Day 2 of ten day downtime:
Jed awoke and went through his morning routine. Marco would be arriving soon. Jed finished eating his morning meal and started preparations when there was a knock at the door. Peering through the peephole, he could see that it was indeed Marco.
Hi Marco, come in. I'm about ready to start. I've let the Talismonger who is going to let us use her artificing texts know we will be there about 2.
When Marco arrived Jed was already preparing the binding ritual, and the binding circle was already drawn with its arcane symbols that Marco could not decypher. If summoning just ‘happened’ in a few seconds, binding was a certainly a ritual for many hours - six hours in this case. If summoning was mainly about bringing the spirit into this world, binding is about keeping it anchored here for an extended period of time. This comes with a risk to the spirit, as it has no certainty when the services are going to be over and therefore it may find itself in this world for longer than it anticipated. This made convincing spirits to agree to this process a tedious and difficult task that was measured in hours rather than seconds. There was also the technical part of actually forming the anchor that keeps the spirit in this world and that part required expensive reagents that were consumed regardless of success.
I have blended the deepweed into a vegetable juice if you would like to try it. I suggest a smaller amount since we aren't sure of the dosage. We can proceed without you taking it, but I think it will make a difference when it comes to seeing the binding.
Marco replies “Sure why not ”and starts nursing the vegetable juice. He was disappointed, it did not seem to work at all. His sight was still his own and the only change was a low pitched ring in his ears, that was loud enough to give Marco a headache. “**Perhaps I did not drink enough” he thought as he drank a second glass, but that only made the headache worse.
Jed closed his eyes and did a small meditation technique he had learned from a Buddhist Mage he had once known. It was an exercise he had begun to do faster than thought but after yesterday, maybe he should start the intermediate level ritual for this. After cleansing his aura, Buddhist style, he reexamined his circle. After making a few minor tweaks he was ready to begin.
Marco said “Allow me to help you this time, I am here after all.”
Oh, yes, please. After yesterday’s fumble I would appreciate the help. I've never collaborated a summoning before, only ritual magic.
The noise grew extremely loud as Jed began his summoning and Marco felt as if his ears were going to burst. Intuitively, Marco hummed periodically to make Jed aware of his summoning, mimicking the sound that Jed made and trying to hear the rhythm behind the intensity.
Jed began his summons. He offered the gift, and made known his desire. A spirit of man to heal and move things psychokineticly. He felt strangely buoyed by Marco’s assistance. It was strange, like having someone hold your elbows while lifting something. A spirit appeared at the astral curtain. Jed offered, and pressed his will to the spirit. The spirit seemed willing. The spirit appeared ready to accept his first offer. Jed decided to press his luck. No, I want more. The spirits sharp gaze bored into him and he felt the counter offer come in low. His next move should be to drop his, but he pressed harder. No. I sense you want to be on this side. 12 tasks. No less. Jed felt the deal slide home. Vindication! With Marco's help he just secured a personal best. 12 tasks! Now for the next step.
Jed showed the reagents to the spirit and gestured to the binding circle. He sensed the spirits reluctance. 12 tasks in one day was one thing, but bound to complete all 12 tasks at Jed’s leisure was another matter. Jed watched as the spirit stared hard at the ring that held the mana. It was a prize. He saw the spirit weighing Jed and sensed the decision being made. They each moved to the circle. This would take some time. The offering was put forth. Should he accept the binding, spirit was entitled to the mana in the reagents. If negotiations failed, the mana in the reagents dissipated, both side lose. It was on Jed to create a binding to hold the spirit on this plane. Where the summoning was a negotiation, the binding was a setting of astral boundaries. As Jed constructed the binding, the spirit would push and test them. Allegorically this was a contract written by Jed that the spirit must sign. But if Jed left loopholes, the spirit could escape the contract. The reality was that Jed constructed a webbed done of mana around the spirit. If the web was strong enough, the spirit was bound. If the offering was not enough, and the web was not strong enough, the spirit walked, and the offering was lost. Both sides were motivated to agree once negotiations were begun.
Minutes blurred into hours as he slowly constructed the network of lines around the spirit. As he worked, the spirit poked and tested his construct evaluating it. Jed tried to stay focused as he built the dome higher and higher. The dome was closed now, and he started working his way back down, strengthening the enclosure. Now that the dome was closed, his opponent began to push and flex harder. As he did, Jed tried to spot the weak points, those areas stretching thinner.
As the hours passed by Marco, the initial stunning success turned into a contest, a clash of wills. The noise remained relatively constant with sharp spikes here and there, spikes that sent Marco holding his ears with pain. Yet there was some melody in this binding, a fear or concern voiced by the spirit. Fear that met with what seemed to be the wrong way to handle fear, deny it, try to block or contain it. This led to frustration and anger and the voices turned chaotic. The melody felt as if the individual notes were about to go rogue and be played completely out of sync.
