You say to Glint, "Well, I brought you stuff if you need to change your bandages or anything."

Step 6

Because Glint's shapeshifting delays both healing and bleeding, his bandages are still moderately fresh, but they will need changing by the next day. 

(Having Glint injured gives Prota one non-combat way to assist on the journey. Glint should also compliment Prota's foresight.)

Prota will have been planning this trip for some time. Glint knows Prota wants to travel to the Blue, but does not yet know whether they want to travel with him. 

"Always on top of things," nods Glint. "Keep that initiative, greenjay, it'll serve you well. These are pretty fresh, though. Save the clean ones for tomorrow." 

None. 

"All right," I say, stowing the first aid kit. "Well, apart from the bandits how have you been?"

Prota puts the first aid supplies back in their container, but still has them.

You return the herbs and bandages to the medical bag. You say to Glint, "All right. Well, apart from the bandits how have you been?"

Step 7

Prota has not seen Glint for at least a year, and is asking about his recent experiences. 

(This is an opportunity to establish some of Glint's character.) [Glint is gruff but kind. He is not used to interacting with people except on business, preferring the wild, but he likes Prota more than most.] His response should hint at his day-to-day life and the road ahead, and express familial affection for Prota. Glint will also mention a wealthy gree character who is traveling to the Blue for magic as well, and who may appear later. 

Half a dozen clanmembers are here to greet Glint as well, but for now they will only observe. 

"Wild and free, greenjay, as always," chuckles Glint. "The roads near the Blue have been interestin' of late. Keep your uncle busy, they do." Glint swings out from the small crowd on his callused hands and plops next to Emerald. "Word is some gree bigshot sent their spawn out for a dose o' the magics, with a big honkin' fleet o' carriages 'n' guards. Lotsa folk eager to cash in on the travelers, one way or t'other." 

A half-dozen clansfolk listen intently to Glint's words. An interested murmur arises at the end. 

None.

"What do gree-folk even sacrifice?" I wonder. "I always imagine them too precious to hand over a foot - maybe they do like you, only then they get carried around by servants."

Prota is asking what greefolk sacrifice. Prota thinks of greefolk as spoiled or pampered. 

[Many bluse think of greefolk as spoiled or pampered.]

You wonder aloud, "What do gree-folk even sacrifice? I always imagine them too precious to hand over a foot - maybe they do like you, only then they get carried around by servants."

Step 8

(This is an opportunity to establish some facts and prejudices about greefolk and bluse.) 

[Greefolk are often wealthy, but their society is complex. Even among the gree, there are haves and have-nots. Some will travel to the Blue on their own initiative, to raise their station or obtain useful power. Others are expected by family tradition to make the pilgrimage. Others are desperate for specific magics, or simply despairing. Still others may be magically or mundanely coerced, and controlled for access to their magics.]

Glint has been hired as a guide by greefolk and bluse alike. He saw some of them make their sacrifices, but he would not usually know their reasons. 

"Oh, I've seen a fair bit of variety there," muses Glint. "Some go your way, some go mine. I led a fellow once who made the whole long trek to sacrifice a fingernail. One. Hadn't even grown it out, just nipped it a bit. On t'other side, though, there was this one lady who brought a bigshot healer with her and sacked all four limbs and her - well, let's just say it wasn't done on a whim. Not all of 'em have seemed happy about it, neither, but I don't pry. They don't pay me to ask questions, see. Often the opposite, in fact." Glint chuckles. "I'm very good at not asking questions." 

None.

"What kind of magic did they get?" I ask.

Prota is asking about types of magic in this world. (The Player may want to learn more about available kinds of magic). 

You ask Glint, "What kind of magic did they get?"

Step 9

Not all magic has visible indications. Glint only knows of magic whose immediate, visible effects he has seen or magic that the recipient spoke about later. He has seen only a small sampling of a wide selection of possible magics. Also, Prota is only asking for magics that Glint's clients received from the Blue, not other magics he has encountered. 

Glint likes to shock and impress. He knows Prota wants to visit the Blue. He supports this decision, but wants Prota to know the risks. He has no reason to lie to his niece. He will start with a flashy example. The most powerful magic comes from people who sacrifice the most of their body, but not all powerful magic is flashy or obvious. Glint will describe a single visually striking magic of moderate strength, and several additional magics ranging from weak to moderate in effect, including at least one that is more powerful than it is flashy. Some random magics meeting these criteria are stretchy limbs, rapid healing, magical fire, enhanced hearing, and changing one form of earth into another. 

The power of a magic does not easily change, but people can develop their skill at using it. (This is an opportunity to illustrate the effect of magical skill to the Player. Magical skill can be illustrated by showing a new magic causing problems for the recipient at first. These are also the sort of cases Glint would be most likely to remember and highlight). 

[Glint's job has taught him some ways of handling problems with new magic.]

(A pause should follow Glint's first flashy stories, to give Prota and the Player a chance to respond.)

"I once saw a fellow who sacrificed an arm, then melted into a puddle in the grass. It was all we could do to keep the rest of him from sloughing into the Blue!" Glint roars with laughter. "He eventually pulled himself together, but it was quite the mess for a while. Another sacked an arm, then burst into flames!" Resting on his haunches, Glint flings his arms skyward, as if calling up a pillar of fire. "She wasn't hurt, it turns out, but bandaging the blued stump was tricky. Their healer was touch-range and couldn't do burns." Glint pauses to observe the effect of his stories on his niece. 

Glint wants to observe Prota's reaction and judge how well they handle the prospect of the unexpected or frightening. He will share more stories if asked. 

[(The Player has been warned that magics are not always easy to master. It would be fair to introduce complications from lack of skill if and when Prota gains magic, and have their magic improve with practice.)]

"Yikes!" I say. "I hope I get something I can control right away. Should I maybe start out on a sledge or something, so if I can't, you can pull me away from the Blue?"

Prota understood the implied warning, and is expressing alarm and concern. They are asking Glint about sitting or laying on a vehicle that can be dragged away from the Blue in case they lose control of their magic. Their response is primarily concerned with practical precaution rather than reacting to Glint's story. 

[Prota has now explicitly said that they expect Glint to accompany them to the Blue.] 

"Yikes!" you reply to Glint's story. You ask, "I hope I get something I can control right away. Should I maybe start out on a sledge or something, so if I can't, you can pull me away from the Blue?"