Toc glances to Fianna, "I have someplace I can put them....but not until the morning." 

((For now I’m talking someplace to take Ezhia?  I think some still want him alive?  So if he is going to be taken somewhere, Fianna is willing to guard the DBs until something could be done.  She may be able to do something herself actually... but best Ezhia and they not reunite.))

Jezun takes aside Toc and anyone else not actively guarding Ezhia and asks, "do you have another safehouse? We should get Lacy to some place that's... safe. Then we can risk more as we figure out what to do with the beasts, Ezhia, and, well, if the whole city is hunting us. Toc, maybe your hawk can keep an eye out on the roof of this place to see if someone's watching. If all of the thugs have left, well, I'm assuming we don't have much time before word spreads. Can we stay in this city or do we need to go far away, quickly? I am trying to learn more about our plight so that I could be more helpful. I feel bad relying on you all for direction. Usually I'm the one with the guidance, if not answers."

"It's being more than ten days since our first meeting, right?" Mirica was talking reluctantly but that was the only idea she had right now. "I can take them - or all of us -- to my place. Not that I would want to pollute it with such malice as those three, but at least they would not able to leave it. Neither would I, unfortunately, but we would all be able to rest at least."

"I do not think we should get rid of them," now she was talking specifically to Fianna. "There are no written agreements, that is true, but Ezhia is the agreement himself. Not just the witness - the negotiator. I am pretty sure in this city, that lives only by trade, every second - no, every single trader alive is wearing some kind of amulet that shows the truth, and verbal agreement as legal as written, or can be easily verified by some standard legal procedures. So, that slaver still can be useful."

     "If one of you wish him alive, so be it," Fianna says feigning an indifference she didn't really feel.  Still, she could always find him in the future if she tried hard enough...

     "Your place sounds like a good idea for a place to bring him.  I still suggest not bringing the Displacer Beasts though.  They have been calmed, temporarily...  What would happen if they see him though?  And my charm will wear off eventually.  I would suggest you all..." Fianna broke off for a moment, considering...

     "I would suggest this:  A few of us get Ezhia out of here.  FinFin will go with them so we can easily meet up and go to your place...  I, and maybe one or two of you as well, will stay here until Ezhia is out and then try to deal with the Displacer Beasts.  My plan would be that I enter the room they are currently unhappily within.  They are still charmed so I should be safe as need be.  I will attempt to talk to them, explain to them that it will be some time before Ezhia returns but that in the meantime I intend to set them free in the Feywild. If they are agreeable then I will do so...  You'll know because we will all be gone.  I will return to this place of existence tomorrow and eventually we shall all reunite..." Fianna explains.

     "If the beasts are unwilling to go, I can still likely force one of them there.  Then we will just have one to subdue and worry about...  Perhaps then it would be willing to be docile enough to wait until tomorrow to rejoin it's comrade?  But we could play it by ear..."

"It's still early.  If most of you and the menagerie of pets have a secure place to go, Ezhia and I could take a little walk through the shadows and see what we can learn.  Jezun you could come to keep your promise regarding our new friend's legs, and I could take one more for good measure."  Jahren glances at both Chen and Toc quickly regarding this last slot.

(He's planning to use Etherealness at 8th level to (for the most part, I think?) safely go check out the trade guild and anything else they can in 8 hours, not that most characters would know yet exactly what he's thinking of.)

Toc raises an eyebrow, but motions to Chen, "If you think that wise, very well. Take Chen. I should arrange for a safe place for Lacy to stay. I'm wondering if perhaps SinSin may be willing to house for a few days. I can check on them regularly with magic....but....this all needs to be arranged. I won't feel comfortable doing much else until I know she's in a safe place. Plus I need to secure my previous home...and....perhaps leave some gifts for any new intruders. It will take me until morning, when I can return and put these two cats someplace safe....though Fianna, I may need your presence to get them through a door." 

