Shiv was born to Michael and Regina Ryan. Her father was the head of a local chapter of the Humanis Policlub (and some rumors had it he may have been a part of Alamos 20k...). Needless to say, he was less than pleased to have one of those 'freaks' as his daughter. Regina convinced Michael not to do anything drastic to their newborn daughter, so Shiv was shoved off to some remote relatives on her mother's side.

The first 8 years of her life, Shiv wasn't precisely happy, but somewhat content. A few months before her ninth birthday, Shiv's foster father died in a car accident. About 6 months later her foster mother met someone else, and a few months later was re-married. Her foster mother's new husband seemed decent enough for the first year or so, then he turned...odd.

A practising mage of dubious reputation, her new foster father began to torture her with his magic, apparently getting some form of power from her blood and pain. When she complained to her foster mother, the woman cursed Shiv and threw her out of the house, saying she wouldn't harbor one such as her.

Shiv didn't need to be told a second time, took a few things and left. She wandered the streets of Seattle, lost, alone and cold. She was lucky and was found by a group of elven street waifs who took her in. For 5 years they managed to scrap by, and despite all the hardships involved in living on the streets, she couldn't remember being so happy.

One night while Shiv was out getting some supplies, her friends disappeared without a trace. She wandered the streets for days, stunned. She eventually pulled herself together. Shiv decided to go looking for new digs, afraid of what had snatched her friends.

While out looking for new digs, she accidently got caught in a vicious crossfire between 2 gangs, one of the gang members was dressed very strangely in something that was silvery with golden highlights. She seemed to be decimating the enemy gangers with blades that sprang from her fingertips.

Just as Shiv found a place to hide herself from the gang war, the strangely dressed ganger collapsed in front of her. And someTHING leapt from the body, and wrapped itself around her hand. In her head she heard a voice "PROTECT. ME." She was stunned as the silvery-green vines slithered around her, wrapping her head to foot in their grasp.

Several of the gangers came running towareds Shiv as the transfer took place, and she instictively shielded her face with one hand while warding them off with another. Suddenly, the glove crackled with energy and a fireball exploded before her sending her flying through a collapsing wall and into blessed unconciousness.

When she awoke, she found her clothing ripped to shreds--except for her oversized synth-leather jacket--and several of the gangers burnt beyond recognition.

On her way to her hideout on the streets, one of the other street children warned her that the gang was hunting her, and so was someone else, no one knew who. Frightened she grabbed a backpack and stuffed some clothes. She stowed away on a nearby ship (she lived near the docks). Now she's wondering what she's going to do with her life.....