"And don't come back unless you want your head up your ass, you little nugshit!" Vincent bellowed over the sudden still air. He glanced at the cut on his hand and grunted. "Damn thieves... got no honor." He looked at everyone and fell silent, those furrowed brows and twisted nose betraying the scowl beneath that thick red bush of a beard. "How can you trust a thief who can't thrust straight?" he said before smiling as the door slammed and chattering filled the tavern once more.

"Nug, eh?" said Leoric. "Didn't take you for the adventuring type."

"I met a share of dwarves in my travels, most of which involved protecting lyrium traders," Vincent replied. He rubbed his shoulder. "Wish lyrium could heal a few bones."

Rili finished his mug of water. "What made you settle?" he said. Vincent reached for a dry rag on the countertop and pressed it against his hand. "A few nugs of my own," he replied. "I figured I'll be no good to them dead, or rotting away in some dungeon. Besides, I made enough coin to open my own little tavern, as you can see."

"And what about you?" Leoric filled his mug with ale. "You're still young and full of bad choices waiting to happen... I suspect you have a few you'd like to share." He leaned closer and grinned. "Some windows you had to leap from? Some guards you have to evade? Some ale you decided was best in your belly?"

"Ale? I don't drink ale. I try to avoid such substances."

"You know what we Fereldans call a man who doesn't drink ale?"

"Fereldan?" Leoric remarked. "You were born here."

"Piss off. My grandparents were Fereldan... so, you know what we Fereldans call a man who doesn't drink ale?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Not fit to rule."

"And here I was thinking Orlesian."

"There's a difference?" said Leoric.

"Could be worse," Vincent responded. "Could be Qunari, blasted creatures."

Rili narrowed his eyes. Qunari. It would seem they were destined to intertwine, one way or another. "That reminds me," he said, "I need to follow up on that offer. A Qunari has been looking to put together a crew, ship and all."

Leoric pushed his mug forward. "This is why we shouldn't let sober people have the ideas. Have some of my ale. Working under a Qunari... what sort of madness has taken you?" Rili gave a dismissive wave. "I'm being serious," he replied. "There is always need of a good crew. Packages need delivering, people need transporting. Always need for that."

"Why do you want to sail with one of them? What if you are dragged back to their lands or something?" said Vincent. "You have to be jesting."

"Because the coin could be good." He sighed and looked down at the scroll. "I could stay here, or I could go back to... I could go back home, to Rivain. Either way, I could have enough to put a roof over my head."

"But how do you know this Qunari won't try to force you into... into... into whatever they call it."

"Because he wouldn't ask for an appearance at the Blooming Rose."