Troubles in the Region

Troubles in the Region, also known as Berrun's Reward is a quest in Baldur's Gate. It logs various rumors you hear throughout the first chapters of the game, but can be finished shortly after beginning of Chapter Three.
The purpose of this quest at first seems to be to gently prod the player towards areas and goals which will advance the main storyline. It eventually becomes a "proper" quest in Chapter 2, and is completed in Chapter Three.
==Journal==
===Prologue===
While not related to the Prologue, some entries can be heard when buying drinks in taverns, first being Candlekeep Inn.
===Chapter One===
You begin collecting rumors about Troubles in the Region in the Friendly Arm Inn area. You can hardly avoid hearing at least the two rumors from Bentley Mirrorshade, the proprietor of The Friendly Arm:
*Triggered By: Speaking to Bentley Mirrorshade
*Journal Section: Quests
*Quest Title: Troubles in the Region
*Entry Title: Troubles in the Region
*Entries:Bentley, the owner of the Friendly Arm Inn, told us that the iron trade has slowed greatly over the past few weeks.Bentley told us that there has been some sort of trouble in the south. Perhaps we should go to Nashkel.
The rumors of these troubles mostly concern the shortage of iron and the poor quality of such iron as is available, but a few touch on related topics, such as banditry and the equipment available to local troops.
*Entries:The villagers of the Friendly Arm speak of bandits who make the roads unsafe to travel.The Flaming Fist is in danger of losing its ability to protect the region. The condition of their weapons and armor is suffering, just as it is for everyone else.
More rumors of these troubles can be heard in Beregost when you go there, although they seldom offer anything you didn't know already.
*Entries:  There are many rumors around Beregost about the scarcity of iron.The raiders include both humans and hobgoblins, groups of bandits that previously never worked together. Something has caused them to cooperate.
===Chapter Two===
These rumors continue in Chapter 2 after you reach Nashkel. The rumors that you hear here are basically "more of the same" until you speak to either Volo or Berrun Ghastkill.
Volothamp Gendarm, usually called simply Volo, is found in the Belching Dragon Tavern. His tale contains more substance, if no more verifiable fact, than previous rumors.
When you speak to Berrun Ghastkill, the Mayor of Nashkell, on the road outside the Temple of Helm, he asks you to investigate strange events in the Nashkel Mines. The journal entry for this encounter suggests for the first time that this is actually a "real" quest.
===Chapter Three===
The quest is completed once you return either Mulahey's Holy Symbol or the letter, adressed to him and found on his body, to Mayor Berrun Ghastkill (2365.1308) in Nashkel for your reward. In case you have both on you, both will be taken; it is possible to keep the symbol or the letter with the same rewards by dropping either beforehand, though none of them can be sold afterwards.