[ycleption]

A few of the things which have happened to me since arriving in Hlint.

It is my intention to write on a regular basis, but I feel that in order to clear my mind for future writing, I need to at least touch upon what has happened to me thus far.
When I arrived, I decided to explore town a bit, talk to people, find out what's going on generally. Before long, I had secured two short term jobs. One, to bring back a ledger from the ratman of Hlint, and the other to defeat an undead creature. Although both tasks proved too difficult for me to achieve on my own, very nice people helped me finish the job. Although it is frustrating to need others to accomplish such tasks, I have grown to accept this, and I have become much more aware of my own limitations. Also, I find that I can learn much simply by watching others fight, even if they use different disciplines. Effectively coordinating attacks is not something I have had much training in, but it is important when fighting with others. And despite my relative lack of fighting prowess, on one occasion, I was able to use my skills to help another complete a task: a man named Samuel, needed some assistance dispatching some troublesome goblins, and was a bit nervous to ask others, but I was able to put together a fairly impressive group on his behalf.
Since then, I have taken a number of mundane jobs, such as delivering packages and such. A man named Sallaron showed me around Sielwood, and we found a necklace I later learned belonged to a bard, who rewarded me for bringing it back to her. I have been investing my earnings from these excursions at the bank: every time I get 200 True, I deposit it. I never withdraw more than half of what I have in the bank, and after I make a withdrawal, I must deposit twice as much as I took out before making another withdrawal. In this way I will always be saving money, until I have enough. Not all of my earnings have been in True though; I delivered weapons to Llast, and received a helmet with protective powers in return.
One of the more unusual events I have witnessed was an encounter with some sort of shapechanging being. A man named Hrothgar and I first encountered a group of goblins outside of Haven, in an area where they do not usually dwell. They were far stronger than any goblin I had ever seen, although Hrothgar did not seem too surprised. We were able to kill all but one, but the two of us were unable to land a single blow to the last one. We went to search for a few companions to return with, but when we came back, we found not the goblins, but some creature who claimed he had been traveling with them, observing them. This creature seemed to be able to assume any form he chose, but had a distinctly arrogant air about him in all of them. We spoke with him for awhile, trying to ascertain exactly what he was. . . we really didn't learn much, but seemed to determine that he was not directly involved in the goblins' attacking us. After, he simply disappeared. I investigated the goblin camp, and found his tent still there, but he was nowhere to be seen. I also found a plant growing there which has the property of protecting again shapeshifters, although whether it grows there normally or is somehow connected with his presence I do not know.
Since coming to Hlint, I have explored a good deal, Spellguard, Fort hope, and Leilon being at the far ends of my travels. The merchants in Spellguard are very nice to me, so I often journey there to buy supplies.
Besides my martial training, and travel, my days lately have been filled with the disciplines of fishing and working with cloth. Although I used to do both, it was many years ago, and regaining my skill has been a challenge: both are skills which build patience, and between the two, I should always be able to keep myself fed and clothed, thus increasing my self-reliance, and saving me True. In addition, when I have established my school, I will be able to teach these skills, since obviously not everyone is able to follow the path of the monk like myself.