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-----Lady Mitan looks sternly at the Dread Pirate. "What other information would you have me give you?" she asks crossly, "I have told you everything that I know of. It is frustrating, I know, but the spies I have hired in the past have acted on less."
-----Relaxing a bit, she softens her tone as she says, "Their home lies on the block by the northeast tower along the street facing the east wall. I could give you more directions but you could probably find it easily on your own."
-----The Dread Pirate glares about the room, "Yes, yer spies acted on less and look where it got 'em. Careful preparation and planning is the key to a good plan. Gathering information and whatnot is what we'll be spendin a lot of our time doin. Frankly I don't plan on endin up like yer spies. Speakin of endin up though, it's about time we discussed payment. Seein as how we're goin into a job where others have been offed, the pay should be commensurate. I'm thinkin a startin figure of one hundred gold a day, plus expenses, with a minumum base of seven days."
-----Seth nods in agreement, "Unfortunately, My Lady, your task sounds rather ... Odious, to say the least."
-----"True," Lady Mitan says to Seth. She then looks back and forth between Seth and the Dread Pirate. "Ah, . . . I thought you offered, in your own words, a small upfront fee and then a large bonus on delivery?" the halfling lady asks. "I had then offered 50 gold upfront."
-----Seth takes off his cap and holds it in both hands in front of him "That is true my lady, but that was before we found out how dangerous the job really is, So I guess the Extreme Captain of Pain," he indicates the Dread Pirate, "Scourge of the seven Fleas and partaker of numerous amorous adventures is giving you a counter offer."
-----The Dread Pirate chimes in, "Aye, that was when I thought this was goin to be a simple breakin and enterin job. I wasn't filled in on the particulars. Particularly that several folk have died tryin this."
-----"I'm sure you know better than to trust a bunch of strangers you bumped into on a rainy night in some village to do a job secret enough to kill people for." Kazel eyes the guards around the room before settling her gaze back on the Lady. "Perhaps you can tell a little more about yourself, your business, or what you do know about us?"
-----The Lady halfling glances quickly at Kazel and answers, "My family hails from Goldren and I deal in my own favorite form of art. All I know of you and your friends is that I liked what I saw in the way you handled those men by the road last night."
-----She then looks back at the Dread Pirate and frowns saying, "I am a bit short of funds right now. I could allot you twenty gold a day with a minimum base of three days."
-----The Dread Pirate nods in agreement and says, "Alright, we can come down to seventy-five gold a day, but we'll need a five day minimum. And you won't be getting our best work. It'll probably be messy."
-----Lady Mitan frowns and raises an eyebrow as she looks at the Dread Pirate. She looks as though she is carefully considering options. After a moment, she raises her chin and says, "Messy is acceptable, . . . as long as you are efficient. Fifty gold a day with a minimum of four and a maximum of six." She says this last sentence with a firm tone.
-----She then casts her eyes down toward her hand and adds, "If you plan successfully, once you find your entrance, things should happen quickly."
-----The Dread Pirate nods, then says, "There be a price fer messy. One hundred gold per corpse. That's non-negotiable. If'n we have to kill people fer ye, we'll be wanted individuals. We probably won't even be able to pick up our last fee, since it was from Lord Lambert, and I imagine he wouldn't be real pleased with us killin off his citizenry."
-----"Ah," Lady Mitan says, nodding her head slowly, "Messy is acceptable then, . . . but not necessary. All that is required is that you return the Mitan Ruby to me."
-----She then raises a critical eyebrow. "You are working for Lord Lambert?" She seems to muse over this in her mind before adding, "You will need to make sure you are not identified."
-----Seth sighs and shakes his head, "How do you know we are working for Lord Lambert? Why would it matter so much that we need make sure we are not identified?"
-----Lady Mitan casts a suspicious glance toward the musician. "Isn't that what he just said?" she asks pointing to the Dread Pirate.
-----The lady then falls silent as it is evident her mind is turned inward. Finally, she asks, "May I ask how closely you are associated with the Court of Hearthorn?"
-----The Dread Pirate shakes his head, "I don't see how our past business dealings have any bearing on this current business. Let's just leave it that we worked for Lambert and Zepharon and other personages of Hearthorn. We also know the illegitimate child of the Lord Wizard. But trust me, that's nothing to brag about. Unless you know her, then you can appreciate the long suffering patience that we had in dealing with her."
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