Chen doesn't think Fianna would be happy about them just letting Ezhia loose, but the dragonborn doesn't really know the background history there, and leaves it to Jahren to decide. 

Jezun looks to Jahren, and if he is fine with it, agrees to leave Ezhia with SinSin until they know what to do with him. 

"Consider this the first day of an... odd training course. Reed in a Storm. I don't think you liked that one too much at first, but you got used to it."

SinSin grins, "Master Jezun, you prove once again that your wisdom is as deep and wide as a river. Have a nice day, I'll take good care of him." 

Ezhia looks with apprehension as SinSin grabs a staff, "See this knot in the wood floor?  Your left foot. It shall root you to the ground, and only your left foot, on this spot." 

Ezhia looks at him with an incredulous face, "You've got to be kiddin..." *whack* the staff strikes his right leg in the thigh.  Ezhia curses and quickly hops onto his left foot.

Smiling, Jezun wanders out of the dojo, followed by Chen and Jahren. 

Jahren considers the option to go looking for folk at the Tethered Net, but shakes his head.  "No. I've already left a bit of a ...gift....at Bolis' office, where he works for Duke Sythe. The man he connected Ezhia with there was named Garson, but I'm not sure it's worth pulling on that thread yet. I've also cast a Sending spell to try and reach the others, but it has failed. What do you two want to do? Our friends appear to be missing in action, and last we knew they were headed to Mirica's safe place with Lacy and those two cats. I'm not sure there's much we can do except wait." 

"Perhaps after a short time enduring Reed in the Storm, we can return and give him an option for a break. I think he will be eager to show us the back door to the lair. In the meantime, do we need to see if we are wanted? If you are wanted? Are there posters anyone's seen around the city? Maybe we can just go to whatever city watch or official buildings they have here, and listen in on what they're saying. Ezhia mentioned Lord Yestrel, perhaps we could eavesdrop on him? Forgive me, I am new here and truly defer to your experience and knowledge. It's times like this that I fear SinSin had too much faith in my ability to help you." Jezun looks down, examining his illusory hands that are a bit bigger than his real hands.

Jahren, in fact, has 50 things he'd like to do, but was willing to give Toc, Fianna, Mirica and the rest time to return before striking out on his own.  Ultimately he knows they will contact him via magic when they return.

When Chen asks if the others have possibly been arrested, Jahren replies "no, I think not."  "They would reply to my Sending, I'm sure, and are more likely to be on another plane of existence where the spell could fail.  Either that or they are dead, but I find that equally as unlikely."

When Ezhia promises to sit and wait for them if let go, Jahren tries to discern how much truth there is in his statement, and each individual bit of his logic such as his certainty that they'd find him again.  Insight: 16

As the others ask him what they should do, Jahren looks at Chen with a smile and says "how about I buy you lunch?"  The bard casts another Seeming spell to disguise them as human commoners of average wealth and leads them to the area of the city near Purse Street his Harper contact, Matt Berkings.  The group looks for a lunch spot in the area but then Jahren excuses himself while the other two eat.  "Save me a bite, will you?  Something I can bring with me, perhaps?"

Jahren then heads for the Coin Bros Merchant House to catch up and swap the latest intel, still in disguise, of course, but surely able to talk his way in.

(editing)

(Rolling a point of Luck on the Insight: 24 )

Jahren is about to accept Ezhia's story, and his logic....it would indeed be hard for him to hide from the groups magic...but...it's all a bit too convenient, and though he may not be a powerful wizard, he is clearly working for some powerful creatures....and....an ancient green dragon isn't going to be working alone. She'll have agents everywhere. Green dragons are legendary for their intelligence...and Verdant Cloud is legendary amount green dragons. A shiver runs up Jahren's spine when he starts to think about the repercussions.  No....Ezhia is lying, and he definitely will have allies that could hide him from the group.  Somewhere.  Best keep him close.

The group enjoys a lovely lunch out in the markets. Chen collects some skewers of tangy mutton along with roasted potato wedges seasoned with oregano and paprika. Jezun finds a rather lovely fruit beer for the group to split. Meanwhile, Jahren heads off to meet his Harper contact. 

Jahren, you get in easily and have a quick conversation.  He learns that apparently today has been a hive of activity. The trade houses, who were in some sort of negotiations at the capitol building with Yestrel and the government have been making all sorts of back alley acquisitions and hirings. Some think it's just posturing for the negotiations, but others think it's a precursor to a Trade House war.  Either way, stay off the roof tops tonight, there's likely to be blood spilled.  

