My Introduction to Blackrune causing the Eventual Alliance with El Grotto

Chapter 1

     My name is Sindri Hjorleifson, and as all the most interesting stories start out with “No shit there I was.” This one is more of a “Did I cause that?” Retelling. There I was one fine war for Potrero, as the sun made its morning journey, desperately trying to find the one piece of protection all fighters need, and failing quite amazingly.
     Not to be deterred of being at least somewhat useful I marched from house El Grotto to the battlefield in the full household colors, black and yellow, of house Vargus. Vargus is my fighting household from the Midrealm. Where as El Grotto, not known as a fighting house, adopted me in Caid. I grabbed gear to watch over the safety of the combatants as they clashed swords and smashed shields.
     That was when I noticed a group of fighters in service to Alexander wearing the black and gold. They fought with a passion and camaraderie that took me back to my days in the Midrealm. The Blackrunes, as I later learned, we’re a mercenary company comprised of free men. Much like my household in the Midrealm.
     Duties persisted, as they often do, and another war ended with great memories of amazing times. My one regret was not searching for the Blackrunes to offer my sword for the next year’s inevitable war. Yet as fate would have it, word reached me a few months later that Caspian Lash Blackrune had took notice of my attire and made the statement, “I was thinking of hiring that guy.”
    So not to miss the opportunity to contact the Blackrunes, I utilized my trusty homing mouse, and sent a missive introducing myself to Caspian Lash Blackrune, and offering to begin negotiations to fight. Caspian was a shrewd, yet fair negotiator, as he scoured over my lineage and experience. As the haggling came to a close, Caspian welcome me aboard and I was surprised to learn he had heard of my Midrealm household through his travels as well as having dealings with El Grotto in the past.
     So the time came for war and I was ready for my debut fighting for The Blackrune Free Company, who in turn were fighting for Dreiburgen. The fighting was long and hard…I know, I know, that’s what she said. It was Mikael Houston and myself fighting that first day. All was glorious as we fought side-by-side like shield brothers who had been fighting for years together. Soon the battle had us pushed back, defending an old, broken-down castle. I took my place, down the hallway from the entrance, at the corner of the first breach in that long corridor.
     My warboard was taking up a good portion of the breach, and with Mikael at my side, we forced the enemy combatants to seek ingress to the inner sanctum elsewhere. Alas, the enemy numbers grew too great for our ever depleting force. While pushing back against a rush of shields, a fallen warrior I know not whether friend or foe, fell onto my knee from behind. Dragged to safety, my injury was tended to, but my day of fighting was done. The next day I did the best I could but the injury persisted and kept me out of the fighting going forward. The following days I fell in love with the hospitality and acceptance of the Blackrunes. I joyfully told El Grotto of how the Blackrunes reminded me of the home I had left so many years ago.
     Perhaps I was too joyful, or perhaps just enough. For unknown to me as I recuperated from my injury, a plan had been put in motion by Paul Spearbreaker to remedy the predicament I had placed myself in. Up north the Great Western War was brewing. One blustery evening, Paul laid out an alliance offer to Blackrune. Something along the lines the of, if Blackrune does not steal me from El Grotto, El Grotto would fight for Blackrune. That is, in my recollection is how the Blackrune/El Grotto alliance was born.