Kudos for such an interesting topic; I
loved reading everyone's replies!
I'd personally be my wanderin' wolf, Vark.
Whilst she's not my most frequently roleplayed character, she's the one with the easiest and least heartwrenching background (my others have largely had difficult pasts). No impromptu and sudden deaths of her parents, little in terms of drama and a brilliant childhood! She merely left to travel the world at maturity, learning and picking up items and mannerisms from everyone she's had the fortune (or misfortune) of encountering.
I'd love to adventure and explore more myself, so she sums up my wishes in a tidy lil' bundle without a large quanitity of emotional baggage. If only she had wings, too, but one can't be picky!