(You saw Jack cast Zone of Truth, and recognize it for its effect on you. As BoboBoombang said, you can willingly submit to the spell, or make a CHA save to fight it (Jack will know if you succeed on the save), or you can carefully phrase your answers to avoid telling any lies.

As for Bommie hustling you to the training dojo, I probably should have made a longer explanation. Since the attackers are targeting your group specifically (for reasons unknown), if your party tried to help out more, the scattered enemies would all converge on your position and concentrate their attacks on you. That would make things a lot easier on the Watchful Guild, but would be overwhelmingly deadly for your party. She wants time to prune down the number of enemies, which is why she asked for your party to go to a safer and more hidden spot for now.)

(Reverie will check on Jack with her insight check owo)

Insight, on Jack - 22

( YES! )

(Trimyrai will only insight jack because he is proficient in arcana so trim would have at least a basic understanding of the spell)

Insight: 20

(Am I not trusted? :( )

(based on my insight fails in earlier parts of the campaign i would say that Trimyrai trusts jack, but the fact that he used a truth spell makes trim a little uneasy)

(Reverie trusts Jack too but she wants to make sure... >.>)

(Also did we just get 2 20s in a row? Stop it! We need to save that for important stuff, like killing squirrels!)

(Reverie and Trim feel that Jack is telling the truth as he sees it, but perhaps with more conviction than he should.

By that, I mean he is mixing together things he knows for sure to be true, with things that he is guessing are true, with a pinch of stretching of the truth. You feel that he is trying to cast himself in a better light, and not trying to manipulate the rest of the party.)

Isk listens the Jack and smiles at the use of the truth spell, "I'm not here to hide anything, friend."

"I was, maybe still am, a scout in a holy army Heegoss. He was my commander, but also my patron, and with this powers I found my way to the front lines and many battles."

"Several months ago I was feeling the need for a little R and R. I had just returned from a long scouting mission and need some time in the quiet. The night before I was set to head off, I was grabbed. I know not by who, or for what purpose, but when I came back to my senses, I was in a cabin in the mountains, far from where I came, and under the care of a hermit I didn't know."

He pauses for a moment and laughs, "I needed to get away from it all, but hadn't anticipated getting quite so far away. Even more odd, I found my link to Heegoss was severed. I had boarded a boat to Nunkreet when we were attacked at sea, and the rest you know."

(OOC: I'll give time for Froskan, Reverie, and Trimyrai to share part of their backstories, if they wish. Or they should make a note that they chose not to, in which case I'll know not to wait.)

Jack uses this opportunity to peer into Isk’s soul to see if he consented or not.

Insight: 2

(I don’t think I did it)

Quote from BoboBoombang >>

Jack uses this opportunity to peer into Isk’s soul to see if he consented or not.

Insight: 8  (I don’t think I did it)

(Jack doesn't need Insight. He cast the spell, so he automatically knows if anyone in the field made their Save to resist the spell. Everything Isk said is the truth... or at least, not a blatant lie.)

Reverie smiles a bit. "Based on both of your stories, mine would be very boring then." She chuckles slightly, thinking deeply to choose the right words. "I am from the Forestgleam, known as the defenders of good and justice for generations... I was born as a noble one." A sigh. "I wanted to become a shieldmaiden ever since I was a child, so I learned how to fight by my teacher, sparring with my old friends as I learned about the history of my house. I was proud of being one of them." Reverie remains in silence for a moment.

"However, the leaders in my family disapproved of me being a shieldmaiden. They wanted me to become a proper noble lady, which I did not agree with it. Then, some overnight, my sparring partners became so distant from me and cold... I couldn't retort anything back at them... I felt... strangely alone at that time." A pause. "Though, there is the head housemaid who told me that the branch family of mine had settled in the wilds east of Nunkreet, and secretly arranged my trip, which was escort mission with Jack and Froskan." That's when she looks at Jack and then Froskan with a small smile. "But turns out it was not secretive anymore because I got a message from the elders of Forestgleam when I left. It was a short message: 'return only when you have tired of your willful disobedience.' I can never forget that message." Reverie smirks at the end. "Childish of me, isn't it?"

