Geas: Difference between revisions

{{Era|Forerunner}}

{{quote|[[Installation 04|This ring]] contains significant dangers, and even with [[human|your]] [[Reclaimer|assumed legacy]], I must verify the presence and pitch of your geas before allowing full access.|[[343 Guilty Spark]] in a transmission to the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''' - ''Terminal 1''</ref>}}

'''Geas''' (pronounced ''geash'')<ref>'''[[Halo: Rebirth]]'''</ref>, also called '''genesong'''<ref name="reclaimer"/>, was a [[Forerunner]] term<ref group="note">In ''Halo: Cryptum'' and ''Halo: Primordium'', it is noted that most terms and phrases are translated to "localized" analogues in order to be intelligible to the reader. The word [[Wiktionary:Geas|"geas"]] comes from a Scottish Welsh corruption of the Old Irish word [[Wiktionary:Geis#Irish|"geis"]], which can mean "curse", "spell", or "command", which closely reflects the ''Halo'' universe definition of the term, but was most likely not the original term used by the Forerunners.</ref> that referred to a genetic command imposed on an organism or species. Under the influence of a geas, an organism could be given a set of subconscious orders that would either be specific to that organism, or passed on to their children, in some cases lasting several generations. Only highly skilled Forerunner [[Lifeworker]]s, such as the [[Librarian]], were capable of creating a geas. Forerunner students of the [[Mantle]] also hypothesized that the [[Precursor]]s may have imposed a geas on the Forerunners themselves.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 49''</ref>

During her stewardship of [[Earth]] and [[human]]ity, the [[Librarian]] imposed a geas upon various humans at birth; they later recalled the experience as her physically visiting them, but in reality she used an automated imprinting system of "beacons" to broadcast the geas remotely.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 374''</ref> Humans who were part of the Librarian's "special population" on Earth were used as living archives,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 45''</ref> with their geas containing extracted memories and personalities of their ancestors who had fought in the [[Human-Forerunner War]]. These memories required specific triggers in order to awaken within the carrier individual; for example, the ancestral memories of [[Chakas]] and [[Riser]] surfaced after they traveled to [[Charum Hakkor]], once the heart of the [[Prehistoric human civilization|human empire]].<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 121''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 341''</ref> Once active, an archived personality—or "essence"—could effectively exist as a fully aware consciousness alongside the carrier's own mind, even temporarily take control of their physical body.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 226''</ref> The memories of the archived individual often manifested themselves in the carrier's dreams,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 128-129''</ref> and encompassed specific knowledge the archived individual may have had on subjects such as physics, engineering and mathematics.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 44''</ref>

The geas she imposed on various humans played a crucial part in the Librarian's elaborate plan to reunite with her husband, the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]]. Riser's ancestors were imprinted with a drive to pass the defenses surrounding the Didact's [[Cryptum]] in the [[Djamonkin Crater]] and create a safe path through the various traps that surrounded it. Riser himself was instructed by his geas to seek out young [[Human|ha''manush'']] and find them work; this resulted in him meeting and befriending a ha''manune'' known as [[Chakas]].<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 55''</ref> Both also began to have dreams of a young Forerunner visiting them in search of treasure,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 31-32''</ref> which soon became a reality as a [[Manipular]] called [[Bornstellar Makes Eternal Lasting]], who had been manipulated by an [[ancilla]] secretly assigned to him by the Librarian, came to enlist the humans' guidance in finding [[Precursor]] relics. Chakas and Riser led the Manipular to the Djamonkin Crater, where the sight of the Didact's Cryptum triggered pre-programmed songs which served as verbal codes to activate the Cryptum.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 55''</ref>

On [[Installation 07]], the [[Tudejsa|transplanted human populations]] were given a geas through a similar imprinting system. For example, in the event of encountering a strange visitor, humans were programmed to bring such curiosities to Lifeworker outposts for evaluation.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 183''</ref> New or altered orders could also be triggered remotely via the beacons that transmitted the signal across the installation. Such an event occurred after the [[Primordial]] and [[Mendicant Bias]] seized full control of operations on the Halo; all humans born on the installation were given instructions to seek out research stations, known to the humans themselves as "[[Palace of Pain|Palaces of Pain]]".<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 184''</ref> Such a need to travel would manifest itself in many ways, including a seemingly innate knowledge of where to go in the event of trouble,<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 74''</ref> pleasing mental images of the destination, such as safety, home, food, water, or shelter, as well as a voice in one's head telling them where to go.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''pages 244, 276''</ref> Ignoring the influence of a geas took remarkable willpower, to the point that resisting it was nearly impossible even with the conscious knowledge that following it may be harmful, as demonstrated by [[Vinnevra]]'s struggle to avoid her geas-induced urge to travel to a "Palace of Pain".<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 284''</ref>

The Librarian also imposed a broader geas on the entire human race, which has affected them a great deal throughout their history following the activation of the [[Halo Array]]. The geas includes, among other things, a familiarity with Forerunner technology and control interfaces,<ref>'''Halo: The Flood''', ''pages 84, 146, 170''</ref><ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 142''</ref> as well as subconscious instructions on how to gradually achieve more sophisticated technology, including [[smart AI]]s and [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR armor]].<ref name="reclaimer">'''Halo 4''', campaign level ''[[Reclaimer (level)|Reclaimer]]''</ref> In addition, as a result of the Librarian's influence on humans, the basic image of what humans view as an ideal female is based upon the Librarian.<ref>'''Halo: Primordium''', ''page 375''</ref> Some of the features of the geas are carefully hidden and will only be activated by the right triggers, such as a latent immunity to the effects of the [[Composer]]. On [[Requiem]], a personality imprint of the Librarian activated [[John-117]]'s Composer immunity in order to allow him to defeat the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]], who planned to use the Composer to imprison all of humanity into digital form. It was indicated she did more than this, saying she was going to advance his evolution by activating his geas, telling him she'd left humanity many gifts, of which the Composer immunity was only one.<ref name="reclaimer"/>

**''[[Terminal/Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary|Terminals]]''

*''[[Halo: Rebirth]]''

==Notes==

<references group="note"/>