Ignoring a Geas

[Hypersmurf]

Can you simply ignore a Geas/Quest, and take the penalties? Or are you compelled to undertake the task?

Lesser Geas states "The geased creature must follow the given instructions until the geas is completed, no matter how long it takes."

It also says "If the subject is prevented from obeying the lesser geas for a whole day, he suffers a -2 penalty on each ability score."

As I read it, this means that ignoring the task is not an option - if you are capable of making any progress towards the completion of the task, you must. The penalties only apply if some outside force prevents you from obeying - if you were locked up, for example, you couldn't follow the Lesser Geas of "Travel to Silverymoon". If you weren't locked up, you'd start walking.

Geas/Quest is described as "As Lesser Geas".

It goes on to say that "Instead of suffering penalties to abilities, the subject takes 3d6 points of damage each day he does not attempt to follow the geas/quest".

I've seen it argued that this wording means you can elect to
"not attempt to follow". I disagree, but what do others think?

-Hyp.

 

[MythandLore]

I pretty sure you can ignore the geas/quest and take it curse-like effects.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I pretty sure you can ignore the geas/quest and take it curse-like effects.

Just Geas, or Lesser Geas as well?

-Hyp.

 

[MythandLore]

Just Geas, or Lesser Geas as well?

-Hyp.

Any of them.

 

[MythandLore]

You pretty much need to "take control" of someone via Domination, Charms, etc.
or
You try to make someone do something by threatening them via Geas, Quest, etc.

In the case of the second they can decide not to do something and instead face the consequences of their actions.

 

[Hecatæus]

I prefer SJG version of the Gesa, whereby the 'geas' refers to the characters' death. IE: you will die while bathing... thus avoid baths. etc.

THis is found in detail in their supplement Celtic Myth.

...and Yes I KNOW that GURPS is not d20, you silly munchkins. 8P

 

[Xahn'Tyr]

The geased creature must follow the given instructions

That indicates that he has no choice, and nowhere does it refute that. "Being prevented" from obeying is not the same thing as just deciding not to obey. Prevention requires outside agency, whereas decision is a purely internal affair.

 

[bensei]

The description in Lesser Geas appears to me clearly as 'no choice, one has to attempt to complete the task'. It's still something different than Dominate Person, since the caster cannot control the geased creature during his attempts to complete the task anymore.

It just would seem very odd to me, if Geas was of of totally different quality than Lesser Geas ('you have a choice if you want to follow the orders'). Of course stricly speaking the rules say something different, but my feeling is the upper thing was meant.

So what does a geased PC have to do? Isn't it like a new (extremely strong) trait of character (e.g. if the PC attempts to undertake an action which does not seem to work towards completing the task, he has to make a will save or something similar)?

 

[Hypersmurf]

You try to make someone do something by threatening them via Geas, Quest, etc.

In the case of the second they can decide not to do something and instead face the consequences of their actions.

So by your reading - if I Geas Freddy the Fighter to "Protect the princess from harm", and he ignores her completely and leaves her to her fate, then a full day later, he starts to suffer the effects, until a day after he resumes taking care of her.

But if instead, as soon as the wizard goes out of sight, he cuts the princess' throat... a day later, the princess is in no further danger, so he'd suffer no ill effects?

If the Geas was "Refrain from killing kobolds", Freddy could keep feeding them into his guillotine for a full day, then spend the next day rounding up more kobolds, careful not to kill any. At the end of the day, any ill effects go away... and he can start chopping heads off again for another day... then a day of rest...?

-Hyp.

 

[kreynolds]

Yes. The spell is not that powerful (I prefer Blade in the Soul from 2nd Edition) and you need to word your command carefully. A character's words are always up to interpretation.