Små historier (Smoor hist-or-e)

There many of us bards who travel the world telling the tales of legends. But there is only one who tells the tales of the small heroes.

— Bards of the world

Early life of Små

Små began his life on a small nameless island that was between the isle of Azir and the fishing grounds. Små and his family ran the small inn and dorm house that was built to accommodate the fisherman during fishing season. When the fishing season was over only Små and his family would be left on this small nameless island.

This was a very peaceful and happy time for Små, as he enjoyed his quiet life with his family, and the time when the fisherman would come and bring their stories of the outside world. Unfortunately, this was not to last.

Not long after Små passed his tenth birthday, a nasty storm blew through the region. This storm was bigger and stronger than they would normally be. After days of being battered by the storm as Små and his family fought to keep their home together, a wave, larger than the island they lived upon, swept over them sweeping away their inn. Små clung onto a piece of the bar top as he was tossed about for what felt like forever. Eventually the storm finally broke and the seas returned to their calmer state. It was an unknown time to Små as he clung to his wooden float upon the open seas with no island, or family members, in sight.

Små held onto his float for a further five days when, like a miracle, a ship appeared upon the horizon. Using the last of his strength and energy, Små yelled as loud as he could, and waved his arms in air until finally, those on the ship noticed him and pulled him from the water. The boat turned out to be a fisherman who would frequent the island, Fisker, who had gone to the island after the storm had passed to check on his family. Fisker took Små back to the island to see the damage for himself.

When they got back to the island, Små saw that there was nothing left. All the buildings were completely swept away, as was all the vegetation. There was nothing left but a bare rock where once his family had lived. Små sat upon the ship quietly as Fisker took him back to his hometown of Azir. Upon return Små was greeted with great warmth, and sadness, by the fishermen who lived in Azir. Fisker was hailed as a hero for finding any survivors of that horrible storm, and Små was made welcome to his new home. Små was given a place at the local tavern, The Red Snapper.

As Små was still young the matron of The Red Snapper, Morlig, took Små in like he was one of her own. She allowed him his space while keeping him busy enough that he wouldn't sink to far into his sadness, but not so busy that he didn't have time to think. Morlig would hold him at night as he would cry himself to sleep over the loss of his family and home, while offering him reassurance him that while it would never replace his lost family and home, The Red Snapper would grow to become his new home.

Overtime Små came to terms with his grief and would start tell talk about the events of the storm, his rescue by Fisker, and the equally important rescue done by Morlig.

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The Tales of Små

As Små began to tell the story of the storm and the rescue by Fisker, he discovered a passion for telling stories. He would tell his story, adding only a little embellishment for artistic purposes, and would praise both Fisker and Morlig for saving his life. This led him to learning the stories of local heroes to tell their story at the tavern, and as Azir is a small town, the stories he would learn wouldn't be some grand world saving adventures, they would be about the small-time heroes. Små began to travel upon the fishing boats providing the fishermen with much loved entertainment as they would either fish or head to the larger towns to sell their wares. It was on these trips to the larger towns where Små would start to look for other stories to tell.

Stories like the young man who saved his younger sister from a small shark and lived to tell the story. Tales of the farmer who would take in those less fortunate and help them get back on their feet. Fishermen donating their catch to refugees who were from the losing side of a war. These tales were never the those of grand adventurers who killed dragons or hunted down the fearsome krakens. These tales were of those who did small deeds without the expectation of rewards.

It was during one of these trips to a larger city that Små first came across a traveling bard, who would play his harp and tell grand tales of the legends of old. What Små took from this was not the grand tales, but the way the addition of an instrument added to the depth and majesty of the tales. Små found out pretty quickly that a stringed instrument could not be used very well aboard a boat for long periods, as the water would cause damage to the strings before too long. While looking for an instrument that could be used while he told his tales, he walked past a smithy who was working on a large sheet of metal. The sound of the hammer striking the metal inspired Små to spend time creating a new instrument to accompany his tales. This was the creation of the Handpan, an instrument that allowed Små to sit down aboard the boats and tap out a rhythm to go along with his tales.

A Handpan is a sheet of metal molded into a shape similar to that of a turtle shell, with a corresponding base with a matching shape that has an opening in the bottom. The top of the Handpan has various bumps/shapes imbedded in it allowing you to create differing sounds depending on how it is hit. Små would maintain his handpan while upon the ocean by using a small oil cloth to prevent the sea spray from causing rust.

With his new instrument, Små began to travel further afield on larger ships as a travelling storyteller. It was during these travels where he began to hear what others had begun to say about himself. How he was travelling, telling the tales of the small heroes, and how it had begun to inspire others to do these small deeds for others. To begin with it was so they could have their story told, but slowly that began to shift into what would become known as the influential Legend of Små Historier.

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The legend of Små Historier

The Legend of Små Historier began when he started to travel on ships that would take him out of his little corner of the world, and into the more populated areas. He would pay for his travel upon the ships by telling tales of heroes that were just like themselves, ordinary people and not the heroes of legend. This started to inspire the people of the world to do good deeds for those around them, in the hopes of having their story told. This started to shift, not with a sudden outburst, but with the steady increase, like the tide rising, of deeds being done by all those who hear his tales. Små began to learn of people doing deeds to have their stories added to his collection of tales, He began to realize the influence his stories were starting to have on the common folk and he started to travel with the intent of inspiring people to help out their neighbors and to do small deeds for each other.

It was due to his new purpose that Små began to take his travels and stories more seriously. He began to learn the languages of the world so that he could inspire more folks, in further reaches. He would travel amongst all the different people of the world, learning their languages and stories, showing no discrimination or favoritism. He would tell different folks' stories about those they didn't know of, in order to show people that while there may be different people and cultures in the world, there is very little difference in the day to day of their lives. He started a new wave of compassion among the common people of the world. He reduced the fear people had of the differing races and cultures. And his travels took him to the furthest corners of the world.

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The tale of Små Historier finishes here, but don't worry, the tale of Små isn't over, merely over for now. When he returns from his far travels with more stories to tell, his legend will continue.

— Morlig