((Poor Mirica, nobody needs her help :(   ))

"I can take Lacy to the safe place - the one you saw before. It is as safe as safety goes and Lacy might use some true peace and quiet. The only problem is, when we return, it will be the very same spot. So, we better choose well the place and time. Since Chen and Jesun are going to watch Ezhia, Fianna can take the beasts and come with me too - may be she can send them to feywild even from there. Would it work?"

     "I should be able to cast my spell from there.  It allows travel from one plane to another so... If I understand your safe place, I think I could use this spell to leave it.  Or to send another out.  But we shouldn't tarry too long, my friendship with the beasts does not last forever."

     "As for the place we leave and return from," Fianna continues, "I'm not overly concerned.  If threats to us do flood back into this warehouse, I cannot imagine them lingering on and on to see if we return.  Finding it empty they would likely try to cover whatever tracks they thought they left and then move on.  Meh, perhaps a bit of arson if they're really worried they can be connected to this spot but think they haven't been yet."

(If I understand correctly, Mirica is going to use her Rod of Security for herself, Fianna, Toc, Lacy, as well as the two cats...presuming they're willing. Jezun, Chen, and Jahren are going to go Ethereal with Ezhia and do some sleuthing / intelligence gathering.  Toc suggests his house as the exit/entry point....because why not. He'll make sure it's clear before they return and suggest the enter /exit from an upstairs bedroom.  Haven't heard from Chen yet, this plan sound ok to everyone?  Assuming this is the plan, Jahren, more details?  Where do you want to head, what info are you looking for from Ezhia for this?) 

Jezun raises his eyebrows, turns his head away from the group but keeps his eyes locked knowingly on them. Obviously nonchalant, yet "knowing." "This 'place' is a place we should not talk about, I take it, because people may be listening in right now? And that is why we are not saying the things we are actually saying? And is there anything we can do to not be listened to?"

(He's trying to figure out what places -- between the Feywild, Toc's house, Toc's magic room, whatever rod Mirica has -- they're talking about.)(Also, I'm assuming we're in a much greater hurry on this than a short rest would allow.)

"I would be happy to accompany you," he says the Jahren. "You can stay close to me, Ezhia. You will be a helpful guide, or you will have many more leg joints than you began the day with."

((Yes, Rod of Security for everyone who needs rest/isolation. Toc's house as a starting point is fine.)

     Fianna slips into the office with the Displacer Beasts.  She soothes them as much as they allow (will pet if Charm Monster allows her to be that friendly, just talking calmly if they show dislike for such closeness.)  She explains to the beasts Ezhia has to go away for a little bit but should be back within a day...  

     “I don’t want to leave you here until he returns,” she explains.  “So we are going on a little trip to a friends house.  From there I can either take you to a safe spot until Ezhia returns, a little pocket world where everything is calm and sedate...  or I could take you to the Feywild and allow you to run free until Ezhia collects you...”

     Fianna will do her best to interpret 1) whether they understand her or not and 2) what their preference is if they have one.  
     Once Jahren gets Ezhia out, then Fianna will start trying to assist the DBs in getting their choice.  

((Do we have a plan to get to Toc’s unseen?  We are kind of wanted, Seeming was dropped, and I cannot cast again til short rest...))

Toc cast's invisibility on up to 5 people.... including the cats.  Anyone else can just travel with a cloak up.  It's close to 2am and the streets are pretty deserted / quiet.  

The two displacer beasts stare at Fianna with uncomprehending looks...though...they seem willing enough to follow her at this point.

((Fianna can pull a Mask of Many Faces so needs no invisibility.  How far is it to Tog's house time wise?  How much time left on the Charm Monster?  How long would it take Fianna to learn Toc's House's teleportation sigil?))

Oh, you reminded me - Mirica can disguise herself too with the hat.

(Fianna can learn Toc's teleportation circle just by studying it one time for a minute or two....

Since the party is splitting up, I'll move forward the one group until Jahren/Chen give me more details....) 

