Red Geis

The Red Geis is a geis that seems to have originated in or near Ludelt, and is today fairly commonly used among the resistance elements in Dadauar. It has the advantage that its demand, while limiting enough to allow the geis considerable power, is unobtrusive enough not to attract attention, meaning that rebels can avail themselves of this geis under the noses of the dreamlords' spies without notice.

The requirement of the Red Geis is that its follower must always wear red. He need not wear only red, but may wear other colors in addition, nor does the majority of his clothing have to be red—wearing a red belt or kerchief, with all the rest of one's clothing is of other colors, is enough to satisfy the terms of the geis. For that matter, it's not even required for the red clothing to be visible. Wearing a red amulet under one's shirt, or wearing red linens under one's clothing, would also be sufficient to meet the geis's terms. (A related geis, the Greater Red Geis, has stricter terms; the original Red Geis is called the Lesser Red Geis when necessary to distinguish between the two.)

However, it is necessary that the follower of the geis always wear something red, whether or not he's wearing anything else in addition to it. This means that even while bathing, engaged in sexual relations, or otherwise performing activities that are usually done in the nude, the follower of the geis must wear something. In practice, this is usually fulfilled with a ring or pendant with a red stone, a red ribbon around the neck or a limb, or some other small and unobtrusive red accoutrement. Still, a person under the Red Geis who completely divests himself of red clothing, even for a moment, falls fully under the geis's banes.

The boons of the geis are several. The health and endurance of the geis's follower are slightly improved; he has increased stamina, and tires more slowly. The follower also gains an increased resistance to high temperatures, being comfortable in somewhat hotter weather than most people would be able to bear. Spellcasters have additional benefits: any spells that deal with fire have their effects boosted by the geis.

Like all geasa, however, the Red Geis has its banes for those who break it. A person who breaks the Red Geis will find himself constantly captious and uncomfortable, and his skin will turn red and itchy. This is more dire a consequence than it may superficially seem; the irritation makes concentration on any task all but impossible, and the irritability is likely to deal considerable damage to social ties and make interpersonal interaction a difficult prospect.

The Red Geis has inspired another geis called the Blue Geis which has been developed more recently, but has already become very widespread in the brief time it has existed—though the Red Geis still far eclipses it in popularity.