Stoirm's eyes widen and they quickly gather up the diamond shards and stash them in their pouches.  That done, Stoirm then reads over the note... Twice... Then reads it a third time.  "Who is Vandal Blackthorn?" Stoirm asks themselves aloud.  "We do not know them.  No.  No, no...  But we will meet them.  Why not?  Plenty of time before work!"

     Stoirm has little preparations to make before leaving, any sleep and dirt upon them is quickly washed away with a simple prestidigitation casting or two and they are ready for the day!  Flying off out of a window, Stoirm Gainimh is quickly off looking for the proper tree near this Protector's Enclave and just the right branch to perch upon and await the mysterious letter sender...

Under most other circumstances Jandari might've happily saw to it that his evening concluding in a drunken stupor after having thoroughly exhausted as many possible entertainments Neverwinter had to offer. But if there was one thing his father instilled in the man growing up, it was being a man of his word! So having given his word and thensome to Gundren, a somewhat early bedtime was on the cards for the young traveler.

.... Plus he was a little short on coin, so truly sampling everything Neverwinter had to offer would have to wait for a return trip!

Yet for all of his due dilligence given, Jendari still manages to awaken the next day a couple gold lighter and with mostly empty ale pitcher being hugged against his chest. As usual he takes in stride, murmuring an apology to hsi father and his father's father while getting ready for the morning. "Oh! Adventurer!" He later found himself saying in finding and reading hte note. "I... Kind of like the sound of that! But, Vandal... Blackthorn? Did we go drinking last night, or.... hmm..." Jandari continued to ponder over the message for at most a minute more before packing away both note and diamond shards away for the moment. "Koselig and Khessa have good head on shoulders. Maybe they make more sense of this."

Some time later...

"Oh! Oh! You too as well? And here Jandari was starting to think his reputation as a strong arm was already preceding him!" Jendari proceeds to pull out his own missive and sets it open on the table being presumably shared for breakfast with any others. "But this is fine too. I think, eh.... Oh wait. Who is blackthorn anyhow? Jandari has been many places and met many people, but not know this one too well."

Khessa was ready to meet Gundren... but, while having breakfast with Koselig and Jandari, she discovers that they too have received that strange message - and that unusual gift.

"That you have an exceptionally strong arm is clear to anyone who lays eyes on it, Jandari" the blonde warrior smiles, admiring the other's athletic physique. "It's obvious, though, that this 'Vandal Blackthorn' was keeping an eye on (if not actually spying on) Gundren..." she continues "We didn't even know each other until yesterday... It would be very unlikely that Vandal knew us all. Evidently, he was spying on Gundren and saw us responding to his ad. I bet Nariah and Stoirm were 'contacted' the same way".

"This Vandal definitely wants to entice us to meet him" the tall adventuress muses aloud. "Who wouldn't be tempted to meet someone who, before even knowing you, gives you a gift of such value? But there's something that makes me wary..." her blue eyes become worried "If, as I think , Vandal saw us with Gundren as soon as we met him, why didn't he come and talk to us openly, when we went shopping together? Why he contacted us in this mysterious way? If Vandal were an enemy of Gundren... someone who wants to sabotage him... he might want to lure us to the tree by the Protector's Encalve only to have us all fall into an ambush. And, after killing us, he might even take back the gift he gave us. He would thus eliminate us at no cost, leaving Gundren defenseless".

“Obviously,” Khessa concludes “now that we are in Gundren's service, a possible enemy of his is a possible enemy of ours – so I think we should try to go to the meeting, to verify Vandal's intentions. But we should also take some precautions... for example, some of us could pretend they didn't want to come - and approach, unseen, from another direction. Stoirm, who is small and can fly, could be very suitable for this role... Or perhaps even Nariah... if between her magical powers she has any that include stealth... I really want to talk to them about it as soon as they reach us!" she then realizes "Speaking of that... it's not so early anymore... they should have already reached us... Did you two see them earlier this morning? Or not yet?"

"If they think they've divided us, but we also come," Khessa points out "we might as well turn the situation to our advantage, arriving when they don't expect us. Yes, let's go. Let's just try, if possible, to make a short detour and get to the opposite direction to what would be logically expected".

Unless the two companions have better ideas, the blonde warrior asks the first passers-by she encounters directions to the meeting place with Vandal, then doing as she said, in the hope of making the small group arrive from a direction from which they are not expected. If Vandal means well, it won't make a difference; but if he instead set a trap for Stoirm and Nariah and there is a battle going on, the difference could be decisive...

Nariah takes her time finding the tree in Protector's Enclave, taking the time to drop her crone look and view the meeting place from afar in her natural form.

As everyone makes their way to the tree. (Give me a Investigation or perception check)

Khessa's Investigation: 14

Stoirm's Investigation:  11

Perception: 19.

Jandari looked as if a lot of the exchange either went over his head, or not entirely convinced on other points. But at the prospect of a bonding/rescue mission of new friends possibly led astray, now that kindled a fire in his eyes, and spurred the young traveler to hop out of his seat ready to go! "Lead on!" Is all Jandari has to add, as he trusted or misbelieving Khessa and Koselig to know the city far better than him. Just as he would later go on to trust them to call out the need for more than the mighty fist should violence ultimately erupt...