You ask about the dragon.  Matt sighs heavily, "The dragon made its offer. This we know. Yestrel refused to deal with it, told its representative that he would not be held ransom into doing the beasts bidding for her.  If anyone made a deal with the Dragon after the fact, I wouldn't be surprised to learn the trade houses went behind his back to make the deal.  Though...I have no intel confirming that. But, some new guy in town was hiring a heck of a lot of muscle for something, though I heard he tried to abduct someone and things went badly for him." 

Jahren thanks Matt for his time and returns to Chen and Jezun.  He tells them about the increased threat of violence for the night, and suggests they either lay low or...take advantage.

He also shares the thought that now that Ezhia knows where SinSin's studio is, he will have to be killed.  It's either that or carry out the death sentence they just cast upon SinSin and his students.

Jahren then asks the talented martial duo to join him in the Ethereal once again.  His intended scouting targets include the offices and home of Duke Sythe, a trip to Yestrel's offices just to see what he's up to and maybe figure out where he stands on all of this now, and perhaps if they run out of options just a quick check in on Winter Cloud and Straight Shot at the harbor to see if they yield anything interesting, although he expects the ships to contain little more than evidence of low level criminal enterprise business.

(Jahren does inform Matt of who the newcomer was, what the hired muscle was for, who they abducted, and that the group took care of it, for now, at least.)

As Jahren returns to the other two, he explains what he'd like to do. Jezun nods the entire time...though the vacant look in his eyes leaves Jahren unsure if he knows the plan. Meanwhile, Chen stands solidly by, a bag of spiced roasted chick peas he purchased from a street merchant. Slowly chick peas move from bag to mouth..intermingled with a constant munching sound. He nods to the plan.  Pulling forth the powerful magic, Chen, Jezun, and Jahren all find themselves shift across a boundary of reality and emerge into the dim blue fog of the ethereal world. Jahren leads them to the capitol building. Being ethereal during the day is a lot different than at night. People are moving everywhere, conversation reaches your ears, though it's hollow and dim as if through an oak door. There are constantly things passing through your bodies...though the feeling is nothing more than a dim cool sensation. People in the real world don't seem to notice. The capitol building is a hive of activity, though eventually you reach a 3rd floor where the hustle and bustle is subdued, and people sit at desks. Red Plumes in ceremonial armor stand in the halls, alert with busy eyes. You move past them all. Ahead you move into a room, well appointed, with two couches and a large desk at which sits a man.  You move past the secretary and in through a large door into Yestrel's office.  There are close to a dozen people here, sitting around a large table. Servants line the edges of the room, while at the table, you hear conversation.  Jahren recognizes Yestrel at the head of the table. Lady Thiscan is there, as is Lord Sythe.  A man you don't know is speaking, "....percentages won't allow for competition, which we just all agreed is important..."  He's interrupted by another man you don't know, "But not competition at the cost of ruining my business!"   Jahren notices Bahadron there, the arch mage. His head perks up and he glances around the room suddenly. Jahren notices surreptitiously casting a spell...a see invisibility spell....which will let him see the group. You quickly move out of the room, hoping not to have been noticed. 

It would seem that somehow Bahadron was able to tell you were there. Departing there quickly, he leads the other two out and down, picking your way slowly across the bustle of the city streets once more on your way to the Sythe Trading House. The building near the harbor is moderately busy, people inside working away, scribbling on papers, though you're unable to read much through the fog of the ethereal barrier. You head into the main office, to find Bolis there in discussion with a man you don't know.  Bolis seems upset and is pacing, "....he's always worked our contracts in the past!  This is ridiculous!"  The other man speaks, "He says he is first come first serve, and another employer approached him first."  Bolis, "That's bullshit!  It's the Thiscan's shoring up their contractors!"  The other man just shrugs.  Bolis says, "Look, we need some operators, the roof tops of the city are going to get bloody. There has to be some someone who hasn't been spoken for."   The other man raises an eyebrow, "We could use the Beverly Brothers."  Bolis looks at him, and sighs, "They're....sick. They've got no souls and leave behind bad messes. We should have driven them out or arrested them already."  The other man shrugs, "We didn't. Because you knew you'd need them one day. This is that day. With luck, the add to the blood and then perhaps get taken out themselves, and we get a few messes cleaned up at once."  Bolis shakes his head, "None of this mess is going to get cleaned up quickly. And where the crap is Shine? He was supposed to be here by now...." 

