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Appearance:

In the city: If it weren't for her careful grooming and expensive but restrained clothing, Annie would be hard to pick out in a crowd. Her average size, mousy hair, plain face and expression do little to distinguish her from others you might meet.

As an adventurer: At first glance, Annie looks like any other female traveler prepared for the dangers of the wild: dressing in practical leathers, carrying simple weapons for protection against bandits or wild beasts. However, a careful observer might note her smoothly braided hair, well-maintained clothing, and clean nails, suggesting that she may only recently have come to the traveling life.

Personality: When required by her social duty, Annie can be outgoing, doing her best to charm others and act as the perfect hostess, guest, or business partner. Given a choice, though, she prefers to stay quietly in the background, to remain unnoticed by others, some might almost say "invisible".

Background (not known by other characters at first):

Annie Wilkinson is the eldest daughter of the Tharsons, an old trading family in Halborn that has lost much of its standing and trade contacts over the last few generations. They had lost so much influence that they traded only in local raw goods, worth little, no longer having access to trade in manufactured or foreign goods. Because of their decline, the Tharsons nearly lost their seat on the Halborn city council, made up of the heads of the city's trade guilds.

When Annie's ambitious father, Pieter Tharson, took over the family business, he immediately set out to bring the family and business back to its former glory.

His first step was to marry Emilia Verdi, a younger daughter of one of the most influential Halborn councillors, and of a very wealthy trade family with a near stranglehold on the trade of local finished goods. Through his marriage, the Tharsons started to regain a foothold in the more lucrative market of local manufactured goods.

Annie was the eldest Tharson daughter, and the most favored of the children, in spite of being second born and female. Her father valued her head for business and quickness in learning, and she seemed a natural to take over the family business. The eldest, a son, was a wastrel and horrible at business, although he resented the fact that his younger sister was more likely to be given the family business, something he considered his birthright, than himself.

As was common in wealthy families, Annie was fostered out in her late childhood through middle adolescence. Fostering was a way both to keep the peace between rival houses and countries, but also a way to expand contacts and establish alliances. In Annie's case, she was fostered in the far distant land of Tazeron, with an influential family who were in control of the trade in rare metals. As with Pieter Tharson's own marriage, the fostering relationship led to an increase in the Tharson's trade in rare metals.

Annie changed greatly during her time in Tazeron, although her family put it down to the natural changes of growing up. She was quieter when she returned, although when needed, she seemed more confident and capable in social situations such as trade negotiations. Pieter Tharson was extremely pleased with his almost grown-up daughter.

Annie's recent marriage is the latest step in her father's plans for the recovery of the family business. Pieter Tharson arranged her marriage to Robert Wilkinson, an elder son of a family influential in the trade of foreign silks. The engagement was short, and she has been married for three quarters of a year when the story opens. In spite of the fact that she had only met Robert Wilkinson once before the engagement, Annie is not unhappy with her father's choice. Robert is a gentle man, and they have a mutual admiration for the other's skill in business. They are still awkward and careful around each other, but have been working hard to produce an heir.

One odd thing, though: shortly after her marriage to Robert, she began having strange nightmares. Although they are set in different locations, with different scenery, there is always a dark Other lurking in the background, watching her silently. The Other's face and form are always hidden in the shadows. Though she is terrified of this mysterious figure, she always finds herself drawn to approach it, wanting to know who it is, while at the same time being terrified of what she might find.

RP example (note that there are breaks in the action for each of the actual real-time NWN games, which will make the flow confusing)