Thunder Lizards and the Curse of Command

[squab]

So I'm planning out a campaign that involves Thunder Lizards; thunder lizards are dinosaurs with electric powers. This post has nothing to do with thunder lizards unfortunately, it's just because the host of the campaign frequents this forum as well and thunder lizards should scare him off.

Basically the villain's evil plot involves a custom spell I made: Curse of Command. Afflicts anyone who hears it (and fails the save). If you're afflicted by this curse, the caster gives you a list of things you can't do. If you do them (or sometimes if you try to), you die. These must be specific actions and only prohibits you from doing things, it does not force you to do anything. So for example, "don't get the curse removed" wouldn't really work (maybe prevent you from casting remove curse on yourself) but "don't cast remove curse on people" does work.

Anyways enough with the preamble, basically I want the evil villain to try and use this curse to set up a set of laws the whole world (well continent, the existence of other continents on this world isn't planned but it isn't off the table.) So I'm trying to figure out a good way to give him the ability to talk to everyone on the continent and a good way for him basically make it work on everyone no save. Assume the continent is roughly the size of, I dunno, Australia.

As for the curse giving someone multiple commands, I'm think that when you cast the spell you can give as many rules as you want. One or two rules a round. If you stop talking for whatever reason (say you're done cursing or someone punches you in the jaw and breaks it) you're done cursing. Rules uttered in previous rounds stick.

If anyone wants to help out with how exactly this should work (as I dunno a 5th level spell I'm thinking) that would be great, but the main hurdle I have is figuring out how the villain plans on affecting the whole continent with it.

EDIT: This is for 3.5/Pathfinder.

[Gritmonger]

I don't know that I'd go mass-curse-no-save - in one campaign I had, I ran mind-control as a disease: specifically, people were handing out bits of paper that effectively gave you a minus to your save versus mind control, and the mind control mostly consisted of you wanting to hand out the bits of paper to other people.

So what if you model it on a disease instead of all-must-come-under-my-control-now? You could have it be a once a day to one person in a village, and if it spreads, it should quickly take over most of the population within earshot...

You could even have it be two spells.

The first is the Curse of Prohibition

The second is Contagious Curse

[Maglubiyet]

First off, what game/edition is this for?

Second, I would give a second save vs the death part.

In a world without mass media this would be difficult. Aside from, I don't know, giving a speech at a gladiatorial arena, there aren't that many venues where you could reach more than a couple hundred people at a time.

[LibraryOgre]

Consider benchmarking it to the existing Geas/Quest spell (assuming you're either using 3.x or are familiar enough to convert to it).

What you've got in mind sounds very similar, but improved so it's "Anyone who hears my voice". I'd kick up with level 1 or 2 (so, 7th or 8th level) for the Area of Effect increase, and have him use a separate effect to make sure everyone hears his voice... I would base it one something like Ventriloquism (0th level), Spectral Hand (2nd level, allowing the spell to be carried by another medium), and some way to boost one or the other so it can cover the entire continent.

[squab]

Hmm. Spreading like a disease could work.

Having the punishment be more similar to the Geas punishment seems much more fair. The harsh punishment was to just to try and make it impossible for a person under the curse to cure the curse. Part of the curse could just prevent the cursed person from using magical/divine cure curse effects. Or.... lower your caster level when you cast dispel magic/remove curse type spells. Or when you're making wands that dispel magic/remove curses...

The paper handing out thing is actually a really good idea; the paper gives a weakness vs mind control, a compulsion to hand out more of these papers and it can also be how the big bad communicates the law to everyone when he's ready.

Having it work like that time Belkar couldn't kill people in city limits is perfect.

[LibraryOgre]

Heck, if you can inflict a Geas on most of the populace to simply follow the laws (and give them a set of 10 or so laws that are easy to keep in mind)

[squab]

Curse of Prohibition - Level 6 spell?

Casting time: 10 minutes plus the time it takes to list all the rules. (Talking is NOT a free action in this case.)

Range/Target: everyone who can hear it. (Covering your eyes and screaming "lalalala" is a perfectly acceptable way to stop this spell from affecting you.)

Duration: until discharged.

The target is given a rule or list of rules of actions the target cannot preform. When casting this spell the caster can give as many rules as he/she wants, but every ~5(?) rules increase the casting time by one minute.

If the target attempts to break any of these rules, they have to make a will save. If they fail it they are stunned; if they pass, they are sickened and glow neon green for 24 hours.

This spell can only the target a list of things they CAN'T do. Additionally, this spell cannot create rules that would result in certain death, such as no eating or breathing. (Or say swimming if a guy throws you off a boat.)

A remove curse spell ends this spell only if its caster level is at least two higher than your caster level. Break enchantment does not end it, but limited wish, miracle, and wish do.

My second attempt. This should look a lot closer to balanced.

The neon green part is to make it easy to catch law breakers.

[squab]

I don't know that I'd go mass-curse-no-save - in one campaign I had, I ran mind-control as a disease: specifically, people were handing out bits of paper that effectively gave you a minus to your save versus mind control, and the mind control mostly consisted of you wanting to hand out the bits of paper to other people.

So what if you model it on a disease instead of all-must-come-under-my-control-now? You could have it be a once a day to one person in a village, and if it spreads, it should quickly take over most of the population within earshot...

You could even have it be two spells.

The first is the Curse of Prohibition

The second is Contagious Curse

Compulsive paper spreading artifact. This piece of paper gives you a minus save to your mind control, the ability to hear someone speaking at the Magic Podium, the compulsion and knowledge to duplicate it.

This seems like the other half of the plan. (Other then some esoteric artifact that lets him do this.)