Karl steps through the door to Barthen's Provisions and is surprised to find ... not a tavern ... but a general store. Its shelves are stocked with goods and supplies, including backpacks, bedrolls, rope, and rations. A young, male half-elf sits in one corner, working on a piece of wood with a small knife.

Outside, Sildar smiles at Vondal. "He'll learn quick enough."

DM roll: 2

"The name of the inn?" He looks around as if looking for a sign. "Stone-something?"

Karl comes stomping out of the General Store and saying "where does a bloke get a beer around here?"

Sildar laughs. "The place isn't that big. We can either look for it ourselves or ask for directions." Sildar looks at the dwarves' wagon. "Where are you supposed to deliver these to?"

Vondal nods wearily. "Probably closer to the center of town then. Up ahead." He gestures the way forward to what looked like the grounds opening up ahead. "Come on, Uncle Karl. Brother Einar. You'll have your ale, soon enough!" Vondal will dash a short ways ahead up; but, he turns back briefly to motion for Einar to continue bringing the cart onwards. "Though tell me, Sir Sildar. You have any other friends here?" He asks while keeping an eye out for the Stone-something Inn's sign. 

OOC: realising we are not at the inn yet, Nif will refrain from handing out the money just yet.

Nif turns to Sildar, "Where in town would be the best place to sell some valuable goods we found, such as a gold statuette?"

Walking along, also looking at the buildings they are passing, his eyes more measuring the structures than just marking them, Sildar says, "My primary mission is to find out what happened to a fellow Lords' Alliance member, a human wizard by the name of Iarno Albrek. He was sent here some time ago to help establish law and order to this new town, but we haven't heard from him since. I've also been tasked with his duties in the wizard's absence. But this is my first time in Phandelver, so I know very little about the place." To Nif, he says, "I'm not sure. We'll just have to ask."

Heading south toward the center of town, the group passes the smithy and then spots the Stonehill Inn a little further on the left.

"Ah, this places looks like it sells beer" Karl says as he walks in the door of the Stonehill Inn yelling out "I need an Ale, I am as dry as a dead dingo's donga!" 

"Found something interesting, eh Nif?" Vondal chuckles. "Probably have to head back to that provisioner place then. Seems like decent enough place for knick knacks, if not the smithery we past earlier." He starts to hop on after Karl inside, but stops short to look back at the cart with a fast falling face. "Let's not be too long with drinks. There's still one important matter need settingly before the day's out aside from just Gundrun and that Larno, fellow."

In the center of town stands a large, newly built roadhouse of fieldstone and rough-hewn timbers. As Karl marches in, he finds the common room filled with locals nursing mugs of ale or cider. As he makes his boisterous declaration, all of them eye him with curiosity. He spots the bar and sidles up to it. A short, young, human male fills a mug full of ale and moves over to stand before the dwarf, his kind face not showing a hint of the scrutiny Karl had felt from the rest of the room. "Good morning to ya," the barkeep says congenially. He places the mug before Karl. "This'll whet your whistle," he assures him. He watches as Karl drinks. "Haven't see you in here afore. You wouldn't happen ta be friends of the Rockseeker brothers, would ya?"

"Drinking buddies for many years is a better description and I reckon I've had the honours more often than not over those years" Karl says to the Barkeep. He goes on "but more recently, a couple of days back, they asked to escort a wagon of supplies to Phandolin." 
 

Knowing Einar had the cart details well in hand, Vondal too eventually makes his way inside after Karl. On the way to the bar, he gives the place a good once over in passing. "Good Morning, Kiddo." He says as he pops a squat into a seat near Karl, but probably opposite of Nif(whenever he makes his way inside). "I kid, I kid. Just some dwarven humor for you." Vondal says to the keeper. "Vondal Stormfist, of the Deep Kingdom Stormfist." He reaches out over the counter for a handshake. "What is breakfast looking like?" 

Nif tells Karl and Vondal that he will be back soon, he is just going to pay the smithy a visit.

"Toblen Stonehill," the barkeep says, placing a palm to his chest and then motioning at their surroundings. "This here's my place." He scratches at his patchy beard and gives Vondal a crooked grin. "Not the first time I've been called that ... sir." He turns back to Karl. "I'm glad ta hear you've delivered the supplies ta Barthen's. I know they've been waiting for a couple days for it to arrive." Turning back to Vondal, "Breakfast looks like meat, bread an' cheese. The meat an' bread are fresh. The cheese is the good, smelly kind that's been sittin' for a few. What'll ya have?"

Nif exits the Inn and walks back up the street to the smithy. The shop is connected to a modest house. The shop's door and windows are all open. As Nif approaches, he can feel heat escaping into the open air. The regular pang pang pang of a hammer shaping metal can be heard. He enters and steps up to the makeshift counter. The shop is a jumble of scraps, tools, incomplete projects, and completed projects. Two Damaran humans are working: a short, stout male and a tall, slender woman. Both are well muscled and are working in perfect harmony around the forge and anvil. As Nif watches, the glowing piece of metal goes back into the fire. The workers haven't yet noticed the dwarf's arrival.

Karl takes a deep draught of his beer and says “so long as the cheese is smelly and the meat isn’t it sounds good to me!”

Vondal nodded to Nif as well as waved him off. He turns back to Toblen grinning. "Same! Some excess for our brothers and newfound friends as well, for when they come inside and are ready. By the deep... You wouldn't believe the trubble we had juss try'n to get here, Mr. Stonehill." Vondal shakes his head in exasperation. "You wouldn't happen to know anything 'bout recent trouble with goblins have you? Or are they always so active?"

"I suppose if I am among the peasant folk, I should eat as they do. I shall have the same as them."

"Hey Toblen, give the Girl's Blouse a shandy will ya" referring to Zander, Karl says to the Barkeep.

Toblen's face goes solemn at the mention of goblins. "We've been hearing plenty of stories about goblin raids along the Trail. They haven't ventured as far as town, but supplies have gone missing, as well as some people." He shakes his head slightly. "As if the blasted Redbrands weren't enough trouble." The human disappears through a doorway behind the bar. Karl, Vondal and Zander can hear his voice, but not exactly what he's saying. He comes out after a short time, smiling pleasantly. "Your breakfasts will be out shortly. Now," he says to Karl, "what is this 'shandy' you've mentioned?"

Vondal doesn't pay much mind to Zander's comment after the whole comment about the goblins. In fact, he gets so wrapped up thinking and tugging at his beard over the matter, the tender had time to come and go for their order. With a shake of his head, he narrows his eyes in curiosity at Toblen. "Redbrands? They some sort of local ruffians?" He asks curiously.  

"Well! As you would know we peasants are able to handle strong drink that others can't, so a shandy is a form of watered down beer, usually with something sweet, that we used to give to the womenfolk back in Neverwinter, cos we reckon thay can't 'andle strong drink!" Karl says to Toblen.