[quote=@AtomicNut]
<Snipped quote by Thinslayer>

1-Create a fruit seller. With really big and juicy melons. Alternatively, make Ravadon choose between "looking cool" and "safety", as in, put him in a position where he cannot run away without losing face.
2-Infighting can also help. Or just strike them where they cannot do anything. Not all threats are dealt with swords, and not all solutions can be be magical. For example, human shields against Reaper. 
3-Stranded-in-a-island-scenario?
4-Maybe the mark of the Hero reacts to some kind of fast travel method. And whose ultimate culprit is either Reaper or Sykes.
5-Pity? Or maybe the prospects of fame and fortune. Also he has a country's worth of an army, plus magicians at his side. 
6-Sykes needs no reason to crack down on an a*****e who is wantomly destroying Empire property. Ravadon might be convinced with munneh. As for Edward we can probably question his courage and call him on a dare.
7-It's bloody obvious. Since a direct assault failed the first time, they're trying subversive methods instead of a direct fight. Maybe they have sleeper agents in the kingdoms already.
[/quote]

Considering all that... Maybe we could start by tying things together (by random chance...)
As in, mentioning events that do not necesarily have to do with the story this very moment or being very blunt about it. (Please bare with me as I demonstrate... >.< )

Also, [@Thinslayer] I took the liberty of assuming the reaper wants to be in the party. In the silent hopes that he will be there to help out on things we're probably too nooby to understand yet.