Ro juggles the conversation between the dwarf and his party.  Hearing Kaede and Rum discuss tactics Ro adds, "I think we're on the right track.  Conceal ourselves, look for a weak point, and strike fast.  If the newts are spies, they may know our numbers but nothing of our abilities.  We still hold some elements of surprise."

Ro looks at Rum, subtly catching the tabaxi's attention. 

For Rum:

On hearing Ro's voice in his mind, Rum's pupils dilate almost imperceptibly before he recovers himself. The first thing he does is calms his mind to ensure there is no control going on, before replying to Ro.

The dwarf speaks to Ro, after which the illithid translates for the group:

"The dwarf says that the Masters come in the middle of the night.  It's when these dwarves are most tired after a hard day's work.  It's usually 14 to 15 of them that come each night, though there have been a few times when 20 to 21 have come.  This number usually depends on the purpose of the Master's visit. 

"The Blast Bellows was taken years ago and is now held within their stronghold in the Great Cavern.  However, there has been talk of the Masters taking the blast bellows to the fist.  My personal assumption is that this is in reference to Vader's Fist near the Black Crag Mountains.

"The Great Cavern has a gateway that can be destroyed if we attack its framework on its left or right side.  I also asked about the wind instruments we've been hearing at night.  Apparently, it's how the newts communicate across great distances.

After translating the dwarf's words, Ro reaches out to Rum's mind:

Rum frowns, he had not expected this to all have happened so long ago.

"We knew about the newts, some are allies of the masters, but not all, Ro the Red. That is why we assume the masters know of our presence. One thing at a time then, Fellow Remnants. I believe we are capable of ambushing such a group. Once that is done, we can figure out the rest of the plan. What say you all?".

He then replies to Ro.

Jek graciously accepts the helmet. "Ohhhhh!" He puts it on over his hood, which is an interesting sight. You just see the two glowing eyes and darkness underneath the helmet. He activates it and listens in on what everyone is saying. "I understand everything now!"

Jek listens to the planning. " I can help with making bait. I'm very good at bending shadows. I can make them see and believe what we want them to." 

Jek thinks for a minute. "Do we know exactly where they come? Is there a way to split up this group? Or better yet, do the dwarves have something that we could use to ambush them with? Some kind of explosion or poison or something?"

Rum nods at Jek, "If you can make the extra bait for Lady Kaede, friend Jek, I would like to lay in wait outside and follow these masters and stormtroopers in. Maybe disguised as one even, and surprise them a little".

He looks to Ro, Wo-Dan and Amitola. "We then just need a signal to descend and begin".

Wo-Dan nods in agreement to the plan.

"A sound idea, as to the signal I have a whistle or if you prefer I'm sure we could come up with something else."

A great commotion sounds from outside.  Excited voices, terrified voices, all belonging to the dwarves that the Ardent Remnants have found themselves aiding...

Voices...and something that sounds like huge wings...

Sensing the rising tension, Ro fears the party is running out of time to plan.  He moves the group to the side where he can discuss tactics without anyone else overhearing, "So our plan has three phases.  Phase one is to cause a distraction.  Kaede will cause a commotion, stealing most of the enemy's attention."

Ro then looks to Kaede.  The young warrior feels the sensation of something tapping the side of her skull.

For Kaede:

Ro returns his attention back to the rest of the group, "Phase two is collecting information.  Kaede's distraction will afford Rum time to disguise himself in an attempt to infiltrate enemy ranks.  He will collect whatever information he can without exposing himself."

Ro snaps his finger and summons his hummingbird familiar, Prim.  At his command, Prim flies over, perches onto Rum's shoulder, and burrows her way into his shirt to conceal herself.  "If you keep Prim with you, I will hear as you hear and see as you see.  Should you require the team's assistance in any capacity, tell Prim and we will aid you"

"Rum and Kaede, you two have Jek and my own magic at your disposal if you need assistance with anything, it's best that you request it sooner than later though. 

"Phase three is adaptation.  Both Rum and Kaede have ways to contact me.  The rest of us will lie in wait, ready to receive and follow any orders Rum and Kaede give.  Wo-Dan, if we are instructed to engage in battle, I will signal you.  It shall be your whistle that carries us into battle and warns the dwarves of the upcoming chaos.  Any questions?

Once the party concludes their conversation, Ro will return to the dwarf and speak to him in Undercommon, "I'm sorry, it's an odd time for introductions but these are the Ardent Remnants and I am Ro the Red.  And you are?"

Ro pauses and allows the dwarf to introduce himself before continuing, "Our party will aid your people.  We ask that your people act as they usually do when the Masters arrive.  Should you hear my friend sound his whistle, that is the signal to run for cover or fight for your lives."

