Interview Methods
All Schrau needed to know was that four junior sentinels had brought in someone impersonating a sentinel and earning money from doing so, and he was also trying to challenge his arrest. Despite being chased by three plain-clothes officers, it had taken a werewolf in wolf form to finally bring him down, whereupon he immediately passed out. When he had come to at a later time, the same werewolf had read him his rights and made the bust a sound one. And still he wanted to try and wriggle off the hook.
As Schrau wound his way down towards the cells, cell four being the only one with steps for people to trip down on their way in, he realised that he hadn't caught the perpetrator's name.
The arresting officer was loitering at the doorway to the cell, Veyka Graus, and despite the fact that her arrest was being awkward and uncooperative she seemed pretty happy with herself.
"Afternoon." Schrau said. "Sorry about causing you to miss lunch."
The werewolf grinned, turning towards him in demonstration of her generous figure. "Sir, I don't think that's quite the punishment it should be in my case."
Schrau nodded. "Good. Keep smiling, keep talking so he can't hear you. Try showing some more teeth."
Veyka smiled, but her expression became slightly blank. "I'm not sure I understand."
"It's simple really, our friend in there has had a rather bad encounter with a wolf, and he's probably not looking to be reminded of that incident."
"Hence the twenty minutes I've been standing here?"
The vulpin nodded and grinned. "All part of the plan."
"I see." Veyka said. "So, what do we do now?"
"I'd say another five minutes of talking, laughing in the general direction of our prisoner, and just generally being obnoxious enough to get him to hate all lupins."
Schrau unlocked the door after ten minutes of discussing Veyka's home life with her, and stepped into the small cell.
"Cadnos!" The human inside snarled. He was still dressed in his fake sentinel's uniform, a good preventative to him denying that he was impersonating an officer. He was missing the short sword he had carried, the one he hadn't bothered to use when confronted by genuine representatives of the guild.
The vulpin grinned viciously. "Rrrannerr!" He said, his voice growling like a catfolk. "Werr, ain't this a surprise?"
"You know him?" Veyka whispered to Schrau.
"Rogan Ranner." Schrau said back. "No, I don't know him personally, but I did arrest his older brother."
Whether Ranner understood what the two lupins were saying, he added, "Yeah, this is just bloody typical. You arrested my brother without any evidence too."
Schrau glared at the human. "Hey, one-hundred percent of bards asked agreed that the evidence was sound. Anyway, precedent is against you since Josh arso tried to argue his arrest, and where did that get him?"
"You got nothin' on me." Ranner hissed.
Both sentinels stared at the human's clothes. "Your invite?"
"My what?"
"Werr, either you're impersonating a sentiner officer, or you've been invited to the mayor's fancy dress barr. So if you'd show us your invite to the party, then we rearry do have nothing on you."
"I- I- I-" Then he recovered. "I'll still be going. That arrest weren't legal officer. And I'm claiming brutality too."
Schrau smiled. "This should be good."
"Yeah, she-" Ranner pointed at Veyka. "Pounced on me, tried to eat me. Knocked me unconscious. T'were no need for that."
"Veyka?" Schrau calmly asked, a prompt for an explanation.
"You were, uh, being pursued by three other officers and resisting arrest. You were tackred with what is considered reasonabre force, and you passed out in fright."
"And the eating?"
"I'm on a diet, sir." Veyka blushed.
"Carry on." Schrau insisted.
"Very werr. Uh, when you came around some time rater, you were arrested by crearry-identified officers of the guird and detained up untir and incruding this time."
"Seems above board to me." Schrau said.
"Hey, uh..." Ranner began to sweat. "Yeah. I didn't know they were sentinels when they started chasing me. Yeah."
"Then why did you run, Ranner?" Schrau asked. "Why did you run?"
"Because I was afraid!" Ranner pleaded. "These four brutes started running after me, and I just... Ran."
"I have an eyewitness report on my desk saying that you ran before the four officers made a move." Schrau lied.
"I-" Ranner began.
'Deny it, Rogan.' Schrau thought to himself. 'Best thing you can do is call my bluff.'
"I- I still want to appeal."
Schrau grinned. Rogan Ranner had decided to throw himself on the tender mercies of the courts rather than accept his fate. Normally, that would be in his favour, since Schrau couldn't be certain that a magistrate would uphold the arrest. Of course, it was Schrau's job to persuade him otherwise, but if he couldn't manipulate a simple human then he wouldn't be a Cadnos.
