Name: Yarrow Shepherd
Where he/she lives: In the rooms above a small pottery shop in the middle of Corus.
Place of Birth: Not entirely certain. Yarrow's theory is a field or barn somewhere, but her parents' account of the event is rather hazy on the details.
Age, Date of Birth: 26, May 28
Occupation: Potter who also paints on occasion.
Status: commoner
Magic: No gift to speak of.

Family: Yarrow is one of multiple children from a family of traveling traders. Both of her parents are living, and among the children Yarrow is neither one of the oldest nor one of the youngest. Some of her older siblings are married and either live in various cities scattered around the continent or travel with their parents as traders and guards.

Appearance: Yarrow's hair is an ambiguous shade between blond and brown and is usually tied back from her face or pinned to her head. Usually she wears a kerchief of some sort to contain it, because it barely reaches her shoulders and wisps of it often escape. She has a roundish face and a nose that, though not noticeably large, would never ever be described by the word 'button'. Her skin was tanned by her constant exposure to sun from traveling, (though some of the color might have been due to dirt and dust as well) but she has gradually grown paler from working inside at the pottery so much. She is almost always covered with either dried clay or paint. Stands at about 5' 3"and isn't exceptionally overweight or unhealthily thin, just sort of average. Her eyes are a sort of grayish green.

Clothing: When on the road with her family Yarrow mostly wore men's clothing and a cap, as did her sisters. It was the most practical thing in that case, since there was always a possibility of capture or other mishap. When in more urban areas, such as Corus, she wears women's clothing that's in moderately good repair but is certainly nothing to boast about. Most of her clothes are covered in paint or clay, just like her. Usually shod in relatively cheap boots.

Personality: Yarrow has an incredibly strange sense of humor; something funny might strike her in the middle of a conversation about sheep diseases, while a group of comedians won't seem amusing at all. She is also rather absentminded, which is not a blessing when a temporarily forgotten object may be several days worth of travel away by the time it is remembered. Although she tries to control herself, Yarrow has a rather cynical outlook on life and tends to be sarcastic. She is amused by gullible people and baits them mercilessly if they are clueless enough to continually miss her sarcasm. She is also rather curious but goes to great lengths to appear as though she isn't.
Yarrow is cautious rather than impulsive and will usually analyze a situation before involving herself in it. The key word there is usually; she occasionally gets into situations she hasn't assessed beforehand, especially if her curiosity is roused. Although she's by no means antisocial, Yarrow tends to be on the quiet side and sometimes becomes uncomfortable around large groups of people. It has to be a rather large group though, larger than the usual number of inhabitants of the Inn; after all, she did grow up living in close quarters with a large family. Still, in one-on-one conversations or in a small group Yarrow will quite happily engage in a discussion....or an argument. Often these are the same thing.

Strengths: Yarrow is level-headed and isn't easily shocked or perturbed by most things. She doesn't deliberately annoy people or push herself into the limelight, since that would mean much more impulsiveness than she's willing to allow herself. She also knows little bits about a wide range of things, since she's seen a lot of different places and people. For this reason, she is also comfortable with different customs and people whose customs are a little...bizarre. She can use a staff with sufficient skill to ward off an attacker (a necessary skill when on the road) but doesn't carry one with her in the city; too impractical.

Weaknesses: As previously stated, Yarrow is rather cynical and sarcastic, which does not endear her to some people. Also, her absentmindedness can cause problems for her, such as lost items (when she traveled with her parents) or ruined pots. (If she wanders away from the wheel and forgets what she was doing in the middle of one) She has no head for business because she doesn't know what things should cost, but once she knows what prices things should be she rarely makes an error in her arithmetic.
Yarrow also has a problem with stupid people. When something needs to be done and others are not taking it seriously enough for her liking she tends to overreact.

History: Yarrow spent the majority of her life traveling between cities and small villages in a group of wagons with her family and other traders. Although she got along well enough with her family on the whole and didn't cause undue problems, she recently settled in Corus with her parents' blessing. There just didn't seem to be much for her in the traveling life; she didn't excel in the bartering her parents seemed to have a knack for and couldn't keep track of what goods would be well received in what place. She wasn't a burden to her family, but she wasn't an asset either.
Yarrow's new way of life began recently, when her family passed through Corus on business and she decided to stay. The decision was influenced by the fact that another sibling was on the way and that some potters who were family friends in the city offered her a place to stay if she wanted to. Yarrow had always enjoyed pottery and painting, so she brought the question to her parents for their approval. Since she wasn't an incredibly vital part of the trading process, and she assured them that she would be happier in Corus than on the road, her parents agreed. Since then, she has worked in the pottery shop with her parents' friends, though not as a salesperson.

What is your character most ashamed of? That she has no head for business and isn't good at pricing things. She feels that the only reason her parents allowed her to live on her own was because they knew she would have someone to watch over her and keep her from being cheated and that she wouldn't survive on her own. This shames her, but she is more ashamed of the fact that they are probably right.

What makes your character unique? Working in a pottery shop, especially one that doesn't even belong to her, is definitely not your run of the mill hero-type occupation. Also, her absentmindedness and lack of common sense when it comes to business are unusual features for the daughter of a pair of traders to have. And she can't carry a tune that anyone but a cat would love, but can whistle.

Why is your character coming to the Inn? Since Yarrow lives in the city now, away from her family and the security of being surrounded by multiple people who can watch her back, she feels that it might be wise to find some way to gain insurance against theft and assault, at least from most thieves. After asking around she is directed to the Inn, where she is told she will be able to find someone to help her.