Two dwarves walk into the bar quietly. The two take a seat behind me and Barliman brings them two large mugs of beer. The dwarves thank him and drink half the been in one go.

"It's nice to finally get to sit down with you," Heikki Goldwatcher says.

"I am glad I was able to restore my family's honor," Larus Sharpshard says. "I wouldn't have felt right to leave the Misty Mountains with our failure following me."

"What exactly happened? I have only heard vague stories."

"We were sent to bring a supply of gold ingots from the Iron Hills. Once my grandfather arrived in the Misty Mountains he was attacked by Dourhands and they stole several ingots and ran away."

"The Dourhand are always causing problems," Heikki says. "You should have seen the mess they made in Thorin's Gate."

"Whatever it is I believe they did it."

"I don't know what came of their trouble but they seem to have calmed down in the area now."

"The Dourhands that stole from us hid from my ancestors and Vithurr vowed to guard the remaining gold until he could retrieve every lost ingot," Larus says.

"I understand the wish to ease the dishonor but that seems exessive."

"It took several generations and the help of a strange blue minstrel to find where the ingots where hidden."

"He must be the one you sent to see me," Heikki says. "He took off his clothes and put on heavy armor in front of me. I still don't know why he would do that."

"He was able to delve into the goblin town and find the goblins that had stolen gold."

"Wasn't it the Dourhand that attacked Vithurr?"

"Yes," Larus says "but when I tried to hunt down the last ingot a group of goblins looted the strongbox where I had it hidden."

"Goblins are sneaky little creatures. When they saw you leave they probably thought they had won some kind of prize."

"They managed to carry away twelve ingots but the minstrel went into the tunnels," Larus says. "He was able to hunt them down and bring back the stolen gold."

"I'm amazed they just handed over things that valuable," Heikki says.

"He didn't seem to care just started playing his lute and singing off key. It was the worst music I've ever heard."

"I'm glad he didn't sing in front of me."

"After he brought the gold ingots back from the goblins I asked him to bring the second strongbox from the tomb it was hidden in," Larus says. "He says my ancestor's spirit remained guarding it. After convincing Halmur I sent him the minstrel was allowed to bring the box to me. When he arrived I found that there was a single gold ingot still missing."

"What happened to the last one?"

""The leader of the Dourhand that attacked my family kept one and hid within the fortress the Dourhand clamed. I asked the minstrel to find where he was and take the ingot back."

"You went through a great deal of trouble to retrieve what was stolen," Heikki says.

"Yes but thanks to that I was able to recover my familiy's honor in the way you requested."

"I hate to tell you this after everything you've gone through, but I didn't tell you to recover the gold."

"What do you mean?" Larus asks.

"The letter I sent you was just asking what your grandfather's name was. We lost the records and I was trying to fill in our ancestory."

"Your letter wasn't about our dishonor?"

"No," Heikki says "no one blamed your family for being robbed. Your grandfather was never dishonored he just decided for himself that he was and had to collect the missing gold."

"I can't believe my father and I spent all that time in the mountains for no reason."

"You're welcome to return to the Blue Mountain with me. I am sure you'd make a fantastic guard."

"I will think it over but I do have a few things to take care of back in the Misty Mountains. When I'm done with that I may take you up on that."