While the table is activated by the ring owner's Ring of Truth, the ring owner has +5 and advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks to determine whether someone is lying or not. Proficiency in Deception confers an additional +5 bonus. Mastery of Deception confers an additional +5 bonus, for a grand total of +15 if all conditions are met.
To use, an individual to be questioned must be subdued and secured to the table using the conveniently-located straps affixed to all sides, that buckle in flexible and re-arrangable ways, in order to more effectively prevent unexpected escapes. While secured by at least one strap, the ring owner may ask one question per combat turn, which the questioned individual must either answer (truthfully or dishonestly) or decline to answer. Declining to answer will deliver a psychic shock to the questioned individual, causing 1d10 psychic damage. The individual may attempt to save against this using DC 14 WIS, meaning they take only half damage, rounded down. Questioned individuals that are mentally shielded or naturally immune from psychic damage take no damage, and are not required to save.
It is possible but extremely difficult for a questioned individual to escape while undergoing questioning. Individuals having a STR of 15 or greater can save vs. grappling at STR DC 18, to break a limb free of its constraints (must declare which limb in advance of each attempt. Each limb freed in this manner reduces the STR save required for the next limb by -6.
However, each lie the questioned individual tells, while affixed by one or more straps to the table, will reduce their STR temporarily by -1, which they will recover after a short rest. If the questioned individual's STR falls below 15 during questioning, they can no longer attempt to escape, and must be freed either by their questioner's will, wait to recover during a short rest's break in questioning, wait for a rescuer, or by the tender mercy of their own death.
Asking questions is costly also. Each question asked by the ring owner costs them 1 HP. Once they fall below half of their maximum HP, the questioner must also make a DC 12 CON save against fatigue. On a failed save, the number of HP lost per question asked, regardless of answer, doubles.
Notes: Advantage: Insight, Bonus: Deception, Bonus: Deception, Bonus: Insight, Grappled, placing an attuned Ring of Truth on the Examiner's Spindle to couple the Answer Table to the owner of the ring
Comments