Ethanard is said to have been born in a small, idyllic house in Trestlebridge, alongside a sibling whose identity has been lost to time. Childhood was a peaceful affair, spent in relative solitude until the threat of Orcs forced the family to move to Bree to seek refuge and build a better home for themselves. What happened after the move is a mystery yet to be solved, but it was believed that all of the Applebrooks had been ambushed by an Orcish scouting party and thus slain. Months passed by and the story was forgotten, until one day an impoverished man claiming to be the patriarch of the clan turned up in town begging for shelter.

It was around this time that one "Ethanard" began appearing in the Bree Town Hall records, staying at an orphanage along with all the other children who were abandoned or left behind by their parents.

He was said to be an incredibly cheerful child, remarkably optimistic about his future despite the misfortune of his family.

The fate of his father was never revealed, so young Ethan quietly passed into young adulthood with scarce a mention in the old ledgers, save for a passage or two describing his propensity for silly little (and sometimes destructive) pranks. Once he was old enough, he entered an apprenticeship with an old blacksmith near the town forges, where he has spent his entire time since toiling away at the anvil.

Rumours (Feel free to use these IC to recognize the character, especially if you're a Bree-lander)

• "Poor lad's been given the short end o' the stick in life, 'tis a surprise to see him coping so well."
• "He's a pleasant young man, talks to everyone no matter who they are and where they come from. Even the lousy folk who come here from far away."
• "He hates being bored. He really hates that."

(OOC: If anyone has any interest in playing Ethan's sibling, feel free to contact me via PM on this website. There's plenty of room for flexibilty in terms of character!)