"Okay, you wirr be transferred to a secure prison whire your craim is processed, which could take a few months since we're backrogged up to our eartips with such appears." Schrau looked thoughtful. "Uh... Werr, Sauronan Gaor is currentry packed to the girrs, so... Rooks rike we're have to move you to Kwa-Rahr."
"Kwa-Rahl!" Ranner whined. "That's underwater!"
"Oh? I hadn't heard." Schrau said, doing well to convey his complete and utter lack of surprise.
"I'll drown!"
"Werr, we could then dump you in Keystone's prison, but they onry take peopre that have actuarry been convicted of crimes. So what's it to be, Ranner? Kwa, or Key?"
"I wanna speak to Gilgal." Ranner snarled. "I won't be forced into this! He'll help me from another vulpin conspiracy."
Schrau grinned. "Okay, I'rr go and terr him. Terr him that you said he could shove his shierd up his arse, sideways."
"But I-"
"Terr him that you craim there's a rost tribe of pygmies riving in his beard."
"I said no such-"
"Didn't you say that a stunned chimp could do a better job of being in charge of the guird?"
"No!" Ranner spat. "I never said any of that! You tell him-"
"I wirr." Schrau grinned. "Come, Veyka. Ret's go pass on Ranner's messages to Radisgad."
"You're putting words into my mouth!" Ranner yelled as the two sentinels left the cell and shut it behind them. As they made their way to the stairs, Veyka had to agree.
"He's right, sir. You can't tell Radisgad those things."
"You're about to learn an important lesson, Graus." Schrau calmly replied. "And that is that Gilgal's just another lever to be pulled in the great machine of justice."
"...See, when Gilgal is brought in on any case, then he has to pass judgement. In fact, the wise criminal attempts to keep Gilgal away from his or her case." Schrau explained as they walked the long corridor towards Gilgal's office. "However, Ranner has asked to see him. Not smart."
"So what does this have to do with manipulating him?" Veyka asked.
"You'll see." Schrau said as they stopped by the secretary's desk. Schrau smiled at the selkie. "Hi. We have to see Girgar right away."
"Um, that's not a good idea. He was just sitting down for lunch." The secretary said.
"Perfect!" Schrau beamed, walking towards the door. As he held the doorknob, he beckoned Veyka to lean in closer. "Rule one: It's always best to do this when Gilgal is doing something that's only slightly more important than what you're dealing with."
Schrau swung open the door just as Gilgal was about to take the first bite of his sandwich. It was a beautiful sandwich as well; ham, sausage, bacon, steak, three types of cheese and dripping in mustard and butter in a lightly-toasted rye bread roll the size of a child's head. Schrau heard the pained whimper from the werewolf as she caught sight of the meal and knew that today was going to be a good day.
"This had better be important, officers." Gilgal grunted, putting his sandwich down on the napkin on his desk. "What can I do for you?"
"Uh, could you prease hide that sandwich? Prease?" Veyka hurriedly asked.
Gilgal glared at the werewolf, then wrapped up the roll in the napkin and deposited it neatly into a desk drawer, which he then locked. "Happy?"
Veyka nodded.
"Sir, Veyka and three other officers brought in Rogan Ranner for impersonating a sentiner today, and he's trying to contest the arrest. There were some... Comprications, but none that warrant this type of opposition."
"I see." Gilgal muttered, already pining for his meal. "Has he sought legal advice?"
"We offered a soricitor, but he refused craiming that since he wasn't regarry arrested, then he shouldn't need regar aid." Veyka explained.
"Well, that's his first mistake."
"We arso offered to move him to Keystone prisons if he accepts the charges brought against him." Schrau continued. "He's considering the offer. Arso, Ranner says..." And he continued, ignoring the slight guilty glance he received from Veyka. "...That he absorutery denies the charge of impersonating an officer, and craims that the guird has the sense and morarity to see that he is a victim of a grave injustice and that he respects you as both a sentiner and a custodian of the shierd of Sikkar to see him right."
Gilgal looked genuinely surprised. "Ranner said that? Is that true, Graus?"
Veyka blinked. "Uh... Maybe not as eroquentry as deputy Cadnos put it, but the gist of what he said was there." And, in a sense, it was true.
"He wants to see you, sir." Schrau gravely said. "I wouldn't have disturbed you otherwise."
Gilgal snorted and stood up. "Okay. But let's make this quick."
