Meh. Maybe we won't.

[Corinth]

Any DM that puts a Geas on me so I will go on his adventure is railroading, I would get up and walk out of the game, and not come back.

Your reaction seems extreme to me. The DM didn't place you under a geas spell; the NPC placed your PC under a geas spell. Unless you're playing yourself, this isn't a reasonable default response.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Read the post he quoted.

If a DM forces a Geas with no save, then no he is not 'over reacting'. For that matter the person he is quoting said that his group would quit if that was tried.

The Auld Grump

 

[Felon]

He shrugs and goes to find a group more heroic/deserving. This lot of clowns obviously isn't up to the task.

Hero <> Sucker.

So, has anyone bothered to figure out a carrot/stick ratio for this thread yet?

 

[pogre]

I work really hard at plot hooks to interest my players, but sometimes I fail. I have a standing understanding with my players to try and help each other out. The players are there to play, I'm there to run the game. If I blow it on the motivation, but still manage to spew out a weak plot hook they usually are good sports and say, "let's go!"

That's my metagame answer.

The answer to the original query is the Big Guy had better explain why it is important to the PCs. Even if it is just to say you will do this or I will blow your house down. What he will say very much depends on the big guy's relationship with the PCs. If it is one of dominance, I think the answer to the question is clear - beat them until they submit or die.

I cannot leave it at that without at least one more metagame comment though: It would never come to this in my game, because my players would pick up the slack in what I personally feel is a rather shallow hook.

 

[Corinth]

Read the post he quoted.

If a DM forces a Geas with no save, then no he is not 'over reacting'. For that matter the person he is quoting said that his group would quit if that was tried.

The Auld Grump

I did read the post. Before quitting, the wise thing to do is to say "Why did that NPC put our PCs under geas spells?" and let the DM explain. Assuming out of hand that it's out of ego or laziness is not wise; it's foolish. It's better to allow the DM to confirm or deny suspicions of that sort; if he confirms them, then you're justified in quitting and can do so with a free mind- but if he denies them, then you'd better think again about quitting because there's likely to be more going on than the PCs can readily perceive and figuring that mystery out is going to be a part of the adventure.

 

[KenM]

The second Neverwinter Knights expansion module, the end of the first major part, the "heroic wizard" you go into undermountin to find puts a geas on you to send you to the next part of the adventure. There is NOTHING you can do about it. I hate railroading like that. If I saw said NPC in the game again, I would have killed him. Putting a geas on players to send them though the adventure you have planned is a cop out.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I did read the post. Before quitting, the wise thing to do is to say "Why did that NPC put our PCs under geas spells?" and let the DM explain. Assuming out of hand that it's out of ego or laziness is not wise; it's foolish. It's better to allow the DM to confirm or deny suspicions of that sort; if he confirms them, then you're justified in quitting and can do so with a free mind- but if he denies them, then you'd better think again about quitting because there's likely to be more going on than the PCs can readily perceive and figuring that mystery out is going to be a part of the adventure.

No, the thing to ask is why weren't we allowed a save? There are rules, and a DM should follow them at least as scrupulously as the players. And yeah, there may be more going on than the players can perceive, like a lazy GM who wants a ride on the D&D express.

The Auld Grump

 

[Mark Hope]

The answer to the original query is the Big Guy had better explain why it is important to the PCs.

Given the lack of detail in the original query, this about sums it up for me. And I think that the majority of responses to the original query have one thing in common: most players prefer a plot with a little more depth than this.

 

[Quasqueton]

No, the thing to ask is why weren't we allowed a save? There are rules, and a DM should follow them at least as scrupulously as the players.

SRD:
Geas/Quest
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Language-Dependent, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 6, Clr 6, Sor/Wiz 6
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Target: One living creature
Saving Throw: None

Quasqueton

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Quasqueton

Whoops, caught me on that one. I was thinking of Lesser Geas, which does allow a Will save. Though with a 10 minute casting time and one PC per casting it is unlikely that the PCs will hold still long enough for them all to be affected. I think that the intent originally was to have Geas - Quest be voluntary most of the time.

Ah the difference between a 4th and a 6th level spell. It is within the rules, and is therefor acceptable, at least sometimes.

Though if the DM overused the schtick I would still be darned annoyed (Over use in this case means more than once or twice a campaign.) It cuts too close to the DM's friend charming the party every day.

The Auld Grump

*EDIT* Come to think of it, the only times I have ever used Geas-Quest in game has been with volunteers, who effectively dropped their saves anyway.