Prota is making an observation. No further action is implied. 

"Well, I guess there's no way they want our wool," you remark to Glint.

Step 65

(The Player is not yet taking the initiative in visiting the camp. They may want to learn more before they proceed, or they may be unsure what to do next. The Player should be offered a few meaningful options to anchor them.) Glint can propose alternatives. Prota could visit the central markets, looking for opportunities to trade their pottery or coin. In addition to regular trade goods, this option includes finding illicit goods to smuggle into a town ahead. The Clan Pratchett central market does not care what others ban. 

Alternatively, Glint knows a few people in the clan that they could visit. (New characters should have memorable traits, and should represent Clan Pratchett in some way.) Possible contacts: Jerome, a wayfarer and guard with a magical sixth sense for trouble; Matiar, a trader and smuggler; Koona, an armorer with weak metallokinesis. Update: an armorer is an unlikely contact for Glint, who does not use or carry metal armor. Further, an armorer is more likely to be found in a town or city than in Clan Pratchett. This group relies more on magics and numbers than arms and armor for defense. A tanner is a more plausible trade. Other possible contacts: a hunter, a herder, a woodworker or cartwright, and any of their nuclear families. Some use magic to attract customers or make trades. One person with color magic might explain the camp's many-hued splendor. Glint will catch up with some of these people off-screen, but Prota can choose their degree of involvement. 

Glint will clarify for Prota that the wool is likely to be more valuable farther bluse, but the pottery might fetch a good trade here. 

Glint shrugs. "Not for a good price, no, though you could trade it here if you want to get rid of it. But I'd wager you could get a good barter on your auntie's pottery here. It might sell for more later, but so would wool and livestock. Plus, Clan Pratchett is famous for its curiosities." He points towards the edge of the market and a small flock of multicolored sheep. "Brenelo is up to his usual tricks, I see." A bright orange banner stretched between two poles reads SHEEP, CHEAP! 

"Tacky," winks your uncle, "but it sure does bring in the trade. Brenelo's magic is color." 

Glint continues to scan the camp. "I know a few regulars here," he tells you, "clanfolk and some who work with them. I plan to do some catching up while I'm here. No particular order. You want to meet some Pratch, or visit the market?" 

[A Clan Pratchett member named Brenelo can change the color of things. Glint refers casually to the members of the clan as "Pratch."] 

"I'd like to meet people," I say.

Prota decides to meet some of Glint's contacts. 

"I'd like to meet people," you say.

Step 66

The next prompt should offer a choice of contacts, and Glint's perspective on them. [Brenelo is a loud and charismatic shepherd who follows most of the events at Clan Pratchett's camp. He passes on rumors faithfully and without checking. Jerome is more measured and cautious, normally guarding the approaches to camp or looking for travelers who might hire his services and danger sense. Nell, a cartwright, works on improved wagon designs. Much of her work is experimental, but she has a reputation for competence in the craft. In addition to her experience and talent, she has a magic that makes her unusually skillful at invention, though this is not known even to her; she thought her visit to the Blue was a failure. Matiar is a trader and smuggler who sometimes gives Glint small items to deliver; Glint has a particular talent for it since his belongings merge into his shapeshifted form.] Each contact has a different relationship with Glint. [Brenelo likes everyone, or pretends to. Jerome is respectful but wary, knowing Glint is dangerous. Nell has an on-and-off romance with Glint, and sometimes coaxes him into helping her test new inventions.] Glint owes Matiar money, but he's such a valuable smuggler that she tolerates him. Correction: Glint is not the sort of person to casually leave debts unpaid. Matiar may be angry at him for another reason. [Glint did a job for Matiar, but afterward the recipients were killed by bandits and didn't pay. Matiar suspects Glint may have reneged.] 

Some contacts have small or large families, but to keep the character count low, these can remain largely off-screen and unnamed. Glint may reference them in casual conversation. 

Glint nods, grinning. "Well then. You've seen Brenelo - he's a chatterbox, talks up all sorts of rumors but can't be bothered whether they're true. He does know just about everything that goes on in camp, though." Glint then points to a guard in a polished helmet near the greeward side of the camp. "That's Jerome. Decent fellow, often hires into caravans, keeps track of comings and goings. Not the most fond of me, I think I tickle his danger sense whenever I'm around, but he'll be cordial." He points to a collection of carts and wagons near the market. "That looks like Nell's spot. Best cartwright I've ever met. She's always tinkering on some project or other. Some of them even work." He smiles fondly, then nods towards the camp. "And Matiar the trader will be hanging around the market somewhere. Always buying, always selling. Not always talking about it. Some of her goods are...questionably legal, everywhere but here. Good friend if you need to offload weapons that bandits," he winks, "dropped." 

None. 

"Heh, I don't think I want to pick up after bandits on this trip," I say, "but I'd like to meet Nell, I'm curious how fancy carts can get."

Prota wants to visit Nell. Prota is interested in Nell's cart designs.

"Heh, I don't think I want to pick up after bandits on this trip," you say, "but I'd like to meet Nell, I'm curious how fancy carts can get."

