Gumbart
You see a short dwarf with grey, rugged clothes. Gumbart's hair is grey and
long; his beard looks a bit shaggy. Two braids have been waxed and stretch back
to his ears. The piercing black eyes are sunk deep within the wrinkled face.
Gumbart is simply clad: shiny black shoes; baggy brown trousers, a khaki jacket
with several prussian blue patches; a nice little red felt cap.
Around his neck, Gumbart is wearing a thin chain with a copper halibut on it.
The fish is the size of a coin; it has a fine silver lining and five small
rubies set on it.
On his right hand, Gumbart is wearing the only jewelry you can see on him: a
small golden ring.
Under his coat, Gumbart is carrying a short broadsword. You may see it or not,
depending on your inclination, because Gumbart hides it under his cloak
whenever possible. This short broadsword seems to be of Easterling make. It has
a plain, black grip and a heavy blade about two foot long with two nasty hooks
on the back of the blade.
Dwarin
The congenial Khazad, Dwarin, stands stout before you. His braided beard, deep
brown in color, reaches to nearly his knees. He stands no more than four feet
tall, but he looks quite muscular. The most striking thing about him is his
charismatic smile. Even beneath the endless locks of brown, his great smile is
salient. His deep hazel-colored eyes stare back at you from underneath his bony
brow. He wears a small, dark cloak over leather garments branded with the seal
of Ered-Luin and the Merchant's guild. He carries a sack filled with his wares,
as well as a belt with several small pouches dangling freely from his belt.
Doinar
Before you is a sandy haired dwarf who is approximately 4 feet tall. His beard
is forked into 3 plaites and each is tied with a ribbon of a different color;
one is orange another green and the third is white. Tucked into his belt is an
axe with an 8 pointed star emblazoned on the haft. As you meet his eyes you see
they are a very dark green and are always moving and darting as if he is
constanly searching for something just within sight.
Datain
A young male dwarf standing about a handspand shorter than the rest with a
youthful appearance opposed to most. Light brown hair covers his head with
perfection hanging down to the top of the waist and continues down to his
beard, also light brown, which is braided in one large braid that lays over his
belly. A young glassy innocence sets his dark brown eyes into a curious frenzy,
as if to care about everything at once. His face is like that of a child and
invites you to cuddle. Donning moddest grey attire, polished black boots, which
are the best thing he is wearing, a rope instead of a belt with a loop in it
for his weapon when he gets one, this dwarf definatly does not look like a
successfull merchant.
Elendor time is: Late Morning (about 11 AM ) on Mersday, 14 January 3018. In
the Winter sky, Tonight the moon will be full.
Market Square
The market area in the Iron Hills has quieted down some since the retaking of
Erebor, but there still are a lot of dwarves that keep shop around here. The
square is filled with various vendors trying to get your attention to buy their
wares. Just about everything that you might need for a trek to the outside
world can be found here. Every once in awhile you see a guard patrolling the
square making sure everything is all right. The shops that carry the more
specialized wares have their own rooms. The dwarves' famous pub is also here at
the north end of the market.
Amidst the morning crowd, an old dwarf is discussing with another merchant. He
shakes his head, throws his arms about and shouts something unintelligible. He
haggles some more until finally the other agrees. Some money changes hands and
the old dwarf buys the wooden box with some tools in it. As soon as the old
dwarf turns around, his frown disappears and he grins happily.
Glancing about quickly Doinar sees the dwarves he met a few weeks past. He
waves in a friendly yet slightly reserved fashion to Bofa and Gumbart.
Gumbart glances up and notices Doinar. He raises a hand and calls over the
morning hubbub, "Hello there, Doinar, Ravenfeather scout!" As he approaches,
you notice that he is carrying an astonishing amount of Emyn-Engrin wares: a
few carpets, some gem-cutting toolsets, some mining equipment. It is one huge
bag.
Datain strolls into this familure environment and promptly takes up where he
left off to go down a few in the pub. Showing signs of being drunk, Datain
stumbles around trying to catch his ballance and in doing so trips over the
foot of one of the dwarves in the area. "Excuse me there M'Lord," Datain
beccons for forgivness not know if he is a lord or not. After hearing that it
is a Ravenfether scout, Datain back away cousisly.
Being almost knocked over, Doinar reaches out a hand to steady the seemingly
wobbly dwarf that just stunbled. "No Lord am I! Just a Scout of the Warders.
