Incompleteable Geas

[Three_Haligonians]

Okay, so characters who have a Geas on them take damage and risk being sickened everyday they don't work towards accomplishing their task. What happens if they discover their task is impossible to complete?

For example, if a character had Geas cast on them and was told to bring back an apple from the last apple tree in the world, and then later found out that the last apple tree was disintegrated 8 months ago, what would happen? Would the character still take the damage from the spell, because they can no longer work towards getting that apple? Or would the spell be lifted?

If the character still takes the effects of the spell, then could someone cast a Geas on someone when they knew the task was impossible to complete?

Thanks,

R from Three Haligonians

 

[Starglim]

Some possibilities:

1) The victim would be required to get an apple seed, plant an apple tree and tend it until it produced an apple.
2) The spell would fail, because the geas is nonsensical and cannot be obeyed.
3) The second clause of the spell would kick in:

If the instructions involve some open-ended task that the recipient cannot complete through his own actions the spell remains in effect for a maximum of one day per caster level.

 

[Three_Haligonians]

Oh, cool, good quote! What's the SRD?


R from Three Haligonians

 

[Dakkareth]

The System Reference Document is a comprehensive toolbox consisting of rules, races, classes, feats, skills, various systems, spells, magic items, and monsters compatible with the d20 System version of Dungeons & Dragons and various other roleplaying games from Wizards of the Coast. You may consider this material Open Game Content under the Open Game License, and may use modify, and distribute it.

In short, it's the free(OGC), light, rules-only version of DnD, available online here as rtfs (official) or here in html form (unofficial). As you can freely quote it everywhere and can use search functions on it, it's very useful for quick rules references.

 

[Zappo]

Suppose that a task is not open ended, and the character can complete it through his own actions. However, the task will take years to complete. In this case, the second clause would not kick in, right? So a geas could potentially last for a very long (though not infinite) time. Is this correct?

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

As a DM, I would look at how the geas would constrain the character's actions. A geas can be like a long-term charm person -- no fun for the player if he has to spend an entire campaign operating under its restrictions.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Suppose that a task is not open ended, and the character can complete it through his own actions. However, the task will take years to complete. In this case, the second clause would not kick in, right? So a geas could potentially last for a very long (though not infinite) time. Is this correct?

"Go to the westernmost part of the world and stay there until your beard is 10 foot long."



AR

 

[Umbran]

"Go to the westernmost part of the world and stay there until your beard is 10 foot long."

If the world is round, this is open ended, as no "westernmost" part exists.

 

[CRGreathouse]

If the world is round, this is open ended, as no "westernmost" part exists.

Who says it's round?

 

[Umbran]

Who says it's round?

That's why I said "If...", instead of "Since..."