Editing Geas

{{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 gei before allowing full access.|[[04-343 Guilty Spark]] in a transmission to the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''' - ''Terminal 1''</ref>}}

'''Geas''' (plural '''gei'''<ref group="note">In the first terminal of ''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary'', the subtitles render 343 Guilty Spark's line as "geas", even though he pronounces it as "gei". The correct pronunciation for the real-world term ''geas'' is [ɡɛʃ] or ''"gesh"''. It is unclear whether this is an error in the subtitles and Spark is indeed meant to be referring to geas in plural, or if the voice actor simply mispronounced the word.</ref>) 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 could effectively exist as a fully aware consciousness alongside the carrier's own mind, or in some cases, even subvert their consciousness and 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>

Gei imposed on various humans played a crucial part in the Librarian's elaborate plan to reunite with her husband, the [[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 [[chamanune|cha''manush'']] and find them work; this resulted in him meeting and befriending a cha''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 [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]] 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 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 [[Didact]], who planned to use the Composer to imprison all of humanity into digital form.<ref name="reclaimer"/>

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

 

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