Doinar son of Damli the Stout at your service"he says with a sweeping bow.
At the kind gesture of Doinar, Datain staighten up at best as possible and
barely achieves a bow, "I'm Datain sn 'f Burukal. I'm a lil git tosted," Datain
introduces barely intellegable.
Gumbart looks at the new arrival and mutters something about early morning
drunks. He takes care to place the stuff he bought well away from the drunkard
and keeps a sharp eye on him. He bows and says curtly, "My name is Gumbart." He
gives Doinar a questioning look.
Brushing off the wrinkles in his own clothes Doinar asks "And what pray tell
has one so drinking so early in the morn?" Doinar returns Gumbarts look with an
almost humorous "Hmph".
Upon noticing that the two send him no respect, and why should they, Datain
ushers up enough courage to look them both in the eyes and spout, "Why dont ye
tend to thyne own buisness and keep away from mine?"
Gumbart hesitates and looks at Doinar, "An aquaintance of yours?"
Flushing red with anger Doinar says nothing for almost 15 seconds. Then in a
voice amazingly calm "Lad, only your being besotted is saving you from a
thrashing." Turning to Gumbart he says "No Gumbart. This dwarf is NOT my
aquaintance any more than he is yours".
You say, "Do you know with whom he is affiliated? He seems quite lost."
Datain thinks for a second and relizes what he did, imediatly retreating to the
first wagon he had passed entering. Just standing there thinking, Datian's face
contorrs with wonder at how to resolve the situation.
Doinar says, "As I said, I know nothing of him save his name only; and that
only because he just said it""
Shaking off his irritation Doinar manages a slight smile. "As I said Gumbart, I
know him not." He glances over at Datain and says "See here lad! I'm willing to
forget this little incident as long as it's not repeated."
Thinking through the booze that possibly there is no way to fix his mess up,
Datain return to the pub in the same manner the he emerged.
Gumbart shakes his head, "Obviously you have your share of drunkards, here,
too, in Emyn-Engrin. Sometimes I wonder wether their lives are too easy or to
harsh upon these young ones."
Tugging gently at his tri-forked beard, Doinar says, "Well that was a bit of a
sticky scene."
Doinar says, "Perhaps both, Gumbart."
Smiling genuinely once again, Doinar says "So Gumbart, are you here at Market
to buy or sell?"
Gumbart grins and points at his huge bag, "I am buying some stuff to bring home
to Mt. Erebor. It'll sell in Esgaroth upon the lake, I am sure."
Doinar says, "Esgaroth? Have you had much dealings with the Men of the Lake? I
have never met a Man yet myself."
Doinar says, "I hear Men bear no good will toward the Khazad though maybe this
is less true with the Men of Esgaroth..."
You say, "I wouldn't trust a human with anything. But business is business, and
as long as they have the money to buy, I will have goods to sell. The men of
Esgaroth are a greedy kind. Everybody in Erebor knows how greedy and selfish
they were just before the battle of the five armies. They even managed to steal
the Arkenstone from Thorin Oakenshield. Those were sad days. But things change,
and Esgaroth has potential."
Doinar says, "Ah but do they have the desire to change? I suppose that is the
question that will be continuously asked."
Doinar says, "Still, I suppose they are better than orcs by a large degree."
Gumbart laughs, "Aye, there is no dealing with scum of Nameless one. I am glad
there aren't many around here anymore. Do you actually meet orcs when you are
out there, scouting or doing whatever scouts do?"
With a blush that deepens with each word he speaks, Doinar says, "Well, um...
you see... I am only newly taken in with the Scouts. I have not been out in the
wide world."
Gumbart looks at Doinar again, measuring him beard to foot, "Hm, you didn't
look that young to me, Doinar. It's always good to see the outside world. I
have spent to many years underground. And I only realized now, sad as it is.
I'm hoping to see some part of the world yet, before I join my forefathers in
Aule's halls."
Laughing almost heartily Doinar says "My good Gumbart! You flatter me so! Nay I
am not young just inexperienced about the wider world."
Gumbart digs around in his pockets and comes up with some brown-red nut which
he starts to chew, "I've spent the last years underground, never set a foot
outside. Only recently, as business has grown stale. I was forced to take up
travelling again, put it pleases me mightily at the moment. Fresh air, new
faces, new markets, it's another life. And I expect it will change you, too,
Doinar."
