I am planning just a little down the road to use a Geas spell as a plot device. I plan to have the players hooked hard by the time this occurs, but am going to add it in as more of a story layer than anything, to ensure they understand the exact level of immediacy I am trying to convey. Rather than slap them with the "oh you're so destined", I want to sort of ensure they are exactly the right person at the right time, and hope this will reinforce a sense of fate without being heavy-handed, narratively speaking anyway.
What is Mr Skullhead's fate?
Using Geas/Quest on the party is pretty heavy handed. You are pretty much putting bomb collars on them. Depending on the situation that could still be okay narratively speaking, but be sure to note that whatever NPC does this to the party is almost certainly going to be an enemy of both the players and the characters forever.
In this case, the caster sees it as vitally necessary that someone completes this task. They want basically a guarantee, because they are completely incapable of completing the task themselves, or even going out and finding anyone else to do it. The NPC is going to basically be like "I am so terribly sorry...*Geas*"
I agree with Chaoseffect - players tend to loathe being led around or pushed in a certain direction. I'd recommend using the carrot rather than the (enchantment)-whip.
While we're on the topic, it's worth noting that Geas has a 10-minute casting time per target, so unless restrained the targeted character could simply leave the room to make the spell fail.
In this case, the caster sees it as vitally necessary that someone completes this task. They want basically a guarantee, because they are completely incapable of completing the task themselves, or even going out and finding anyone else to do it. The NPC is going to basically be like "I am so terribly sorry...*Geas*"
Geas has a 10 minute casting time... per person. So it's only going to happen if the party is captured or submits to it. With that in mind you may wish to consider striking a bargain with the PCs, complete with contract, and specify that the Geas will be there to see that they uphold their end. That's really the best option unless your PCs tend to be the forgiving type.
If you do this forcefully and the time sensitive task in question is not something the PCs would want to do anyway, beware they may subvert the orders or use exact wording to screw the NPC in question and make him regret his use of magical slave labor.
"Save the king from the assassination plot? Succeeded, Geas lifted. Now I cut off his crowned head, have the wizard teleport it back to the guy who Geas'd us, and we get our asses out of this throne room."
Hmm the 10 minute casting time could be a problem, but I could always use Lesser Geas which has a casting time of 1 round, or use Silent Spell to cast it in secret while the party encounters the room.
I couldn't see the players getting upset, they are not petty children and understand that bad things happen sometimes, but it makes for a great story. I could see their characters being upset :P, but that makes for great story too.
I couldn't see the players getting upset, they are not petty children and understand that bad things happen sometimes, but it makes for a great story. I could see their characters being upset :P, but that makes for great story too.
I didn't mean to imply that your players were petty children, but their characters? Oh man, being petty, spiteful, and shortsighted is just par for the course for the insanely powerful (and just the insane)... and that description fits most PCs I've met.
Ha my current PCs are all nice boys from a nice quiet town :P...except that one fellow. He's a corner case, though.
Ha my current PCs are all nice boys from a nice quiet town :P...except that one fellow. He's a corner case, though.
My group tended to be murder hobos (in character, great players though) in almost the purest sense, so my advice is slanted that way. There would be in-game blood, mass destruction, and chaos if anyone Geas'd them for "good," and then who knows what would happen once it actually wore off them...
Haha my players are like the opposite of murder hobos. I can't get them to kill anything unless they have a significant reason for it. Even then, they might hem and haw over whether they actually care enough to get involved.
Ha my current PCs are all nice boys from a nice quiet town :P...except that one fellow. He's a corner case, though.
Even nice people have their limits, and being Geas'd without any prior consent (regardless of the associated task) could very well be one of those things that makes you realize why you don't push the nice guy too far.
I agree with chaos that whatever NPC does this is probably gonna be an enemy of the PCs and players forever.