Over the evening meal, Maria goes back and forth several times between the kitchen and the main room, bringing food to the customers based on what they order with her father. She does not stay in the common room long enough for you to engage her in talk for more than a moment or two.
From the customers' calls to the owner for ale, you learn that he is named David.
For their part, Otto and Karl sit down at other tables, engaging the locals and asking some questions. It takes time, and isn't exactly subtle since there isn't much of a crowd. Less than a dozen men over the evening. There are some heated arguments between locals as they talk to your two men. Borealis draws some stares, but no one sits near him.
When the last of locals leave, it is not really so late. David remains a bit, asking whether you want some more ale before he retires. Otto and Karl then fill you in about what they've heard.
"They think it's some sort of curse, sir," says the fat grog. "Snow's been falling for about a week. Out of nowhere."
"Some who've gone out of town or spoke to travelers say cloud's been turning in circle, staying above town," adds Karl. "I hear nothing about why. Some say the mayor a sinner. Others that the priest called down God's will against a greedy merchant. Two argued it be a witch that was droven out of town a few years back takin' revenge. Big caravan came through a few days before that snow started, so one said it was Jews or Moors doing this."
"Yeah," says Otto. "They don't know squat. Let me tell you somethin' about common folks like that. When they argue that hard, it jus' means they dunno. Only way they coulda known less was if they'd start fights about it."
"One more thing," Karl adds after checking they are really alone. "David's wife? Died early in the summer. Weak heart, or some such. Dad's been heartbroken since. Doesn't have the heart to tell his little bit that her mother's no coming back. Just a little lie at first, Kid ate it up and spun a tale. No one dare tell her, don't wanna make the girl cry. They like her as uncles would."