Pool of Veracity

Communications device used by Lord Fear in Series 6-7, replacing his crystal ball of Series 5.


An image of the interlocutor would appear in the dark water of the Pool, allowing two-way conversation between them and Lord Fear, who could terminate this by sweeping his hand over the water. As seen via spyglass scenes and other cutaways, those who appeared in the Pool included Captain Nemanor, Greystagg, Grimaldine, Hordriss, Julius Scaramonger, Lissard, Raptor, Skarkill, Sylvester Hands and even Lord Fear himself after Team 5 of Series 6 spellcast SPLASH on him. Team 1 of Series 6 had the distinction of seeing their own dungeoneer in the Pool of Veracity when Lord Fear spied on Matt spying on him. The technosorcerer was once seen conversing with Count Brinkatore via the Pool, though the latter was neither seen nor heard.
The Pool of Veracity could also serve as a physical portal between Mount Fear and other parts of the Dungeon. Lord Fear demonstrated this by sending a stormgeist through the Pool at one time, and dipping his arm in at other times, allowing him to enlarge it and menace dungeoneers with a giant hand.

By the time Treguard attempted to keep up with the Joneses by installing his own viewing pool in the antechamber in Series 8, Lord Fear had abandoned his Pool of Veracity in favour of a huge technomagical screen. According to his diary entry entry for Gobsnobbin Day (See: Lord Fear's Diary), he then had to contend with his Atlantean seneschal stocking the Pool with fish, magically miniaturising himself and diving in to hunt them. Ironically, Lord Fear had jokingly suggested that Lissard jump into the Pool to fix its reception problems during Quest 2 of Series 7.
Veracity means truth and in this context could indicate the clearer insight that the pool gave Lord Fear. Its antonym is mendacity, as in Mendacity Engine.The villain in Series 3 of El Rescate del Talismán, Spain's version of Knightmare, had a large smoky pool in front of his throne that may well have had similar properties to the Pool of Veracity. Then again, given some of the eccentricities of the programme, it could have been a Jacuzzi for him and his henchman.

[Previous version: 2011-10-29 12:19:08]

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