Relaxed, I sat upon a small half-rotted log that lay astride the old Merchant Road. It seemed logical to me that if I were looking to meet a merchant, where better to wait? A few folks on their journeys stopped and chatted while I passed the time. I was speaking with young Osbe, the sorcerer, when I felt a swift change in the breeze and out of the woods jumped a well-traveled Dwarven Ranger.

Lord Eazel Lavelocke was his name and he seemed in most ways to be the very definition of a Dwarven Ranger, excepting that he seemed at least vaguely aware of where he was. A stout lad he was with curly red hair and green eyes that wonderfully accented his well-ornamented long, braided, red beard. His leather armor was embossed heavily with the symbols of Eonak and Imaera.

Being ever the merchant he was, he noticed how plain young Osbe's armor looked and offered, for a modest price of course, to spruce it up a bit. Working quickly, he polished the armor to a high shine, but he was still not satisfied with it and insisted on adding a bit of embossing to make it stand out more. Using tools of the trade unknown to my eyes, he proceeded to raise a relief on the armor that, in the end, even caught me off guard. Having spent many a moon hunting the highlands of Thanatoph, the end result was unmistakably a howling Stone Giant.

Having made a young sorcerer's night, we then set off to find Eazel's workshop, which commendably we found rather quickly. His workshop was a cozy place with numerous racks and shelves all filled with exotic woods from who knows where. However, the first thing I noticed was the cage full of singing birds. Shortly after our arrival one fluttered out to greet Eazel and was quickly stuffed back into its cage. It seemed Eazel and his birds had a peculiar relationship, but that's best left to another tale.

Being the consummate reporter, I decided to let the conversation go where it may. (Also, didn't help that I couldn't find my cursed notes.) I have extracted a few highlights from our conversation to enlighten our readers.

STUMBEL:
So what exactly prompted you to become a merchant?

EAZEL:
Ale costs money ya know, and I ain't a beggar.

EAZEL:
I'm an artist! Dis is what I do.

STUMBEL:
Do you prefer creating as opposed to travelling, buying, selling, buying, selling, and so forth?

EAZEL:
I do all dat. I like it better'n travellin' to some dang frozen ice field ta slaughter dead things, that's fer sure.

STUMBEL:
So what pieces have you designed that have impressed you the most.... aside from you beads?

EAZEL:
Da best things I make for people are me fine carved lockets... if you're ever lucky enough to get one.

EAZEL:
I carve em up, custom.

EAZEL:
With a paintin' inside.

STUMBEL:
How much would you charge folks for such work, typically?

EAZEL:
Oh ain't too much... 20 or 30 thousand silvers fer them.

EAZEL: But ya gotta wait till I'm here to do it, that's the hard part.

EAZEL:
Made a lotta nice ones fer people. Custom painting inside of whatever they like. Nice scenery, screamin' halflings, whatever...

EAZEL:
But I'm an artist. I work for anyone!

EAZEL:
I really dunno about them fancy mages bringin' der black velvet and sequin crap in here for me to fix up.

EAZEL:
I does me best but....

EAZEL:
I ain't a seamstress, tho I can trim it with their fancy doodads if they insists...

EAZEL:
Wood carvinÕs my best thing though.

STUMBEL:
What fancies do you create in wood?

EAZEL:
Anything you like!

EAZEL:
Jewelry... clasps... figgers...whatever. I do wood and leather work.

EAZEL:
Tho' as I said I kin work in cloth if ya insist.

STUMBEL:
Quite a talent. Learn that in Ranger school?

EAZEL:
Ah apprenticed witha old woodcarver down south, where I come froms.

EAZEL:
Down Vornavis way... tho not from da town, we lived in the mountains.

STUMBEL:
Any words of advice to those admirers of yours?

EAZEL:
Yeah.. Patience. I'm a artist. I'll get to ya!

EAZEL:
Maybe when you least expect it.

EAZEL:
I don't mess with blades or any metals.

EAZEL:
I can paint a picture on it, but I cannot change what it is.

EAZEL:
Usually I can fix up the hilt.

EAZEL:
I stock woods and leathers and animal parts...

EAZEL:
If you wand any metal trim or gems ya bring your own.

EAZEL:
Da cost depends, but I'm generally considered cheap, so it ain't much matter.

EAZEL:
Jes enough to pay fer my lifestyle, I ain't no highfalutin' enchanter.

EAZEL:
Ye can also assure em dat if dey is on my list, dey're on it, and I'll get to em in time. Tho I ain't in this town often, they ain't fergotten.

I scarce remember much after that. We passed the rest of the evening in his private bar trading barbs with his barkeep and telling elven jokes. A pleasant eve all and all I must admit. So to those of you whose paths are lucky enough to cross Eazel's, show the courtesy and respect due to such a fine craftsman.. and be sure to have a good elven joke handy.