Ensuring all were taking no notice of Daeruth, she quietly slipped from her little tent and headed for her packhorse, selecting a small barrel of brandy and gathering her sketchbook Daeruth headed for the manling town of Bree. Hooded and unnoticed she slipped in the south gate while the guards were busy talking with a family of millars and their spilt cargo of grain. With her hood raised Daeruth effected a stoop with her walking stave as an old crone with the brandy barrel on her back functioning as a hump, all the while making her way through the darkened empty streets to the stone quarter and a secluded tavern if it was still there. A pair of sturdy dwarves loitered outside the entrance, presumably guards, Daeruth offered the Iglishmêk sign for peace to the surprised pair and the dwarves ignored her as if she was invisible. Taking this a sign of acceptance Daeruth tapped on the stout door with her staff, a voice drawled in westron "Wha'yer'wan?" Daeruth taking the brandy barrel from her back and setting it on the doorstoop replied in accented westron of her own "Supplies!" the bottom half of the door opened and the barrel disappeared into the stable-cum-tavern. After some moments the door opened again and Daeruth was admitted into the dimly lit space that was allegedly a tavern, looking around the single room Daeruth noted several dwarrows hunched over their cups at various tables silently drinking. Daeruth crossed the straw laden floor and approached what she assumed was the keeper as he was stood behind a cluttered table with various bottles and mugs and behind him were several large tapped casks, the keeper watched her as if a panther had entered the room and was stalking it's prey. Daeruth gave a nod to the keeper and gestured to her small spirit keg that was sat on the table, the keeper tapped the barrel and brought two glasses from beneath the table filling both and letting Daeruth choose her own glass first. Daeruth and the keeper chinked their glasses and necked the brandy in one, both slamming the glasses on the table at the same time, "Real Longbeard brandy!" the keeper said in his westron drawl "This must be important lady" Daeruth produced a broad book and opened her sketchbook to the runes she had drawn of the chest pointing to it in emphasis and speaking in westron "Have you or your kin ever seen the like of these runes before?" The keeper scratched his beard as he studied the drawings then with a shake of his head declared "No" then beckoning to the other dwarves in the tavern said "Here lads, come help this lady out with this puzzle, this keg of finest brandy to the one who solves it!" one by one the dwarves came to the table hoping to solve the runes but none did. Daeruth sighed inwardly, it had been a long shot but all avenues of inquiry had to be undertaken, she thanked the keeper and the dwarrows who'd tried their hand at solving the runes, leaving the barrel and taking her sketchbook left the stone quarter as the first fingers of dawn crept over the horizon.
