“NØKK”

Designation

• Real Name: Karina Gaarddhøje  • Aliases: Nøkk • Pronouns: She/Her • Titles: First Lieutenant

Personal Data

• Age: [REDACTED] • Physique: Athletic • Height: Approximately 5’8 • Complexion: [REDACTED] • Languages Spoken: Danish, English • Nationality: Danish • Ethnicity: Danish

Persona

• Myers-Briggs: [REDACTED] • Morality: [REDACTED] • Positive Traits: Highly skilled in covert operations, disciplined, resourceful • Negative Traits: Secretive, operates independently

Relations & Connections

• Mother: [REDACTED] • Father: [REDACTED] • Significant Other: [REDACTED] • Siblings: [REDACTED] • Cousins: [REDACTED] • Aunt/Uncle: [REDACTED] • Relationship Status: [REDACTED] • Alliances: Rainbow

Skills & Knowledge

• Medical: [REDACTED] • Combat: Expert in covert ops, combat search and rescue, direct action, special reconnaissance, arctic warfare, and advanced breaching  • Communication: [REDACTED] • Education: Graduated from the Royal Danish Military Academy at the rank of First Lieutenant  • Employment: Operative in Rainbow • Location: [REDACTED]

Background

enlisted at the Army NCO School in Sønderborg, then enrolled at the Royal Danish Military Academy where she graduated at the rank of First Lieutenant. With four deployments under her belt, Gaarddhøje underwent additional special operations training, earning her Jægerkorpset maroon beret with skills in covert ops, combat search and rescue, direct action, special recon, arctic warfare, and advanced breaching. Gaarddhøje served in Afghanistan and Iraq, often alone in deep undercover behind enemy lines. She received commendations for eliminating hostile insurgents in surgical strikes and was responsible for uncovering Erik "Maverick" Thorn's location, forwarding that intel to the Unit. Gaarddhøje keeps her identity hidden from all but her fellow operators. NATO's O&P division recommended Gaarddhøje for Rainbow as one of its deep cover specialists. She was subsequently recruited into Rainbow in 2019. In the summer of 2021, Mina "Thunderbird" Sky was recruited into Rainbow from a recommendation by Sanaa “Nomad” El Maktoub. Unconvinced that Thunderbird was up to the task, Gaarddhøje sought to test her. She cut the hydraulic line for the landing gear of one of Rainbow's CC-295s and lodged a necklace she had stolen from Thunderbird into it. She then lured Thunderbird to the hangar by writing a note mentioning the issue and making it appear as if it was from Nomad. After Thunderbird recovered her necklace, Gaarddhøje opened fire and hit her in the leg. As Thunderbird managed to reach cover, she started to taunt her by rehearsing a nursery rhyme. While Nøkk was searching the hangar, however, Thunderbird released smoke and flanked her. Before she could react, Thunderbird struck her in the head and knocked her to the ground.While trying to recover, Thunderbird told her that she knew something was off as Nomad had terrible handwriting ever since she received frostbite in the Canadian wilderness.

More background

Gaarddhøje told of how she did not trust Nomad's recruiting intuition. Thunderbird then placed a bandaid on Gaarddhøje's head and helped her up, revealing she held no hard feelings for what had happened. As a result, Gaarddhøje apologized and said that while she trusted Nomad herself, she wanted to know that Thunderbird was capable of handling more than "war games". Thunderbird said she understood but asked Gaarddhøje to leave their aircraft alone the next time she wanted to test her. Following Nighthaven's defection from Rainbow in early 2022, Six reorganized Rainbow into squads in order to increase its operational effectiveness. Gaarddhøje was placed on Ghosteyes squad. Led by Taina "Caveira" Pereira, it specialized in stealth and infiltration missions. A few months later, Rainbow started investgating Nighthaven as they were suspected to be involved in Masayuki Yahata's assassination. Following the recovery of a Nighthaven employee known as The Architect, Gaarddhøje met him and Néon "Sens" Mutombo at the drop off point outside of Nighthaven's headquarters in Singapore. Donning guard disguises they followed the Architect to the server building but were greeted by Håvard "Ace" Haugland and Jack "Pulse" Estrada who questioned their arrival by saying that work on the next sector would only start in a month's time. The Architect managed to trick Ace, saying Kali ordered him to recalibrate the materials for testing while also mentioning a project proposed by Ace himself: a volleyball area for recreation. Convinced, the two allowed them to pass. As they reached a security door to the servers, they discovered the Architect's biometrics had been revoked after he was captured by the militia. While discussing what to do next, they were noticed by a Nighthaven guard.

