Hot to circumvent Discern Lies

[Black Omega]

On a similar topic, I'm running a murder mystery that I sprang on the players after they'd asked for their spells. Now, the cleric has a Discern Lies in his repitore.

I know that, sooner or later, they're going to cast this after narrowing the suspects down, and go through the line. My question is: What are good evasive answers for the questions asked?

Quick background: Bard is killed. She's strangled from behind. The PC's know she was strangled. The killer is a noblewoman; the bard is the lesbian lover of her daughter, who the noblewoman's husband is trying to sell off for marriage. The wife is framing her husband.

So, what're some good evasions that are half truths to: Did you strangle her? Did you kill her? And so forth.

I simply want to be Prepared.

She killed the person herself? Tsk! If she's a noble, then unless the PC's are magistrates with authority over her she has every reason not to answer. For that matter, be outraged. Answer questions with questions. Demand they show proof. Have the butler show them the door. Even an innocent noble might well be pissed off by such an interrogation. Even more so if the Detect lies are up, since that questions their honesty. And a noble might very well have a wizard on the payroll to for security that would notice this.

Of course...then the guilty noble might send around thugs later to see that the PC's quit their questioning before it causes more trouble.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Bluff is a class skill for rogues. As is innuendo. Sense motive isn't going to be a class skill for most of the coppers or priests.

In that kind of campaign I would favour making innuendo a particularly useful skill - the ability to say one thing while meaning another. IMO this would be better than bluff for telling lies which sound completely ordinary, or giving true answers to questions which happen to obfuscate the truth.

Breath a little life into Innuendo!

Regards,

 

[Xarlen]

She killed the person herself? Tsk! If she's a noble, then unless the PC's are magistrates with authority over her she has every reason not to answer. For that matter, be outraged. Answer questions with questions. Demand they show proof. Have the butler show them the door. Even an innocent noble might well be pissed off by such an interrogation. Even more so if the Detect lies are up, since that questions their honesty. And a noble might very well have a wizard on the payroll to for security that would notice this.

Of course...then the guilty noble might send around thugs later to see that the PC's quit their questioning before it causes more trouble.

Well, the PCs jumped on the bandwagon after the son of the noblewoman asked them to investigate the murder. Y'see, the PCs found the body, on the mansion's grounds, the night after the party they attended (one left her earring in the gazebo, where the murder took place and body was placed beneath).

So, they find the body, then take up the investigation because their friend asked them too; if the Watch takes a look into it, no doubt there's going to be scandal with the other aristocrats, they'll find out. He wants a quiet investigation before the watch is taken up.

And, the daughter had one of the PCs promise to find the murderer. So they're a tad determiend.

But, Mom and Dad havn't come home, yet, from their morning ride. So, the PCs have yet to meet this.

 

[Black Omega]

That's still no reason to accept such brusque questions from the PC's. A good way to deflect attention might even to be helpful. Of course, they want this solved, and quickly. Quietly. Maybe arrange for the evidence to point to someone else. Though leaving the body on the estate was rather sloppy.

 

[Xarlen]

That was kind've the point.

She's trying to pin it on her husband, make it seem like a bout of anger, a spur of the moment 'I'll kill you so my daughter can marry someone rich' sort've thing.

But, true.

 

[Black Omega]

Heh, sorry. I did catch the part about the frame but it slipped rkight from my mind by the time I replied.

The detect lies might work even better with him, actually. It can prove he didn't commit the crime. If he would go along with that, of course...depends on how arrogent and pompous he is.

 

[hong]

Breath a little life into Innuendo!

I am "breathing life into Innuendo" RIGHT NOW, if you know what I mean, and I think you do.

 

[Artoomis]

What they said

Discern Lies is pretty useful to find innocent people (if tey are willing to answer rather direct questions, as they might be, being innocent).

Discern Lies is not all that useful in a society filled with intrigue where questions are routinely not answered just on general principle.

Discern Lies is not all that useful on people who know how to tell very technical truths - those that answer the question, but don't give out the information you seek. Or on those who know how to be evasive.

Q: Did you kill XXXX?"

A: How could you even ask such a question?!?! I am gravely insulted! The nerve! Why would you even think such a thing? <And then she storms out of the room>

Note that the questiopn was never answered.

 

[Zhure]

...Quick background: Bard is killed. She's strangled from behind. The PC's know she was strangled. The killer is a noblewoman; the bard is the lesbian lover of her daughter, who the noblewoman's husband is trying to sell off for marriage. The wife is framing her husband...

Q: Did you strangle her?
A1: No. (I used a garotte.)
A2: I never touched her. (I wore gloves.)

Q: Did you kill her?
A1: No. (I broke her windpipe, asphyxiation killed her.)

 

[Numion]

The murderer could turn these spells to his advantage. Just have a Bard cast Modify Memory on himself, of not committing the murder. Now he isn't lying if he tells that he didn't do it.

Easy as that.