  While 'tis true that 
the musician who 
seeketh only to make 
sweet music for 
herself and for 
others needs little 
more than some 
talent, and stern 
#EOP
practice at the chosen 
instrument, those of 
us who seek the open 
road shall find indeed 
that a greater skill is 
required. Herein 
discover those secrets 
which I have learned 
#EOP
over the years as an 
itinerant performer... 
 Once I was in 
Jhelom, and 
accidentally angered a 
bravo of some local 
repute, whose blade 
flickered all too 
#EOP
eagerly near my 
slender neck (for I 
was young then). 
After various threats 
to "ruin my pretty 
face" this bravo 
grabbed my arm in a 
most unseemly 
#EOP
fashion and tossed 
me into a barbaric 
enclosure locally 
entitled a dueling pit. 
My plaintive cries 
for help went 
unheeded by the 
guards, for the 
#EOP
inhabitants of Jhelom 
are eager indeed to 
measure fighting 
prowess at any time!
  What saved me was 
the ability to 
improvise a melody 
and tune that 
#EOP
satirized the 
proceedings, and 
sufficiently angered 
an onlooker to prod 
him to coming to my 
defense. Once that 
fight was underway, 
I was able to make 
#EOP
good my escape. 
Hence, I regard the 
ability to incite fights 
as indispensable to 
the prudent bard.
  Upon another 
occasion, 'twas the 
obverse side of that 
#EOP
coin which saved me, 
for I was being held 
prisoner by a 
particularly nasty 
band of ruffians who 
had seized me 
unawares from the 
road to Vesper.
#EOP
  They had worked 
themselves into a 
frenzy and were 
ready to attack and I 
fear, tear me limb 
from limb, when I 
began to sing 
frantically, tapping 
#EOP
my fallen drum with 
my tied up feet. The 
melody developed into 
a soothing one, and 
the brigands slowly 
calmed down to the 
extent of apologizing, 
and they let me go!
#EOP
  A final example I 
would pray you grant 
your attention: once I 
was lost upon a large 
isle far to the east of 
the mainland, well 
beyond Serpent's 
Hold, where lava 
#EOP
made its sluggish 
way across the 
surface landscape. 
And this accursed 
land was filled with 
vile beasts and 
cunning dragons.
  I was being pursued 
#EOP
by one of said fell 
dragons when I found 
myself trapped. I 
quickly skirted a 
bubbling pool of molten 
rock and attempted to 
hide.
  The dragon scented 
#EOP
me and was 
preparing to skirt the 
pool, when I began to 
play a lusty tune 
upon my lute that 
attracted its attention. 
Mesmerized and 
enticed by the 
#EOP
melody, it stepped 
directly toward sme, 
and into the 
lava-where its foot 
was so burned that it 
quickly hopped away, 
undignified and 
annoyed.
#EOP
  'Tis my fond hope 
that other travelling 
minstrels shall learn 
from my experiences 
and apply themselves 
to practicing these 
skills in order to 
preserve life and 
#EOP
limb.

- Sarah of Yew, 
Songmistress
#EOP
#EOP
#EOP
