A trying question - RPLOG
Participants
Date
29/5/477
Log
The guard room is quiet and still as you are led into it, the guards having decided that the qualifications shown to them was worthy enough for you to speak with those requested, or they just didn't seem to care... Either way, a moment of waiting is all that's had before a Ram is dragged into the room, thick metal locks in place around his wrists, and a cloth gag over his mouth as he's sat down and the cloth removed at the least for him to cough some.
Fenris walks into the guard room wearing the greatcoat of a sub-captain of the city guard and a face that is not his own. He appears to be a rather stout fox today, well established at the heavier side of middle age with rust red fur and a distinguished collection of grey hairs on his muzzle. The robust red fox takes a seat in one of the simple chairs that have been provided.
He frowns at the treatment that the Ram guard has received. "Why was this man gagged?" he barks in the voice of an aristocratic drill sergeant, "This being is a member of the guard, whatever his crime!" The robust fox looks to Gregor, "Are you alright, son?" he asks, a little more gently.
"Because we gag all whom are capable of using math, lest he cut his bondings and cause a jail break for us all to deal with -sir-... It's only policy, and we've no record of this Ram belonging to the guard, he's merely a freesword." A annoyed looking Heron mentions, before they move to close the door and leave Fenris and Gregor in the room alone... A thick dull thud signalling the metal door barred for them both.
"... I don't know you, why am I being dragged out for you? Is this another attempt to garner a confession before my supposed trial?" The Ram looking up to Fenris with a harden gazed, making no attempt to move to ensure he'd be more comfortable as he speaks.
"Your friend Amos called on me to come in here and check on you and to hear your story," Fenris says in his 'aristocratic veteran's' voice, flashing his Lightbringers badge to the ram. "I don't want any confession," he says, "Only the truth." "You may call me Belamy," he says, "And I already know who you are, Gregor. Tell me what happened."
The Ram eyes the badge warily, glancing between it and the ram himself as he frowns and shifts some in his spot. "I've spoken the truth since I was placed in here... But fine then, what truth do you want to know? How the entire plan went to hell I assume? You'll need to tell me where to start for it."
'Belamy' nods and stows his badge away. "After the first demonstration, you spoke with Dennris Good?" he asks, raising an eyebrow, "Start from there." Fenris knows that he would get easier and more honest answers from the Ram as himself or in the guise of Amos, but with the other interview he plans to conduct, it is probably best to be as unrecognizable as possible. He runs a thick finger through his grey whiskers. Besides, he felt very distinguished wearing this face. It was sort of fun!
"I did yes. He said he wouldn't trust an apostate to run such a thing without turning the shanties into one giant gang that'd make it an even greater hell hole... So if they were so persistant about working through it, he'd support me." The Ram huffing some as he rests his hands on the table with a dull clunk. "... I should have been more realitic then, and I know it is my fault that I fell for this... He backed me up when I applied pressure to the quarry and other job sights to hire more 'reformed' apostates, and after the success in the quarry he even entertained me in his home to talk about petitioning the king to allow a single retest for the exams if they met certain criteria. Two days before I was to bring them outside of the gates, he told me I was approved and showed me a permit that he said he'd hold onto if anyone had any questions. With how he had been helping, I was nervous to ask for it for fear he'd feel insulted and pull his support."
The Ram grits his teeth as he leans forward and looks at 'Belamy' "The demonstraition was slaited to be peaceful! All we were going to do was line the road, and remind merchants of those whom were not as fortunate! I have no clue who organized a counter protest, or even thought they'd benefit from attacking us... As well, my guards were trained and ordered not to use lethal force, I had nothing to do with them drawing blades!"
Belamy makes a placating gesture with his hands. "I believe you," the stout fox says, "There were more forces involved than you know at that rally and I know that none of this was your fault." He leans forward intently. "Did you read the permit?" he asks, "Or see where Dennris put it after showing it to you?" If that document really existed, even if it was a fake, it could help to get poor Gregor out of here!
"And then," he barks gruffly, "Tell me what you know about this Ena, character. I think that she had a lot to do with the counter demonstration."
"No, I saw it and read it over but... Forms are beyond me for the most part of understanding. It had his signature though, and a few others from the council so I was not going to question it. As far as where he put it? A locked box I noticed he keeps under his desk for 'safety'... If it hasn't been destroyed, then it's hiding away there or somewhere else."