Jezun and Chen sit there in the Ethereal mesmerized by the conversation. Chen is starting to gather that some sort of trade war is kicking off...and the use of the word 'war' seems fitting because it seems as if assassins and thugs are going to be let loose across the town. While Jezun hears everything...and...is sure that some stuff is happening. Somewhere. And these guys are definitely talking and saying words.  Yup.  He's sure of it.  Jahren absorbs it all with a patient ear.  It would seem his gift did its job and the trade houses are going to be at each others throats for a time.  That should only make Yestrel's life easier, and take the trade houses attention away from the group. You spy for a while longer but eventually a sorcerer shows up. Jahren quickly gets the impression that this sorcerer named Shine, has been hired to put extra magical protection in around the office. As soon as he begins casting detect invisibility the party departs.  A quick check on Toc's house shows no changes.  You go to the ships in the harbor but there's nothing interesting to find there....and no interesting conversation to listen in on.  One is busy loading, the other is empty and waiting on their next gig.

"Let's go check out the Thiscan Trade House for fun, then we can retire for the day and get some food."

Jahren leads the others to check out what they can about Lady Thiscar's side of the trade war, ideally grabbing any evidence Yestrel could use against her along with any intel they can glimpse.

If that yields nothing, Jahren will check in with Candour, Sending "My friend, how are you?  Survived Syth ambush. Trade War rapidly brewing.  Violence very soon.  Any intelligence worthy of discussion?"  (Jahren will wait to do this until after the group has left the Ethereal if he thinks their current state could disrupt the Sending spell.)

The three of them flow through the ethereal to Matilda Trading Corp...which Jahren associates to the Thiscan trade house.  The place is quiet, and the man known as "Mr.Green" doesn't seem to be around. It's actually unusually quiet, with only two people sitting at desks working. 

The group leaves the ethereal, to eliminate any chance of his sending going awry. Then he reaches out to Candour, who replies, "Bahedron saw you around Capitol building. Yes, trade war, will get messy. Dragon situation gone back-burner. Red Plumes watching house. Glad you're ok." 

It's not much longer after this when Jahren gets a message, from Toc.  "We are back at the house. Just arrived. Where shall we meet you" 

Aww poor Jezun!

It's twice now that Chen has traveled in the border ethereal, and he has learned something interesting... he isn't hungry while he's ghostly! He didn't notice it the first time, perhaps due to the novelty of the experience, but he notices it this time. Once they return to normal, however, it seems all the bodily impulses arrive at once, and he excuses himself to find a private place for a few moments before returning to hear that Toc has finally made contact.

Jahren replies to Toc.  "We can teleport there.  Is it safe?  If you cannot reply, I will fly to the upstairs window to talk."

(Just in case Toc is out of Sending spells.  Also, Jahren will specific which window, probably one facing an alleyway or the back of the house.)

Toc replies to Jahren, “It’s safe. No one here. Quiet. Teleport? Ok.”  

Toc turns to Mirica and Fianna, "We've only been gone 12 hours yet for some reason the others need to teleport."  He shrugs.  Toc is quiet a few minutes more then, casting a couple sending spells, then frowns. "So...I was just communicating with Tic. He's outside of town. He told me that we've actually been gone for a couple of days. I....I'm unsure how."

     "Surely you've learned the Fae can be unpredictable by now?" Fianna would ask, gently.  "Or did you think that was only the persons and didn't apply to the realm as well?"  Whether Fianna had personal knowledge of such unpredictability or not, she would not be surprised by it.  

     Fianna sends FinFin to explore the rest of the house, to be sure that it is empty.  If so, she would crack a window and allow them outside to spread their wings and to get a pseudo-dragon eyed view of the house and it's surroundings, specifically looking to see if there are any watchers or undue attention.

"Check for scrying if you can too," asked Mirica. "If we could do it, so could they, to keep the house under surveillance." She looked around skeptically. No, she did not think Toc's construct was wrong or that time can not run differently in different parts of the universe, it was just hard believe right here in the same old simple house. With a magical hideout, come to think of it... Ok, probably it was not so hard to believe. "Was it Feywild? Good place to retire then. Oh, well. Anything big happened while we were gone? Dragon's offer had to expire I, I take it."

     "Check for scrying..." Fianna says, quietly, thinking to herself.  She will her Eldritch Sight to look about her Detect Magic but is unsure if that would reveal such a spell or not.  "I think if one could see the invisible that there may be a sign of such but otherwise..."

     Fianna considers... She had never actually tried to tap into that but she thinks it would reveal such...  But no, she thought it best to reserve it for now.  She didn't believe she could tap into that very often at all.