Step 98

Matiar could offer a particular deal, giving the Player a meaningful choice to make. If she does, however, it would be because she overstocked on something, not because Prota has done any particular favors. In Matiar's business, she sometimes ends up with an oversupply of valuable goods, but she's also not under much pressure from the Pratch to avoid getting caught with anything. (A deal might be offered that is relevant for worldbuilding purposes but not particularly likely to interest Prota). Matiar may also point Prota in the direction of Brenelo, for livestock or sheep products. Matiar stocks some recreational substances as well as conventional supplies. What might she have that represents an oversupply from recent migration patterns, more than typical demand, that also doesn't keep well? Some alchemical or herbal supplies, perhaps. Fish from Adwell, though it would probably be dried fish if it survived the journey to Clan Pratchett. [One possible alchemical substance is rage-plas, a strengthening agent that also temporarily impairs judgment when used. The Pratch don't have much use for it, since they don't often engage in combat, and it has a shelf life of only a month or two.] Matiar's offer should hint at, but not fully explain, its properties. Prota can investigate further if they wish. 

Skip mention of Brenelo just yet; Matiar is feeling out a potential customer. She is, at least in part, testing the waters to see how Prota reacts. 

For the most part, Prota has taken control of the conversation. (This is good, as it gives the Player agency.) Glint merely watches and listens. 

Matiar eyes you thoughtfully. "Migrants have been bringing a bunch of dried fish up from Adwell lately," she muses, "if you're in need of cheap foodstuffs." Her voice drops to a hoarse whisper. "Got a shipment of rage-plas from Greward, too, if you're looking to defend yourself on the road. The Pratch don't quite appreciate the value of being able to throw a wagon at bandits in times of need, but lone pilgrims can do to keep a surprise or two around - don't you agree?" 

[A dose of rage-plas can give a temporary surge of extreme strength, enough to lift and throw a modest-sized wagon.] 

"Sounds like it'd be bad for the wagon. Dried fish sounds like a good way to supplement what we've been eating, though..."

Prota seems to be musing aloud. They seem uninterested in the rage-plas, as expected, but intrigued by the foodstuffs. 

"Sounds like it'd be bad for the wagon," you remark. "Dried fish sounds like a good way to supplement what we've been eating, though..."

Step 99

Matiar can correctly interpret this as vague disinterest in the rage-plas and potential interest in the fish. Matiar will still comment on the rage-plas, but her main focus shifts to selling the fish. 

Because Prota is planning to travel towards Adwell, dried fish will be easily obtainable for the next few weeks. Prota likely knows this. (The Player can make the same judgments Prota can. No explicit mention of these facts is necessary in the prompt.) 

Matiar's prices are average for the Pratch, slightly higher than Adwell itself. Dried fish are cheap, a small percentage of Prota's current wealth. They will take up a modest amount of space on Prota's wagon. Fish are a good source of nutrition, if diversity of diet should begin to matter. 

Worldbuilding: what kind of fish and preserving process is used? Adwell primarily fishes along the river, meaning salmon, perch, trout, and other freshwater fish. Drying is easy, but salt is not necessarily plentiful to non-industrial economies. Specific magics may be able to fill some industrial gaps, for as long as the magic-user lives. The ability to evaporate water, while seemingly minor, could produce a plentiful amount of salt from a salt sea. Fish may also be smoked to preserve it and improve flavor, but this often involves salting as well as an intermediate step. [Adwell imports salt from Greward and cities to the rise. Salted fish keeps longer but is more expensive.] Dried fish may be harder to keep from spoiling, since it is more sensitive to heat and cold. Prota would know at least some of this. (The Player may not, and Prota's knowledge should be mentioned.) 

Matiar shrugs. "You could throw a dead tree just as easily, on this stuff. But if it's mere supplies you're after, Adwell dried trout is top notch. The salted kind will keep for months." She names a few different prices for perch, trout, salmon, and a few other varieties. All are moderately cheap compared to your current purse, though you couldn't afford to eat it every meal for the whole trip. You know that dried fish needs to be kept moderately cool to avoid spoilage. Salted fish is a bit more expensive but would keep until you were well past Adwell itself. 

None. 

"Maybe a bit of trout. We don't have that much room, we've mostly avoided needing to use up what we brought, but I did sell some pottery."

Prota is considering, but has not yet committed to, purchasing dried trout for the road. Prota acknowledges their limited available space on the cart. 

You reply, "Maybe a bit of trout. We don't have that much room, we've mostly avoided needing to use up what we brought, but I did sell some pottery."

Step 100

Is Prota actually deciding to buy from Matiar? Unclear, but Matiar will continue to negotiate as long as there's clear interest. She asks Prota to clarify between dried and salted fish or merely dried, and proceeds assuming Prota will indeed buy a few pounds of it. 

(The transaction is useful worldbuilding but need not be extended longer than necessary.) Should the prompt assume Prota completes the purchase? Prota has not explicitly said so yet. (The prompt can make minor decisions for the Player, but to preserve Player agency should not present a decision and then take it away.) However, the prompt can proceed to the next key decision point. Matiar weighs out a few pounds of dried trout and prepares to complete the sale. Her supplies are likely stored in crates nearby, with various eye-catching items displayed in her stall. Dried fish is not particularly eye-catching, nor a staple of Matiar's usual stock, so she would not have much on display. She fetches the trout from the crates. 

