Rysn dismounts in Shinovar and is unsettled by unmoving grass and springy soil. She notes an eerie absence of spren, then assembles a tripod and positions a new warning fabrial. As the caravan sets camp beneath the Misted Mountains, the fabrial brightens, signaling approaching visitors.

Vstim orders bows lowered for Shin sensibilities, and a party arrives: a cloaked farmer of high standing and attendants, with Thresh-son-Esan translating. Vstim presents Soulcast scrap metal, emphasizing it was not mined, and Thresh values it precisely because it bears no “stain of broken rock.” The two haggle by downplaying their own goods, a Shin practice Rysn finds counterintuitive.

The parties trade for crates of chickens, cloth, and dried meats, as Thresh remarks that outsiders usually seek horses. Discussion highlights Shin customs: warriors are lowest caste—traded with ownership stones—and farmers are revered; foreigners may not approach fields. Fabrials and bows are treated with caution or taboo.

Vstim asks after purchasing a soldier, but Thresh refuses, recalling that years ago Vstim took a 'Truthless' for virtually nothing; Thresh says he even discarded the payment, unwilling to profit. They conclude the deal and part with bows and handshakes, the farmer presiding in dignified silence.

Returning to camp, Vstim quizzes Rysn. He instructs her never to cheat the Shin: be forthright and, if anything, undervalue wares to earn trust. As a lesson against prejudice, he gives Rysn a pot and orders her to keep a clump of Shin grass with soil until it no longer seems odd, and she reluctantly complies.