Geas

Enchantment/Charm [language-dependant, mind-affecting, psionic*]

• Level Magic-user 6

• Components V

• Casting Time 4 segments

• Range Touch

• Area of Effect One creature

• Duration See description (D)

• Save None

This spell compels the target to perform some requested service.

 A geas spell places a magical complusion on a creature to carry out some service or to refrain from some action or course of activity, as desired by the caster. The creature must be able to understand the geas (ie. must be able to speak or understand the language used by the caster). While a geas cannot compel a creature to kill itself or perform acts that would result in certain death, it can cause almost any other course of activity.

Duration. The creature must follow the given instructions until the geas is completed, no matter how long it takes.

Some geases are simply to refrain from a course of activity. In this case, the spell is permanent and and any direct or indirect action that violates the command (per the GM) will suffer consequences as if delaying an active geas.

If the instructions involve some open-ended task that the recipient cannot possibly complete through their own actions ("Bring me the moon!"), the spell remains in effect for a maximum of one day per caster level (in the "moon" example, the target would pursue astronomers and high level magic-users, etc. during this time).

Otherwise, if the target does not take direct actions to complete the geas (per the GM), they will suffer a cumulative -1 penalty to its Strength score for each 24 hours of delay. Once activity is begun again, the time period does not reset (and accumulate over time). Rest and maintenance activities (per the GM) are not considered delays. This penalty cannot be removed while the geas spell is in effect. If the creature's Strength score reaches 0, the creature dies. Any creature without a defined Strength score will suffer a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls for each 2 days of delay and will die after a period of 4d6+4 days if the geas is not completed.

The spell is not impacted by dispel magic effects and can only be removed by completing the geas and returning to the caster with proof, the caster ending the spell, a successful Wizard's Disjunction spell, or avatar-level wish-type magic. If the caster dies, the spell effect ends immediately.

Performance Rating Notes. Good casters using this spell on Good targets will gain a performance rating mark.