Does death of mage break Enslave?

[mr beer]

Per title. Mage has cast Enslave on someone. Mage is now dead but might get better since the party plans to resurrect them. Does the Enslave persist? I initially thought it wouldn't but can't find canon on it so I'm thinking it's permanent until dispelled...but irrelevent while the mage is breathingly challenged.

[jeff_wilson]

Dead wizards can't concentrate, cast, or maintain spells. If the spell doesn't require these, and doesn't have a pertinent condition in its description, it should continue to work.

[GodBeastX]

Pretty sure it'd persist until upkeep is required. AKA, if it lasts a minute, then requires maintaining, that's when it'd likely fail.

[SCAR]

The Enslave spell is Permanent, so in principle it is unaffected by the death of the mage who cast it.

However, since this spell effectively creates a 'magical' link between the subject and the caster, as a GM I might be inclined to say that the death of the caster breaks that link, so if the caster is brought back to life, they would need to find the subject and recast the Enslave.

Such choices may well come down to the metaphysical setup of the setting and GMs decision. - Consider, if the caster of an Enslave spell succeeds in turning themselves into a Lich, would their 'death' end the spell?

[The Wrathchild]

IIRC, Enslave is a Permanent spell. In all things but the relation to the caster, the target remains normal, though, so death of the caster ends any influence, exept last orders if not fulfilled. The ressurection of the caster would reinstate control.

edit: Ach -Ninja'd.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by The Wrathchild

IIRC, Enslave is a Permanent spell. In all things but the relation to the caster, the target remains normal, though, so death of the caster ends any influence, exept last orders if not fulfilled. The ressurection of the caster would reinstate control.

This all sounds right. The Enslave spell, being Permanent, doesn't go away just because the caster is no longer around. The subject won't be getting any new orders, but standing orders should continue to be obeyed.

[malloyd]

I think it's that mental link, which is explicit in the spell description and also explicitly contradicts the other part of the description that it's like Charm except permanent, which is the problem. If it weren't there, it would be fairly obvious the caster's death doesn't matter.

I might well rule the mental link breaks but the subject remains charmed. Since written orders work for Charm, it seems to me that an Enslaved character could even get new orders long after the caster's death. Suppose they were in the mail when he died and fell into one of those lost mail found decades later events that seem to happen occasionally.

[mr beer]

OK cool, thanks for responses all. Looks like the consensus is that by a straight reading of the rules, Enslave is Permanent and therefore simply persists post death but there is room for some creative interpretation there.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by malloyd

I think it's that mental link, which is explicit in the spell description and also explicitly contradicts the other part of the description that it's like Charm except permanent, which is the problem. If it weren't there, it would be fairly obvious the caster's death doesn't matter.

I might well rule the mental link breaks but the subject remains charmed.

I'd be OK with that ruling. I'd go so far as to suggest just removing the mental link and the Telepathy prereq while keeping everything else the same.

Since written orders work for Charm, it seems to me that an Enslaved character could even get new orders long after the caster's death. Suppose they were in the mail when he died and fell into one of those lost mail found decades later events that seem to happen occasionally.

I have assumed that written orders must be presented by the caster, if not necessarily written in front of the subject. Otherwise, what prevents any random forger from usurping control? I think that clause is just there in case something prohibits verbal communication, like the caster having laryngitis or the subject being deaf.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Not another shrubbery

Otherwise, what prevents any random forger from usurping control?

I'd assume that Charm just gives someone the Reprogrammable disadvantage, and it's up to the charmer to decide what represents an acceptable means of giving orders. This does introduce the possibility of it going wrong by the charmee being either overly trusting or overly skeptical, but that's why you add the mind link.