ever-clever, humorous, and lovable Scalawag Players. By night, she is sometimes called upon to be someone else entirely. She is a black cat prowling through the darkness. She enters unseen and unheard, takes what she is told is needed, or slays whomever she is asked to kill for the cause. She is beginning to tire of the violence, however. At first it was a challenge, a bet she made with herself to see if she could do it. Lately, it's just a bore.
Treasures
Eileen has been promised a barony and several treasures when she completes her mentor's agenda. At present, though, she has two treasures of her own. The first is a bag of feathers that, when placed under a pillow, assures the sleeper a good night's rest and pleasant dreams. The second is an ever-replenishing pot of kohl that comes all the way from Egypt. Though the eshu she got it from (by winning a bet) swears it belonged to Cleopatra, Evangeline isn't dumb enough to fall for that one.
References
- CTD. Immortal Eyes: Court of All Kings, pp. 111-112.