With Mirica and Fianna disguised, and Toc, the two cats, and Lacy invisible, the group heads back to Toc's house. The going is slow, with Fianna coaxing the two animals behind the group. They growl and glare waspishly at every person they spot in the street. Fianna wonders how the heck Ezhia even got them into that warehouse. Mirica is forced to run interference twice, and redirect revellers in the streets to go another direction lest they get too close to the invisible cats.  Eventually however the group reaches Toc's street.  When they turn the corner to the street they see two plume soldiers standing outside, and the door open, with lanterns moving about on the inside. Several dead bodies covered in tarps are laid in the street in front. Toc swears in elven. 

His disembodied voice speaks, "Well, then, let's choose that alley over there....is it a quiet area and should be easy enough for us to return. Just...let me do one thing."  You hear him casting a spell.  He appears in the shadows. With glimmering eyes he glances around. "Very well, let's go."  

The group moves into the alley. Fianna encourages both big invisible cats to be willing participants of the magic, talking in a soothing voice to the two cats who are very much out of their element....but seem to trust her.  She mutters over and over, "Just go with it....." 

BAMF. 

The group appears on the edge of a lake. Water laps up along a sandy shore. The air is warm and smells of fresh pine. Down a small path you see a large cabin. Stars twinkle in the night sky, and distant wooded hillsides rim the horizons. The two cats appear suddenly as everyone glances around.  Toc pulls Lacy away their immediate vicinity and then she also appears.  He looks around and smiles, "As lovely as last time. Thank you Mirica." 

The two cats move away slightly, sniffing about. Then, seemingly not being told to stay still, they go bounding into the forest...though seem to stay somewhat close to the area, prowling around in the shadows where they feel more comfortable.  Toc guides Lacy towards the cabin.  "You'll be safe inside...don't trust the cats, don't come out without Fianna.  I'm going to have to rest for a time." 

Mirica took a deep breath. "You are always welcome." She did not rushed to the cabin immediately but walked slower, enjoying every moment - who knows when she can come back again. Fine food, fine beds - everyone in the group needed some rest and could finally get it here.

Jahren tells Ezhia that he'd best not resist Jahren's next spell.  He asks their new pal if they can reach the dragon lair in under 8 hours, but suspects that they cannot.  His next objective would bet to have Ezhia explain his contact with the trade guild and lead them to all known places of interest.

The bard then explains to his whole group that movement will be strange for them in the border ethereal where they can move vertically, although a bit more slowly than walking horizontally, and that they can pass through objects.  They should be perfectly safe to walk right into a dragon's den, for example, but there's always a small chance to run into others who can cross into the ethereal such as ghosts, phase spiders, or others with magic such as Jahren's.  Lastly they will only be able to see 60ft or so, thus plenty for spying on enemy hideouts and the like, but not great if one is trying to navigate large distances, etc.  Even moving about town will take some focus when one cannot rely on the sun, a church steeple, a mountain top, etc. for reference.

Once everyone is briefed and Ezhia has expressed at least some small amount of cooperation and has specified a destination, Jahren will begin.

(Operating on the assumption that Ezhia can't later shrug off this spell to flee, rather that it's all or nothing and controlled by Jahren alone.  If that is not accurate, we'll modify our plans.)

(That assumption regarding spells seems ok.  If you agree to the spell being cast on you, then you may have no way to 'break' the effect yourself afterwards, which i'd say is the case here.) 

Ezhia frowns for a few seconds, his mind tumbling over possibilities. "I came here as the spokesperson for the wyrm and had an audience with the First Lord Yestral, along with a few of his advisors. One happen to be Duke Sythe, of the Sythe trading house. The Duke's man, Bolis, contacted me as I was leaving, and bid me to follow him....and led me to a trading office...I think is was a Sythe trading office, cause the Duke was there and we had our little chat where he said that he'd lend any support needed to the great wyrm. Besides the trading office, I was told to meet a man named Garson at an Inn on the docks called the Tethered Net. We can go look fer him there...the Bolis man met me there too. It's middle of the night, I doubt if we'll find folks at the trading house. Heck, even the tavern be a bit quiet tonight. Otherwise, there's this warehouse here, owned by some private small company, but me thinks the Sythe family really owns it, and then the house where we kept the serving woman. That's all I said I need."