More Background

Gaarddhøje quickly disarmed and knocked out the man. As she was about to execute him, Sens intervened. They reiterated that Nighthaven had not yet been confirmed as their enemy, and that having the man wake up later would be a better outcome than possibly killing someone who might be "innocent". Gaarddhøje agreed and then used the guard's biometrics to unlock the door. She then pointed out that the facility had many guards and that she could not spare them all. With Gaarddhøje's infiltration complete, Sens and The Architect departed the complex and returned to the V-280 Valor. Once inside, Gaarddhøje managed to download QCR shipping records to a data key. She was discovered however, leading to guards calling for help over the radio as she dispatched them. This later led to a confrontation with Charlie "Grim" Keng Boon. As he entered the server room, Gaarddhøje ambushed and stabbed him in the leg. As she made her escape, Grim shot a canister of his Hive Launcher at her and applied a tourniquet on his leg. Gaarddhøje managed to use her HEL to trick Grim's nanobots from tracking her. He eventually caught up to her and used her knife to slash her face veil, narrowly missing Gaarddhøje's throat.The two then engaged in hand-to-hand combat which ended with Gaarddhøje in a choke hold. Grim threatened to kill her unless she gave up the data key but was interrupted by the detonation of a nearby Nitro Cell. Gaarddhøje stood in the new hole in the wall and mocked him before falling backwards. She was then picked up by Sam "Zero" Fisher and they escaped the area in a RHIB.

More background

A week after the incident at the NIGHTHAVEN facility, Gaarddhøje had returned to her secret home. While caring for her garden, she noticed the house door was open and investigated, finding Grim sitting at her dining room table. In the home, there seems to be portraits of her and an unnamed woman. After offering him tea, Gaarddhøje asked what his name was and how he found her home. As he pulled out a knife to show her, Gaarddhøje splashed his face with tea and attacked him. She took back the knife and lunged at him but was blocked with a butcher knife. Moments later, Gaarddhøje subdued him to the floor and held the knife to his throat. Before she could kill him, Grim told her he was not there to kill her and pulled out an envelope. He revealed that it contained all of her redacted information, including her real identity and the ones she was trying to protect. Grim then proceeded to blackmail her with this information, threatening severe consequences if Rainbow crossed Nighthaven again. In 2023, Gaarddhøje took a leave that was questioned by many within Rainbow.

Psychological Profile

When they looped me in on Nøkk's real identity, I cracked open her secret dossier with schoolboy glee. I love a good mystery and I was not disappointed. Nøkk's real identity has been a prickly issue given the potential scandal should it ever be made public. Frankly, had I not known who Nøkk's father was, I wouldn't have noticed the family resemblance. But it smacks you in the face when you know the truth. I wondered how Nøkk felt about all this and how it influenced her upbringing. Nøkk tried to dismiss it as one of the realities of the job, but eventually I learned enough to start painting a portrait. Nøkk's mother raised her, and the pair are close to the point of being best friends. It's almost tribal how protective they are of each other. Nøkk knew about her father and his family, but it took a while before the family knew about Nøkk. They tried to give Nøkk a better life, but without bringing her into the fold out of fear of courting a major scandal for the family. Nøkk is fiercely loyal to her mother, so I found it surprising Nøkk was loyal to her father out of respect for the family name itself. You'd think there'd be some resentment there, but Nøkk is comfortable quietly serving Queen and Country and everything else that falls under the umbrella; her Darwinist outlook isn't rooted in her own safety, but rather the betterment of the soldiers of her unit and her country. Nøkk's ability to keep a secret and maintain a façade is what makes her a highly capable undercover operative but she is involved in an active mission. Fortunately, Nøkk's cover identity is currently “in jail,” building up credibility while giving us an incredible opportunity to work with someone of Alibi's and Bandit's caliber. I have no doubt Nøkk is a strong fit for Rainbow, and I hope we can use her to the full extent of her stay with us. -- Dr. Harishva Pandey

