Ellywick considers this. "Enemies I have enough, mage. You're understandably on edge, and low on information, but you make an excellent point." He steps forward with his hand extended. "I pledge myself to your ongoing survival, insofar as you each commit to my own." He smiles broadly again, perfect teeth shining as he dimples his cheeks. "Consider this a down payment for a beautiful friendship."

With that, he relays everything he learned that evening.

(JC, I'm mobile for a while. Any chance you can share the pertinent info?)

Ellywick then informs you of this:

“What eventually makes her way past the Sayer’s Rest, a popular market, and to the ship port. She makes her way into what would essentially be a layover area where one could rest before leaving the city again. Inside, in a private room, she meets with two others: One, a translucent-skinned, near featureless man with white hair, Who. Meanwhile, standing roughly seven feet tall, with long, inhuman arms and hunched figure is a creature with massive, black eyes. It’s face is completely smooth and featureless, but it splits open into an inhuman mouth when it speaks. This is Where.  What fills Where and Who in on what happened.”

“You hear a few names dropped. One of which, is the Port Masons. Another, is the last name of their leader, “Terff.” According to them, the mission was only to frame the murder, and leave. They weren’t told much else. However, there has been a breakout at the Fjell, evidently a supermax prison that the group was heading toward before they escaped. They talk like the breakout and hijacking are two different events.”

“Next, you can’t make out much, there’s too much noise. However, you make out a discussion between them. They evidently are sworn to a creature named Azalf Blackwake and some sort of Court. Fey? Maybe. It’s hard to tell.”

”Where intends to meet with Dahme’dre tonight. He will offer the group knowledge to simply leave them alone. If that fails, he’ll offer 400 gold to simply have the issue resolved. If that fails, they kill them. He hopes to avoid bloodshed, it would be such a pain. He seems like a fairly lazy fellow, mostly shirking responsibility to his two children.”

And that is everything that Ellywick learned!

It is roughly 9 o’clock now.

(Ellywick of course regales the party with a tale of cunning and unmatched heroism in recounting the above)

Of course, fancy lad.

Still unclear what interest Ellywick has in this Dahme'dre accepts his hand and introduces herself. "Dahme'dre d'Raine, though some also call me Alice." She turns to Alijurn. "What do you say? Want to fight a vault door?" 

(Actually, he spent the walk back working his stealth mission into 'The Ballad of Young Stumbleduck', so several snatches are offered in the form of song. Let's see how he does:)

Performance: 20

(Oh, damn- that's a good song)

Keep that one in mind. That’s gonna go places.

Alijurn scratches an itch just below his left cheekbone. "The make-up itches, Ashe." He listens to Ellywick tell his story, rolling his eyes every time the gnome gets into a digression about his heroism. When he's done with his tale of splendour with bits of useful information the dragon rises from his chair. "The way I see it we have two choices. Laying low and evading this "vault door" so we can try and sneak into their abode and get the ambush on them. Or.. stay here and have a crack at the door ourselves, we are aware of him coming, and.. he isn't aware that we are aware?" He looks to Ellywick as he finishes his input and final question.

Ellywick considers this while peering out the window (perception: 15). "Truth be told, I have no idea whether I was followed here. I have no reason to believe that I was... other than the fact that we're dealing with professional killers who can change their appearance at will."

Ellywick glances to his right and starts to rummage through a cupboard, "Wouldn't happen to have a bite lying around would you? Heroism is hungry work."

"I think there is a third option, which is to avoid conflict all together. You could give every appearance of having fled town and lie low for awhile. Or you could flee in truth. There are other worlds than these, you know."

"It sounds like this gentleman is planning to come to us and relay information to us. Do we believe he will be compelled to tell us the truth? We could set a zone of truth as part of our terms and then let him be on his way... He may have been the instrument in our framing, but I would rather focus my efforts on the, ahuhu, big bad."

"They'll want assurance that you will leave them be, I think. Based on what I've seen of our group's diplomacy thus far, it would be wise to have a plan B in case things go sideways."

Ashe feels an urge to cast a harmless infestation of spiders onto the gnome rise. 

(Hey, he's going to grow on you before the end- ;p)

"If they are to execute us at any sign of resistance to their proposition.. I think that our plan be is" Alijurn clears his throat. "Self defence."

"I don't doubt your martial prowess, Alijurn, but we have no idea what these things are capable of. Can anyone think of something we can do to gain the advan-?" Wick gets a faraway look in his eye, and a grin spreads across his face. 

"I think I have the start of an excellent idea. Dahme'dre," he looks to the human, "How far away can I be from you while still allowing your gross intrusion of my thoughts?"

Dahme’dre knows that it is anyone within 30 feet of you that you can see. I’ve ruled that it works like a walky-talky, which means it must be a willing transmission on both sides. 

 "Only as far as we might speak normally, provided we are in sight of each other," She says, "about 30 feet. Lady Icharr doesn't have the same limitations."

She pours a drink for Ellywick from a pitcher on the table, though she doesn't lift the pitcher, so much as, point at it. (Shape Water)

"Aha, yes," Ashe nods at the mention of her name. "I have a longer range, but, I must always initiate the contact."

Alijurn reluctantly agrees with the gnome. "Bah. You might be right, we are as coordinated as a flock of pigeons, fighting might not be the best approach.... Mister Duck, you already strike me as a character with quite the.. persuasive abilities, no? I could enhance that ability, but I think that will drain me of enough energy to not being able to cast any of my more powerful spells today." 

(AKA out of 2nd level spell slots after the use of Enhance Ability)

(Didn't we have time for a rest in there somewhere?)

"Yes, please." Ellywick says with a gleam in his eyes.