Somewhat stunned by the meeting with Tren, the company steps out of the garrison gate and considers options.
Stago asks, "So, we're working for Shandar, Randal Morn, and the Zhentarim now?"
"Keep it quiet, gnome." Elessaria cautions. "Let's go somewhere and consider what we do next."
"That Broken Dagger place looked interesting," Stago says.
"Personally," Routunious says as he begins walking toward the warehouse district, "I think it is a stroke of brilliance if we can get paid three times for the same job."
They move quickly through the streets to the Broken Dagger tavern. This dismal taphouse is the very epitome of rough and tumble bars. Bored Zhentish soldiers, orcs, and mercenaries are congregating here...as they probably do all hours the bar is open.
The place is owned and operated by Tharwin One-Eye. They talk, they mingle, they drink. Stago asks the gruff bartender, "Heard anything interesting lately? Anything unusual?"
Amid the stream of obscenities that flowed from his mouth, the party learns that the wooden beams of the Red Rock Tavern recently sprouted leaves and blossoms inside.
"Well, that seems like a sign to me," Routunious says, draining his tankard. They pay their bill and make their way to the North gate and exit town on thier way to the Red Rock Inn.
7:00pm
As they leave the gate, the notice that the bald thug, Larkell Greenspring, is still following them.
They make their way to the Red Rock Inn, a ramshackle tavern frequented by folk of the surrounding countryside--several of whom sit quietly drinking at the few small tables in the taproom. 
They introduce themselves to the owner, a former minstrel named Kessla. They notice that Larkell has remained outside on a bench near the door.Stago points to the wooden beams on the ceiling, which are covered in bright green leaves and flowers. The flowers are beginning to lose petals and look somewhat faded. The gnome says, "Look! Tharwin told the truth!"
Kessla says, "If he did, its likely the first time. Who's your friend who's sitting on the porch?"
Routunious returns, "No friend of ours, he's a Zhent Agent that Tren has watching us."
"If you're being watched by a Zhent agent, you're probably alright," Kessla says to the party.
Elessaria asks her, "We were told by a rider on the road that this was a place where we could meet Loudon the Cooper. Is he here?"
A voice from behind them, asks, "Who wants to know?"
The company turns to see Louden the Cooper sitting at a table in the shadows.Elessaria says, "Randal Morn sent us."
Loudon asks, "Anyone can say that Morn sent them, how do I know its true?"
Stago quips, "How do you know it isn't?"
"Few who work for Morn enter and leave Tren's tower as easily as you did less than an hour ago."
"Oh, you know about that, do you?" Stago asks gloomily.
"Is Greenspring watching you or guarding you?"
Elessaria says, "If you were spying on us, you know that we were taken to Tren's tower, we didn't go there of our own free will."
Kessla asks, "If you were taken there, why'd he let you leave?"
Routunious explains, "He thinks we can find the answer to the Dream Fever. He thinks that Randal Morn has something to do with it."
"You know that isn't true," Loudon says, "did you tell him he was wrong?"
Elessaria replies, "If we had told him he was wrong, we wouldn't be sitting here. Isn't it better to prove to him he's wrong while finding the true cause of the sickness?"
"She's got you there, Loudon," Kessla says.
"If Morn trusted you," Loudon says cautiously, "I suppose there's reason enough for me to trust you too."
Routunious says, "Tren has hired us to explore the ruins of the temple."
Kessla gasps, "Then you are working for him?"
Elessaria explains, "We knew that agreeing to his offer was not only the only way to get out of the tower, but also past the guards and under the temple ruins. I really believe the answers to all our questions are buried there."
Loudon chuckles, "Smart. Dangerous game, but smart."
Stago asks, "What--other than your wooden beams sprouting flowers and leaves--have you noticed recently that is out of the ordinary?"
Kessla says, "I don't know if it means anything, but the only other odd thing I've noticed is an old man with a gray and stringy beard started coming in here a few months ago and has been buying supplies with these..." As she finishes, she pulls out several small gemstones and hands them to the gnome, whose eyes light up at the sight.
Turning them over in his hands and examining them closely, Stago says, "These are dwarven money. Gemstones with runes carved on them."
Routunious takes one of the gems and looks at it under the lamplight. He says, "This is the rune of the Bladebright Clan."
Stago whispers, "Curious."
Hearing the name of the Bladebright Clan, they pique a dwarf's interest who is sitting at a table with a human man in a green cloak and a darkly dressed halfling.The burly dwarf rumbles, "What speak ye of that fabled clan, the Bladebrights?"
