Being the clown.

Timestamp: Odsier Winter Pastures - Grey Mouth camp

Human nature was fairly standard, Children were the key to the lock, young women got you into the huts. This was a key to Wim’s being and always active in his thinking. Knowing this was the way to create an advantage.

Wim returned to sit at the edge of the camp watching the natives work with the animals and the children play. The animals seemed to respond to wood whistles and sounds that their handlers made. This would be good information as they might not be able to drive then animals back without help.

Most of the time he did what young men do, he watched the young woman do their work. He knew that single women liked to be noticed, and he was obligated to play his part. He watched as well for things like the jewelry they wore, colors and markings, trying to see if there were clans within the tribe and who belonged to whom, and if there was a social order to be aware of.

He watched the women wash clothes and lay them to be dried. He watched the young people going about their chores. He watched the warriors with their spears and bows watching him and the others from his party.

A group of children ended up drawing close to him, he tried to ignore them in a playful way turning away. Then when they could not take that, he sat them down and started to mime a story drawing pictures in the dirt and acting each character it ended up being a classic good verses evil children story where he got to make the children laugh and that brought teenagers and young adults into the circle of people watching. He did his best to make them laugh.

When he finished the story an older woman came and shooed everyone back to what they should have been doing. He got a finger waved in his face and words spoken in a tone that made him think this was not the time for stories or warning him not to cast a spell on the children. It was hard when you did not understand the language.

He said a little prayer to Orestes to help him understand all that he was seeing and thinking about. Knowledge is key to the way Wim understood the world. It all worked till Hoi got involved. Wim prayed to each of the gods, though he had a transactional relationship with them. He prayed when he needed something or more likely when he wanted them not to get involved.

As he walked around the camp, he started thinking about items to trade. Salt, arrow and spear heads, some basic tools, spices, and wood poles, wool and woven cloth.

On their side, the berries could make wine, they would have different medicines, and there was the animals. Horses could be sold back home for a premium, though it would cost a premium to keep them alive and healthy on a ship. Animals do not do well standing in one spot that long.

He found himself back at the camp fire eating again and throwing stones. Waiting for the deals to be made.