#rivervale_lodge

Dagmar isn't afraid of getting hit in a sparring match, but as Jaymes points out, not getting hit is kind of crucial if you want to be veteran because eventually something hits hard enough you can't shrug it off

"What about armor? I mean, it seems kinda stupid to swing around a sword without one..." She shifts her grip on the practice polearm.

(The Flyswatter is nearby, of course - leaning against the fence.)

"Yeah, Armor is there to take the hit for you, and you'll get trained in wearing it," He assures her, "But remember, chimerical armor won't protect you from say a mundane tire iron unless you wyrd at the right time and wyrding is ..costly. "

"Because Glamour takes musing, right?"

"Normally, or time by a balefire, and there's one way to get it that... mmm well, we are going to have to go over it all, but that's another lesson. Let's just say musing is best but time consuming. Balefire is easier, but fixed locations. And one or two of them are flat out dangerous to dreamers and against our laws."

She nods. "Gotcha. So I'll have to figure that part out."

"Well, honestly I think Frank and I will sit you down and tell you about. Somethings, like Dreamers, shouldn't be toyed with through trial and error if you can help it. "

"But I don't get how... like... is it like a vapor or something? How do you get it from a person?"

"Or give it?"

"I can feel it - it's warm, right?"

"yeah, often. it's... warm like the bale is warm" He sets his weapon away since the girl seems to want a different area of education, "We most often see it..well ken it, like light, and heat, but some folks tell me they can smell glamour...or that's how it comes across, or that some types of glamour have a music or at least chime to it. 'Getting it' from a dreamer is like... mm, well, it's an act of patience and inspiration if you do it right. You help someone find their courage, or foster trust, or renew hope...you'll find a way of musing that works better for you than others. "

He explains how to muse, usually through encouraging imagination, or creative outlets "But it doesn't have to be teaching them how to sculpt or even cheering them on while they do it."

"It smells.... yeah. Green. Like grass, sort of, but fizzier?"

"How do you know if osmebody is a dreamer, though?"

"See, that's a matter of empathy and kenning, a talent inside you you start with, but you can train up a bit. Some folks are naturals, others have a harder time. Sometimes it's like... well, you said glamour smells like grass to you. so imagine if that scent is behind a closed door, trying to get out? or... you smell the start of it then it's gone. Dreamers create glamour even without us sometimes, though we help- a lot. So if you see a spary, or smell a whiff, you might have a chance to help them reach what they're so close to anyway. "

"Frank's better about this than I am. House LIam has its stigma, but nobody knows mortal dreamers better."

She nods. "Frank's a good teacher."

"Yup. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to short change you ,but I hope you don't mind if I lean on him for this mentoring thing.. a lot." the normally stoic man looks almost sheepish

"Well, he said it's his duty as the Mountain." She leans on the stave, watching the grump. "So Frank teaches troll stuff. You are helping with the Flyswatter. And fishing."

"Hey, hitting things with just the right amount of strength and accuracy is troll stuff too." A pause, "Okay, perhaps a simpler part of it, but you get what i mean. Now, there is two things i"m going to tell you about, not to do. Okay? It involves the wrong way to get glamour "

"You ever hear of the golden goose?"

She nods. "It's a Mother Goose story, yeah. Laid eggs?"

"Right, there's a phrase, a warning that goes like 'don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs' some folks are so greedy, they might destroy a dreamer long term, just to get the glamour now. They crush dreams to get at them...it's called Ravaging. And it's fucking stupid." A pause, "Shit. Sorry about the language."

She chews thoughtfully on her hangnail. "Yeah, but... but what if there isn't a long term?"

"For you, or someone else?"

"Either?"

"I mean... nothing lasts, does it? Frank said it's possible to just forget what you are."

"But you can be reminded by others. that's why we have the right of rescue." He says "Look, it's tempting sometime to panic, because you're sure you're going to be lost , that you're drowning and will never see air again...but if I go forgetting, I'll have to pass on what looks like an easy meal and trust that Frank or the Chief, or Vali, or heck, maybe you one day, will come for me."

A deep frown. "But..."

"Go ahead. won't do me any good totry to teach you if I won't listen"

"But, like... but they probably won't come?"

"mm," He says "You have a right to your trust issues, Dagmar. You do." The older troll nods "But, you can't let your fear excuse you doing harm ful things to innocents. And ravaging? It's harmful, to the dreamer, and to yourself. You see, you call on your own banality to crush their light hoping to squeeze more out. SOmetimes, it just increases the coldness in YOU. And again, it's like shooting a milk cow though it's rude to word it that way. What's better, a burger for a day? Or milk for a year?"

A slow nod. "Sure."

"Don't let fear over ride your brains and you should be okay. But I still want you to talk to frank about that one, because thato ne he can explain better than I"

A shrug. "Okay, can do."

"How's the store?"

"Same old same old" He says, "Meet some interesting people on the night shift though. Met a biker with tattoos on every damn inch of his arms, some of them were cool. Had a skull biting down on a chain, and a .. oh you'd like this next one, the claws of that superhero guy? Claws sliding out of his fist design."

"Wolverine! He's... oh, jeez, you need to see him. He's cool. Did you know that wolverines are badgers!?"

"Meaner bigger cousins to badgers is what I heard. mmm yeah, you like those honery cusses don't you?"

She purples a bit, but nods. "They're badass. Honey Badger don't care, right?"

"ha, see, that one I actually saw" He nods, "Yeah, well, maybe I'll get another tattoo and make it of a wolverine or badger since you vouch for em."

"Well, I've never seen a real one. Oh! Tove, she made me one. Well... gave me one, she didn't make it for me."

"Mm gonna have to see if a zoo has one, but pretty sure we can find a documentary or something if you're really curious. Animals are a bit part of the glamour here in rivervale I've noticed"

She nods. "Like the dogs?"

"Dogs, stags... " Reminder "There' a bear that we all try not to offend, and more." He points, "Sometimes it's small..see those squirrels? Even they have a place in the old tales. And of course, hawks and birds of prey are bad ass, but I would think so wouldn't I?"

"Ironhawk, yeah. Sounds like an indian name."

"But then, Hammerstrike..."

"Which might be kinda stuck up right now? But I do remember it."

"It's yours, or will be again," He says with a nod