<hr/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/FSI343P.png)</div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial;"><strong>Name:</strong> <span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial;">Shiloh Tien</span> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=332525.msg15850549#msg15850549)<br/><strong>Tier:</strong> Green<br/><strong>Level:</strong> 1<br/><strong>Job Class:</strong> Archer<br/><strong>Date/Time:</strong> Day 1, Late Morning<br/><strong>Location:</strong> Food Stalls<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong> Geb | OPEN<br/><strong>Mentioned:</strong> NPCs at the Food Stalls</span><br/><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial;">Shiloh Tien had arrived in Caerduja a day or two ago by cargo ship. It was the kind of small, worn down cargo ship, manned by a few gruff sailors, that brought vital medicines and supplies to Oliarin twice a month. Long ago, a warrior from Oliarin would have arrived on Caerduja’s shores by mighty Viking vessel, but things were different now. A wish, a simple wish, had made things so very different. <em>The people were so tall, here.</em><br/><br/>And, perhaps not surprisingly, Shiloh had already made a grave mistake. Though there was a beautiful melody playing in the arena, most of the crowd <em>was</em>, in fact, wandering around the tournament grounds and <em>not</em> in the stands. There were so many people, and they were mostly tall and very… <em>healthy</em>… Oh dear. Her big, dark eyes glanced around the startling, bustling marketplace… Well, it looked like a marketplace. Maybe it had a fancier name here in Caerduja. Everything was fancier in Caerduja! Who knew there were more than <em>three</em> kinds of fruit! And the amount of fresh florals… If only Oliarin was this popular during tourism season, or then again, even in the off season, they could do so much <em>more</em> for the dying people there…<br/><br/>“Why are you carrying a bow? Are you also carrying some sort of ammunition?” Because it kept her safe and underneath her cape, Shiloh <em>thought</em>, before looking at the source of the voice. Oh, she was very pretty <em>and</em> young. Shiloh had a blue dress at home, similar to the one this lady was wearing, though made in thinner fabric. It was hotter in Oliarin, that’s why people visited there in tourism season, or sent their aging family members there to live and die. Even when it wasn’t tourism season, it was still fairly hot….<br/><br/>“Maybe she’s security! She’s a tall creature!” <em>Security?</em> Another voice now, another question, from an even younger male. Why where these strangers in Caerduja so interested in <em>her</em>? She was no one important. There were much more interesting competitors and people, Shiloh was certain. Maybe some of them <em>were</em> security for the Tournament. Though, she supposed… Caerduja <em>did</em> need security. Unlike Oliarin they <em>did</em> have violence on their island, and very few old folk… It was a wonder where they kept their old folk...<br/><br/>“She’s dressed too strangely for security!” Her dark eyes blinked at the young woman again. <em>Was her outfit strange?</em> It was mostly hidden by her dark cape anyway, and her grey hair was nicely curled around her ears. Maybe they dressed more… regally in Caerduja? Or perhaps showed more skin? Hm. The man’s outfit was tailored, but not that memorable. A white shirt, with black pants. It wasn’t all that different from her own outfit, except that Shiloh had a skirt on, over her tights. She liked skirts quite a lot, especially because of the ‘whooshing’ noise they made when you walked, or hunted a wild animal for your ailing community's survival. <br/><br/>“Yes, but she has gloves on!” <em>Oh dear.</em> Now they were bickering with each other because she still had not said anything. People never fought in Oliarin. Sometimes a few of the elderly would disagree with each other, but then they would just have hot lavender tea and sort out their issues.  Surely, <em>someone</em> in this thriving marketplace would be selling tea. She tilted her head around, looking from one overwhelming stall to the next. Oh <em>no</em>. Her hands, indeed covered by black gloves, curled tighter around her bow, clutching it to the front of her dark cape. <em>What if this pair of young adults kept fighting, and she had to stay here and aid them and miss her chance at the Tournament?</em> “Do you speak words or just stare, hm? Maybe he is right. Maybe you are some sort of weird, outside, hired hand.”<br/><br/>Shiloh blinked. She didn’t know what the lady meant, but her tone sounded mean. “Oh. Well…Um… Do… I answer in the order of asking, or by order of importance?” A small, almost sheepish smile crossed the corners of her lips. She had been listening to hard, again. In Oliarin, since all of her friends and community were elderly and slow, it was better to listen, and listen with patience. This had <em>not</em> been the case in Caerduja, at least not so far. The young woman and the younger man now looked equally annoyed at Shiloh. She had now made <em>more</em> than one grave mistake in Caerduja. “Uh….” Shiloh suddenly bowed her grey head, a nod of a very sincere apology. “I am terribly sorry, but I must be going, um, somewhere else… But, might I recommend you both uh, tea… Yes, maybe have some tea, together…” Shiloh continued to smile nervously as she backed away, keeping on her tip toes, almost as if skipping backwards. Even when the pair became shadows in the mid-day sun, she kept silently tiptoeing away. <em>She must get better at answering the questions of others! How else was she supposed to –</em><br/><br/>Shiloh breathed air into her nostrils as she almost bumped into someone. She twirled around on one foot, and landed on the other to face him, like a startled ballerina. Her eyelashes fluttered, recording different parts of him as she blinked rapidly. Dark cloak, well constructed armor of sorts, animated, visitor's badge, glowing red eyes, <em>oh</em>! A visitor's badge!  “You are <em>also</em> visiting Caerduja." Shiloh smiled warmly at him, and her broad shoulders dropped, bow still tight in both of her gloved hands. "I am so relived I am not alone.” Her own badge was pinned to the front of her pleated, lilac shirt. “Oh. Caerduja is very lovely, of course, and very historic. And very easy to get lost in... But maybe that’s the point of the Tournament, you know, it could be cheating if anyone knows too much, or anything really, before it starts. I do hope that there is at least some archery component, for my bow. Maybe a skills test…. I haven’t competed in anything before, so… Are you entering the tournament as well or just here to watch? You seem far better prepared then I am. For combat, I mean, if you are, in fact, competing.” Shiloh hoped she didn't need as much armor as him to properly compete. Body armor like his would be very intimidating to your enemies. There was also... frosting of sorts on his mouth.<br/><br/>She blinked her big, dark eyes at him again. “Oh, I’m <em>very</em> sorry," her grey head drifted between the man and the stall owner as she finally noticed the exchange between them, "I interrupted you both.” The young woman bowed then, so low she hinged at her hips. When she rose, she addressed the stall owner. “Would you give my single day’s complimentary dessert to him? I do apologize for being a bother, especially when you were in between a business transaction.” Three embarrassing mistakes in a few minutes was not the kind of record Shiloh was hoping to set.</span>