None. 

"Okay. Any fruit we don't eat for dessert tonight, at any rate, it's tastier fresh."

Prota replies to Glint about the drying and smoking. Their words imply waiting until after dinner to smoke what remains. 

"Okay," you tell Glint. "Any fruit we don't eat for dessert tonight, at any rate, it's tastier fresh."

Step 153

(The Player should be reminded of their successes in small ways, when appropriate.) Dinner is delicious. Afterwards, Glint shows Prota the smoking process. He and Nell briefly argue about whether to soak the fruits first. The evening can be otherwise uneventful, unless Prota wishes to talk about something over dinner. 

Nell and Glint might want some time alone. Glint's not especially good at orchestrating that, but Nell could seize an opportunity if it arises. Glint offers to keep the fire going a few more hours, perhaps, and then Nell elects to stay up and talk to him. 

(Should the prompt elide dinner? It doesn't seem like an imposition to do so; it's not immediately plot-relevant, and the Player can always interject with conversation if there's something specific they want to talk about. There are still, at minimum, the cities of Adwell, Greward and Bluward, the Bluse itself, resolving magic implications, and possibly a return journey to cover in the remaining time, and a reasonable amount of abstracting seems worthwhile.) 

Dinner, it transpires, is delicious. This may be, in part, that you're all very hungry by the time it finishes, late in the evening, but nevertheless, it's a welcome meal. 

After a heated but friendly debate about whether to soak the remaining fruit first, Glint and Nell help you set up a rack over the fire. "I can keep an eye on this, greenjay," your uncle offers, "if you'd like to turn in. It's been a long and busy day." 

"...I think I'll stay up a bit, myself," Nell remarks, with a glance at Glint. 

[Prota adds a small stock of nuts and dried fruit to their travel rations.]

If Nell and Glint are going to... flirt or something... I don't need to know about it. I nod and go to sleep for the night.

Prota gives Nell and Glint some privacy, and turns in for the night. (Prota's in-character statement may imply the Player wants to see less of this sort of thing, or at least is uninterested in NPC romance; another possible interpretation is that this is merely the Player's judgment about what Prota would prefer.) 

You head for your tent and turn in for the night. 

Step 154

(Whatever the Player's preference may be, there is no need for Prota to overhear any of Nell and Glint's conversation. The prompt can begin with the morning.) Prota will likely want to take the movable rod to Jachd, the younger blacksmith. He is located on the set side of the encampment, identifiable by smoke coming from a portable forge. Nell probably did some work for both blacksmiths to ensure they could safely move their tools, but blacksmithing equipment is heavy and they will both be limited in what they can carry during a migration. [Due to weight limits, migrant blacksmiths typically make small tools and weapons - spear tips, horseshoes, utensils, nails, etc. They prefer melting greefolk scrap to refining ores for the same reason.] 

What actually happened with Glint and Nell last night? Nell is still feeling off-balance, but she's still delighted to have Glint around, and Glint rarely has an opportunity to be consistently close with anyone. They are, if not in love, at least attracted to each other, and have been off-and-on romantically involved for several years. Presumably he offered Nell his present and she was flattered even if it wasn't her favorite, they shared a tender moment and went to bed together. The details can be elided, but both of them will likely be cheerier in the morning. (Worldbuilding: the locals may have an expression akin to "rise and shine" which reflects their constant state of migration. "Up and onward," perhaps.)

Spending most of yesterday foraging will probably leave Prota a bit tired and sore, but they are from a migrant clan and presumably used to such work. 

You fall asleep almost immediately, tired and sore from a long day of forage.

Your uncle wakes you in the morning, a bit later than usual. "Up and onward, greenjay! Got a big day ahead, especially if you want to see Jachd before the council meeting." 

None. 

Yawn. "Good morning, Uncle Glint. Yeah, I do, do you know where we find him?"

Prota yawns and greets Glint, asking where to find Jachd. 

You yawn and greet your uncle. "Good morning, Uncle Glint. Yeah, I do, do you know where we find him?"

