Let me begine with a short background of myselfe and how I came ta be here.
My lyfe was simple enouf on Father's farm neare Shelzar for my first ten yearf, until a chanfe encounter changed that. I was working te fields as usual, when one of te stallionf from Lord McTannin's stables escaped and begane trampling the crops. I remember approaching the magnificent beast withe-out confern for me own welfare, thou me heart was pounding greatly in my cheste. Master McTannin was impressed and insisted upon taking me ta join his household as apprentyfe groomsman. While I hated ta leave my parent's with a crop yet ta gather, they pressed me ta take this rare opportunity, and I founde myself moving away frome my family.
It was a goode life. The worke was hard, of courfe, but I learned a great many skillf. I enjoy'd working withe te horses in te stablef, feeding them, tending them and learning to ryde myself.
I encountered many of the Master's assofiates and family over the yearf that followed. I particularly remember a charming child, a niece of Lord McTannin's, who wolde follow me around nearly every waking moment when her family was visiting. She was a spitfire, that one! Far more annoying than her subdued older brother who wolde whimper and whine whenever forced ta joine the family on rides. I remember thinking to myself how I wolde not envy the man who was unlucky enough to marry that lass! What a nightmare that wolde be for certain! Alas, it shan't be a problem thou, for I heard that her family was attacked by marauding hiwaymen or titanspawn after a visite.
I learn'd quickly, and Master McTannin was impressed with my developement, he soon put me into servife as Manager of his Stockyardf. I was forced ta move into the city for te first tyme in my life and adjusting was quite difficult for me. Fortunately te work was hard and my free tyme limited, for I greatly miss'd the wyde openness of the plains about my family home. I did finde solace at the docks, some howe looking acrosse the great expanse of water gave me some peace.
On one such visite, I watch'd with astonishment as a merchant ship limp'd into port and slamm'd into the docks. Crates, barrels and people were tossed and tumbled about everywhere! Few men were to be seen on the deck of the vessel, but bloode and body parts litter'd the decks as well as fore and aft castles! The syte and smell of it, is something I shan't soon foreget! It fill'd my senses and made other less stout folk vomit withe horror. Yet, some lived, and I was quickly put to task to assist withe helping separate te wounded frome te dead. The task seemed unending! And even once te bodies were clear'd, there was still the job of unloading the cargo before the ship sank. There was discovered some lyfestock below decks and once more I was press'd into servife to remove them.
A sorrier looking vessel I had not set eyes upon than Tiberius' Gambit that day! But twas an hearty ship, having survived not one, but ~ two ~ assaultf from pirates attempting to steale the prescious cargo of animals bounde for Shelzar. The Captaine, impressed withe my handling of te panick'd animalf, offered me a position on his vessel, and altho twas a few monthes later before the Gambit was seaworthy again, I accepted his offer eagerly.
And that is howe I came ta be a member of te crew and began my lyfe as a sailor... at te age of four and twenty.