Can Someone Help Me Find this Word?

[Rhondazvous]

Ye thanks. The word is geas. Now I have to think. The word appears to be Irish. So would it throw my readers off to have an African grisha lay a geas on someone?

I think it's fine. The word is Irish, but the concept is not theirs alone. Plenty of cultures have myths for things like curses, prophecies, etc. It's used loosely in fantasy stories anyway, as you said before.

Well, I learned something new today. Can't beat that with a stick. Would love to put your name in the acknowledgements. Whet is your name, if I may ask?

[Jesster]

Well, I learned something new today. Can't beat that with a stick. Would love to put your name in the acknowledgements.  Whet is your name, if I may ask?

I sent you a pm

[The Valkyrie]

Can I suggest that, instead of culling words from other languages, as English is wont to do, that you invent you own?

I'm rather fond of "flyndibble" at the moment. As in:

"She cast a flyndibble upon him and, despite himself, he felt compelled to carry out her bidding."

[Jesster]

Can I suggest that, instead of culling words from other languages, as English is wont to do, that you invent you own?

I'm rather fond of "flyndibble" at the moment.  As in:

"She cast a flyndibble upon him and, despite himself, he felt compelled to carry out her bidding."

This is a great idea. It really just comes down to a magical contract and/or curse in the end anyway. The concept matters far more than the word. Also remember that people like Shakespeare just made up words all the time whenever they needed one. Modern writers do it sometimes as well (someone here brought up George RR Martin). There's no law saying you can't do exactly that. Just communicate your ideas properly and it's fine.

You get bonus points for using "flyndibble" while keeping the tone serious.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Well, I learned something new today. Can't beat that with a stick. Would love to put your name in the acknowledgements.  Whet is your name, if I may ask?

I sent you a pm

[Rhondazvous]

Well, I learned something new today. Can't beat that with a stick. Would love to put your name in the acknowledgements.  Whet is your name, if I may ask?

I sent you a pm

I sent a reply.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I spent last night in a Holiday Inn Express.

Oooooh, sent. Never mind.



(Rhonda, that's a pic of Gilda Radner's Emily Litella character).

[The Grand Nudger]

Ye thanks. The word is geas. Now I have to think. The word appears to be Irish. So would it throw my readers off to have an African grisha lay a geas on someone?

Not at all.  There's a west african myth about a prosperous and handsome young man who could not, because of an agreement made by his mother with spirits to ensure his prosperity, eat fish - on pain of death.   Upon reaching manhood, his mother made many arrangements for the best of the local women to come and see which would be best suited to be his bride.  Most, he showed no particular interest in, but two were different.  He rebuked one outright and favored another, but both learned of his geas from his mother in preparation to be his wife.  The jilted prospective wife set out to poison him by crumbling fish into his stew...but the other had possession of a magical comb, which she drew through the stew, just in case, and removed all of the fish.  

-and they lived happily ever after, ofc.  

A good wife makes sure you don't eat shit that will kill you.

[Rhondazvous]

Ye thanks. The word is geas. Now I have to think. The word appears to be Irish. So would it throw my readers off to have an African grisha lay a geas on someone?

Not at all.  There's a west african myth about a prosperous and handsome young man who could not, because of an agreement made by his mother with spirits to ensure his prosperity, eat fish - on pain of death.   Upon reaching manhood, his mother made many arrangements for the best of the local women to come and see which would be best suited to be his bride.  Most, he showed no particular interest in, but two were different.  He rebuked one outright and favored another, but both learned of his geas from his mother in preparation to be his wife.  The jilted prospective wife set out to poison him by crumbling fish into his stew...but the other had possession of a magical comb, which she drew through the stew, just in case, and removed all of the fish.  

-and they lived happily ever after, ofc.  

A good wife makes sure you don't eat shit that will kill you.

I like that story. Is it from Nigeria, the Ife tradition. I mistyped up above. It should say Orisa. Esu, Oya and Shango are prominent in this novel. But it's not an ex dous machine.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Rhonda, I don't know if it'll help with your writing or not, but a geas can also take the from of an obligation that can create a conflict for your character. By way of example, the Irish myth figure Cuchulain laboured under multiple geasa. He was forbidden to eat the flesh of a dog, but was also obligated to never refuse a feast. When the baddies invited him to a feast at which boiled dog was served, it caused him no end of trouble.

Boru