Step 155

Jachd is up and working by now. Glint, not having much use for blacksmiths, doesn't know where Jachd works, but Nell does. She is up, too, and could overhear the conversation. She approaches with breakfast. Glint would have, too, but has trouble moving about while carrying things if he's not shifted. What are they eating? Bread, cheese, and porridge might be common in similar worlds, but this one involves a lot of migration and ovens are heavy. It's possible to bake bread on a stovetop, which Nell has. Foraged fruit can be baked into bread. Cheese among the Pratch would come mostly from their flocks of sheep. 

It may be assumed that Prota gets up and exits the tent. Nell looks a bit more unkempt than usual after the last couple nights, but is cheerful. Glint is unkempt, too, but it's hard to notice much difference on him. Nell tells Prota to follow the smoke to the set side of camp. There may be others who light fires in the morning or keep them smoldering during the night, but it would not be common since firewood can be costly, and a blacksmith would use the most fuel by far. 

Glint shakes his head. "Afraid not, never had much use for blacksmiths myself." 

Emerging from the tent, you see Nell approach with a plate of warm stovebread with fruit baked in and a few slices of cheese. She's looking a bit more unkempt than usual, but smiles cheerily in greeting. "Morning, Emerald! Breakfast? If you're looking for Jachd, head for the smoke plume at the set side of camp," she adds, pointing. There are indeed a few wisps of smoke visible in that direction. "Thickest and farthest set." 

None. 

"Great, thank you - ooh, that looks delicious." I have breakfast quickly and then set out to Jachd's.

Prota refers to the breakfast Nell offers. They eat and go to find Jachd, presumably bringing the movable rod. 

"Great, thank you - ooh, that looks delicious," you say. You quickly eat breakfast, then take the rod and go looking for Jachd. 

Step 156

Some assumptions need to be made about how Prota carries the movable rod, since it doesn't feel weightless when not being held. Since the rod would presumably not be placed in a heavy foraging pack for this brief excursion, Prota might notice the weight shift. Where might they put it? Their belt, a recently-emptied pack? Maybe they carry it? It's three feet long and slightly bent, therefore awkward to put away in anything short of a backpack or customized strap-holder. Prota hasn't had time to make the latter, so it's probably either carried or in a backpack. For now, assume Prota doesn't notice the weight difference, and make no further assumptions about how the rod is being carried. 

(Is there merit in making navigation difficult? Not especially - Prota asked Nell for clear directions and got them. There's no reason to introduce further complications and Clan Pratchett is relatively safe from muggings and other threats.) Prota finds Jachd without issue. (His introduction should give some information about his character. Experimental, eager, incautious, bright.) Jachd has burn-scars from past mistakes, but isn't much bothered by them. He's working on something unusual or advanced compared to the local blusefolk tech level, possibly a nonmagical greefolk artifact or attempt to replicate one. A branding iron? Less useful to shepherds than other herders, especially given Brenelo can color-code sheep by owner for a fee. [Many Pratch sheep have colored identifiers, probably on the face since that isn't usually sheared.] A plow design? A set of gears for Nell's treaded wagon? Advanced shears. Perfect. Jachd is working on a new type of scissors or shears, pivoting around a central bolt like modern scissors instead of bending like spring shears. It's probably not as heavy-duty as the spring design, but might work better with different metals available to the Pratch. 

Jachd can see the camp from where he's working, so he knows if customers are approaching. He's not completely absorbed in his work, and expresses excitement to see a new potential customer.

Following the largest steady plume of smoke, you find Jachd's forge without much trouble. It's on the edge of Clan Pratchett's encampment, and sounds of hammering can be heard before it's in view. Jachd himself is a young, blond-haired man in breeches and a wool shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His arms and left cheek bear some nasty-looking burn scars. Noticing you approach, he sets aside his current project, which looks to be a pair of shears or large scissors, held together with an unusual bolt in the middle instead of the spring-based shears you're familiar with. "Ho there, stranger!" he calls with a soot-stained grin. "Something I can help you with?" 

None.