Investigation: 11
Perception: 15

Jamari can see a man by the tree, he appears to younger than he appears.

The rest of the party sees an old man, standing with a staff. If anyone approaches him. He will simply smile and say “Hail and well met, thank you for meeting with me. I would like to offer you an opportunity to raise coin for yourself. What do you say?”

(sorry for not posting as much, not feeling super awesome)

Nariah will approach after 2 others have, in her undisguised form, not sure what the DM would rule to roll to recognize her.  She is an adult half-elf woman, with curly flame red hair and piercing green eyes. She's not amazingly beautiful but is using what gifts she has well.

((Just to remind, Stoirm headed out once they got the note and their plan was to find the meeting point and try to land in a tree unseen and spy out the situation...  But if he sees Jimari, Nariah or anyone else approaching the dude before he himself decides to flutter down then the li'l dragon is more than happy to just perch above and spy on the interaction...))

Khessa, who moved later, together with Jandari and Koselig, feels partially reassured by the fact that neither she nor her companions identified any signs of an ambush, neither when heading to the meeting place nor once there. .

"An elderly person, leaning on a stick" the blonde warrior comments. "And he is alone. Maybe I was worried for no reason - at the moment, he doesn't seem dangerous". She then approaches. [[ OOC: She does so even if Jandari reveals to her that the man is actually younger, but disguised - only she is even more wary, in this case ]]

When the man asks his question, the tall adventuress replies: "To raise coin can be both useful and welcome, Vandal - but I am convinced that you know that, at least my friends and I," she casts a curious glance at the unfamiliar half-elf, if she hasn't yet figured out she is Nariah "have already accepted a different assignment... So, well, feel free to go on and tell us more, but maybe you'll have to wait a little bit for the actual execution... If all goes well, we could be back within a few days and be available again".

For better or for worse, Jandari never thinks to reveal the little discovery at the onset, but rather mentally dismissed the knowledge as of no concern. And assuredly the others could tell just as well, or so he thought. Seeing Khessa quickly prove him wrong, but unable to get out the words in time to question her assertion, the man eventually just looks to Koselig and shrugged, then gestured for the more elven blooded fellow to follow after Khessa.

"Pretty sure everything is alright. But just in case, this one can be waiting in wings to swoop in as necessary, yah?" He asks of Koselig prior to their departure. Without such approval, Jandari just takes in stride, and only then moved to follow after the blonde warrior. Yet apart from a wave of acknowledgement to the not-elder, he otherwise contented himself playing the part of close at hand listener.

Vandal looks and then responds with “ I know you all are about to leave Neverwinter with Gundren, and that is a good thing. I represent a group that would like to be a silent investor with him. However the silent the part means we unknown.” He stops and pulls out a Bag of Holding “inside this bag you will find a few things you may need, should you accept my offer. See the way we normally invest is by looking for talent, such as yourselves. Now I don’t expect you all just to take this opportunity without any questions. So please ask me anything “ he then lols patient. 

Khessa is increasingly wary of this 'Vandal'... why all this secrecy? If Vandal wants to be an 'investor with him', why also be 'silent', consequently paying others, with an obvious increase in expenses? Wouldn't it have been easier to deal openly with Gundren?

However, the blonde warrior is keen to know as much as possible about Vandal's intentions (if nothing else, at least to be able to defend Gundren, if Vandal has plans that harm him); so she feigns as much interest as possible by widening her blue eyes and smiling warmly: "Even better! Yes, it's true, it's an unusual way of doing business," she conceeds to Koselig "but who are we to judge? It looks like we'll be able to serve both of you then," she addresses Vandal again "without anyone having to wait!"

"What group are you talking about?" the tall adventuress seems eager to know the details "The Harpers? The Zhentarim? The Lords' Alliance? And tell us exactly what you would like us to do - so that we can give you an answer. Do you have a mission for us in Phandalin?"

"Exactly how do you intend to recoup your 'investment'?"

'Good point!' Khessa thinks, as Koselig marvels about the 'unknown' half-elf 'This is probably Nariah's real appearance... This half-elf came to the meeting, so she was invited, like us... Ignoring Vandal's plans, just like us... She is half-elf, like Nariah... And I realized that Nariah had presented herself to us in disguise and was in fact younger... But, as I have already said to her, I won't be the one to decide what she wants or doesn't want to say. Let's hear what she replies'.

     Stoirm Gainimh flies down from their branch to either Vandal's shoulder or whatever branch is closest to him.  "What's in the bag, hmm?  Tell us, yes?  Yes!  Tell us what is in the bag..." the eager little dragon insists with the curiosity of an eager child while stretching and trying to stick their snout close to the bag to give it a look and a sniff.  

     "Strings?  What strings attached, huh?  Huh, huh??" Stoirm presses as he studies the bag.  "Shard just to come here and now bag and contents...  Must be strings, huh?  Huh! Tell us strings?"

     Stoirm is eagerly reaching out at the bag but not yet actually grabbing onto it.  They are resisting, but just barely...