(Since there is a lull in action, this is a good time to foreshadow future events or drop a hint about a possible complication on the journey.) Is there a particular challenge among the Pratch specifically that could interest the Player? Thus far, this location has been shown as mostly business-as-usual, with some market shifts. How is it affected by events in the broader world? Attacks by afflicted animals like the gallowgale might have occurred nearby. Clan factions might be debating when and where to conclude the current migration. Staying ahead of other migrants sometimes conflicts with stopping for good pasturage, or with territorial claims made by clans farther ahead. In fact, "migration order" might be the subject of considerable inter-clan conflict. With the exception of stable oases like the Wellspring, there are not many permanent settlements, and the differences in migration patterns among groups can lead to clans and former townsfolk passing one another constantly, competing for forage, grazing, and other resources. [Accurate and up-to-date maps, including current occupants of a region, are valuable to migrating clans.] Brenelo would be more involved in such decisions for the Pratch, but most clan members would have an interest in tracking the news. Matiar could mention a rumor in passing. 

News travels by rumor and migrant, with many sources but few reliable setups. Matiar is most likely to have heard something from migrants that Prota already passed, but she would be willing to pay a bit for reliable information from farther bluse or gree. Correction: gossip is cheap and common enough. If anyone pays for information, it will likely be something they can't glean from ordinary travelers, or faster than gossip in a way that could generate profit. There are not many clues Matiar cannot get elsewhere. 

Possibility: as a hook, Matiar could mention a rumor about migration patterns of interest to Prota, but defer to more knowledgeable or talkative clansfolk such as Brenelo for the full story. She mentions Pratch deliberations about the migration route. 

Matiar should also comment on the pottery Prota sold. As a trader, she keeps track of important producers in the region, and knows Feldspar's pottery by reputation. Does she know that Feldspar was reluctant to send it with a family member? She may have heard rumors that Feldspar disliked leaving the clan, and Matiar has traveled extensively enough in the past to have plausibly met Feldspar before, but the full extent of Feldspar's dislike for the outside world might be unknown to Matiar. Could Matiar have been involved with Feldspar's pilgrimage in the past? She is slightly younger than Feldspar, but could have been traveling when Feldspar got her magic. (The coincidence would tie two characters together in an interesting way, but too many such coincidences challenge suspension of disbelief). It makes sense that Matiar would know Glint's relation to Feldspar, though, and therefore can deduce Prota's relation. 

(The prompt will be overly cluttered with disjointed information if Matiar mentions Feldspar, the Pratch's migration plans, and the sale at the same time.) Save the Pratch for a bit later. 

(If mentioning Prota's parents alongside Feldspar, the prompt should also clarify who they are, in case the Player forgot.) 

Matiar nods and cracks open a pair of small crates behind her stall, shooting you a calculating look as she does. "Pottery, eh? Feldspar's wares, I assume? She'd be - what, your great-aunt, if you're Beryl and Almer's kid?" Matiar says your parents' names with a loose familiarity. "Getting her blessing must have been a chore. Wish I could've been there to see it." 

Matiar puts a few pounds of standard weights on a scale, ready to measure out a portion of fish. "Dried, or dried and salted?" she asks. 

[Matiar has at least a passing familiarity with Prota's family.]

"She didn't let me take as much as I hoped but I managed to get a few pieces, yeah. I think salted."

Prota continues the conversation thread about Feldspar and agrees to purchase a few pounds of salted trout.

You answer, "She didn't let me take as much as I hoped but I managed to get a few pieces, yeah. I think salted."

Step 101

Matiar makes small talk while completing the trade. Now is a good time to mention the Pratch disagreements around migration paths, if it can be worked organically into the conversation. Matiar could mention that she might have a chance to tell Feldspar congratulations herself, if the Pratch decide to migrate near or past Prota's clan. Matiar will also say something that contains the subtext, buy something else or scram. Slight correction: Matiar is ready to end the conversation and continue her work and sales, but will not object if Prota asks a follow-up question. (The goal is to indicate to the Player that other activities await, not scare them away from further interaction in this scene.)

Prota tacitly agreed to the trade, so no further solicitation of Player decision is needed to complete the transaction. [Prota spent a few coins to buy a few pounds of salted fish.] The purchase, by itself, represents a negligible influence on Prota's overall remaining funds. 

"It's a start. I always said she's getting swindled by peddlers. Of course, I also say there's nought wrong with a decent swindle, eh?" Matiar packages your fish and takes a few coins as payment. "Mayhap I'll have a chance to congratulate your great-aunt myself, if the clan leaders get over their squabbling and decide to migrate further gree. Anything else I can do for you before you go?" 

None.

"I think that's all I want to buy right now... especially if you're going to talk up the virtue of swindling," I say. "Are they squabbling? What over? They have to move sooner or later."

Prota says they are done purchasing. They make a mild jibe about Matiar's attitude towards swindling, and ask Matiar what the clan leaders are arguing about. 

"I think that's all I want to buy right now... especially if you're going to talk up the virtue of swindling," you say.

Then you ask Matiar, "Are they squabbling? What over? They have to move sooner or later."

Step 102

Matiar is mildly irritated to have her joke taken seriously, even a bit. This is not enough to make her completely unhelpful, though. Matiar does try to keep tabs on local politics in case they impact her trade, but doesn't enjoy talking about it. She gives a bare minimum answer, that some want to move sooner and some later, and tells Prota to take it up with Brenelo. This is a good time for Glint to comment that he planned to visit Brenelo soon anyway. (With Prota's business here complete and the sub-plot started, no further input from Matiar is needed except for occasional worldbuilding. The plot can safely move on.)

Does Matiar ever swindle customers? Mostly no, and she avoids outright lying, but she is the sort of person who will cheerfully and quietly raise prices for wealthy and arrogant pilgrims she dislikes. She also looks for good deals and generally won't correct someone who doesn't know the value of what they're selling to her. Either way, she does not appreciate the implication that she would swindle anyone. She has to maintain a good reputation, after all.