[Tyhm]

I agree. There should be a sign in Taylor Richard's Tailor Shoppe - maybe when you read a scrap of parchment in an empty space between the books on the shelf - maybe it's a letter of resignation from Hobit the Hermit giving a subtle but lucid clue to his location -
"Sir-
I find that your ignorance of my genius can go unacknowledged too long. For years you have profited off my work, and as such I am taking my latest development as severance. You will note it has been patented under my own name, not yours, despite your instruction to the contrary. Any future correspondence you may have can be conducted via my cousin Bridgette, 41 warehouse district, Babord.
I bid you a curt farewell and hope never to cross your path again,
-Hobit the Hermit."

One say2 script and a minor NPC placement later, the Permaclothes NPC becomes the Permaclothes Fetch/Sidequest. Perhaps it will someday require that you prove to Bridgette that you're "not a cop" by stealing the keys from the cop at Babord's entrance, the one constantly trying to warn people not to give the con man/money changer any money.

No idea why the NPCW's screwing up, I don't know from GS2 anymore. :-P