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Approved by Tawny

Name: Shiloh
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Rank:
Appearance:
Shiloh is a fair skinned, scarred youth. Early in her life, a cooking accident left her with a grease burn down one side of her face, over a cheek, around her eye and brow, and up into her hair somewhat. Her hair a deep chocolate brown and her eyes are blue flecked with hazel. She is tall, around 5'11'' and lanky, long-limbed, and small-chested. Her hair is shaved close to her head, so that it still stands on end and feels nice when hands are run through it. She has angular features, made intimidating by her burn scars.

Personality:

Shiloh is a quiet, observant girl with a persevering heart tempered by pessimistic tendencies. Her pessimism is the result of growing up in a household of jaded, bitter individuals and it's rubbed off on her. Something doesn't go right? That's to be expected. Something seems difficult, well it's probably doomed to failure. However, despite this tendency to expect the worst, she still makes a decided effort to try, and try hard. If questioned about her negativity, Shiloh will respond simply 'it's so I don't get disappointed when people fail me.'

Paired with her pessimism is a sharp tongue that turns easily against those around her. Loyalty is a mostly foreign concept to Shiloh, who has grown to rely almost entirely on herself. She'd rather manipulate and use or lock to contract then take something at face value or on good word... it just doesn't make sense to the youth. And if you cross her, Shiloh simply just doesn't forget – it's how she grew up and she will always be.

She is also particularly cool-headed, sometimes even being called unflappable. She reacts quickly, but logically to things and often seems surprisingly prepared for the negative eventualities she's always so convinced about – it pays to have a plan B after all.

Despite her droll, gray exterior, Shiloh has a tendency to dream. She likes to escape in stories, to dream of better times, and of greater happiness. This tiny nugget of ambition is geared more to survival then it is to power mongering but that isn't to say she couldn't be coaxed into some sort of leadership position.

Self interest is particularly high in this one – she comes first and only after her needs are met does she consider turning her attention to others' needs. This means she takes excellent care of her health and seems a model student but it seldom leaves much energy to spend on other's endeavors or emotions. Selfishness is a method of survival, and one she isn't very likely to kick.

History:
Shiloh was born to Keogh Hold, a small, poor hold within Nabol Hold's territories. From an early age, blood feuds among families that ran back generations was her news of the day even when no one knew why one clan hated the other... and her meals were meager, won through fierce competition, threats, and frequently nimble tongues for sharp barter.

Hers was not an honourable family, scraping out a living herding sheep for their milk, cheese, wool, and meat. The lands they grazed their livestock on did not support much activity and the frequent wandering this required resulted in many crossings of property lines or borrowing of watering holes. The hand-to-mouth living wore on her parents, turning once humble and unassuming individuals into bitter, pessimistic farmers. They were cut throat traders, dealing in mutton as much as heresay, and the locals knew it... calling the family gossips.

This was all fine and dandy for Shiloh's parents but the children, of which she was the youngest, inherited the sins of the parents and few looked on her favourably. This was doubly so after her mother accidentally poured grease on her while she played in the kitchen, knocking against the woman as she cooked. The incident left her scarred and stole her beauty... reducing the likelihood she'd find a decent husband.

It was a fact that her parents made no attempt to hide – what point was there, after all, when her scars were so obvious?

To cope, Shiloh would try to run errands for those around town or gather herbs and berries in the good weather to sell or cook. She was not frequently allowed into the kitchen after the incident, leaving her with little choice but to learn how to care for the sheep. Their care soothed her and the opportunity to wander with them gave her the chance to let her dreams wander... She often dreamed of finding a gentle husband who paid no attention to her scars, who had a full pantry... who did not always find the fault in things.

Her sister had done well, marrying off to a fisherman along the coast in another hold. As far as Shiloh was concerned, she'd escaped to a better life. And her brother, strapping man that he was, had left to find work in the halls of the larger Holds or the Craftsmen. She hadn't heard from him in turns and her parents made little mention of him.

It was just after her thirteenth birthday that the Search for Candidates brought riders around her Hold. It was unexpected – the Dragonmen had not paid their hold attention in some years – and now there was an exotic, frightening beast looking over the youth of the Hold, rumbling every now and then. Its rider, a fierce, windburned man and a crooked grin, gathered up those selected to petition for their release into his care.

Shiloh turned away at that point, believing herself passed over. It did not surprised her, she was often rejected out of hand or made invisible, but the whistle and call of the rider turned her back around to find him gesturing for her as well. Shiloh did not even ask her parents if she could leave, seizing the opportunity to pursue something in a more bountiful place. Riding a dragon did not sink in until her training began in earnest.

She did not contact her parents after her selection, severing ties with the small hold and its gossipy, bitter people. For two years she trained, learning of the dragons even as she was glad for a warm bed and easy supply of food. There were no more kidnappings, no more bloodshed for foolish things, and the gossip did not exceed her experience.

Oh! Sorry I missed that!

Will fix! (red edits)