The Ram closes his eyes and sighs gently as he leans back, shaking his head before speaking. "Not much. She's a con artists, whom serves to work for cheap in breaking couples up, or framing individuals for crimes... I have a friend or two whom she put in here, one for a false murder attempt and the others for cries of rape at night. I don't like thinking the world needs to kill her but... She's not crazy, and she's not stupid. That she's survived this long atests to that."
The Ram's gaze turns to Belmay's eyes slowly as he narrows his gaze and speaks slowly. "Forces involved? Of course there were forces involved though... Forces have been involved since the creators gifted us the planet ages ago. After all, I was preaching for a lower class to advance... If you're born with more rights than them, why would you want them to get closer to your level?"
The greying fox raises an eyebrow and the accusing undertone in Gregor's tone before laughing warmly. "You mistake me for a Solacious, young man! Which I suppose I am on my grandmother's side," he says, "but where I am, I've gotten to by sheer luck and living long enough to get a level head on my shoulders!" He pats a burgeoning gut and gives the ram a toothy grin. "I wish any and all the same chance," he says in an aristocratic baritone. He sobers again. "I'm talking about spirits and callers, boy," he says darkly, "Which are none of your doing. It wasn't your fault, young man and I intend to see you out of this mess."
The older fox scrutinizes the ram in silence for a moment. "Anything else you can tell me to help me, boy?" he asks gruffly, "Anything I can do to help you?"
"I am not saying you're one of them... How many nobles do we have that truly serve the people anymore? How much longer can we pray the children of King Good will follow in his footsteps, and not abuse what power they -inherit- for no other reason than their birth?" The Ram's tone a bit dark as he scoffs some, indeed appearing to have become begrudged at the nobility from all his efforts. "Spirits and Callers? Of course they have a hand in it, everyone has a damned hand in it... But I will say this, I do not believe Dennris needed any push to do what he did. He must have had it planned from the start..." The Ram shaking his head slightly before clearing his throat. "I cannot give any more information of good note... The guards I was using were bandits I was reforming, survivors of a fight up in the pass that I took in and was teaching trade skills to, and having them put what training they had in fighting to somewhat good use."
The old fox nods. "Listen, young man," he says, "You're doing something worth doing. Don't give up, I'll see you back out there soon." 'Belamy' stands and pats the ram's shoulder with a broad, calloused hand. "You seem a good sort, son," he says, "We need more like you." The stout fox marches to the door and gives it a few sharp raps to signal that he is finished with this interview.
Gregor falls silent once more as the door is worked open, the guards walking in to pick him up and drag him out and back to his cell. "I won't be long, be ready when I am... I will not let them continue this!" The Ram calls out while being escorted, before a muffled sound emits as it seems he's gagged once more.
Only a few moments pass before the Collie is led into the room, the woman's wrists only lightly chained, and a very thick bruise in place around her left eye as she scowls and raises her voice high. "I WILL NOT BE WHORED OUT EASILY! YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THIS!" Seems it takes a lot to shut her up... All the same, soon the door is locked and the two left alone.
Fenris remains standing, his expression opaque as he looks over the petty con artist and reputation killer. Hard to believe someone like her could cause so much trouble. Yet she had been involved in BOTH of the recent riots, and Fenris did not trust in coincidence all that much. He watches the collie in silence, hoping that she might volunteer something other than screams of RAPE! MURDER! if he waits for a moment. He strokes his grey fox muzzle idly.
The Collie huffs as it seems she's left alone with the 'fox', turning on her heel as she grumbles and holds her wrists up. "Just undo me before you press me over the table will you? I'd appreciate it... Though, you're a bit old arn't you? It's gotta be hard for you to you know... Work up to it." The Collie woman snickering, as it seems she was content with just berating and dancing around the issue at hand...
Fenris snorts and gestures to the chair. "Have a seat, Ena Lane," he says in his gruff aristocrat's voice. "The sooner you pin your crimes on someone else, the sooner I can send you back to your lovers locked up here in the cells." He thinks of the poor souls that Gregor mentioned that were put away in the dungeons because of this awful woman.
"I've done no crime except throw a stone you old bastard, and that's all that can be proved." The Collie huffing as she moves to take the seat, crossing her legs before placing her hands on her knees while peering at him. "So go on, let's get this over with... You'll ask me questions, I'll answer them, you won't believe me, I'll tell you too bad you have no proof, then you'll have me sent back to the cells." Quite the mouthy one she is.
'Belamy' looks at the collie. She had not had that black eye before. "Who gave you that little love mark?" he asks, nodding toward her bruised face. He had no love for the woman, and she had probably deserved it, but it was almost certainly not the question she would be expecting.
