"Help" is a broad term.

"...so yeah, basically, Jay El was evil..."

"REALLY EVIL!"

"Yeah, really evil, and he was like killing Manbearpig"

"REALLY KILLING HIM!"

"Yep, and then we all had these gems"

"WHICH WAS UNLIKELY!"

"Uh huh, and we all kinda melted them into his chest and it made him good again."

...

"Oh, sorry, I was just waiting to be interrupted and it didn't... happen... well anyway, he's good now, and when we all put our gems into his chest (which isn't as icky as it sounds) this pink hologram thing appeared and gave us this quest, and... uhhh... well, we haven't really started on it yet, but, it sounded really important."

Raelin paused, and did his best to paraphrase.

"So...  you are all together, because a holo-gem told you to pick up some items to save the world."

"Uh... well, yeah.  Pretty much."

"...alright."  These yokels would likely be more than dumb enough to be minions. "well then, I have a mission..." Raelin chose his words carefully "...which is a secret mission of retrieval, and also a not-so-secret mission of communication.  And, I am in need of an escort, which I believe you would all be..." he sighed "perfect for."

The group all smiled.  Ash piped up "well, we are looking for work!"

Jay El stood up "no, we aren't!  We're looking to save the world!  My gem tells us the location of the items which will be required to save the freaking world and you want to go on another distracting mission!?"

Ash paused "...yes.  I like killing things for money."

Jay El sighed.  "What is the mission?"

Raelin smiled.  "For now, all you need to know is that I can help you equip yourselves for the mission, and I am the only thing keeping you inside the Elf city at all.  Also, perhaps we can all help each other on this mission of world saving, yes?"

Jay El brightened slightly.  "Yes, there is one object to the East, which seems to be the nearest.  It's between the former city of Roe (which I have no knowledge of as to how it was destroyed by the way), and above the former city of Kippy (which I have no knowledge of as to how it was destroyed by the way) and slightly to the east of the former Orc settlement (which I have no knowledge as to how it was destroyed by the way).  

Raelin paused.  It was... unlikely that these idiots actually could tell where the prism of power was...  but... what if their story was true?

...What if there were more than one of these wondrous items, and what if this moron had a gem compass embedded within his chest which would LEAD HIM TO THEM...?

"So... how does it work, this compass of yours?" Raelin prompted.

"Oh, it kind of just points to the closest thing, as far as I know."  Jay El smiled.  He took off his shirt and showed him the chest-gem.  "See?  Right now it's kinda pointing West, and, as we get closer, it'll be more fine-tuned."

Raelin did his best not to have his eyes pop out of his skull.  The gem within Jay El's chest all but radiated unfathomable levels of magical power.  He'd never seen a gem like it - and, this group had mentioned that they had ALL had one of a similar type, yet come from completely different lands... the odds of that were nearly inconceivable...

"Yes.  I see." Raelin smiled patronizingly.  "Well, we can help each other then, can't we?"