Rules Update - Truth Detection Abilities & Defenses against them

We have in fact created the potential for a very delicate situation with this rule. We were aware of this when this change was made. What this means is inevitably, in the game world it will be known that truth detection short of torture is not 100% reliable. If you want 100% reliable than you need to dance the fine line of morals, to torture or not to torture. Even then though, Gypsys have made is so that even torture is only 99% accurate. Do you have to believe what the person is saying? No, you don't, because in the game world you already know that your truth detection ability (not including torture) is only around 80% reliable.  What you do believe is that your 80% reliable ability was not defended against by any unnatural way. What you have to decide is whether or not 80% is good enough for you. If not, seek out a torturer, if your character would do so.

(disclaimer: I threw out some percentages in the above reply... they are not particularly scientific, but I hope that they help to illustrate the intent of my response)

Jeramy - you have a good point, and there's a fine line between believing a lie, and believing the person is telling the truth, as they know it.

Example:

Fred is caught at the scene of a gruesome murder.  He's hauled off for information.  During the use of Interrogation, Fred offers up that he and his gang, the Red Shirts, did not do the crime.  Fred, it should be noted, is wearing a green shirt.  The player of Fred calls a Willpower against an Interrogate, and as such, the person interrogating thinks that their use of the skill worked.  Fred is clearly not telling the truth, by concrete physical evidence.

The Interrogator would think Fred truly believes the gang is called the Red Shirts, and is telling the truth, as he sees it, even though evidence is against him.  Maybe he's color blind, maybe his memory has been altered by someone, or a suggestion planted in his head.  The interrogator would not come to the conclusion that the Interrogation flat out failed, like it would if they used a Disordered Mind, or an anti-Pain effect - in the latter cases, they would pick up that the interrogation failed outright.

One of the key aspects of Knight Realms is trust and fairness in a conflict, wether it's verbal or physical.  Just like you do not need a marshal to cover every strike in combat, players should make it a point to trust the results of a skill exchange, and also honor that trust and not abuse it.  Just like in physical combat,  if you suspect someone is cheating, contact a Marshal to handle the situation.  That is what they are there for.

Thanks Geoff, that response makes perfect sense.  I hadn't considered that viewpoint when looking at blatant lies.  Though, it may perhaps serve to have that somewhere in the description, as I doubt many people would think about it that way when the Skill is being used, something like...

"Even if the lie is a blatant, the interrogator believes that the character has told the truth to the best of their ability".

Also as a side note, I am very pleased by this change.  Thank you rules gnomes!

...that is not sarcasm.

...neither was that.

What exactly will someone using Torture, Torment, or Dread Surgery be able to tell happened when someone willpowers the use of those skills?

They will know when the person doesn't answer the question, yes...

Disordered Mind and Truth of they Gypsy still do what they say they do - nothing has changed with how they work.  The addition of the Interrogation trait only affects Willpower.

Is Riddle of Deceit the same or no?