"One of us is very deeply confused, and I wish to eternity that I was sure it was you, but let's set aside that topic for later.  Try saying out loud that there's a ninety-nine percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold, then saying there's a one percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold."

Keltham has been trying to think quickly about lie detection.  If one tries taking all appearances at face value, some of the things he believes are in conflict with each other, meaning he needs to keep track of separate lines of possibility.

Possibility 1:  Keltham actually did summon a completely unknown god to Golarion and its first-circle spells can do things that are not possible in this world at all... no, it's not that, Clarissa said there was such a thing as a Zone of Truth spell.

So:  Truthtelling spells are known.  They should be incredibly useful.  If they're first-circle cleric spells, they should be in first-circle cleric books.  This whole planet does not look like a whole planet should, if it is very easy for people on that whole planet to trust each other - even if it requires paying a cleric - maybe the clerics themselves are just not trustworthy?

Or the spell is very easy to fool.  Like by using Clarissa's illusion spell to fake that symbol even if it doesn't go up or disappears.

Or they're lying to him about what the spell really does, because it would be very useful to criminal!mastermind!Cheliax if Keltham believes he has an unstoppable truth-compelling spell, while actually it just inclines people to slightly more honesty or even does some entirely separate thing they don't want him to know.

"One of us is very deeply confused, and I wish to eternity that I was sure it was you, but let's set aside that topic for later.  Try saying out loud that there's a ninety-nine percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold, then saying there's a one percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold."

Keltham has been trying to think quickly about lie detection.  If one tries taking all appearances at face value, some of the things he believes are in conflict with each other, meaning he needs to keep track of separate lines of possibility.

Branch 1:  Keltham actually did summon a completely unknown god to Golarion and its first-circle spells can do things that are were not previously possible... no, it's not that, Clarissa said there was such a thing as a Zone of Truth spell.

So, branch 2:  Truthtelling spells are known.  They should be incredibly useful.  If they're first-circle cleric spells, they should be in first-circle cleric books.  This whole planet does not look like a whole planet should, if it is very easy for people on that whole planet to trust each other - even if it requires paying a cleric, it should still have a huge effect.

Branch 2.1, maybe the clerics themselves are just not trustworthy?

Branch 2.2, the spell is very easy to fool.  Like by using Clarissa's illusion spell to fake that symbol even if it doesn't go up or disappears.

Branch 2.3, they're lying to him about what the spell really does, because it would be very useful to criminal!mastermind!Cheliax if Keltham believes he has an unstoppable truth-compelling spell, while actually it just inclines people to slightly more honesty or even does some entirely separate thing they don't want him to know.

Branch 2.4, the spell works perfectly and unstoppably and Keltham is wrong about what effects a truth spell should have on a society.

"One of us is very deeply confused, and I wish to eternity that I was sure it was you, but let's set aside that topic for later.  Try saying out loud that there's a ninety-nine percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold, then saying there's a one percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold."

Keltham has been trying to think quickly about lie detection.  If one tries taking all appearances at face value, some of the things he believes are in conflict with each other, meaning he needs to keep track of separate lines of possibility.

Branch 1:  Keltham actually did summon a completely unknown god to Golarion and its first-circle spells can do things that are were not previously possible... no, it's not that, Carissa said there was such a thing as a Zone of Truth spell.

So, branch 2:  Truthtelling spells are known.  They should be incredibly useful.  If they're first-circle cleric spells, they should be in first-circle cleric books.  This whole planet does not look like a whole planet should, if it is very easy for people on that whole planet to trust each other - even if it requires paying a cleric, it should still have a huge effect.

Branch 2.1, maybe the clerics themselves are just not trustworthy?

Branch 2.2, the spell is very easy to fool.  Like by using Carissa's illusion spell to fake that symbol even if it doesn't go up or disappears.

Branch 2.3, they're lying to him about what the spell really does, because it would be very useful to criminal!mastermind!Cheliax if Keltham believes he has an unstoppable truth-compelling spell, while actually it just inclines people to slightly more honesty or even does some entirely separate thing they don't want him to know.

Branch 2.4, the spell works perfectly and unstoppably and Keltham is wrong about what effects a truth spell should have on a society.

"One of us is very deeply confused, and I wish to eternity that I was sure it was you, but let's set aside that topic for later.  Try saying out loud that there's a ninety-nine percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold, then saying there's a one percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold."

Keltham has been trying to think quickly about lie detection.  If one tries taking all appearances at face value, some of the things he believes are in conflict with each other, meaning he needs to keep track of separate lines of possibility.

Branch 1:  Keltham actually did summon a completely unknown god to Golarion and its first-circle spells can do things that are were not previously possible... no, it's not that, Carissa said there was such a thing as a Zone of Truth spell.

So, branch 2:  Truthtelling spells are known.  They should be incredibly useful.  If they're first-circle cleric spells, they should be in first-circle cleric books.  This whole planet does not look like a whole planet should, if it is very easy for people on that whole planet to trust each other - even if it requires paying a cleric, it should still have a huge effect.

Branch 2.1, maybe the clerics themselves are just not trustworthy?

Branch 2.2, the spell is very easy to fool.  Like by using Carissa's illusion spell to fake that symbol, even if it doesn't go up or disappears.  Depending on what kind of illusion-piercing utilities exist, and how much those cost, and whether you can counter illusion-piercing by paying even larger costs.

Branch 2.3, they're lying to him about what the spell really does, because it would be very useful to criminal!mastermind!Cheliax if Keltham believes he has an unstoppable truth-compelling spell, while actually it just inclines people to slightly more honesty or even does some entirely separate thing they don't want him to know.

Branch 2.4, the spell works perfectly and unstoppably and Keltham is wrong about what effects a truth spell should have on a society.

"One of us is very deeply confused, and I wish to eternity that I was sure it was you, but let's set aside that topic for later.  Try saying out loud that there's a ninety-nine percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold, then saying there's a one percent probability your shoe is worth twenty thousand gold."

Keltham has been trying to think quickly about lie detection.  If one tries taking all appearances at face value, some of the things he believes are in conflict with each other, meaning he needs to keep track of separate lines of possibility.

Branch 1:  Keltham actually did summon a completely unknown god to Golarion and its first-circle spells can do things that were not previously possible... no, it's not that, Carissa said there was such a thing as a Zone of Truth spell.

So, branch 2:  Truthtelling spells are known.  They should be incredibly useful.  If they're first-circle cleric spells, they should be in first-circle cleric books.  This whole planet does not look like a whole planet should, if it is very easy for people on that whole planet to trust each other - even if it requires paying a cleric, it should still have a huge effect.

Branch 2.1, maybe the clerics themselves are just not trustworthy?

Branch 2.2, the spell is very easy to fool.  Like by using Carissa's illusion spell to fake that symbol, even if it doesn't go up or disappears.  Depending on what kind of illusion-piercing utilities exist, and how much those cost, and whether you can counter illusion-piercing by paying even larger costs.

Branch 2.3, they're lying to him about what the spell really does, because it would be very useful to criminal!mastermind!Cheliax if Keltham believes he has an unstoppable truth-compelling spell, while actually it just inclines people to slightly more honesty or even does some entirely separate thing they don't want him to know.

Branch 2.4, the spell works perfectly and unstoppably and Keltham is wrong about what effects a truth spell should have on a society.