"If you are going to compel honesty then it needs to end when the hearing is done, so he is not handicapped while amongst his neighbors who can choose to lie."
"I see your point. I will cast the spell such that this will not become a problem."
Lares takes Izil to his laboratory again, with enough Arab escorts to overpower him if necessary, and lifelink sponts The Penitent’s Confession: R: Eye, D: Conc, T: Ind, Level 30 ( ReMe, True Lineages 73). It says it only works for "the magus'" questioning. I interpret this such that it only works between the caster and the target, so it should not cause problems with neighbours or whatever. This is how Lares casts it, in any case.
"Stand still and quiet."
ReMe for honest grog : 3 sta + 7 me + 10 rego + 8 aura +2 loud & exaggerated = 30, /2 is 15
He should take a maximum of 3 fatigue, in other words.
Lares then casts his Moon-duration Maintaining spell on the spell, as well. This means Lares can get honest answers from him about any stuff for a month.
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Izil realizes what you intend when you step up close and avoids your gaze.
Lares casts it at touch range instead. If he makes it too hard by struggling against his escort, Lares first puts him to sleep with his formulaic Call to Slumber and only then casts the Penitent's Confession at touch range. Then the Moon-duration Maintaining spell. Then he rests before continue the interrogation.
As you cast spontaneously on the resisting man:
I rolled a 0, rolled two botch dice which came up 0 and one.
The spell is accidentally reversed, compelling the man to lie whenever you ask him a question.
Do you still want to extend it to moon duration, or drop and try again? Also yes you took three fatigue levels...
Balls. Drop it, have them take him away for a while, rest, try again.
The next time (roll 18) you do exceptionally well and only take a single fatigue.
He is then hauled before the council again, which looks impatient.
"Apologies for the delay. This is complicated magic."
Lares turns to Izil, and continues cordially.
"So, Izil. Tell me what happened to Argentius on the expedition."
"He was stabbed by spears."
Lares grimaces ever so slightly.
"Where? Who stabbed him? Why? What was everyone doing right before the stabbing?"
"At the oasis, the five of us, it was the plan Barshako came up with, we were standing around while Barshako spoke with Argentius."
"What was Barshako's plan, in its entirety?"
"She hoped to convince the Sudanese to help us overthrow the magi and claim the covenant site for the Berber people. If that succeeded then they would kill Argentius and we would join with them in liberating out friends and families. If it failed we would kill Argentius and claim he had stayed with Barshako and the Sudanese, eventually laying blame for his death with the Sudanese so they would be forced into a war that would weaken the magi."
Lares sits back in his chair and growls.
"By His tasty groats!"
He rubs his temples.
"And what did the Sudanese make of this plan?"
"I didn't follow the whole discussion, but they seemed to feel it was none of their business. I doubt they were told the second part."
"Did she reveal the location of the covenant? Why did the five of you return to the covenant? Where did Barshako go?"
"She revealed it in general, but told them they would need a guide through the mountains. We returned because our families are here and we would not abandon them. She said she was going back to her people."
"Those were all of my questions for now. Do other members of the council have anything they wish me to ask?"
"Was Barshako controlling them?" One of the members asks.
Lares relays the question. Inwardly, he is sad that they asked.