"So best case, we save some lives, im happy to give that an effort, how many of these folk are there?" Gekks sets his glass down and a small spark jumps between his finger and the glass

Tahnis nods as he takes a bite. "I understand where you're coming from Mady Morwen. My mother used to have a problem with you would call pests back home. She'd tell them to leave the shopkeepers alone - though she rarely had to crack any skulls. I think we're more than capable to finish this task. By the way, what is wine?"

Gadhan nearly falls out of his chair.

"Tahnis, is it, my boy, I have a lot to teach you."

Gadhan finishes his drink yet again.

The Kenku looks up from her food at Lady Morwen as she speaks. When the Lady is done talking an eerie smile tries to make it's way along her beak as she makes eye contact with her. "By blade" is the Kenku's quiet reply  

Ketch continues digging into the fine meal as he talks.  “If you are capable and willing to burn them and their wagons without us, why not just have at it?” He pauses to swallow more wine.  “Seems to me that either you’re not capable OR not willing to have your name attached to such an act.  Either way, seems you need us to do your dirty work for you, eh?  Seems their should be a bit of a premium paid for such.  Up front.” Ketch pauses to look at what are now seeming to be his fellow mercenaries, and then over to the Lady.

”Say 25 gold up front as danger pay, eh?  And then 100 upon success.  As Gruumsh has said, violence isn’t free, but it’s rewarding!”  Ketch picks up a hunk of meat in tear hands and tears into it with his teeth, letting his more savage side out now that he’s decided the deal is done.

Gekks rolls his eyes and mumbles "Always a bad idea to try to get more money from a lady"

“No fret, I’ll take your cut if you like.”

Tahnis chuckles at the exchange before taking more notes. "Did these people say where they were from? Are they travelers from some distant land or people from another town?"

  “There only seems to be about a dozen, though that information does come from the ever unreliable mouths of the dolts who’d failed me before, so who knows?” She says with a sly smile.

  She will then look to Ketch, hyper focused and scanning his face, after hearing his proposal there’s almost a period of complete silence as all emotion seems to leave her face as the servants notice the tension and begin to almost tip toe, hoping to go untouched. The silence lasts for at least a minute before she suddenly looks to you all with a smile, “25 gold now, we’ll talk the rest when you return. On a job well done.”

   At Tahnis’ question she will take a look at the young half elf, her eyes focusing on the him as she gives him a completely nonchalant look saying, “I do not care for who they are, I just want them gone.” At that final statement she will give almost an evil smile as she looks to her Kenku guest, giving them a wink. 

Again, the Kenku responds to Lady Morwen in her own voice, but almost a whisper. "Gone"

Ketch smiles at Lady Morwen, nods and says "We've a deal then, assuming the rest are agreed."  He pauses to look around the table to see if any wish to bow out, or if any more wish to forgo their up front gold and instead donate it to his cause.

"Well then, shall we approach them tonight under the stars or wait until the light of day?" he asks.

"Im sure happy to my lady."

    “I find that it’s often easier to approach prey under the night sky.” You all see the Duchess say with a bright expression on her face as she gestures to the servants to just leave the jug of wine on the table, in front of her. She will then drink heavily and watch the party as she waits for them to either discuss or take leave for the mission.

    By this time you all had seen Morwen gesture to some servants and whisper in their ears, not 10 minutes later does one of them return with a pouch. She pays you all the 25gp up front with a smile, “Money well spent I hope”.

    When she goes to pay the Kenku she will lean in, almost giving them a hug and whisper, 

Silent Blade:

     She then backs up and goes back to her seat at the head of the table.

Ketch swished a last goblet full of wine around in his mouth and then swallows loudly.  He looks to his napkin but it's already a greasy mess so he uses the tablecloth to wipe his hands cleans.  "Thank you, my lady, for the fabulous meal and the wonderful company of yourself at it," he says, trying his best to be polite. He picks up the small pile of gold coins with a flourish and makes them disappear into a small leather purse he hast tightly fastened to his belt.  "You can rest assured that these pests of your shall be encouraged to disperse this very night, that this assemblage will get the job done for you, and that we shall return for more of your company... And the rest of our gold."

"Now, my fine companions, shall we regroup at the gate in say an hour or so," Ketch suggests looking around at the fellow guests.  "Unfortunately I came for dinner and dressed for such.  I shall need to retire to my room at the inn and prepare for our evening's excursion."

"Works for me, wouldnt hate to grab a few things just in case."

Tahnis nods. "Yes, I will see you all in an hour at the gate." He goes to his room and takes some notes before readying his bow and arrows.

(OOC is that 25 gold each or for the whole party?

((Each...  If she somehow did just 25 for us all, then negotiations are not done! lol))

25 each lol

As the party all gets up to leave, the Kenku waits until everyone is on their way out the door and slides over to the lady. Stares at her with her yellow eyes, and a few bird like twists of her head and neck. Then repeats to her in Ketch's voice, "Wonderful company," then smiles as much as her beak will allow. Lady Morwen then hears her own voice whispered back to her. "Gone." And with that, pulls up her dark grey cloak, that almost entirely covers her face and walks from the house, and waits at the gate.