Second layer now finished, the spirit began to press in earnest. First one place, then another. A moment of panic for Jed as he saw his dome stretch to its limit. On the verge of tearing, Jed saw defeat. He couldn't weave fast enough to reinforce that point. It was about to be over.
Intuitively Marco said “This does not sound right - he is too strong for that, too loud. Your stick is not big enough - try a carrot”
Jed looked at Marco surprised, Marco did not know much about binding but he knew a lot about negotiations and about how spirits may misbehave. Marco said “He owes you so many tasks and is terrified to be stuck with you for such a long time. You cannot shape mana better than him, but if you convince him that you are a good person to hang around with he might allow you to finish.” Marco was uncertain if his advice made any impact, he just wanted the sounds to become more harmonic - the way the Binding sounded at the moment was almost unbearable.
Jed hesitated for a microsecond. Who is teaching whom here? As a chaos Mage, he was used to taking pieces from other traditions. Perhaps he should listen. As the enclosure reached the breaking point he addressed the spirit I looked for you as I wanted someone who heals, and who can manipulate things. I didn't ask for fear. Assense me, see who I am. The binding will keep you past the sunset, but I will use your services. I won't hold you indefinitely, and I won't use you for atrocities.
A slow moment passed as the spirit regarded him closely, “ You speak sweet words but give no actual assurance. You seem extra stubborn, why are my services important for you? ” Marco regarded the spirit and then Jed and said ”He is a being from another metaplane. I am not sure if you share a sense of morality or if you even agree on how long is ‘indefinitely’. This is a recipe for disaster. Since you have so little experience in common we need to speak in accurate terms. ”
My companions often find themselves in danger. Sometimes I find that I can't reach them in time. I need to be able to send a spirit. I scout from the astral a lot. It could be useful to be able to affect the world. Even if by proxy. I have other needs of spirits that I would summon for one day. I need these other abilities in reserve. You will have my reagents. They represent a significant investment for me. Would you like to set a time limit on the binding? You would have to trust me, as once you agree to be bound, it would be up to me to keep my word.
The spirit frowned and said “One month mortal, no more!”
That's disingenuous. I won 12 tasks from you, I need 2 months. The prize you take is worthy. A Mage could easily win 6 services and keep you for 6 months. 2 months or 12 tasks. Deal?
Marco thought “**Seriously?! It should conclude on a year minimum! After all the spirit is not afraid for being held for two months, he is afraid of an extreme situation where he might be kept bound for years by a conjurer that only uses his services as a last resort.” However, Jed seemed content with it and the spirit happily said “Two months mage, we have a deal.”[/color]
The spirit appeared satisfied with the deal. Jed even more so as he would not
waste expensive reagents for nothing. A time limit is better than no services at all- and apparently for the spirit whatever reward it gets for being bound is worth the risk if Jed commits to two months. Marco thought to himself “**Perhaps binding is not very different than negotiations after all, in that case I better try to sweeten the deal.”
Marco gazed at the spirit and said “You will have to give two more services if you want the promise. You are over estimating your hand. The main reason to object to the binding is removed as you know exactly when you go free. It is only reasonable to ask for a few extra services in return. I am a mage myself, you can assense me, you will find it more difficult to resist both of us. Refuse the deal and you might end up bound without any promise of duration. ”
The spirit frowned at the possibility of fighting Marco’s magical skills as well. Little did he knows that Marco has no actual binding skills. Marco is such a good liar that he appeared to be a master conjurer. After a short and very tense silence the spirit replied: “ Fine, 14 services consumed in the duration of two months and I am being generous here.” The rest of the hours pass calmly as Jed finalized the technical details of the mana manipulation, this time unopposed by the spirit.
Marco thought to himself “**Well - if he is going to stick around, he’ll find out that I bluffed, but he agreed and made a good deal even with two extra services.” The rest of the binding process goes unopposed by the spirit and Marco tried to memorize the melody of binding. As the hours pass he grew more accustomed to the astral music. He found the feeling intoxicating and Marco was equally fascinated by his ability to hear the spirit, the binding ritual and even Jed’s aura. Astral sensing was incredible and although deepweed was a shortcut, Marco desired that capability very much. If only for a few hours - it felt good not to be a blind mage.
The spirit, now content, stopped testing the bindings. Instead, it examined them closely. But more in the way an artist examines a work by another artist. Critically, knowing and understanding what goes into the creation. For Marco the pain inducing noise stopped, replaced by the hum of the energies bound into the barrier. The spirit looked at Jed, “It will not be comfortable to dwell here. But, I can bear it for two months. And if you in truth use my power for works of honor then I will be able to count the cost as worthy.”
I will not ask you to kill. I will not allow you to be disrupted. While I'm not sure what things you find honorable or not, I will be thoughtful about what I ask of you. For now, please go rest in the astral.
Thank you, Marco, for your assistance. It's time to go. We need to meet the Talismonger. Time to learn to craft foci
