Detect Lie Versus Unreadable Th

[Morten Helles]

> Can a character with the detect lie blood ability detect whether a
> person with the unreadable thoughts is lying ?

I'd say no. Although I'm not a psychologist I'm pretty certain, that
when I lie, I'm conscious about it i.e. *thinking* about it. Therefore,
IMHO, if a person with unreadable thoughts is lying it cannot be
detected, UNLESS he's a really bad liar, and you can read the lie from
his face.

Morten.

+

[dsbrown@is2.dal.ca (sean]

We had this come up as well. As the unreadable thoughts is supposedto
protect the player against anyone determining what they are "thinking,
feeling or planning" I don't see how they could be affected by the detect
lie (I found this annoying when Lord Dosiere tried to tel if one of my PCs
was lieing and he pointed this out on his character...:) )

Sean

>This just came up in the last game-session.
>Can a character with the detect lie blood ability detect wether a person
>with the unreadable thoughts is lying ?
>
>The Unreadable Thoughts entry mentions that the characters thoughts,
>feelings and plans can not be discerned by ESP. Empathy, Telepathy, or
>other spells and effects. This would seem to indicate that detect lie
>doesn't work in this case.
>The other player argued that detect lie works on the cognizance of not
>telling the truth, which according to him is not a thought, plan or
>emotion. Furthermore the detect lie ability worked by picking up the
>physical indications that betray the telling of a lie (A kind of remote
>ploygraph test).
>
>I am of two minds at the moment so any input would be appreciated.
>
>Jan Arnoldus
>
>
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>

[James H. Jenkins]

Pretend like the unreadable thoughts jams the [Detect Lie].

it's just like the guys that can control their reactions so well, that a
polygraph can't be used on them. Such people exist.

I'd say let the PC with the Unreadable thoughts have it.

Also, there's another idea that applies here.

[This is just a story, but I think it applies.]
In Russia, there was a guy who had done nothing wrong. He was being
questioned by the KGB for various crimes that the was suspected of:
Selling Black market stuff from the West, Conspiring with Westerners to
overthrow the Government, etc. After a month of interogation, nothing
could be used against him. He was transferred over to a another branch
of the KGB, that dealt with low-level political prisoners in general.

Finally, black and blue, the man started to complain, "I'm innocent!"
Why not let me go?" The ready reaply came: "Comrade, if you are so
innocent of these crimes of which you are accused, then why are you
here,
looking as you do?" Eventually, the man was executed, for being an
embarrassment to the government.

(This story get a grim laugh in Russia, but probably doesn't survive the
translation.)

(We take you now to 1600's mentality:)
So, it's just like the classic case of witch-hunting. Drown her in a
tank of water. If she doesn't drown, she's a witch, since it is known
that they can breathe underwater, and their patron demons can and will
save them, at which point they can be burned. If they in fact drown,
then they weren't a witch after all.

So, when the PC is lying, punish them for the suspicions of being a liar
that the other PC's have. Remember, this isn't American courtroom
Justice, innocent until proven guilty, (Well, that's the theory, anyway)
it's Fuedal Justice: If the King says you're guilty, you swing on a
rope, or meet the axe head on, for maximum damage, taking you to -10 HP
instantly.

- - James h. Jenkins