Geas, pronounced "gesh", is a magical obligation, prohibition, or a taboo that a person possesses. This "Geas" can be considered as both a blessing and a trial at once. To some a Geas may be beneficial, allowing them to discover a part of his or herself that was previously dormant, while to others, a Geas is a trial that they must uphold in order to remain victorious. A Geas can also serve as a punishment. For instance, a Geas can be placed on a person for their disrespectful actions. In these cases he or she must uphold the Geas in order to learn a lesson.
Each Geas is individual and specific to the person it is placed upon. However, once a person has been granted a Geas it is their moral obligation to uphold the Geas for the remainder of their days. Many keep their Geas a secret because if a Geas was discovered by an enemy it could be used against them, which in turn can create an imbalance with nature and with magic. Such imbalances can result in dire consequences that range from catastrophic events to death.
It is possible for a person to have several Geas (Geasas) placed upon them during their lifetime, some of which may act against each other. In example, if a person has a Geas that says they must partake of the food served at every friend's home, and another Geas which states that they are prohibited from eating a certain type of food (which just happens to be the food being served at their friend's home), then there is no way for a person to remain true to each obligation. The Geasas then act against each other and a dire consequence will occur regardless of what the person does.
Typically Geas were only placed upon Sacred kings, Druids, and Heroes. Sacred kings were meant to uphold the obligations to their land without overstepping their bounds. Often a Druid would place a Geas upon the king to insure this did not occur. Druids also placed Geasas upon each other and upon criminals who disrespected the balance of nature, and in some instances a Geas could be placed upon a child by his or her parent at birth.
In summation, a Geas can be thought of as an "Achilles’ heel" to some, and a reward beyond measure to those who's Geas allows them to reach out and help other people. Some consider a Geas to be a curse, I would like to point out that even when placed on a criminal its purpose is to ensure the criminal learns something and hopefully becomes a better person for it. Between Druids it is often regarded as a blessing which reminds them of their more sacred duties to the path, community, and one another. Whichever the case, a Geas is not to be taken lightly and is not to be used against another to serve their greater purpose.
Elder Laneigh