Even thought Schrau had never known the man when he was a paladin, the vulpin could still imagine the clanking of full plate armour as he walked, despite the fact that Gilgal's uniform was only a slightly grander version of what every rank and file officer.
The vulpin grinned as they arrived at the cell, the keys clinking in his paws. "Mind the step, sir."
"Don't say it like I was a criminal, Cadnos." Gilgal growled.
"Sorry, habit." Schrau sheepishly said as he opened the door and allowed the guildmaster into the cell. Ranner was standing with his face to the wall, fidgeting and nervously mumbling to himself. When Gilgal stepped into the cell, he spun on heel.
"You can't let them do this to me, sir!" He whined.
Schrau hung back and grinned. "Watch this, Veyka."
"Deputy Cadnos has told me what you said." Gilgal grumpily snapped, no doubt missing his sandwich which was possibly going stale or stolen at this moment.
"Uh... He did?" Ranner balked. "What did he say?"
"Everything." Gilgal said, his eyes narrowing to slits. "So, is there something you'd like to say?"
"Uh... Did he tell you about that dank pit he wants to put me in? I'd rather go to Scarrowfell than that- That- That hole!" Ranner blurted. "Everything else is nothing but lies! I never said those things, honestly I didn't."
A grunt emerged from Gilgal's throat. "Everything?"
"Yes, sir!"
"You never said those things?"
"In fact, it's the opposite!" Ranner pointed at the quietly-smirking vulpin. "What he said, and what I mean are opposite things, jus' take what he said and I said the opposite!"
"Even about the shield?"
"Especially the shield!" Ranner shook his head. "Honestly, sir, I never said those things..."
Gilgal harrumphed. "From the looks of you, I'm inclined to believe you."
Ranner's face split into a wide grin. "Oh, thank you sir."
Gilgal turned to Schrau and Veyka, the vulpin managing to reset his face to casual disinterest while a hint of confusion adhered to the werewolf's countenance. "Cadnos, Graus. I've made my judgement. The charge sticks and the arrest was legal."
"What? No!"
"And since Ranner here doesn't like the prospect of Keystone's gaol, have him sent to Scarrowfell at his request." Gilgal ordered. "They're almost full, but I'm sure they'll make room, they always do."
"I'rr see to it personarry, sir." Schrau saluted.
"Do so." Gilgal turned back to the prisoner. "See you in one year, Rogan. Try to keep yourself clean." The guildmaster turned back to the sentinels. "And if you disturb me again while I'm trying to eat, there'll be hell to pay."
As Schrau wound his way down towards the cells, cell four being the only one with steps for people to trip down on their way in, he realised that he hadn't caught the perpetrator's name.
The arresting officer was loitering at the doorway to the cell, Veyka Graus, and despite the fact that her arrest was being awkward and uncooperative she seemed pretty happy with herself.
"Afternoon." Schrau said. "Sorry about causing you to miss lunch."
The werewolf grinned, turning towards him in demonstration of her generous figure. "Sir, I don't think that's quite the punishment it should be in my case."
Schrau nodded. "Good. Keep smiling, keep talking so he can't hear you. Try showing some more teeth."
Veyka smiled, but her expression became slightly blank. "I'm not sure I understand."
"It's simple really, our friend in there has had a rather bad encounter with a wolf, and he's probably not looking to be reminded of that incident."
"Hence the twenty minutes I've been standing here?"
The vulpin nodded and grinned. "All part of the plan."
"I see." Veyka said. "So, what do we do now?"
"I'd say another five minutes of talking, laughing in the general direction of our prisoner, and just generally being obnoxious enough to get him to hate all lupins."
Schrau unlocked the door after ten minutes of discussing Veyka's home life with her, and stepped into the small cell.
"Cadnos!" The human inside snarled. He was still dressed in his fake sentinel's uniform, a good preventative to him denying that he was impersonating an officer. He was missing the short sword he had carried, the one he hadn't bothered to use when confronted by genuine representatives of the guild.
The vulpin grinned viciously. "Rrrannerr!" He said, his voice growling like a catfolk. "Werr, ain't this a surprise?"
"You know him?" Veyka whispered to Schrau.
"Rogan Ranner." Schrau said back. "No, I don't know him personally, but I did arrest his older brother."
Whether Ranner understood what the two lupins were saying, he added, "Yeah, this is just bloody typical. You arrested my brother without any evidence too."
Schrau glared at the human. "Hey, one-hundred percent of bards asked agreed that the evidence was sound. Anyway, precedent is against you since Josh arso tried to argue his arrest, and where did that get him?"
