Blaise beams a wide smile as he continues in French."Then, we are both far from home. Blaise Arceneau at your service. Sliding a knife from his belt, he lays his cigar on the table and with a practiced roll of the cigar while rocking the blade, he neatly slices the tip off. He jabs the tip of the blade into the table with a nod towards Etienne as he lights the sliced end from a nearby candle. "I am so happy to have met you this evening, Etienne. Let me lay my cards on the table. I just got to this island and need to make a name for myself. If you'll forgive my bluntness, I am a capable man, a fair sailor, and a fine gunner. I can find work on a ship. However, I don't want to work on just any ship."
"Loose lips around the bar this evening have been gossiping about a crew gathering for a treasure hunt. I want on that crew and I think I see in you more than mere kinship of heritage. No, I see that you are a capable man yourself and by the look in your eyes, I'm willing to wager that you are a man who would be willing to take a risk for a shot at great treasure. Now, the best way that I see to make sure that we both end up on that crew is to make them want us to be on that crew."
He takes a short puff of the cigar as he continues, "There's a bulletin board outside the tavern filled with odd little postings. A provisioner named Moray has asked for help taking out a few goblins who stole his rum. The pay isn't great, but it does strike me as a great opportunity for a few men to make a quick reputation for themselves on this island. While the rest of these sailors are in here getting drunk and wasting their wages, we could go out and prove ourselves a cut above the rest of this rabble. After all, slaughtering some goblins would have to be more impressive to a captain than how much liquor you can hold without passing out."
"That's why I'm glad to have met you, Etienne. You look like a man who can handle himself. The post mentioned three goblins and genuinely three goblins wouldn't be much to concern myself over. But, those little vermin have a tendency to come in larger packs. I need someone capable to watch my back in case there is a nest of these foul critters. With any luck, it's just a few goblins, and we could have this sorted quickly, earn our reward, and capitalize on our small bit of renown to get a position on this expedition's crew."
A large smile breaks out over his face as he taps the table with the unlit end of his cigar, "And I saved the most tantalizing bit for last." His voice drops to a whisper as he leans in, "The gossip mongers say that this expedition is seeking La Gloriosa del Mar."
Blaise sits back with a gleam in his eye, "What do you say, Etienne? Care to make a name for ourselves for a chance at more treasure than we have ever seen?"