Easthaven

Watching Father Tulfgyr carry the remains of mr kitty away, Ug is impressed by the sturdy dwarf. That dwarf must have been raised by a good mother. Which reminds Ug that there was a stuck up ugly man who had insulted Father Tulfgyr's mom and got away with it. With anger growing in his mighty heart Ug starts his way to Ponabs emporium.

Father Tulfgyr makes his way east with the cat

Ug enters Pomab's Emporium, a tidy shop of foodstuffs, rope, camping supplies, clothes, and even a fair assortment of weapons and armor. Pomab, the weasel himself, is sitting at a desk in the back going over some ledgers. He looks up as the goliath enters. "What is this? More barbarians come to my shop? No doubt with nothing to barter with but more wolf pelts and polished stones. Very well...let us get this over with. What do you want?"

Father Tulfgyr puts the bines in ine of the many pockets in his tobes and rushes to the emporium hoping tk get there in time.

Glaring at the puny Ponab and with a plan forming in his mind Ug tries to raise himself up to his full most intimidating height.

Maverick accepts Jhonen's offer to fish

"I'll admit I theoretically know how to fish but I cant say I've ever done so" Maverick says while he follows Jhonen to where the gnome presumes the boat would be. "Hopefully I will be more help to you in regards to your troubling dreams then I will be at fishing"

Alalla refuses to let herself grin as she reads the letter, and instead mumbles to herself.
"Egregious? Presumptuous? What frills." She looks over the letter a little longer than necessary, but not too long, in case anyone was watching.
"Who would and why should I care? It's perfectly fine to take however long you like to read your own letter!" She derides herself, but folds the letter up and puts it in a belt pouch, out of sight, and as far out of mind as she could manage. She was, after all, on the job.
"Maybe I'll see if he's still there after I see Hrothgar. After all, he did say there would be food." Decision made, she went off in search of Hrothgar's home.

Jhonen nods absentmindedly and gestures for Maverick to sit in his boat. He then unties the line and grabs the oars, putting the little boat out to drift on the dark waters. "Fishing used to be my passion, you know. Nothing to it. Just spend the day out on the lake, no cares... Ah, well, the dreams have been fishing in *me* of late, friend. So much so I can barely catch a wink before they rouse me from it. A frustration it is at times; sometimes, it seems like they're more real than the waking world." He looks at Maverick with red-rimmed eyes. "Does that make any sense to you?"

Hrothgar opens the door and welcomes Al into his home. The furnishings are fairly plain and utilitarian, but most of the space is taken up by shelves and chests filled with old scraps of armor, worn weapons and other knickknacks. One wall is lined with some curious plaques sporting three trophies: a scaly metal bull's head, some sort of squid face with rubbery tentacles hanging from its mouth, and a third seemingly empty plaque labeled 'Invisible Stalker.'

Hrothgar claps his hands eagerly and motions for Alalla to sit in a wooden chair, though he has to remove a rusty pair of gauntlets from the chair first. "Well met, friend. And welcome to my home. Make yourself comfortable, but try not to break anything. Many of these curiosities that you see lying about have... sentimental value."

Ug sneers and flexes his biceps as he peers down at terrified Pomab. He leers down just inches from Pomab's pale sweating face. "Mighty Ug not happy with rude motherless merchant. And Ug not nice when Ug not happy. Pathetic merchant wants to make Ug happy yes? Not see Ug get not nice?" Ug's muscles and tendons buldge and his face tightens in a sneer.

Al sits in the chair and admires the many 'curiosities.' "I can tell you are well travelled! I hope to see as many places as you have one day. Before I ask you about your travels, however, I would like to ask you about how the traders and caravans are doing in this area. It seems all is not entirely well with the trade routes here."

Father Tulfgyr stops in the doorway hearing the words Ug has spoken so eloquently. what in moradins beard is going on. cautiously Father calls out " Ug... whats going in in here?"

Ug looks up from the whimpering man and smiles jovially at Father Tulfgyr. "Ug is only making better friend. Tiny ugly man wants to give special discounts to Ug's friends. And wants to give one very special free gift to mighty honorable dwarf friend who mother he insulted." The last part he said with an eerie certainty, as he turned back threateningly to the trembling merchant. "That is what new friend wants to do yes?"

Hrothgar's face darkens as the conversation turns to more turbulent matters. "No, all is not well. We have been expecting a much-needed trade caravan from Caer-Dineval... it was supposed to have arrived a week ago, even accounting for incelement weather. Pomab, our shopkeeper, has been complaining that he'll run out of stock soon. The winters here are hard enough, but without those supplies Easthaven will face even greater hardship."

"That sounds serious. Have you had similar troubles lately, or is the only issue you have had?" Al asks, leaning in toward Hrothgar and fingering an ivory bead on one of her dreadlocks.

Pomab's eyes widen hopefully at the sight of Father Tulfgyr. "This insane giant - erm, gentleman - is threatening me in my own shop!" He slowly begins scooting towards the dwarf, until he remembers those words he'd spoken about Tulfgyr's mother. "I... I do apologize for any rude words I might have uttered. I was very out of sorts this morning, what with the food - not that it was terrible, mind you, quite the opposite - but you see I think I left my fireplace burning back at home and I had better get to it before..." he trails off, looking up at Ug. "Yes... um, well... I suppose a discount wouldn't hurt. And I've been meaning to throw away this old helmet over here. Um, why don't you take it, Father? It came from a dwarf's head, after all you can tell from the size of the - yes, please, just take it and your... um... friend... and have a very nice day thank you very much farewell!" He slumps down into his chair and buries his nose back into his ledgers, sweat dripping down his face.

"There are always a few issues with such things, but usually we hear about them by now. Now normally, I take Pomab's whining with a grain of salt, but with heavy snows on the way, it would be best to make sure that the caravan makes it through." Hrothgar looks intently at Alalla. "How would you feel about rounding up a few men to go looking for this caravan? You certainly look capable enough, and that archer from Bryn Shander would likely give you a hand. Perhaps between the two of you and any other help you muster you can find that caravan and get it here safely. What say you?"