The Wizard's protective Geas

[hcobb]

There's no point attempting to cast a Geas on a guild member.

That's because they're already under a Geas to uphold the rules of the Guild so long as they are members.

[Skarg]

Of course it varies by specific guild chapter and wizard whether they all actually do and what the specific requirements and rules are, but yes, it's a good common sense defensive investment to have a defensive Geas to block others.

Some examples of varied requirements:

* Guild Chapter A actually does require that specific Geas on all members, and violations are punished by a fine and confinement until re-geas-ed.

* Chapter B requires such a Geas to be on anyone allowed to get past the foyer or public workshop areas of the guild hall.

* Chapter C requires such a Geas in certain areas of their guild hall (labs, stores, gate room).

* Chapter D requires that members at the guild hall have some non-problematic Geas on them, but is vague about what that Geas can be.

* Chapter E just has several members who fairly regularly attempt amusing Geases as a joke tradition and coincidental security measure, which happens to mean most members do end up with one Geas or another on them.

* Chapter F has devised even more clever Geases that result in other useful behaviors and features, and periodically switches them up to prevent others' taking advantage of learning what they are.

* Chapter G will just shame any wizard member found not to have a defensive Geas on them.

* Chapter H considers any Geas on a non-criminal as serious an offence as kidnapping, and relies on fear of retaliation as a defense against people trying to Geas its members.

* Chapter I is in a nation which has outlawed the Geas spell entirely, including being under a Geas. If people have a defensive Geas, they need to avoid having it detected.

* Chapter J has developed a "Detect Geas" enchantment and enchanted several guildhall doorways with it.

* Chapter K requires people coming to the guild house NOT to have a Geas, so troublemakers can be Geas'ed if something goes wrong.

Etc...

[hcobb]

You will want to put five levels of conceal on the wizard to keep him from being spotted by magic detection.

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by hcobb

You will want to put five levels of conceal on the wizard to keep him from being spotted by magic detection.

Yes, and to keep your non-regulation alternative "Do What My Wife Says" Geas concealed from people in Guild Chapter A...

[hcobb]

What happens if you have a Geas to resist all attempts to subvert your will and then you're hit by a Word of Command? Which takes effect?

[Skarg]

Perhaps I don't understand your question. I don't see a conflict between them.

The Geas would compel the subject to attempt the 5/IQ rolls to resist the Word, rather than opt to not bother, and if he made the 5/IQ roll and the Word qualified as an attempt to subvert the subject's will (i.e. not a friend trying to help the subject do what they wanted to do anyway), the Geas would compel the subject to additionally resist such attempts subjectively in their choice of actions.

If the 5/IQ roll to resist the Word were failed, of course, the Geas wouldn't have any additional effect because the Geas is satisfied by the attempt to resist. And you can't make a Geas that gives someone extra magic powers to resist spells - it just compels their choices about what they try to do.