The woman blinks some before scowling gently and leaning forward a little bit. "A guard did. He got a little -rough- while playing with the local girls, and decided I needed to stop crying for help... It's not the first time it's happened, and I made sure to make it vocal to his boss about what he did as well." She seemed to stop goofing around as she's controlling her features better, and making it beyond hard to tell if she's lying...
:schools his features. "I see," he says, "I'm glad to have folks as civil-minded as yourself here to defend the well-being of the good people of Firmament." He takes a seat across from the lying collie con-artist and looks at her with an expression of fatherly concern. "Tell me what happened to make someone as smart and level headed as yourself through a half brick at another being," he says, "It must be a terrible strain on your conscience."
"Hmph... Don't try to play me old man, I'm not spreading myself for flattery." The Collie rolling her neck slightly before she sighs and speaks. "I told the guards, just like I'll tell you... I was just so caught up in the moment, I barely remember what happened before I was running for my life from that molestation happy creep."
'Belamy' sighs. "I begin to wonder if you are capable of telling the truth, young lady," he says, "Or even a convincing lie." He sits easily in his chair and looks at her. "This is the second riot I have watched you start," he says, "And I should have let you die at the first one." The disguised tiger wonders if she will be able to connect the dots on that one, but expects that she will just spout another ridiculous lie or accusation. "All I want to know is who is paying you to cause trouble," he says in his gruff baritone voice, "And I might be able to see to it that you are released to a caravan headed for Shralesta instead of here in Firmament where both your employer and the people you have hurt are eagerly awaiting your appearance in the streets."
"What are yo---" The Collie blinking some as the color drains from her face, a shame the fur hides it though. "Y-You fucking freak! You're that one that went and--- Oh shit!" The Collie quickly flailing back as her chair crashes into the ground and she's left groaning. "Ugh... You're an idiot if you think I could get out of the city..."
Fenris sits calmly and watches the woman flail, keeping an eye on her bonds to make sure that she is not trying to pick the lock on her shackles. He would have preferred to see HER in the heavy steel shackles that Gregor had been forced to wear. "And you are a fool if you think you will survive in this one," he says, not reacting to her outburst or her ability to connect the dots. "I have eyes and ears everywhere, Miss Lane," he says, "And if no one else is interested in seeing you -ahem- removed from Firmament, I am." The sturdy looking fox strokes his greying muzzle. "My offer stands, however," he continues, "Tell me the name of your employer and what you were paid to do, and I will see to it that you get out of Sweetwater with your lying hide intact. I can certainly manage that much."
"I don't know their name! They hired me through a middle man, a frog woman who wore a blue bandana! I was just paid to make sure that any demonstraitions became violent, and to help keep the manhunt going strong alright?! They would just drop off payments at my door I swear!" The Collie rolling over some before fumbling her way to her feet and backing against the wall.
The stout old fox nods, "And was this frog at the last demonstration?" he asks coolly, offering no violence or threats, only sitting calmly in his chair. He is ready should she try anything herself, though. "And how did you call for a meeting with this middleman?" He looks at her with that same fatherly smile he had earlier. He imagined that the effect should be sufficiently unnerving.
"I didn't call for a meeting! They found -me-!" She spits out, keeping pressed against the wall as she grimaces and seems to debate before finally opting to speak it seems. "... S-she was... She was in the cell across from me. One of the guards undid her gag and she---" She bites down on her lower lip before taking a deep breath in as if debating if she should continue, before realizing she's already said too much. "... She started herself on fire."
Fenris's eyes widen. "Did she?" he asks, "And then what happened?" A picture was starting to form in the Lightbringer's mind. Just the beginnings of an idea, but there was something there.
"What do you think happened? She burned to death... Didn't even scream, just started chanting and fucking burned to death... She looked at me though, and I know what she was thinking alright? I'm next." The collie clearing her throat gently as she looks to the floor. "... Can I go now?"
'Belamy' nods and walks over to rap on the door a few times. "We are finished here," he says as he returns to stand behind his seat. "Thank you for your help Miss Lane," he says, "I will see what I can do about securing your release." The old fox nods to the guards as they come in. "Please see to it that Miss Lane is kept safe and secure until I get orders from up the chain," he says in his aristocratic Sergeant's tone, "And be kind to the poor thing, she is quite mad." He gives the collie one more fatherly smile before sedately marching from the guard room. Bloody Olg'Ish! There was a lot to consider with these developments.
The guards nod as they grab her and begin to lead her out, the Collie whimpering and muttering as she's dragged back to her cell, and the 'fox' is left without anything to impede him as he's given time to reflect on what he's learned...