Routunious says, "Someone has been paying for drinks here with Bladebright gems."
"Let me see that," the dwarf says, snatching the stone from the priest's hand.
"My name is Routunious, friend."
The dwarf mutters back without looking up from the stone, "Degar. I am Degar and of the Bladebright blood. Come from the headwaters of the River Tesh to find me homeland and to avenge the losing of it. I've been putting together a party to help me do it. So far, I've got me a pup of a wizard and a runt of a thieving halfling. You wouldn't care to be joining me, would ye?"
The company looks over at the table where the halfling and wizard sit uncomfortably holding their tankards, and then at each other.
"We're already...overemployed, but if it is in our mutual interests I don't see why we shouldn't help each other." Routunious said, diplomatically leaving all options on the table. The dwarf throws the gem back at him, laughing loudly.
"A fine answer. Nothing said, but nothing kept from being said! That bauble is the genuine article. Whoever spent that here knows something about the dwarves who once owned it."
Stepping forward to the bar, the young wizard says, "We should attempt to locate him."The dwarf nearly knocks the wizard off his feet as he slaps him on the back, saying, "This be Duncan. He's my spell caster. Comes equipped with some powerful magic items, he does."
"I...inherited a few small magical items from my mentor...who recently passed on."
The dwarf lowers his voice conspiratorially, "The wizard that was tutoring him, has a family that thinks the boy killed the old sorcerer for these items. He's trying to clear his name."
The halfling slips off his chair and onto the floor, approaching the bar and the assembled company. "I am Fink Windowbreaker, originally from around the Shadowdale area...Teshwave, to be exact. Let us just say that I have an affliction which requires a steady inflow of gold in order to stay healthy."
Degar winks at Routunious, "He's got debts no honest person could pay. His needs are my opportunity."
The Company of the Severed Head introduce themselves while keeping as much information private as they can...including the dwarven stronghold at Eagle's Eyrie and the sword they took from long dead Dorn the Grim.
The two companies decide to, at least temporarily, join forces. The hour grows late and they decide they should go back to the Teshford Arms. When they step out the front door, they are somewhat surprised to find that Larkell has departed.
Along the way, Elessaria & Routunious have a hasty whispered conference and decide to divulge some of their knowledge of the Brightblade watchpoint on the mountain. They tell him of the dream that they had and how to find the watchpoint. They show him the paper with the runes that they copied. Degar nearly weeps at getting so much information so quickly after meeting his new companions.
As they draw closer to the Teshford Arms they hear a great deal of commotion inside. Stepping through the door, they hear an angry man shouting, "Every single horse in the stable is dead!" Even though it is late, Eb Farnam is at Olavia's side trying to calm the patrons.
"I understand that this is a very regrettable circumstance," the oily clerk is saying, "but there is absolutely no liability on the part of our establishment for the loss of your animals."
"They were in your care!"
Farnam calmly retorts, "But we didn't kill them! And if you had bothered to read the liability waiver on the inside of the stable door--"
"We demand just compensation!"
Olavia shouts at the mob, "We can't pay you for horses that died of natural causes while they were in our stables!"
"How can 7 horses all dying on the same night be natural?"
Another man shouts, "It ain't natural! It's magic!"
Still another says with force of fact, "It was a wizard. The only good wizard is a dead one, and I don't mean a lich, either!"
A chanting chorus of "Kill the wizard" starts up among the patrons. Another faction cries out, "It ain't wizards, its dwarves. Mark my words, if there is trouble in Daggerdale, then you can trace it to dwarves." That faction begins countering the call to kill the wizards with a demand that all dwarves be killed on sight.
Duncan pulls his hood over his head and tucks his staff as best he can under his cloak. Degar pulls a blanket out of his pack and throws it over his head like a shall. The entire party dashes through the crowd in the taproom and up to their rooms upstairs.
Degar, Duncan, and Fink are given Selina's private room. Once inside it and after locking the door, Routunious nods to Elessaria. She opens her pack and unrolls the cloth that covers Olar, the Mage Killer.
"The fabled blade of Dorn the Grim...Ye've got to take me to this Eagle's Eyrie tonight!" Degar says.
Routunious reminds him that promises were made at Red Rock Inn, and Degar's honor demands that he help the Severed Head Company before they go up the mountain.
Degar grumbles but he knows the priest has him cornered. Nothing matters to a dwarf more than honor. They agree to sneak out of the Inn and go directly to the temple. Tren gave them another 24 hours to prepare, but they are all certain starting early won't cause any trouble.
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