Step 67

Glint will escort Prota to Nell. On the way, they will pass some colorful tents and busy Pratch. A few know Glint on sight, because he looks distinctive. This can be described to a moderate extent in passing, but the next prompt should begin to introduce Nell.

Some of the clan's greetings may serve a secondary purpose of alerting the rest of the camp to visitors. 

Nell services a relatively small community, without a large market for expensive designs. Her primary business is building and repairing ordinary wagons, but she experiments on the side and fills custom orders as they come. She will have a handful of mostly-ordinary but well-decorated carts to fix, plus one or two experiments and/or custom orders. One possible design uses tank treads rather than wheels. It is visually distinctive, strange to medieval minds, and generally impractical. What advantage might those have over normal cart wheels? Perhaps the buyer can get access to magically-sturdy leather for the tracks, but not magical wood. Perhaps they want a cart that can cross streams and ditches more easily. As it is not a combat vehicle, it would not need to be armored. As a bonus, it might be designed watertight for crossing deeper water. It could be powered by magic - unlikely - or pulled. What sort of magic might make such a design practical, without being powerful enough to earn an instant place in a floating gree city? Perhaps the ability to make objects spin. A spinning rod can power things, but it is only useful if connected mechanically to something, and with a way to turn it off or disconnect it. The user might need to renew the effect periodically, making it hard to mass-produce anything dependent on it. [Nell is working on a boxy cart with tanklike leather treads, intended to be powered by a magically spinning rod.]

Other cart-like designs: a chariot, a rickshaw, a sled. Chariots are primarily war or ceremonial devices for open terrain, not particularly useful to Clan Pratchett. Rickshaws that carry passengers might be handy in a paved city, but likewise are impractical for this setting. Sleds could see wider use, especially in winter. Nell might also work on other mechanical designs, though not as a primary business. Yokes, furniture, folding shelters. 

[Most Pratch are fond of loose, colorful clothing that breathes well on the road. Skirts and kilts are popular.] Loose clothing is less practical for a woodworker, so Nell wears a short-sleeved tunic and pants. She is still fond of colors, but sawdust mutes them somewhat.

"All right, greenjay," Glint smiles. "Let's go." 

Rather than shapeshift, he swings forward on his hands into a steady walking pace. A flurry of whistles and waves greet your approach. "That's how they announce new visitors," your uncle remarks. "It's friendly, but also smart. Hard for strangers to sneak in." Jerome, the guard Glint pointed out before, gives a respectful nod and waves you through. 

You wind your way through several animal pens, tents, and portable craft tables, keeping a firm hand on Beldry. Clan artisans look up from their work as you pass, some waving or calling out greetings, which Glint returns. Soon you arrive at a cluster of wooden carts and wagons, all in various sizes and states of repair. There's a thick wooden sledge with a broken runner, two-wheeled and four-wheeled carts, several large wagons, half a dozen mismatched wheels, and some sort of boxy contraption that looks to be half-wrapped in leather. The one thing they all seem to have in common is color - they are painted and decorated in a dazzling array of styles.

Not far away, a wooden cylinder spins unattended between two tripods. 

A dark-haired woman kneels by the leather-covered box, leaning her torso through a large panel in its side. 

[Nell has dark hair.]

"Oooh," I say, not wanting to interrupt Nell, and I admire the vehicles. Our wagon is still in good shape but maybe we should have a spare wheel or something, if we wind up with enough liquidity.

Prota admires the vehicles quietly. 

You admire the vehicles with an appreciative murmur, thinking about what you might need for your own. 

Step 68

Glint is more mischievous than Prota and will alert Nell rather than wait. She's surprised at first, but delighted to see him. As revenge for sneaking up on her, Nell's greeting may use a mildly embarrassing term of endearment. Something that references his shapeshifting might also be fitting. It takes her a moment to notice Prota, then she asks for introductions. Glint obliges. 

[Nell visited the Blue years ago, but did not realize she received a magic. She feels cheated and slightly self-conscious about her missing fingers, but will still express excitement about Prota's journey.]

Glint, it seems, does not share your patience. "How's tricks, Nell?" he asks loudly.

You hear an "ack!" followed by thunk, and Nell emerges, rubbing her elbow. Unlike the long, loose shirts, kilts, and skirts worn by most of Clan Pratchett, Nell wears a short-sleeved tunic and partially rolled-up pants with thick patches on the knees. The tunic looks like a muted tan at first glance, but soon you realize it's actually orange and blue with a fine layer of sawdust. You also notice she's missing the two smallest fingers on her left hand, severed cleanly like Glint's stumps and long healed over. She whirls and her face lights up, brown eyes crinkling. "Glint, you old cuddle-skunk, I missed you!" She tackles him in a hug, and he wobbles precariously, nearly lifted off the ground. After a moment, she lets go and notices you. "Hello, who's this?" 

"Uh, Nell, meet my niece Emerald," Glint coughs out, uncharacteristically frazzled. "She's on her pilgrimage..." 

Something like a frown flickers over Nell's face, but she recovers quickly. "Oh, that's just wonderful! Is this your first time with the Pratch, dear?" 

None. 

"That's right!" I say. "It's lovely to meet you."

Prota greets Nell in reply. [Prota has not visited Clan Pratchett in person before this adventure.]