The Cowl is a thief residing in Nungunny who has become something a folk hero for the fact that she does not prey on her own community, but robs rich visitors and the inhabitants of the neighboring wealthy communities of Northshore and Atsinton. Within Nungunny, she is generous with her ill-gotten gains, spending freely and giving to those in need. Attitudes toward her among her fellow inhabitants of Nungunny vary. Some worry that she will bring unwelcome attention from the guard or from private agents of her affluent victims; others disapprove of her activities on moral grounds. The prevailing view, however, seems to be that she is doing more good than harm by effectively redistributing wealth, that those she steals from have enough money to spare that they barely feel the loss, while benefits to the receipients of her largesse are substantial.

Only a relative few of Nungunny's residents know the Cowl's identity. Her real name is Eletha Miscross, and she grew up in poverty in East Nungunny, the oldest of five children raised by two mothers. One of her mothers worked as an assistant cook for a rich family in Atsinton, and occasionally brought Eletha or her other siblings with her to help on days when her employer was holding a banquet or there was for some other reason additional work. Eletha therefore saw firsthand in the contrast between Nungunny and Atsinton the inequality that plagued society, and vowed that someday she would try to do something about it. Unlike many childhood vows, she kept this, making a career out of robbing the wealthy of the excess she feels they don't disserve and giving it back to her community, keeping just enough to support her own needs.

The Cowl's name comes from the plain dark gray cowl she always wears on the job, the better to conceal her features and let her hide among stone and shadows. Beneath the cowl, or when not "on the job", she dresses practically in short trousers and a thin shirt. Though her victims never see her face, she has long red hair and delicate features, with heavy eyelashes over deep brown, slightly slanted eyes. Her physique is muscular but not bulky, as one would expect from the acrobatics she frequently performs. Miscross's voice is naturally somewhat low and husky, but when speaking "on the job" as the Cowl (for example to command her victims to turn over their valuables) she affects a higher pitch and a slight shrillness.