Chapter 1 - New Oppurtunities
My time in Archet had been far from the peaceful escape I had hoped. It would seem my arrival coincided almost exactly with a bandit raid upon the settlement. Bad luck followed me once more and the very dramas I had hoped to avoid by coming to Archet plagued me yet again. Still I did my best to remain hopeful, taking comfort in the thought that at least I still lived and that the bandits had been driven back, yet not without casualties.
In the aftermath of the attack there was little work and even smaller amount of coin to be earned and so I moved west, up through Combe and into Bree itself.
Work in Bree has been good although not easy by any means. The coin is little and the danger often great, not to mention the travelling involved. Various work for various people has taken me as far west as The Shire and Ered Luin, and as far east as Weathertop and The Lonelands. The purchasing of a steed would be worthwhile, if only to save on the cost of new boots. However, I have made it my first priority to save enough coin for permanent accomodation.
In the meantime I have been lodging in the common room of the Prancing Pony Inn, a simple yet well run establishment with a varied clientele. It was here one evening that my luck began to change for the better, and who would have guessed the sound of my luck changing would come from a large armoured man, banging a wooden stick on a small metal box.
Clearly the gentleman in question had consumed a few ales, for despite only the "clang clang clang" of his instrument, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself, as though his ears heard the sounds of a whole orchestra. Still he held the beat perfectly, and so I took up my Lute and strummed a tune to accompany him. After many a tune played, and many more ales consumed I came to learn that my new musical acqaintence was known as Bullborn.
Bullborn, it turned out, was not just a solo musician but played with a troupe of musicians known as The Shades. It also just so happened that they were looking for a new lute player, after their previous one had met a rather unfortunate end at the hands of a troll with little appreciation for fine music. Not so lucky for him, but for me it was just the oppurtunity I had been looking for.
I volunteered immediately and so started my new life as a member of The Shades....
