One sees many faces in a tavern. Old, young, mostly men. One forges connections because many naturally seem to trust the owner of a tavern, the man who provides them drink and entrainment, if only for an hour. Then again, one tends to start placing less and less importance on each face he sees. Patrons start to blend together until eventually all you see is another customer who wants a drink. It was all so boring now. Not like before. Not like a life on the high sees where adventure was around every corner, where one was free to do as they please. Now he was restrained by the laws of the city. He was a bird in a cage although he had the key to his freedom in his beak.<br/><br/>One face, that of a young man, Jal, "Captain" Jal as he proclaimed, was one that stuck with him. Although Diego wasn't much older than the lad, he had experienced things that many older men could only dream of. His mind had been aged beyond his body. And now he saw something in that Jal. A drive that many of these old, worn-out sailors had lost and now wished they could regain. Something that Diego himself thought he had lost but had recently regained in full force. He was eager despite the jeering of the older men and because of that Diego continued to allow Jal to come to the bar to ask for men.<br/><br/>He looked over as the bell on the door ringed, alerting him to yet another patron. This time a surprise was in store for him. Jal had returned. He had never came back twice to his tavern to look for men. He looked him up and down and saw something different though. He looked livelier as if he had already found the treasure he went on and on about. Soon he saw what was making him so happy. Behind him were a pair of elves. One in robes, one in armor. He had finally gotten some volunteers. Diego's curiosity was piqued and for the first time.<br/><br/>"<span style="color: Red">Well hell, Jal, I didn't know you were taking little girls on your expedition. I woulda sent my daughter.</span>"<br/><br/>As the laughter started to die down his fingers started plucking at the strings of his lute, filling the room with a dark piece of music. The rich, warm sound of his lute reverberated within the tavern as he played, mixing with the chatter of the patrons as his eyes followed Jal and his elves. For the first time, Diego took a good look at the map Jal held. He had always thought it was just some old piece of parchment that had been sold to him by a crafty vendor, but now he saw what it truly was. The insignia of a pirate long past flashed from the corner of the paper, making Diego play a wrong note, the first he had played since he had settled here. Diego quickly resumed playing as the jingle of a bell was heard from the doorway.<br/><br/>A large fellow, cloaked so as not to be recognizable, entered the bar and quickly talked to his bartender. He served the large man an ale before he was paid. The cloaked figure made his way to Jal before pulling back his hood and revealing that he wasn't even a he. This night was truly full of surprises. Diego stood up from his normal perch behind the bar and started to wander, a routine he normally does. This time though there was an ulterior motive behind his walk. He needed to get a closer look at that map, needed to know if it was legitimate. His heavy boots thudded against the floor as he made his way closer.<br/><br/>The somber tone of Diego's lute would start to grow louder in the ears of Jal and company as Diego approached them, taking a winding path.<br/><br/>"<span style="color: DarkRed">How good is the information on that, and what’s the pay?</span>"<br/><br/>Diego caught that last question, posed by the Kossith. He stood close enough to finally recognize the validity of the map. His body remained stoic but his mind was frenzied. He must be part of the expedition. The adventure would be glorious and even a fraction of the legendary treasure of Vendomur would be enough to let a man live a lifetime in luxury. In his excitement, he chimed in.<br/><br/>"<span style="color: DarkSlateBlue">The information on that map is undoubtedly legitimate.</span>"<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>