Trimyrai: (to the party) "You've set out what you wanted to do, everyone should respect that."... "Since everyone is telling their story its only fair that i share mine. I was keeping it to myself for a while now, to protect... i guess myself. I am not trying to be a master archer. i was originally, but eventually i gave up. I went home to see my family and friends. I did, but the night i returned to my home village i was kidnapped. When i woke up i was in a slave cage heading to the underdark. Some other would be slaves and I escaped our prison cells and tried to make it to the surface. I'm the only one who made it to the surface. I returned back to my village only to find it burned to the ground. I started my hunt for those that kidnapped me and burned down my village. I didn't know who was behind it all so i kept going around trying to be a master archer. Anyone who knew me would think everything was normal. I was hoping to not tip off my enemies with the ruse that i was still on my original quest. My investigation lead me to Nunkreet and the guild. the rest you know. I will continue to travel with you all, but i fully intend to go after those slavers, sooner or later. Preferably sooner, but i know i am not ready yet."

"My story is fairly boring as well," Froskan says.  "I was an outcast growing up due to being so different from everyone else," he waves a hand at himself, indicating his Dragonborn nature.  "Shunned by the other kids, I spent most of my time reading books instead, going on countless adventures to all corners of the world.  Then, about the time I hit puberty..." he raises a hand palm-up before him and a cold, blue flame appears, dancing in the air above the hand, "I noticed that strange things started happening when my emotions ran strong."  He gazes into the dancing flame for a few moments before continuing.  "I realized over time that my draconic bloodline had gifted me more than just my appearance.   I became even more isolated as I immersed myself in studies and practice, learning to use my newfound magic as best I could.  The only people I had regular contact with were the mentors I was able to find to help me in my training."  He gazes around at the others.  "Mercury, of course, was one of those.  Though not the only one.  There were many mystics scattered around the village if you could find them.  None of them were entirely reliable and my training was fairly random, but it was enough to let me master the basics at least.  Eventually, I realized I needed something more than random training from various non-always-entirely-sane mystics and figured Nunkreet would be a good place to start.   That's how I ended up with the caravan.

(Everyone is getting a DM Inspiration. This is the sunrise icon on your character sheet, between the speed and the hit points. These have no time limit, so spend when you think it would be interesting. If you fail a particularly important ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, you can spend this inspiration to re-roll (Advantage after the fact).

This is different from bard inspiration, which adds a die to your roll,)

(Questions: Did they consent, or no?)

(Also, Thanks!)

(They all consented, and their stories are allowed under the Zone of Truth.)

Jack claps. “Well, that was fun, no? Now we know a little more about each other. Does anyone have any questions for anyone?” He waits for any questions, then, after they are answered, will bring out the Journal from the crazy house. “Now, I have a theory. I may not be the smartest person, but the dead-become-life stuff on Mrs.Ogre Mom was in this. And we know for a fact that there are Devils after us, so... what if the Crazy Elf was a Devil In disguise?” He smirks at his own cleverness.

Quote from BoboBoombang >>

Jack claps. “Well, that was fun, no? Now we know a little more about each other. Does anyone have any questions for anyone?” He waits for any questions, then, after they are answered, will bring out the Journal from the crazy house. “Now, I have a theory. I may not be the smartest person, but the dead-become-life stuff on Mrs.Ogre Mom was in this. And we know for a fact that there are Devils after us, so... what if the Crazy Elf was a Devil In disguise?” He smirks at his own cleverness.

(Jack does not have the journal. It had to be turned in. Post 2066. But he did scribble down some notes from when he glanced through the journal.)

Jack checks his notes. Adram (crazy elf) had consulted with a priest/researcher, who provided some of the more dark and unethical rituals, mostly involving raising the undead or arcane transmuting the living. The creepy cleric was part of the Talona church. The guy's name isn't written down, but if the party hears it at some latter date, Jack will recognize it.