Core Personality Traits

1. Fiercely Loyal: • Mother: Nøkk’s bond with her mother is described as nearly tribal in nature. Raised solely by her, Nøkk developed an intense sense of loyalty and protection. Her mother is not just a parental figure but a confidante and a grounding force in her life. • Father and Family Name: Despite being an illegitimate child and initially kept at a distance by her father’s family, Nøkk holds a surprising amount of respect for the family name. Her loyalty to her father seems to stem from a deep internalized respect for legacy and the values associated with her lineage. 2. Secretive and Independent: Nøkk’s preference for anonymity and her ability to maintain secrecy make her a master of deception. This trait extends beyond her professional life and into her personal interactions, as even those closest to her know little about her past or true identity. Her independence is rooted in a self-reliant mindset cultivated through years of operating solo in dangerous environments. 3. Adaptive and Analytical: Nøkk’s ability to adapt to any situation is a hallmark of her personality. Whether operating deep undercover or in unpredictable combat scenarios, she assesses risks and acts with precision. Her keen observational skills allow her to remain several steps ahead of her adversaries, leveraging her environment to her advantage. 4. Pragmatic and Ruthless: • Nøkk operates with a pragmatic approach to problem-solving. She prioritizes mission success over personal emotions or ethical dilemmas. This is evidenced by her willingness to execute decisive actions, such as eliminating threats or testing the reliability of her teammates through unorthodox methods. • Her ruthlessness is not born from malice but from necessity. She understands the stakes of her work and is willing to make difficult decisions to ensure the survival of her team and the success of her mission. 5. Emotionally Resilient: Nøkk’s ability to compartmentalize her emotions is a key factor.

more personality traits

She thrives in high-stress environments, maintaining a calm and collected demeanor even when under immense pressure. While this resilience makes her an exceptional operator, it also contributes to her emotional distance from others. 6. Darwinist Philosophy: Nøkk’s worldview is rooted in Darwinism, emphasizing the survival of the fittest. This perspective drives her relentless pursuit of excellence, both for herself and her teammates. She believes in pushing others to their limits to ensure they are capable of handling the challenges they face.

Psychological Insights

1. Identity and Secrecy: Nøkk’s carefully constructed façade is both a strength and a source of potential vulnerability. While her anonymity allows her to excel in covert operations, it also isolates her from others. Her secretive nature may stem from her upbringing, where she was kept at arm’s length from her father’s family to avoid scandal. This duality in her identity has likely reinforced her need to protect herself emotionally and remain hidden. 2. Trust Issues: Nøkk’s initial distrust of others, such as her test of Mina “Thunderbird” Sky, suggests a deep-seated skepticism. This is not borne out of paranoia but rather an ingrained belief that trust must be earned. Once trust is established, however, Nøkk is fiercely loyal and protective. 3. Conflict Resolution: While Nøkk is pragmatic and mission-focused, she is capable of acknowledging when she has overstepped boundaries. Her apology to Thunderbird after their altercation demonstrates her ability to recognize and amend her actions, albeit in her own reserved manner. 4. Moral Ambiguity: Nøkk operates in a morally gray area, where the lines between right and wrong are often blurred. Her willingness to kill enemy combatants or manipulate situations for the greater good underscores her utilitarian approach to morality. However, her decision to spare a Nighthaven guard at Sens’s insistence suggests that she is not entirely without compassion or the ability to compromise. 5. Emotional Detachment: Nøkk’s emotional detachment is both a strength and a defense mechanism. It enables her to focus on her objectives without being clouded by sentimentality. However, this detachment may also hinder her ability to form deep, meaningful connections with others.

Personality in action.

1. Professionalism: Nøkk is the consummate professional, prioritizing efficiency and precision in every aspect of her work. Her calm demeanor, even in life-threatening situations, instills confidence in her abilities. 2. Mentorship and Testing: While she is not a natural mentor, Nøkk’s method of testing her teammates is rooted in her desire to ensure they are prepared for real-world challenges. Her unorthodox methods, such as the incident with Thunderbird, reflect her belief in proving strength through adversity. 3. Conflict with Authority: Though she respects the chain of command, Nøkk’s independent streak occasionally leads to friction with authority figures. Her actions are guided by her own moral compass and sense of what is right, which may not always align with official directives. 4. Interactions with Others: Nøkk’s interactions are characterized by a quiet intensity. She speaks when necessary, often choosing her words carefully to avoid revealing too much. Her colleagues may find her enigmatic and difficult to read, but those who earn her trust gain a steadfast ally.

