[i][b] Underdeep Marketplace [/b][/i]

"Like I would ever go there. The west has nothing of interest for me. Firstly you'd have to get through the fields and avoid bandits and beasts alike. I'm not like you, elf." Dwarf shout out. It was a small stand for different accessories and jewels. Masterful bands, bracelets, rings and necklaces were put on hold. Edwald's Expectional Jewelry lacked the jewels, but made up with enhanced equipment... Or so the Red-bearded dwarf with braided long red hair said. He had dressed himself with light-looking red linen vest, black trousers and woolen cloak that was dark. Deliv assumed he used different clothes for crafting, possibly an apron. A fitting cloth for a working Dwarf.

"The dangers are overestimated. And I have marked the safe routes. I'm sure a dwarf like you would appreciate a village untouched by other jewelry artisans." Deliv tried to negotiate with the dwarf. His long face with sharp cheeks and chin and hawk-like yellow eyes said those words with certainty. Though Deliv knew that the terrors were more underestimated than the opposite; At days the bandits roamed the fields, at evenings the beasts were out there. He preferred to travel at twilight, or if it was a forest he could walk all day. He had traded map information at villages and made notes of his own on them, so he could plan most of his travels beforehand. The Forest of the Young Red Branches was far in the southeast now, he had traveled for a month now. Though he had wandered twenty days on north and east of the forest to find villages and hunting and it would be ten days to walk back straight.

"I am not interested! The dwarves here are enough of customers to supply me! Other Arbetare trade with me well! At times Krigare or even at rare Vakt might buy stuff from me! Keep your maps, they're not good for me."Edwald said back. Looking at the desk, Deliv did see some hooks and spaces empty. Who knew how quickly a chain or a bracelet or a ring would be done. Perhaps he traded artifacts for minerals to smelt and work with, or he traded the accessories straight to the metal bars to work immediately. Deliv rolled the three maps back into rolls and put them in his backpack, then he took out a roll and unfolded it. A quadrangle striped leather, yard and two yards on sides. It was beautifully brown with Black stripes on it. 

"Perhaps this interests you. One of them Forest Greatjaws, those bears with long tusks and paws full of knives." He told to Edwald, who took a closer look from the pelt. His face was stone hard, but his fingers were itching and he could imagine what was going inside his mind. Dwarves, heh. They have a keen eye for fine material to work with. Give some fine commodity and you're able to get something truly valuable. He had expected this Dwarf to be greedy like most of his race, but that wasn't the case. Map hadn't interested him as much as he had hoped for. Perhaps it was the dangers outside, comfort inside a safe mountain or no-risk income inside the Deepholm. While the marketplace wasn't buzzing like in the stories about the Old World Amaroth, there were few stands and handful of customers on the whole marketplace.

He had gotten lucky with the pelt. He had seen fresh tracks of a great Forest Greatjaws around in the fields, and then he had seen a deer in a distance. He had moved closer to the deer and shot it down, and then waited underneath a bush until the beast had gotten the scent. So big and so proud and dangerous, Deliv had watched it in amazement while slowly drawing his longbow. He had prepared three arrows, but the prey was hundred yards away, and he had hit the heart with his first arrow. He had skinned both of his prays, worried about more Greatjaws to come. But there had came none, so he grabbed the pelts and took chunks of meat from the deer before moving on. At the dusk he had made it to the next small town and prepared the pelts in safety. 

It was there he had heard about Underdeep. Safe mountain full of dwarves, and their speaker calling for help. The humans and halflings joked about the dwarven problems in the city ("They found too big of a boulder to carry" or "Someone painted the roof red and they're afraid of another Night of the Red") but Deliv had smelled an opportunity. Perhaps they needed to go outside of their safe haven. Perhaps they needed maps. So he had made another five pounds of dried meat, traded his deer pelt for satchel of berries and used scraps to make a poem to the Faebold to thank for the pray he had captured and wishing for another one. Next day he had gotten directions and more maps to get himself to Underdeep, so Deliv took his equipment and wandered away at dusk. He had left the Poem half way on the way in wilderness for Faebold to read.

"Aaah... This Pelt is is fine... But I doubt it's one of them Greatjaws. Surely you caught the Field Deer? A child can do that. I might give a ring of Thorbr" Dwarf had started to haggle. Deliv would take none of that.
"I have the teeth, if you want to have a look. But it will cost far more than a petty gold god's ring." He told back. Dwarf snorted as his favorite god was trashed and rubbed his nose, clearly thinking something of worth.
"Well, Two rings. A set, for Elethil and Aspid. Sun and Protection for your travels. Or what about a Bracelet of Faebold or Cynid? Look at them, so well crafted. Surely you would find some more Prays brought by Faebold and risen by Cynid..."

The Haggle had continued for a while, and in the end Deliv had left with two bracelets, Cynid engraved in one and Faebold in other, and a necklace with Thorbr. For moment he considered if he'd keep the Bracelet of Faebold himself, but decided to sell it or give it to his people when he made it back to the Red Branches. He didn't think too much about jewelry, not as much as them Dwarves. He ventured away from the marketplace and searched for the Tower. He found it after some wandering within the mountain city as he came by a moat of Lava. He disliked the place and hoped to get out of the place as soon as possible. There was no sun, nor breeze of wind nor stars. Safety seemed to have it's cost, and here it was the wilderness replaced with lava and rock.

The tower was in front of him, looming high and mighty. Deliv looked one last time at the path he had came from and the moat of lava he had crossed, and then went inside. Mustering Hall, it was called. It seemed there were people already willing to help whatever Dain, Speaker of Dwarves needed. Dwarves to help their own kin, of course A Half Giant in his hood and cloaks, brutal force and a good man for carrying stuff around. An... Orc, one of those war lunatics? He hadn't expected one to meet civilization, but seemed world was still full of surprises, even after two hundred years. And lastly, a woman, with a nasty scar in her face. Like a smile continuing to unnatural extend. 

Deliv left his backpack upon one of the tables, sat on a chair, and took out a parchment, quill and bottle of ink. He started to write on his parchment. 
[i] Dark Mountain and it's dwarves. Black city and fiery forge. People look up and see no skies... [/i]