A Night With The People

JP with Omni Redsword and Meleck

Timestamp: Odsier Winter Pastures - Grey Mouth camp

She took her ration of the smokey ale and nursed it for as long as she could. Voah wanted to keep her head clear in case anything went amiss. The cuisine of the nomads was more than tolerable and it was nice to have a break from preserved and excessively salted rations. After a time, the natives were high in spirits from the meal, drink, and the energy of guests and the entertainment began.

Voah met a family who had two small children, a boy Gyen and a girl Kiora.

Voah let down her hair and she danced with the children near the blazing fire as Blackwolf played a jaunty tune. They taught each other songs, some where you call and repeat. The children laughed at her distinct Mizaran accent, and the way she failed to pronounce some of the common words differently than the rest of her trading party. Later, Kiora was braiding strips of leather into Voah's hair and Gyen traced the lines that were tattooed on her wrist while the group comically struggled to make conversation. She tried to keep Jab or Rash nearby as often as she could get hold of them to help with translation. Overall, things seemed like they were going well.

At times throughout the evening, Voah caught Hunter out of the corner of her eye. She made sure to give him space and avoid any more direct confrontation for the time being. It seemed to be what he wanted anyway.

She retired early that evening so that she could take the morning watch as she was accustomed to being an early riser. Before she took to the large tent, she walked around the camp with a smoking censer, chanting prayers to herself. Sleep did not settle well with her. She kept waking with a rapid heartbeat and reaching for her blade which lay nearby, perhaps from being in a strange place, or due to her nerves of having to lead a trading party for the first time. On the verge of sleep her mind raced with thoughts of lost expeditions, thoughts of the dead speaking, and she even had a nightmare that she was wrenched from her mother and father's arms by a group of outlanders and forced into a cell with other children. They kicked her and beat her and pointed at her until she was tame, all the while just calling her girl.

Day 2 at Camp Early Morning
She awoke the next morning bleary eyed and a little stiff. She went out to stretch and noticed Hunter exercising his body. He began to do kata not unlike her own. Perhaps he was trained in martial arts by someone who knew the same techniques they used in the monastery. She turned away and began her own regiment behind the tent before getting fully primped for the day.

Wim's offering of the ale last night did the trick with some and a few natives come and talk to the young noble. One or two speak a few broken words of is language. They take you to the edges of the camp where they are tanning their hides and their animals are grazing. Hundreds upon hundreds of heads of caribou and horses.
Wim looked at the leather, it was good quality and a nice weight to it. The tanning process was fairly similar, but they used brains and urine to tan the hides. When they got back to town, he would talk to the blacksmith and see if he would make some scrapes for cleaning the hides of hair and other debris. These people used bones to scrape, metal would be faster. He picked up some scraps of leather and the thick needle and heavy thread and started stitching the pieces together. They stitched leather together with leather strips, he was trying to show them the needle.

He watched how the people pointed and started to ask what things were. He wanted to learn some basic names of things.

There was a good laugh as they explained bulls and cows to Wim he did not understand till they lifted a tail and pointed at body parts then explained again.

He gave the needle and spool of thread to a young woman who clearly spent time working on the hides.

Wim continued to make a fuss over what they showed him and who was showing things. He liked the leather work they did to make cloaks and their tents. They also knew more about horses than he did and took pride in them.

Later in the morning Wim returned to find Voah and Blackwolf.

“I seem to be making some friends,” he reported with a bit of pride.
“They take a lot of pride in their horses and livestock,” he said.
“I think what we have to offer is cloth, metal tools to tan hides, and alcohol,” he concluded.

“Greywolf, here are some words that I learned that might be helpful,” he said then recited the list getting some correction from the teens playing the game now.

Not long after Kyeh comes to get you. Blackwolf and Jab are taken along with you. You are escorted to the centre of the camp to it's largest tent.

Blackwolf knew this was going to happen or had an idea what was to come. "Arbiter, we are going to meet their leaders. just remember what we have counseled you on. Keep it basic. Honestly not sure what they will want in the end from us. Be direct but respectful. they might offer you a pipe to smoke take it and if you don't smoke fake it. I will try to warn you if something does not look right or they ask to marry you off." Wolf said the last part with a grin. "I don't think women are under men's rule per say not too different from us. so you should not have a problem there." Wolf talks while they walk. when they got close to the largest tent. he unstraps his sword so when he sits he can place it behind him.

Wolf enters the largest tent behind Arbiter.

Inside, the spear man from yesterday is sitting cross legged on a floor of tanned hides. A young woman wearing the furs of plain-cats sits to his left. He is the leader of the Grey Mouth and its with him you need to negotiate.

IKyeh introduces you to the Grey Mouth leader, whose name is Daaul. His spear rests across his knees. He is a muscular young man with long black hair. Small bones and leather strips are weaves across its strands. His gaze is inquisitive. The woman crouches behind him speaking softly into his ear. Kyeh tells you she is named Diarah. You assume she is a counselor of sorts.
Both the leader of the Grey Mouth and Diarah appear very interested in Voah.

The leader speaks to you before Jab translates that they are learning your language and are pleased with the trade offer. They seem especially pleased with the saddles.

"What you want from Grey Mouth?" He asked his eyes never leaving the Arbiter's.