After everything, Ro will listen to any magic requests from Rum and Kaede to aid their role.  Once things are in order, Ro will cast Disguise Self on himself to look like one of the duegars.

Rum nods along with Ro, "I think that about sums it up, Ro the Red. Any magic that will help me infiltrate would be helpful, but I am fine by myself if you want to reserve your powers for the fight to come".

He then hears the commotion and beating of wings, his ears twisting to the direction of the sounds.

"Have the masters arrived?".

He starts to move in that direction, trying to remain hidden.

Stealth: 18+9=27

Lady Kaede quickly puts her devilish looking helm on, and her face disappears behind shadows, with two glowing red orbs showing through where her eyes would be. “Save your strength for the cavalry counter attack, Master Ro. But I thank you for kind and brave offer. I know how to call for help, when I inevitably need it the most.”

Kaede then does an about face, and marches out of the cavern where they’re hiding, oozing confidence, to see what all the commotion is about outside.

Ro pulls out an eagle's feather from his component pouch.  The illithid utters something under his breath and blows on the feather, causing it to glow a faint gold.  He lightly taps Rum's chest with the golden feather, and as soon as it touches him it shatters into specks of light.  Rum's silhouette glows a faint gold for half a second before returning back to normal.

"There.  Now your words are as quick and striking as you are.  This should help you, should you catch yourself in a situation you cannot run or fight your way out of."

(Ro casts Enhance Ability on Rum, improving the tabaxi's charisma.)

Ro gives Kaede a faint smile and taps his head, reminding the young samurai to contact him via telepathy should she need anything.

With Rum and Kaede taking their leave, the disguised Ro makes his way to the commotion as well.  Looking to mix himself in with the other duergars and staying within range of his two comrades.

Rum bows his head in thanks to Ro the Red, in his dwarven visage, before slinking off into the shadows.

Once outside, Rum watches from the safety of the shadows as a huge bat descends towards the dwarven settlement. He has a brief flashback to the only other giant bat he has seen, back when they were leaving the Ivory Tower, when Greko released the one they were supposed to be borrowing. Thoughts then turn to the lizardfolk druid, and his disappointment that he hadn't spared him some time after his resurrection, choosing to leave instead. He still had doubts about who had resurrected his old friend, and why.

Staying hidden, he forces his mind back to the present. There must be hundreds of giant bats in Subternia, if not more. Was this the vanguard of the master's forces?

Stealth: 27 (maintaining previous role as haven't broken cover)
Special: Enhance Ability (Eagle's Splendor - advantage on Charisma checks)) - approx 1 hour (Ro the Red)

A shadowy figure hops off the bat and immediately starts conjuring magic tricks for the children who have gathered to see the old lizard. He shapes water into little lizards that crawl up the children's legs, he performs magic tricks with his bright green hand, and provides little tiny bolts of lights on the tips of their noses. The children giggle and the adults stop pointing what few weapons they have at them. Greko turns to the adults and make a shape of water into a tabaxi saying the word "RUM". The adults point in a direction where they last saw the tabaxi. Greko heads down the path looking around "Hey Hey Hey! Come out, come out! I have a little surprise for my dear friend!" And with that he pulls a tiny little keg out of his pocket, places it on the ground and taps it with his staff, enlarging it into a normal sized Keg, Rum's keg. "Now, now, where is everyone?! I don't have 9 lives only 2" Greko laughs at his own joke her per usual "Whoa, ho come now, I know you are here somewhere"

Rum watches as Greko climbs down from the giant bat and starts to entertain the children. When he calls out for his dear friend, and the keg of Dragonclaw appears, he steps out of the shadows where he was concealed.

It was a surprise to see the old lizard folk, that was for sure, especially after he had abandoned his fellow Embers on his return from the dead.

"What brings Greko the White to Subternia? Or have you got a new job delivering my Dragonclaw Ale now?", he says in a somewhat frosty voice. "I thought you had no time for your fellow Embers these days, too busy on personal errands".

Greko smiles at Run and laughs “Rum of Sassafrass is it now? Why am I here?! To help you of course. Dear Rum the look on your face was all I needed to see to know you needed some cheering up, so I took Lelith for a bat ride…She wanted to find Sorry whose real name is uhh Koria…no no…Saria that’s it. We found her alive but more importantly I found what I was looking for! Your keg!”

Rum shakes his head, he hadn't known Greko had been with Lelith since Skyloft, he had only been told he was researching resurrection.

"You came back from the dead, and your first allegiance was to Lelith!", he says, less frosty, more angry now. "Her actions tore apart the Twilight Embers, led to the deaths of Ro's father, and you yourself. That in turn led Ro to open that damned box calling forth those things that he ended up going with", he shakes his head in shock.

