I with BDaddLy on this, better to move forwards, we aren't doing anything deeply controvwersial anyway.  I'm sure Evilgenius would understand us moving this along.

Ok then, so let's keep going.

you buy the shield at 45sp and the blacksmith wishes luck before going to the back room to work.

You follow the map towards the location of the supposed hideout... And perception checks please. 

Perception 17

Bowlder Perception: 13

Perception 12

(OOG: Hey, I'm back, I'm very sorry. Long story, daughter had viral bronchiolitis, in the hospital for a bit, everything's good now. Assume Valentinus has just been silently daydreaming this whole time and following along.)

Perception: 7.

Valentinus is still daydreaming.

Ha good to have you back glad the little one is on the mend now, let's go rescue a damsel!

Perception: 22

Welcome back. How old is your little girl?

Thanks! She's 2.

good to know everything is alright and I didn't kick you, because wouldn't I look a d#ck then...

You have walked onto the busiest steel in town. And tilly realizes that there are large groups of armed men, Wether they will be violent or not ... only time will tell.

My youngest is also 2.

"Act casual."

They're armed, but do they look hostile? Are they spoiling for a fight? And what are they armed with?

Insight: 4
Perception: 20

Tilly looks about to find an unsuspecting mark. Perception 14. 

She unconsciously casts Minor Illusion and a beautiful dove flies in front of the marks face. 

While that happens she picks his pocket. Slight of hand 17

Even typing this I'm going "Oh man oh man I hope this works."

I can hear Val saying something like "Damn, girl, just be cool."

Quote from evilgenius815 >>

They're armed, but do they look hostile? Are they spoiling for a fight? And what are they armed with?

 

Once Valentinus is brought back to the real world he can distinguish three forces, two moving each other and then the rest of the peopl on the street, on group of angry men appears to be arena guards headed for the other group, maybe town folk.

Tilly pickpockets the closest person, a man likely to be uninvolved in the coming fight. She is rewarded for her efforts by jeweled dagger, at the expensive of a guard seeing first the dove then the group. He doesn't act, yet...

Tilly fades into the crowd with her take. 

Stealth: 8

"I'm a f@#$in ghost."

She hides the dagger to inspect later.

She perks up to listen to the crowds to figure out what the argument is all about. Insight 16

How close are we to the "hideout"? Is there a way to skirt around the probable dust up without walking through the middle of the two groups - obviously where I'm going with this is trying to find out if we can ignore them and just push on.

Yordis raises an eyebrow at Tilly's skills, he was watching her closely and still almost lost her in the crowd. He tries to discern what all the commotion is about

Insight 12

"if someone threw a rock here I bet there'd be fewer opponents ahead..."

No one is speaking, literally nobody as more and more realize what's is happening, you spot an allyway that fits your needs on the opposite side of the street.

Droogan walks casually across to the alley picking up a stone in the road as he crosses.