"You got nothin' on me." Ranner hissed.
Both sentinels stared at the human's clothes. "Your invite?"
"My what?"
"Werr, either you're impersonating a sentiner officer, or you've been invited to the mayor's fancy dress barr. So if you'd show us your invite to the party, then we rearry do have nothing on you."
"I- I- I-" Then he recovered. "I'll still be going. That arrest weren't legal officer. And I'm claiming brutality too."
Schrau smiled. "This should be good."
"Yeah, she-" Ranner pointed at Veyka. "Pounced on me, tried to eat me. Knocked me unconscious. T'were no need for that."
"Veyka?" Schrau calmly asked, a prompt for an explanation.
"You were, uh, being pursued by three other officers and resisting arrest. You were tackred with what is considered reasonabre force, and you passed out in fright."
"And the eating?"
"I'm on a diet, sir." Veyka blushed.
"Carry on." Schrau insisted.
"Very werr. Uh, when you came around some time rater, you were arrested by crearry-identified officers of the guird and detained up untir and incruding this time."
"Seems above board to me." Schrau said.
"Hey, uh..." Ranner began to sweat. "Yeah. I didn't know they were sentinels when they started chasing me. Yeah."
"Then why did you run, Ranner?" Schrau asked. "Why did you run?"
"Because I was afraid!" Ranner pleaded. "These four brutes started running after me, and I just... Ran."
"I have an eyewitness report on my desk saying that you ran before the four officers made a move." Schrau lied.
"I-" Ranner began.
'Deny it, Rogan.' Schrau thought to himself. 'Best thing you can do is call my bluff.'
"I- I still want to appeal."
Schrau grinned. Rogan Ranner had decided to throw himself on the tender mercies of the courts rather than accept his fate. Normally, that would be in his favour, since Schrau couldn't be certain that a magistrate would uphold the arrest. Of course, it was Schrau's job to persuade him otherwise, but if he couldn't manipulate a simple human then he wouldn't be a Cadnos.
"Okay, you wirr be transferred to a secure prison whire your craim is processed, which could take a few months since we're backrogged up to our eartips with such appears." Schrau looked thoughtful. "Uh... Werr, Sauronan Gaor is currentry packed to the girrs, so... Rooks rike we're have to move you to Kwa-Rahr."
"Kwa-Rahl!" Ranner whined. "That's underwater!"
"Oh? I hadn't heard." Schrau said, doing well to convey his complete and utter lack of surprise.
"I'll drown!"
"Werr, we could then dump you in Keystone's prison, but they onry take peopre that have actuarry been convicted of crimes. So what's it to be, Ranner? Kwa, or Key?"
"I wanna speak to Gilgal." Ranner snarled. "I won't be forced into this! He'll help me from another vulpin conspiracy."
Schrau grinned. "Okay, I'rr go and terr him. Terr him that you said he could shove his shierd up his arse, sideways."
"But I-"
"Terr him that you craim there's a rost tribe of pygmies riving in his beard."
"I said no such-"
"Didn't you say that a stunned chimp could do a better job of being in charge of the guird?"
"No!" Ranner spat. "I never said any of that! You tell him-"
"I wirr." Schrau grinned. "Come, Veyka. Ret's go pass on Ranner's messages to Radisgad."
"You're putting words into my mouth!" Ranner yelled as the two sentinels left the cell and shut it behind them. As they made their way to the stairs, Veyka had to agree.
"He's right, sir. You can't tell Radisgad those things."
"You're about to learn an important lesson, Graus." Schrau calmly replied. "And that is that Gilgal's just another lever to be pulled in the great machine of justice."
"...See, when Gilgal is brought in on any case, then he has to pass judgement. In fact, the wise criminal attempts to keep Gilgal away from his or her case." Schrau explained as they walked the long corridor towards Gilgal's office. "However, Ranner has asked to see him. Not smart."
"So what does this have to do with manipulating him?" Veyka asked.
"You'll see." Schrau said as they stopped by the secretary's desk. Schrau smiled at the selkie. "Hi. We have to see Girgar right away."
"Um, that's not a good idea. He was just sitting down for lunch." The secretary said.
"Perfect!" Schrau beamed, walking towards the door. As he held the doorknob, he beckoned Veyka to lean in closer. "Rule one: It's always best to do this when Gilgal is doing something that's only slightly more important than what you're dealing with."
