[GM Post]

The blacksmith was larger than one would've expected for a village of its size, with several apprentices busy with the work. One of them greeted Matilda, and after a short exchange went and fetched the actual master of the place. He's a middle-aged man of average height but with a build twice as broad, his hair still barely touched by the salt of age. He wore long-sleeve woolen tunic with leather apron up front, a thick goggle hanging by the strap around his neck.

[i]"Hail, Dame. Was there problem with the last delivery?"[/i] Was what he opened with, though the mention of investigation immediately set the man straighter - if a bit grim, now. News of the king's assassination attempt had already spread all the way here and now came the head of the royal guards in person, and it didn't take much to put two and two together.

[i]"I've seen everyone who live in this village, we dont see many outsiders around. Dont have anything special to warrant traveling all the way here, you see. Well, beside the usual merchant and all. There's a mercenary sort that stops by to get a dented helmet hammered in about three weeks back, but that's it. The inn should know more about people coming and going." He pointed to a large building across the village square, a wide two-story thing that looked suspiciously similar to a barn. "We do keep ledger for the larger purchases, and for joint work with Baldomar in the fletcher. But for smaller work like leaky pots that we see more often, nay. Parchment too expensive."[/i]

It looked like the general nature of the questions helped him relax. The blacksmith was very much prepared for the worst development.