Geas*

By means of this spell the caster compels a living creature to perform some specific action or services, or alternately to avoid performing some action. The target creature must be able to hear and understand the caster, or it cannot be affected. This spell will automatically fail if used to compel a creature to engage in some obviously self-destructive action. A saving throw vs. Spells will allow an unwilling target to resist a geas when it is first cast. However, the target may choose to accept the geas, typically as part of a bargain with the caster for some service. Once subjected to this spell the subject must obey the instructions given by the caster indefinitely, though if the geas is to perform some action the spell effectively ends when that action has been completed. For every 24 hours that the subject chooses not to obey the geas (or is prevented from obeying it), it suffers a penalty of -2 to each of its ability scores, up to a maximum penalty of -8. No ability score can be reduced to less than 3 by this effect. If the subject resumes obeying the geas, all such penalties are removed after 24 hours. If the task assigned to the subject of this spell is open- ended or otherwise unable to be completed, the subject is still compelled to try to perform the task, but the spell will end in no more than one day per caster level. Very clever creatures may be able to subvert the instructions given; the GM must decide on the results of any such attempts. This spell (and all effects thereof) can be ended by a remove curse spell from a caster of a higher level than the caster of the geas, or by a wish, or by the reverse of this spell. Dispel magic does not affect a geas spell.