Summary

Nøkk is a deeply complex individual whose psychological and personality traits make her a formidable operator and a valuable asset to Rainbow. Her combination of loyalty, pragmatism, and emotional resilience allows her to excel in high-stakes situations, while her secretive nature and moral ambiguity add layers to her character. While her detachment and distrust may isolate her at times, they also protect her from vulnerabilities that could compromise her effectiveness. Ultimately, Nøkk’s ability to navigate the shadows—both literally and figuratively—makes her an unparalleled force in covert operations.

Facial Features and Appearance

1. Eyes: • Her piercing eyes are the most striking feature, with a sharp and intense gaze. The unusual coloration of her iris, potentially enhanced by contact lenses or some unique biological trait, gives her an otherworldly and intimidating presence. • Dark, smoky eye makeup accentuates the angularity of her gaze, lending an air of mystery and depth to her expression. 2. Skin Tone and Complexion: • Her pale complexion is smooth but slightly weathered, likely from years of exposure to harsh conditions during covert operations. The cool undertone of her skin complements her dark hair and makeup. 3. Lips: • Dark plum lipstick emphasizes her lips, creating a stark contrast with her skin tone and adding a gothic, almost predatory aesthetic to her overall look. The deliberate choice of color suggests a bold and unapologetic personality. 4. Hair: • Her short, jet-black hair is styled into a sleek, practical cut, ensuring minimal interference during operations while maintaining a sharp, polished appearance. The simplicity of the cut reflects her no-nonsense approach to her work. 5. Expression: • Her smirk and sharp features convey confidence and a hint of menace, embodying her reputation as a shadowy and elusive operator. This expression can disarm or intimidate, depending on the situation.

Gear and Optional Equipment

1. Veil: • Nøkk is rarely seen without her veil, a hallmark of her identity and anonymity. The veil is likely made of a lightweight, durable material that can obscure her features without hindering her vision or movement. The technology in the veil may also provide camouflage or infrared suppression, enhancing her stealth capabilities. 2. Headgear: • Beneath the veil, she is wearing a tactical helmet and balaclava to maintain her covert profile. This ensures no trace of her identity is revealed during missions. 3. Stealth Suit: • Nøkk’s suit is form-fitting, designed for silent movement and minimal detection. It is likely equipped with advanced materials for thermal insulation, sound dampening, and resistance to environmental conditions. • The suit is in muted tones like black or dark grey, blending seamlessly into shadows and low-light environments. 4. Weapons and Tools: • Nøkk’s gear includes silenced weapons like the suppressed FMG-9 submachine gun and a 5.7 USG sidearm. These choices align with her focus on stealth and precision. • Her gadgets, such as the HEL Presence Reduction Device, are integrated into her gear to suppress her noise and electronic signature, ensuring she remains undetectable. 5. Gloves and Footwear: • Tactical gloves provide a secure grip on her weapons while protecting her hands from abrasions and environmental damage. • Her boots are lightweight, sound-absorbent, and designed for agility, allowing her to move silently and quickly in any terrain. 6. Utility Belt and Pouches: • Her belt and pouches carry essential items like extra magazines, knives, and possibly small explosives for breaching or diversion tactics. Every item is securely fastened to prevent noise or unnecessary bulk.

Everyday Apperance and Aura

• Aura: Nøkk’s overall look is designed to intimidate and disorient her opponents while maintaining a low-profile, ghost-like presence. Her carefully chosen makeup and gear balance functionality with psychological impact, ensuring that her reputation as an unseen and unstoppable force is upheld. • Impression: Her face beneath the veil is a rare sight, likely reserved for moments of vulnerability or trust. The combination of her sharp features, intense gaze, and dark aesthetic contributes to her legend as a shadowy figure who thrives in the spaces between fear and silence.