First, apologies if this gets double-posted... I find myself having to retype this question after something went wrong with the submit process.
Second, you have to read the subject line to the tune of the chorus from "Rock Me Amadeus."
Alright, so, as I mentioned in a previous thread about consciousness, I have a situation developing between my dungeon boss and the players. When he finally wakes up, the Goblin King (a 9th level sorcerer of the Fey bloodline) will find himself bound, gagged, at negative hitpoints, facing a party (APL 6) of adventurers who will want to know why he wanted a particular artifact so badly, and what is in the ruined castle to the North that he's so interested in.
Besides his Fleeting Glance power (5 rounds left for him today), the only trick he can use without being untied is Lesser Geas (verbal component only, so he can drop it as soon as they ungag him for interrogation). There's a really good chance that he could succeed at landing this on a PC, so I need to figure out the scope and limitations of this spell so that I know what I can justify to the players.
The spell "places a magical command on a creature to carry out some service or refrain from some action...", which is a pretty open-ended description, really. The spell description goes on to say that the "creature must follow the given instructions until the geas is completed," and that the instructions can "involve some open-ended task."
So what if that commanded service is "Do everything as I tell you"? Would the target then have to follow further verbal instructions ("Do not alert your friends. Do not harm me. Untie me. Give me a curative potion. Distract your friends as I leave.")? Or does it have to be more goal-oriented, like "Assist me to escape unharmed"? In which case would the character have to follow the caster's suggestions on how to assist with that (as above), or simply act in the spirit of the command as he or she sees fit?
If none of these are palatable (I understand that the GM messing with PC free-will can suck, but there's no reason this villain would pull his punches) are there any alternative ideas on how to command a geased PC to get his goblin butt out of there? Keep in mind, I don't know how the players will proceed; whether the main interrogator will take him aside to a private room to "chat" or just ungag him in front of the whole party.
For that matter, the spell is described as language-dependent, but it does not say that the target must be able to hear you. Would a third party only hear a verbal spell component, while the target receives the actual command? Would a spellcraft check reveal what the command was? This could obviously make a difference if all the party hears is some chanting, without realizing that one of the PCs have just received an irresistible command.
I think the instructions are to be given after the spell's successful termination (and the spell can be recognized as such - but the NPC might have access to the Complete Scoundrel and have taken the Conceal Spellcasting skill trick), and in a language the target understand. It doesn't have to be a language the other PC understand, though: if he can speak dwarvish and there is only one dwarf here and he succeeds in casting the spell on the dwarf, he can give the instructions without having the others understand them - except if they speak dwarvish themselves.
I think the instructions are to be somewhat concise (I would houserule that the caster has to express his will in one sentence, for instance, or in one breath, or in a 6-second time frame), but carefully worded. Remember what could happen if you formulate a Wish carelessly? It's the same thing here, since, as the spell's description says: "A clever recipient can subvert some instructions." I also think that it has to be goal-oriented, like some quest of old. The target has to "carry out some service", after all.
Telling the target PC to "Stay around and assist me escaping unharmed, in the next 24 hours, without telling your allies or alerting them in any way" might be enough (wish guidelines: setting a location, a time frame; escaping mission: setting a communication barrier). Let the player roleplay his Geased character, and give him experience if he succeeds in his NPC-given "mission". If he finds a way to cleverly subvert these instructions, kudos (and also experience) for him, and too bad for the NPC. But this type of instruction (mission) imply that the NPC will stay in the dark hoping that the PC will do his job.
If the instruction was "do anything I tell you as soon as I tell you, and stay quiet", it can be dangerous for the NPC, because it means he has to stay in contact with the character to give him further orders (and those can be detected by the other players). But if he is alone in a room with that player, it can be easier, making his escape more immediate (the NPC and the PC will probably make a party trying to escape, with the other PCs trying to prevent them). Interesting hooks, there, especially as the Geas will be evident.
2cp
Yes, good advice and food for thought. Doing a bit more reading, I've found a satisfactory description of a language-dependent effect which also indicates a spoken aspect. So, yes, the party might notice him chant something briefly before saying "Let me escape unharmed." or something of the like. Without the right skill checks, nobody would know for sure what just happened.
But the main problem is that I've confirmed that if he's in negative hitpoints when he does this, he'll pass out and begin dying again. Hopefully he can connive someone into letting him heal to positive, otherwise he'll just have to take his chances that his geased target (or the rest of the party still seeking information) will treat him.
Of course, if he can figure out a language that only one character speaks (probably Giant; they've got a Goliath), he can be a bit more explicit in his instructions.
And if he figures he's got no chance to live at all, he can always target the dual-wielding, crit-rolling ranger with "Kill all of your companions immediately." That should keep everyone busy for a little while. Say, does anyone know if the effect should end when the caster dies?
SwissArmyGnome wrote: Say, does anyone know if the effect should end when the caster dies? After browsing the PRD's Magic section, my answer is... I don't know. It should be added somewhere, though.
It takes a full round to cast lesser geas also.
Ferylis wrote: It takes a full round to cast lesser geas also. Ah, you're right, how did I miss that?
Well I guess that means my little twerp ain't going to get to use it until he's back to positive hitpoints.
One option I've considered is making him perform some other standard action (e.g. escape check), and go back to dying until the party decides to let him rot or heal him enough to talk.
Alternatively, if he stays asleep for 8 hours, natural healing will be enough to get him back to normal.
Quick question on the subject of Geas.
Would the victim of a geas know that they are compelled to carry out the task?
Say a fighter with no ranks in spellcraft was geased and failed his saving throw. Would he not still know that he was under the effect of a spell?
I know this may not be totally germane to the original post but I thought it kinda fit in here :p
Goblin thingie is smart?
Then pretend to be asleep until at least at positive HP. (bluff-skill)
and/or wriggle his way loose if detected (> damage > dieing hope-skill ^^)
As DM: I would simply not let the goblin wake until he was at least at 1 HP. His body is recovering, and he is in a coma-like, unconscious state, no?
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