The Teller of Small Fortunes

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of racism, emotional abuse, and death.

Mash grumbles that Tao is “cheating” by bringing Kina along after predicting she would join them. Tao, feeling overwhelmed by her expanding travel party, silently wishes for the simplicity of traveling alone with her mule Laohu. As they journey north along coastal cliffs, Kina asks how the others met. Silt explains that he and Mash met six years ago during border campaigns when Mash saved him from hanging in exchange for a cut of his thieving profits. Mash reveals his daughter Leah, only four years old, was abducted by bandits six months ago, and they’ve been tracking the kidnappers since.

Upon arriving in the fishing village of Culic, they encounter a hostile reception. The innkeeper makes racist remarks about Shinn people and grudgingly allows Tao to stay only after Mash and Silt defend her. The next morning, Kina questions why people treat Tao with such suspicion. Tao explains that when people realize her fortunes consistently come true, they grow fearful and suspicious of her abilities. She describes how this forces her to constantly move from town to town, never staying long enough to form connections.