I take a deep breath and start: "It starts with two adventurers. They were good at their job, but not especially famous. They weren't friends with Elminster or the Seven Sisters, they haven't saved the world, they haven't defeated some legendary monster. At least as far as I know, I haven't met anyone who really knew them. I don't know if they really were heroes, just mercenary types looking for riches, or even secret villains. Anyway, this story isn't actually about them. They made enough gold to live comfortably and, as it happens, had a child together, a girl. They settlet down a bit, but still continued adventuring from time to time"
"One day, they left their daughter...she was about five years old...in a friend's care to go on another adventure. It must have been something important, but I never found out what it was. Unfortunately, the village where they lived was attacked in their absence. Maybe it was just a random raid, maybe it was their enemies out for blood, hard to say... Sword Coast is full of danger. Many people died, and though the girl survived, her caretaker didn't. Luckily for her, some nice people took her in, thinking her parents died in the raid."
I stop talking for a moment. I don't remember much from the raid itself, I was just a kid, but I remember being terrified. It's a distant, faded memory, but I still don't feel comfortable talking about that. I just stare in front of myself as I continue.
"They were good people and treated the girl like their own daughter, and while she missed her true family at first, she grew to love her foster parents quickly. She was just a kid, after all, and not understanding what's going on. Her new family owned a roadside inn on the High Road, close to Waterdeep. Many travelers and adventurers were passing through and telling stories. The girl loved those stories, and as she grew older, wanted to be an adventurer too, even before learning about her true parents. Her new family had to talk her out of running away to get herself killed gods know where, and put her to work in the inn instead. The girl didn't liked it at first, but it was an opportunity to meet and talk with more passing travelers, so that was good. As the years went by and she was getting older and smarter, the girl found out the innkeepers weren't her real parents... they were both humans and she was half-elven... and they told her what happened years earlier. The girl wanted to find out what happened to her real parents. Did they died on their last adventure, or did they return to the ruined village and only to find no sign of their daughter? Did they look for her, or assumed she was dead like so many others? How did they react to the news? Did they hunt down the raiders, seeking vengeance, continued adventuring, moved elsewhere and settled down, or died? Did they had more children later? But nobody knew."
This time, my silence last longer, and I close my eyes. If it was just a story, it would be just for dramatic effect, but though I talk about myself in the third person, it's much more personal. Though the story was originally intended just for Avreene, I no longer care if other girls move closer to listen too.
"Once again, the girl desired to be an adventurer, and there was no talking her out of it this time. To find her parents or what happened to them, or to become famous so they'll hear about her deeds and her name... and any adventures experienced and riches gained along the way are a nice bonus on top of that goal. Being older and smarter now, she realized she can't just pack up and go on the road, she had to learn how to defend herself, how to survive, how to do the whole adventuring business. Luckily for her, she had plenty of visiting adventurers to learn from. She couldn't exactly decide what to focus on, so she learned a bit of everything... swordsmanship, archery, sneaking around, wilderness survival, even magic and a bit of healing. And she needed equipment. None of that is cheap, and not every teacher was willing to share their knowledge just because she was asking nicely, so she had to earn some gold. Through tips at the inn, through running the occassional errand, and, well, sometimes through more... personal... services, when she was old enough for that. It took her years, but eventually she felt she's got everything she needs, and that she's ready. She said goodbye to her parents... there were tears and last ditch attempts to get her to stay... and set hit the road. She had some small, almost insignificant adventures before she arrived at the jewel of the North, the city of Neverwinter...."
I turn towards Avreene, and smile, hiding my previous somber expression under the familiar facade of a storyteller. "Not very entertaining story is it? I doubt I would earn a meal with that one. And it yet lacks proper ending, though I'm not sure if the ending would be good. Or if someone else ever hears it again."
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