Hero's Geas
Hero's Geas
Dice Pool: None
Cost: None
Heroes and Gods are held to a greater standard. Because the simple lives of mortal men are no challenge to the enech of the entities of Legend, it is only appropriate that they accept greater restrictions and requirements to demonstrate their mindfulness, honor and perseverance. Thus, the greatest of Gods and heroes are laid with geasa, prohibitions against specific actions or requirements that a specific action must always be undertaken when the Scion or God is presented with the opportunity.
It is important to keep one’s geasa secret, for those who know them can use them as a weapon against the hero. The mighty Cúchulainn died by such cunning. When the crafty Queen Medb learned of his geasa against refusing hospitality and against eating the meat of a dog, she invited him to a meal of roasted hound, sealing his fate. He died by a spear-blow in his very next battle.
When a Scion purchases this power, he must immediately choose a single geas, either one that is general in nature or one appropriate to his divine parent. This is a Legendary Geas (see p. 17 for details on this Geas). For advice in choosing a geas, and the penalties for breaking them, see “Geasa,” pp. 16-20.
Additionally, any time the Scion purchases a Boon from a Purview other than his parent’s, he may choose to assume a geas appropriate to a God of the Tuatha associated with that Purview. Doing so allows him to purchase the geas as though it were from his divine parent. Breaking such a geas is a terrible choice, though, for not only does it have the normal penalties for breaking a geas, but it also denies the Scion the use of that Boon until his enech is restored.
