The door of the unmarked arcanists' guildhall opens to admit a violet-haired gnome, dressed in lavish and somehow fashionable robes of silver and royal blue. "A dead dragon, you say? That's a rare find; not the most interesting one I've seen, but I wager it could be useful for components, at least. Provided the material's to our liking, I'm sure we could throw in a bit of instruction with the sale, and you could keep the favour in mind for the future, yes?"

The armourer takes a long moment to study the wooden body before nodding. "That form's not too far off a riding dog's size; I've got some quality barding I could modify to fit, and an artificial body'll make it easier. Two days full, but it'll be done."

Sur'kil calls you all to the inn's private room three days later; while out in the town, the feeling of eyes upon you has been frequently present, although impossible to place precisely, always coming when in the midst of a crowd. Of course, even among the adventurers this place sees, Shard and Drasil stand out, as does Grimmgang by association, but given recent events, it is hard to trust in that as the sole explanation.

"It is good to see you all again; I believe I have some answers for you, but first I have some introductions to make." He gestures first to the pale-haired Seren. "This is Xaxhan, a seeker of knowledge who happened across the Temple of Kha'shazul shortly after you left; he too has manifested an unusual mark, and as I shall explain shortly, this is quite relevant. Xaxhan, these are Grimmgang Thunderbreaker, Daiya Milkeye, and the Shard, the other employees of mine I mentioned, all of whom bear the changed marks."

"I said before that this tale sounded familiar, and I have managed to discover why. I once uncovered a tale of a group of explorers of the Q'Barran peninsula, led by a Sarlonan named Jheamast, five of whom were said to have simultaneously developed the so-called aberrant dragonmarks in the course of an expedition. Such an event, although rare, would not be a conclusive link, but one true dragonmarked among their number claimed to see her mark change in shape at the same time, and any shift in the patterns of the true marks is almost unheard of. No direct account links them to the Temple of Kha'shazul, but the evidence is clear."

"Jheamast was said to have sought a weapon for use against some foe in his homeland; it is my belief that he must have claimed the missing relic - this Dragon's Eye the Emerald Claw seeks - from the Temple prior to your arrival. More than a thousand years prior, that is. Yet as far as I know, he never returned to Sarlona. I believe that if we wish to be rid of the Claw's enmity, we must find the resting place of the Eye. Perhaps it is a weapon, as Jheamast believed; perhaps he was misled, and that is why he remained in Khorvaire. But the Emerald Claw likely believes it is one, and if they are right, it is one I would rather they not acquire - especially since they are willing to kill us to get it. I would greatly prefer to find out it is a benign artifact, but in that case, I would desire it myself, much as the others you retrieved."

"I would like to hire you - all four of you - for a few more weeks, to trace Jheamast's trail and find where the Dragon's Eye lies; it is likely he took it with him to his grave, for I can find no mention of anything that he left to later history. I will increase your wages to three hundred and fifty a week, and the Swiftwind will remain chartered for your use; I myself will leave on a different route, for I must research your marks further, and I cannot do that with the resources I brought with me. Are these terms acceptable?"

Daiya:
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You note that Sur'kil is holding something back, although whether from worry or care you cannot tell.