Two men in dirty brown tunics come into the Prancing Pony and look around the room. The people that stare at them quickly turn away when their eyes meet. The two find a chair against the wall and sit down.
"Do you think we will ever be accepted here?" Camran asks.
"I do not know," Tasgall responds. "I understand the distrust they feel given the actions of our fellow Angmarium."
"Perhaps we will be able to show them who we are after Carn Dum falls."
"Crannog seems to think we can make some form of peace with our brothers."
"Do you think they will obay the rules of Clucath?" Camran asks.
"I do not know, however if there is a chance at peace we should take it."
"I suppose you have a point. Though I admit I do not like the idea of trying to work with those that have allied with the dark forces."
"I do not know what they have been doing of late," Tasgall says. "I confess my interest in the activities of the hill-beasts has distracted me from their threat."
"Your absence has not gone un noticed by your sister."
"This I know. Rona continues to send warriors to help me. I appreciate her concern but a single person is all we should spare for the beasts at this moment."
"I agree with you completely," Camran says. "I may have angered the Trev Duvardain recently."
"How did you manage that?"
"I had someone go to the fortress of Tol Gailvin and burn every banner they could find. I enjoyed showing our brothers that they are not as secure as they believe themselves to be."
"I am sure that put them in a good mood before the Rite of Clucath," Tasgall says.
"They will be more likely to obay the rules of the rite if they know they aren't safe in the fortress. We will still need to be careful but it could help."
"I suppose that's fair enough."
"Do we need to worry about the hill-beasts during the rite?" Camran asks.
"No, I have been able to greatly reduce their numbers. I think they will be too concerned with the dead to attack a gathering."
"I heard they collected bloodstone. Do you know what they wanted them for?"
"I have no idea," Tasgall says. "However if we polish them we can make good use of them."
"Very true. Though it would be easier to know where they find them so that we might collect them ourselves."
"I have looked for the hoard they pull them from but I can not locate it."
"That is no surprise," Camran says. "The hills have many hidden places."
"I wonder if it was their masters that hide the gems and used them as proof of loyalty."
"They had masters?"
"Two great hill-beasts named Bangrath and Murragrath," Tasgall says. "I was able to lure them out with crawler remains and slay them but it was a difficult fight even with the help of our new ally."
"I hope that the outsider is strong enough to bring us victory at the rite."
"From the skill they showed fighting the beasts I have faith in them."