"You never took the time to explain what happened, how you returned. You were killed and your body lay in the middle of the madness that was once Hyrule Castle, at the feet of what became Ganon. How do we know it wasn't Him that brought you back to do his bidding? After you chose not to remain with the Embers, I wondered that. I also wondered how Lelith got away from him. And now I know the two of you were together", he says, trying to piece it all together and coming up with betrayal.

"You think a keg is of importance to me now! That it will cheer me up!", he says laughing. "I lost friends that day, Good friends. And now you are back, but how do I know you are the same person. How do I know you haven't been changed, just like Ro was!".

As he has his outburst, the feelings of anger are amplified by the effects of Ro's magical enhancement of his charisma.

Lady Kaede just stands there, looking resplendently regal in her royal armor, shaking her shadowed head in wonder at the scene in front of her. What a strange group of people I’ve sworn my sword to defend, she thinks to herself. Friendship and betrayal run rampant amongst them, and they switch sides at the drop of a hat. Curiosities abound, she continues to think.

Finally out loud…”Sorry to ruin your lovely mini reunion, but this area is about to be attacked by dark forces. Can you love birds take your quarrels inside?”

Greko looks at Lady Kaede "My Lady, my how you have grown into your armor looking splendid as an adult now. Why when I last saw you, you were less confident and a bit smaller. No worries about the Masters and imperials. We will be fine." Greko turns back to Rum continuing to smile to his friend "When I was slain, my only thought was to save you all. However, the fates or gods, whichever you believe in, did not see it fit for me to die. I was ready to lay down my life for you all but instead I was sent to collect Lelith. I went to Skyloft after she was found not guilty and rushed to help those fighting Vader. Without us they would have died, the fates saw it. I with the help of Jek were able to bring the cave down on Vader slaying him and keeping the others alive.....They were near death. I was then sent to clean up the mess created by the others who were inside the castle while you Rum were outside fighting the bull. They went in and insulted then killed the king. I got there just in time to help kill the skeletal warrior and keep the others alive. I convinced the prince to help us and lead the surviving members of his kingdom to Skyloft." Greko pauses a moment stung by the realization Rum no longer trusts him and looks to the ground before looking back at Rum "No friend, my loyalties were not to Lelith, but to you all, the realm and the task the fates set me out to complete. At the party, I was devastated to hear of Ro's death, and those....those.....the Dawn Guard....I cannot stomach them even in a second life, hooting and hollering after being the cause of much of the realms issues with their ridiculousness, I had to leave and look into resurrection. I couldn't stand the thought of Ro being dead, so I looked in Resurrection spells. I took Lelith for obvious reasons and we set out. She wanted to save Soria or find her body. The rest I have already told you. I hope you can forgive me. I am the same Greko, mostly.....a few scars then I'd like and bit more wizened. 

Rum feels something brush his chest.  It was Prim, the hummingbird shifted a bit to fix itself into a more comfortable position inside the tabaxi's shirt.  Rum would remember his ally's recent words,  "I will hear as you hear and see as you see".

Amongst the crowd of duergars who came to watch the Lizardfolk's arrival, one of them steps forward.  The short, stocky duergar walks towards the lizardfolk and Rum.  His face is impossible to read, but his heavy steps and unwavering stride convey the duergar's seriousness and intensity.  The duergar doesn't stop until he's only a few short steps from the lizardfolk's face.

The duergar gives the lizardfolk a fierce and unapologetic stare.  Then, with an equally fierce and unapologetic voice, the duergar speaks, "A dead man appears before me.  Riding on the mount he once freed.  Associating himself with the very witch that lead us to crushing defeat!  And arrives the same time I am expecting the dark force's company."

The duergar pauses for a long second, allowing his words to thicken the air with an uncomfortable tension.  The duergar intentionally rests his hand on the pommel of his sword strapped to his waist.  "I'd suggest you answer honestly and thoroughly who you really are, why you are here, and why Lelith has not paid for her past actions with her life!  If your answers do not satisfy me, I swear you will suffer the same fate as the person you dare to impersonate!!!"

Greko has been targetted with the spell, Suggestion.  He must succeed a Wisdom saving throw (DC 17) or fall under the spell's effects and answer Ro's questions "honestly and thoroughly".  Should Greko's initial roll succeed, Ro will use Chronal Shift to force Greko to reroll again and use the result of the second roll.

(Chronal Shift: As a reaction, after you or a creature you can see within 30 ft. of you makes an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can force the creature to reroll. You make this decision after you see whether the roll succeeds or fails. The target must use the result of the second roll.)