Doinar eyes his new aquaintance with a critical eye and, pleased with what he
sees, says, "Yes Gumbart, I believe it will. But I hope the change in me is not
an evil one."
Gumbart considers Doinar for a moment, "It is always hard to defend oneself
against the temptations of the Dark One, no doubt. But work at it we must."
Doinar says, "And yet I have never heard tell of one from the Khazad that fell
to his temptation. Are we not immune?"
You say, "Nobody is immune against the false tongues of Mordor spies. Of course
the authorities don't like us talking about it, but there have been a lot of
rumours in these 200 and more years."
Doinar says, "Yes well, everyone has heard rumors. But does anyone know anybody
personally to have succumbed? Surely we are above that."
You say, "Our pride will be our downfall, yet, I say."
Doinar says, "Perhaps so."
Gumbart grins a brown-toothed grin at Doinar and says, "If anybody knew a
cousin that had fallen for the Nameless One, they would not speak up, they
would deny their family ties, they would erase all written records. There is no
place for such a one within our ranks."
Pondering this last comment thoughtfully Doinar says, "One would be a fool to
deny the day when the sun is in his eyes. I see your point and would have to
agree with you."
Datain walks up to the first wagon not noticing that his previous acquaintinces
were still here talking and begins rummaging around for a pendant and some pipe
weed his actions a bit more sober than when last here.
As he ponders deep thoughts and words with Gumbart, Doinar sees Datain has
returned. "Hello to you my good Dwarf" He says almost cheerfully. "Have you
cleared the ale and beer from your head yet?"
Bofa stomps out of the tavern on the heals of a young warder. The whole time as
she follows she barks at him "...and next time I tell ya ta do somethin, don't
dally! I sent ya ta the pub ta fetch that prisoner some viddles...not fer ya ta
sit on yer arse an kick back a few mugs!" The poor lad doesn't even turn around
but keeps walking at a hurried pace but is careful not to spill any of the
contents from the bowl in his hands. As he walks he continues to say "Yes'm,
won't happen again!"
Stopping halfway into the square she throws her hands up in the air and heaves
a sigh. As the warder disappears through the archway, Bofa scans the square for
a moment then walks over and sits on a nearby bench and begins to pack her
pipe.
Gumbart watches Datain carefully. He tries to spy the insides of Datain's
wagon.
Gumbart turns around, as he hears the commotion. He chuckles as he sees Bofa
storm through market square. "Hail, Bofa! I've been looking for you." he cries.
"Excuse me for a moment," he says to Doinar.
Startled by the sound of the khazad, Datain spins around quickly as if on a
turntable and then jump even more when Bofa walks in shouting out commands.
"Ye..yes me cousin i have cleared most of it away."
Doinar stands with a puzzled expression on his face, not sure if Gumbart has
dismissed him or merely wants him to wait.
Gumbart grins, "I wouldn't want to keep you from bringing some discipline back
into younder cousin's attitude, but I just wanted to tell you that Brican seems
to be going West with his master Arwin. I'm thinking of joining them. What do
you say?"
Bofa finishes packing her pipe and lights it. Drawing on it deeply, the aroma
seems to calm her a bit. As she hears her name called she groans and looks
around the market. As Gumbart approaches she barely ackowledges him with a nod.
Taking another drag from her pipe and then blowing a perfect smoke ring she
watches as it dances around. After a few moments she says "Akh Cousin, yer free
ta go as ya please...don't need my permission."
Gumbart stops in his tracks. He says, "Ah. Well, well met, Bofa of the
warders." and turns back to Doinar. He comes walking back cross-eyed and
muttering, "Grumpf, talk about short-tempered! This warder back on that bench
is one devil, Doinar. Her anger flares as bright as any hot iron I have seen."
Doinar says, "Well, I have only talked with her a smattering of times and she
seemed pleasant enough to me...."
Bofa stands up suddenly as she overhears the merchants words. Her face flares
with anger and she starts to walk towards him but stops herself deciding words
spoken in anger are regretted soon after. Instead she stomps off to the tavern
for a well deserved ale or two.
Sensing some bit of conflict between his two new aquaintances Doinar says "
Well Gumbart, I really must be off. I have much still to prepare before I begin
patrolling with the Scouts. But I look forward to meeting with you soon.
Perhaps we can meet again when next your journeys take you here in the Hills."
And so he wanders off amongst the merchant wagons til he is lost in the crowd.
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