Flynn and the Sheriff

[Farmerbink]

As Flynn steps out of the cell, tension mounts in the quiet block. The deputies lead you out the door, through an area that resembles an office room, and into a small room, with no windows, and only the one door. A table bisects the room with two chairs pulled up across from each other. In front of the far chair, a small pile of parchment rests, neatly stacked beside a pair of ink vials.

Please, have a seat, the sheriff says, gesturing to the nearer of the chairs. He steps around the table, and takes the chair in front of the paper. For several long seconds, sheriff Baleson looks at you, his piercing eyes belying the agitated thought behind them. He surveys your expression, and after a time, exhales deeply. You're not gonna make this easy, are you? he asks. Before waiting for an answer, he continues speaking. Look, the way I see it, you have two options: You can help me help you, by writing or dictating to me your perspective regarding last night, or you and I can have a significantly less-pleasant morning while I try to draw it out of you, bit by bit.

If I'm still unsatisfied, after such a joyful experience, I will have my men put you in one of the other cells, where you will subsist on hard tack and salted beef until you convince me that you have told me all that you are able to.

Finally, he stops talking for a moment, and raises an eyebrow, waiting for your response.

[DarkOne-Rob]

"I wasn't planning on making this harder than usual, Sheriff. What do you want to know?" Flynn responds, smiling with no mirth behind it. "You have the power, here." The frequent felon sits with his hands crossed on the table, looking expectantly at the other.

[Farmerbink]

The sheriff sighs, understanding the unstated answer. Very well, I was hoping you might make it easier than usual... Why were you and your companions on the Eastern road last night, just before midnight? He takes the first sheet of parchment off the stack and a quill from the nearer of the two vials, in preparation for Flynn's answer.

[DarkOne-Rob]

"We were attempting to rescue Megan from men who had abducted her. The men had accosted her at her place of work and terrorized her parents. All of us were of the understanding that they had taken her by force, so we traveled with the expectation of a confrontation. I attempted to enter their camp with trickery, but something went wrong. When the men attacked, we responded in kind," Flynn answers, slowly enough to make the dictation easy for the sheriff and looking at the lawman as he speaks.

So far nothing has been intended to deceive, though there are obviously deliberate things that are being excluded from Flynn's answer. I will go ahead and roll all the various skill checks here once, and not plan to look at the results until the thread is complete.

Sense Motive [roll0] to read the sheriff's reactions to what Flynn says, paying special attention to whether the man believes Flynn or not
Diplomacy [roll1] to try and be cooperative within the limits we have already discussed
*Both Diplomacy and Sense Motive use my modifiers for Perform (Oratory) because of Versatile Performance*

Bluff [roll2] I would prefer to not need this, and am doing my best to answer truthfully without letting the answers lead in any particular direction - please only use this if there is no way Flynn could avoid it
Intimidate [roll3] I am not intending to do this to the sheriff, but just in case it comes up later...

Perception [roll4] to note anything that could conceivably be used to help facilitate our escape or discovering what is going on behind the scenes here

[Farmerbink]

Hmmmm The sheriff writes quickly, you don't have to slow your speech much for him to keep up, as made evident when he looks up at you to continue. As you continue to talk, he relaxes a little bit, some of his previous trepidation dissipating. I see. I think I understand, and empathize, honestly, with your intentions. When you say "something went wrong," can you clarify that? It implies that the trickery failed, not much about how or why.

As he asks the questions, he meets the gaze of one of the under deputies, who has been stationed just inside the door. The man opens the door and steps out, closing it gently behind him, leaving you alone in the small room with sheriff Baleson.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Flynn pauses a moment to remember and word his answer carefully. "We did not know with whom we were dealing, so I went into their camp disguised as a traveler to try and make sure things went our way. While I was there, Lucas yelled something at someone else in the darkness and the camp burst into conflict. It went wrong in the sense that instead of a nonlethal, covert effort to recover Megan without violence, it turned into a bloody mess," he answers.

[Farmerbink]

The sheriff nods again, as he finishes writing a moment after Flynn stops talking. I think I understand. Is there anything else you would like to add? I think I have all I need.

I will warn you, this may be your only opportunity to defend yourself on this matter. As he makes this last comment, the door opens again, and the same underdeptuy walks in, carrying a small tray. He places it in front of you, revealing several thick cuts of freshly cooked bacon and a few scrambled eggs.

I will give you a few moments to eat in comfort before escorting you back to the communal cell, unless you would like me to add something else to this report.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Flynn purses his lips as if in thought before asking, "What happened to the guardsmen we saw as we exited town last night? The young man who rode with you to find us was there, surely you know of what I speak. We assumed the men that kidnapped Megan had killed them too. If that is so, then surely all of us are more heroes - again - than criminals in need of locking behind prison walls. What do you plan to do about that?"

As the sheriff answers Flynn eats, taking his time and continuing to observe the man closely.

[Farmerbink]

The sheriff nods slowly. Ah, that... I had not considered any connection there, but it will be worth noting as a factor you considered.... He writes a few brief notes on the bottom of the page before looking up again.

I... do not know... who killed them. Stephen and his actions vouch strongly for your innocence in that matter, and I had not yet received much of a lead on that front. It is certainly a concern, obviously. For the time being, however, I have one of my deputies investigating that affair. Should he reveal anything that I think you might like to know, I will share it with you. Unless it has risk of further incriminating you all. Unfortunately, for now, I know nothing else regarding those deaths.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Flynn nods, his face somber as the sheriff responds. He then eats in silence before being ushered back into the cell block area.