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Geas

From Halopedia, the Halo wiki

"This ring contains significant dangers, and even with your assumed legacy, I must verify the presence and pitch of your gei before allowing full access."
343 Guilty Spark in a transmission to the UNSC Pillar of Autumn[1]

Geas was an archaic Forerunner term that referred to a generations-long 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 be passed on to their children, in some cases lasting several generations. Only highly skilled Forerunner Lifeworkers were capable of creating a geas. Forerunner students of the Mantle also hypothesized that the Precursors may have imposed a geas on the Forerunners themselves.[2]

The Librarian imposed a geas upon several human family lineages, including those of the Florian Riser and chamanune Chakas, who were imprinted with a drive to pass the defenses surrounding the Didact's Cryptum at the Djamonkin Crater. Their geas also included songs which served as codes to open the Cryptum,[3] as well as deep genetic memories of their ancestors who fought in the human-Forerunner war,[4] including the long-lost secret for stopping the Flood.[5]

Trivia

  • In the real world, the word "geas" likely comes from a Scottish Welsh corruption of the Old Irish word "geis", which can mean "curse", "spell", or "command".

List of appearances

Sources

  1. ^ a b Halo Waypoint: Halo: Anniversary Terminal 1
  2. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 49
  3. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 55
  4. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 121
  5. ^ Halo: Cryptum, page 341