When it becomes your turn, the man taking names directs you to one of the four tables currently being used by the interviewers a comfortable chair set across from the dark-robed man.  When you approach the table you can feel your skin tightening as if you were passing through an infinitely thin barrier, the sounds and going on's of the rather busy ground floor fading away to that of the murmurs of people three rooms away with closed doors between here and there.

"This is Acolyte Lucius, he has been hired for the day to cast Zone of Truth upon each table.  The first criteria for being considered for what is going to be a very lucrative venture is the acceptance of such magics.  Failure to acquiesce will result in the summary end of this negotiation.  Do you accept the spell?" The man asks.

In reply to Dolor et Gloria (msg # 1):

Kane looks distinctly uncomfortable when he feels the foreign magic against his skin.  It makes him hesitate in mid-stride, then with a small yet visible effort, move into the area of the magic's effect, his left hand making an arcane sign of warding.  Pointer and middle fingers fully erect and pressed together, ring finger bent at the second knuckle so it points away at a right angle, and pinky finger aligned somewhere in the middle of those two alignments, trembling ever so slightly with Kane's subconscious feel of the magic washing over and through his body.



Kane gives the man a long, level look.  But slowly, he takes a deep breath, a strained look crossing his face.  Then he relaxes, no longer putting his will into any contest with the spell in effect, his hand assuming a position at his side.

"I have not left this area or attempted an unmaking of the magic here.  I trust that is answer enough, yes?" he asks drily.  "But if you need me to assent and validate it with your magic, then I assent.  What is it you would have of me, other than that acceptance to have my honesty validated?"

"This is merely a precaution, it ensures honest discourse between the both of us as I too am subject to the zone's magics.  You may, or may not be surprised how many adventurers would rather decline and see their way out of The Crown versus accepting the magics and answering our questions truthfully.  The man explains as he pulls out a piece of card stock.

The first question I would ask of you is this.  You are on an expedition funded by our mutual benefactor.  While on your watch making a patrol of the perimeter of the encampment within the ruins you have traveled to you come upon a cache of gold and magic items.  If you were to help yourself to the sudden largess neither your party members nor our benefactor would know that there is treasure and magic to which they are owed a share.  What would you do?"  He asks simply.

In reply to Dolor et Gloria (msg # 3):

"I would bring it to the attention of those I travel with."  Then, feeling the nagging compulsion of the magic, urging and enforcing truthfulness, Kane continues, ticking points off on his fingers.

"First, I have always traveled lightly.  A burden of ill-gotten gains to be borne at an inconvenient time could be lethal.  Better to let those with better muscles than me handle this, and split things fairly with the benefactor and those in my group afterwards.  Second, if this was somehow not an issue, I would still tend to keep things fairly distributed.  What if it was someone else in our group that had tumbled into sudden wealth and kept it secret?  If I would expect certain behavior from others, I ought to expect it of myself.  And lastly, what if this largess was a trap?  To launch myself at it and claim it for myself without having it properly examined could be fatal in of itself."

Equal parts self-preservation, wisdom, and a desire for honest dealings.  Complicated motivations, but each one is enough to suggest that Kane is basically honorable.

The man writes down a note on the card before he asks his next question.  Pulling out an illuminated piece of vellum he sets it down in front of Kane.  "You happen upon the vault door to an abandoned Dwarven temple to Abadar.  The metal of the locking mechanisms have long since rusted and fused together making the only way to get into the treasure room being to destroy the door.   Upon the destruction of the door, you find that in addition to several thousand gold pieces in deposited treasure a Fruminious Bandersnatch has burrowed its way into the vault from behind and taken up residence in the cozy room.  What do you do?  The man asks giving the man time to read up about the Bandersnatch and its abilities as reported by The Pathfinder Society.

_{The Bandersnatch!
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti...ndersnatch-frumious/}
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:49, Wed 01 Dec 2021.

In reply to Dolor et Gloria (msg # 5):

Kane picks up the card and studies it carefully.  As he does so, he mumbles under his breath, working out the various strategies one of the Wise might employ.

Direct head to head combat would be suicide, the confusion magic laden glare of this thing would befuddle one and even if the odds were even, that would tip the scales to suicide.

Staying at range and duking it out might be doable, but over thirty feet that would be well beyond the range of a kusarigama's chain.  Arcane combat with a foe of this size would need to be very short, and this thing is noted for having fast healing and a very hardy constitution, plus a startling ability to recover from crippling effects.

Setting up some battlefield control and keeping the thing penned in while consuming the oxygen in the room with oil and fire would take awhile, and there's a hidden exit somewhere that it used to burrow its way in in the first place.  Chancy, and probably a losing strategy given how big and strong this thing is.

"...might as well try to fight a hoary old God..." he concludes before looking at the man, eye to eye.  "An apex predator would be keen to attack if we were to flee for our lives at top speed.  Facing it while retreating slowly, as to not provoke that reflex, would be the best move.  If it bounds out of the blasted remains of its lair to come after us, it would be a matter for Expeditious Retreat.  To be faster than those who are running with me, so if someone is to get killed and eaten, it would not be myself.  If a pursuit it becomes, the nearest fortified city would be a fine place to take a stand.  In the open, it would have all the advantages.  At a city, the local military contingent would be pissed to have to fend something like this off, but better that than getting eaten.  Reparations would have to be made, but again, better fate than death."

And he is quiet for a long moment, "Death benefits for those who fell, obviously, and if the coin is available, the services of the cleric profession could be employed to return the fallen to life.  If not, well, adventuring is a risky business."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:39, Wed 01 Dec 2021.

(sorry, things have been, hectic)

The examiner nods as he writes notes for the answer given.   "Now, as you may have been informed, our mutual benefactor has come into some information, information that can lead to lost magics, knowledge, and treasures that have not seen the light of day since the golden age of the old Empire.  If you are chosen discretion will not only be advised but will need to be enforced.  Can you be trusted to keep the source of your wealth and your actions close to the chest until given permission to advertise your exploits?

In reply to Dolor et Gloria (msg # 7):

Kane answers without giving more than a moment to consider the question.  "Yes."

The examiner nods as he writes his final note down.  "Thank you very much for your time, enjoy the rest of your day and the hospitality of The Crown. A determination will be made later today and you will be informed of your success of failure." He says in a clear yet polite dismissal.

In reply to Dolor et Gloria (msg # 9):

Kane does not so much as say a word.  Nothing more need be said after all.  So he just gives a small but firm nod and then turns and heads out of the range of the enforced truth spell.  As he exits, the boundary energies washing over him, Kane shivers.

Rejoining the comfort of the main hall...

Continuation to be posed in the main thread.