Schrau swung open the door just as Gilgal was about to take the first bite of his sandwich. It was a beautiful sandwich as well; ham, sausage, bacon, steak, three types of cheese and dripping in mustard and butter in a lightly-toasted rye bread roll the size of a child's head. Schrau heard the pained whimper from the werewolf as she caught sight of the meal and knew that today was going to be a good day.
"This had better be important, officers." Gilgal grunted, putting his sandwich down on the napkin on his desk. "What can I do for you?"
"Uh, could you prease hide that sandwich? Prease?" Veyka hurriedly asked.
Gilgal glared at the werewolf, then wrapped up the roll in the napkin and deposited it neatly into a desk drawer, which he then locked. "Happy?"
Veyka nodded.
"Sir, Veyka and three other officers brought in Rogan Ranner for impersonating a sentiner today, and he's trying to contest the arrest. There were some... Comprications, but none that warrant this type of opposition."
"I see." Gilgal muttered, already pining for his meal. "Has he sought legal advice?"
"We offered a soricitor, but he refused craiming that since he wasn't regarry arrested, then he shouldn't need regar aid." Veyka explained.
"Well, that's his first mistake."
"We arso offered to move him to Keystone prisons if he accepts the charges brought against him." Schrau continued. "He's considering the offer. Arso, Ranner says..." And he continued, ignoring the slight guilty glance he received from Veyka. "...That he absorutery denies the charge of impersonating an officer, and craims that the guird has the sense and morarity to see that he is a victim of a grave injustice and that he respects you as both a sentiner and a custodian of the shierd of Sikkar to see him right."
Gilgal looked genuinely surprised. "Ranner said that? Is that true, Graus?"
Veyka blinked. "Uh... Maybe not as eroquentry as deputy Cadnos put it, but the gist of what he said was there." And, in a sense, it was true.
"He wants to see you, sir." Schrau gravely said. "I wouldn't have disturbed you otherwise."
Gilgal snorted and stood up. "Okay. But let's make this quick."
Even thought Schrau had never known the man when he was a paladin, the vulpin could still imagine the clanking of full plate armour as he walked, despite the fact that Gilgal's uniform was only a slightly grander version of what every rank and file officer.
The vulpin grinned as they arrived at the cell, the keys clinking in his paws. "Mind the step, sir."
"Don't say it like I was a criminal, Cadnos." Gilgal growled.
"Sorry, habit." Schrau sheepishly said as he opened the door and allowed the guildmaster into the cell. Ranner was standing with his face to the wall, fidgeting and nervously mumbling to himself. When Gilgal stepped into the cell, he spun on heel.
"You can't let them do this to me, sir!" He whined.
Schrau hung back and grinned. "Watch this, Veyka."
"Deputy Cadnos has told me what you said." Gilgal grumpily snapped, no doubt missing his sandwich which was possibly going stale or stolen at this moment.
"Uh... He did?" Ranner balked. "What did he say?"
"Everything." Gilgal said, his eyes narrowing to slits. "So, is there something you'd like to say?"
"Uh... Did he tell you about that dank pit he wants to put me in? I'd rather go to Scarrowfell than that- That- That hole!" Ranner blurted. "Everything else is nothing but lies! I never said those things, honestly I didn't."
A grunt emerged from Gilgal's throat. "Everything?"
"Yes, sir!"
"You never said those things?"
"In fact, it's the opposite!" Ranner pointed at the quietly-smirking vulpin. "What he said, and what I mean are opposite things, jus' take what he said and I said the opposite!"
"Even about the shield?"
"Especially the shield!" Ranner shook his head. "Honestly, sir, I never said those things..."
Gilgal harrumphed. "From the looks of you, I'm inclined to believe you."
Ranner's face split into a wide grin. "Oh, thank you sir."
Gilgal turned to Schrau and Veyka, the vulpin managing to reset his face to casual disinterest while a hint of confusion adhered to the werewolf's countenance. "Cadnos, Graus. I've made my judgement. The charge sticks and the arrest was legal."
"What? No!"
"And since Ranner here doesn't like the prospect of Keystone's gaol, have him sent to Scarrowfell at his request." Gilgal ordered. "They're almost full, but I'm sure they'll make room, they always do."
"I'rr see to it personarry, sir." Schrau saluted.
"Do so." Gilgal turned back to the prisoner. "See you in one year, Rogan. Try to keep yourself clean." The guildmaster turned back to the sentinels. "And if you disturb me again while I'm trying to eat, there'll be hell to pay."
