Quoth the Raven

SJ 17-7-2005 Where did you get the name "Navarre"?

Many people ask me how I came up with the name for my immortal character, Navarre Altiers. The name is derivative from one of my all-time favourite characters from the movie Ladyhawke (1985).

Ladyhawke is the story of a captain of the guard, Etienne Navarre (played by Rutger Hauer), in love with an enchanting young woman, Isabeau (played by Michelle Pfeifer). Unfortunately for the lovers, an evil Bishop is also smitten with Isabeau and makes a deal with the devil to keep the Captain and she forever apart.

A curse befalls both the Captain and Isabeau, causing him to turn into a wolf at night (while she is a human) and her to become a hawk during the day (while he is human), binding them forever together, but eternally apart. Their love for one another is undaunted however, as they travel the land in their perspective human-animal pairing, seeking out a way to end their misery. It is solely in the seconds between the waxing and waning of the day that they may even glimpse one another as they once were.

The Captain learns of a way to defeat the Bishop, a prophesied day without a night, and night without a day. With the help of a young thief (played by Matthew Broderick), the heroes succeed in breaking the horrid curse and killing the Bishop.

The story is quite simple, and the movie is exceptionally good as a poignant love story with tickling fantasy effects (not too heavy, but just enough to get the curse across and the pain it causes). I always watch it when it is on.

ANYWAY, back to the immortal character. I always loved Rutger Hauer's character from the movie because he was a solid hero, deep emotionally and had a great love for Isabeau. What better qualities could there be to take a piece of for an immortal character. Dark, forboding presence that promises to meet out pain and quick death to any that cross him. A certain self sacrificing nature. Plus he just looks damn cool.