The Verguenzas (Arawak house)
Komiauk the piaman (medicine man) hesitantly traces his fingers over the dreamcatcher, though he can't bring himself to touch it. His eyes say what his words do not - there is something heavy about this object, a sort of ominous weight those trained to sense such things can feel. Slowly he nods, motioning for Etienne to be seated on the floor cushions with him. "As long as you're not trading alcohol. The drinking among the boys was so bad I stopped using it in my remedies entirely. Yes, a pearl, I see. Luca can fetch one for you - there's a diving spot not far from here..."
Getting up spryly, the old piaman hollers out the window at his grandson Luca, who makes some lazy retort. With a knowing smile, Komiauk shakes his head and sits back down. "That boy! He'll do it." He pauses, gathering his thoughts, sipping the tea which has a slight...loosening...effect on the mind thanks to the mushrooms added to it. "I cannot heal your soul, fur hat, for I only have the power to heal a man's body and mind. You must look to your soul. I can tell you this, however: the weight you feel, the weight in this dream-catcher, it will not be lifted until the white skin finds its true purpose. What feels like a burden now will release you."
Abruptly, Komiauk falls silent as if he has decided he said too much. After holding Etienne's gaze a bit longer, Komiauk closes his eyes and leans back in reverie. "Remember, pearls, magic -- they are only as clear as the mind that wields them."