Blaise offers a wide smile, “I would not disparage the salvation that we come to offer you so quickly if I were you, Nicolás. That is your name, isn’t it? Nicolás de Atrejo of the Spanish Navy. My friend and I have gone to considerable lengths to have this conversation with you. Salvation is such an important matter. I hope that you will hear us out.”
His smile fades into seriousness as he continues, “I would prefer us not to dance around each other, however. Time is short. Your life and the lives of your crew hang in the balance. The governor will not be coming. He would not dare to cross Blackbeard. I alone can give you your honor and your life, but neither are free.”
“Here are my terms.” Blaise reaches up the sleeve of his frock and produces the sealed letter. “I met a woman earlier tonight. Beautiful, intelligent, and almost certainly in service to your crown. She gave me this letter to give to you and the materials for you to send a response back. You have made an oath of service to your country. I can help you fulfill it and face the morning with honor. However, the sea has grown dangerous of late and I have heard news of your navy forming a new ministry. I need to know everything you know about it. Tell me, and the letter is yours along with my word to deliver your response.”
Blaise slips the letter back into his sleeve as he continues, “Your life is a more difficult matter. I need to know about this new ministry forming. You are a sailor. You can appreciate the need to know which way the winds are blowing at sea. Once you share that with me, your freedom is up for negotiation. Word is that you and your men attacked Wallace after surrendering to him. Please, correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe that’s true or at least the full story. Rumor is that you managed to cross Blackbeard somehow and he’s arranged to have you hang for the insult. I have business with the man and need as much insight into him as you can give me. He’s ordered your death so there is certainly no love for him in your heart. Tell me what I need to know and we can work on saving your life.”
OOC:
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I can roll for this if you’d like. I don’t know if it would be persuasion or deception. The vast majority is persuasion. But, his assertion that Sophie is actually serving the Spanish (and not the French as she presented) is definitely a lie or at least, Blaise isn’t sure of it. Blaise has no idea who she’s serving, but he doesn’t fully believe the story. He believes that there has to be something in the letter to compel the Spaniards to give her what she wants and, to him, the most logical solution is that she’s actually serving Spain.
It doesn’t add up all the way for him. If she was serving Spain, why would she need to know about the new ministry? So Blaise isn’t sure, but he’s been paid well and wants to convince these guys to talk so he took this approach.
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