Elemental Binding

The gnomes of Zilargo are the foremost authorities in a number of mystical arts, from alchemy to a process called glamerweaving, which binds illusion into cloth and can even render a wearer invisible. However, the gnomes are best known for their mastery of elemental binding, creating the magic vessels by which modern Khorvaire’s transportation and communication infrastructure is defined.

Xen’drik explorers have seen evidence of elemental binding magic in use among the drow of that land, and some suggest that the gnomes of Zilargo discovered the fundamental principles of elemental binding during an expedition to that continent. Whatever its origins, the Zil guard the secrets of elemental binding ruthlessly

Spellcasters across Khorvaire began experimenting with the process of binding elementals to their service long ago. However, the gnomes of Zilargo, with the aid of House Cannith, have been the most successful at turning the esoteric theories of elemental binding to a profit. Magical knowledge of any sort is difficult to keep entirely under wraps, and some small groups across Khorvaire have begun duplicating the experiments that result in elemental items. The gnomes remain on the forefront of elemental binding magical research, though, and some in Zilargo have recently begun taking their experiments with elementals to the next level.

In the modern era, the Zil were the first to master the process of elemental binding, and by and large, the gnomes retain their secrets. Thus, gnomes from Zilargo are responsible for the majority of elemental-bound items and vehicles seen in and around the Five Nations today. House Cannith runs the workshops in Zilargo and helps design and craft the items to which the elementals are bound, but the gnomes keep the secrets of the binding process to themselves . . . for a reason that no one else in Khorvaire is privy to.

Stolen Magic

Contrary to current belief (and gnome assertions), the gnomes of Zilargo did not invent the process now used to bind elementals into items and vehicles. Certainly, the gnomes introduced the arcane techniques of elemental binding to the modern age, and they remain the undisputed masters of the process. (Indeed, they jealously guard the secrets of the process from others, sharing only what they must with the crafters of House Cannith to make the partnership that has developed between them succeed.)

While the techniques behind elemental binding are ancient (as the gnomes claim), the gnomes have only had the process since 793 YK (a date that is in direct conflict with the fanciful tales of gnome elementalists who supposedly appeared 1,200 years ago). Here is the story of how the gnomes stole magic. It is a story that remains hidden from most of those living on the continent of Khorvaire, and the handful of gnomes who know the truth guard it with their lives (and with all the resources of the Trust).

While seeking to increase his knowledge (a gnome passion if ever there was one) and his standing in House Sivis, Byrnid Dojurn, a minor functionary, uncovered the journals of a Xen’drik explorer from the previous century in a forgotten corner of the Korranberg Library. Within these journals, Byrnid found hints of a new form of arcane magic never before seen in Khorvaire—a form that seemed to control the very power of the elements. To learn more, Byrnid knew that he had to travel to the Continent of Secrets and visit the wielders of this new magic. He had to go to the mysterious dark elves of Xen’drik. He had to meet the drow.

Byrnid Dojurn brought his discovery to his superiors in the house. News quickly made its way to the doyenne of the High Council, Aliwas Lyrriman d’Sivis. The doyenne recognized an opportunity and funded a secret mission to Xen’drik. Along with the usual warriors and scouts, Byrnid would take a number of wizards and artificers to help with the “information gathering.” In the end, Byrnid led a gnome assault force into the jungles of Xen’drik for the express purpose of discovering and attaining the secret to elemental binding.

Byrnid retraced the path described in the old journals, and eventually his expedition encountered Merranzabad and a drow clan living within the ruins of an ancient giant complex. With flowery words of friendship and a lavishing of exotic gifts from the Five Nations, Byrnid won the trust of the leader. Over the course of many weeks, the gnomes and the drow exchanged knowledge and information. The gnomes shared some small wonders with the drow, and the dark elves showed the visitors amazing weapons and armor enhanced by bound elementals. At last, in a gesture of friendship, Merranzabad opened a sacred chamber to Byrnid’s view. There, amid jewels and other treasures from the age of giants, were the stone tablets of arcane knowledge that were passed from the dragons to the giants in a time before memory.

Byrnid returned and started to copy the ancient texts that explained the process. Just as he was finishing and deciding what other wonders to copy, Merranzabad discovered the gnomish treachery. Byrnid and a small number of his expedition managed to escape while the rest died fighting the drow.

Sick with fever from a wound that became infected over the course of the return trip, Byrnid was near death when he handed the copied manuscripts to doyenne Aliwas. The gnome never lived to see what wonders were created thanks to his efforts; instead, he was haunted by Merranzabad’s curse as he slipped from this mortal life.

“We will kill all those who stole our magic,” the drow leader proclaimed as Byrnid ran. “Every gnome is cursed this day, for now and until our magic is returned!”

Those few gnomes who know the truth of the origin of elemental binding magic harbor secret fears that someday the drow and their scorpion-clad assassins will find a way to reach Zilargo. And then the gnomes will have to answer for their crime.

Binding An Elemental

The process of binding an elemental to an inanimate object requires a great deal of care and expertise. House Orien (for its lightning rail) and House Lyrandar (for airships and galleons) hire the foremost experts on the subject of binding elementals, but other groups and individuals have recently begun attempts at unraveling the gnome mysteries of binding elementals into items using Khyber dragonshards. In addition, some makers of magic items in Zilargo have found new ways to bind elementals to their service, as described later in this chapter.

The process of creating elemental items is similar to the process for creating elemental vessels, but binding an elemental to a vessel is more difficult. In both types of binding, an elemental must be called using powerful magic, then bound within an arcane matrix. The focus of the matrix is a Khyber dragonshard, usually one of the finest quality, although the matrix itself is mostly composed of magical energy, indiscernible to the eye. Should a dragonshard ever be shattered, the elemental is immediately freed—and is often quite enraged. Khyber shards have hardness 10 and 15 hit points per inch of thickness, although most of those used to bind elementals have been magically strengthened with a hardening spell.

Calling the Elemental

Elementals must be called to be bound; elementals summoned simply return to their native planes when the duration of the summoning is up, even if they have since been transferred to an item. If the summoned elemental is trapped within a magic circle and an attempt is made to transfer it directly to an arcane matrix, it escapes to its home plane in transit. The most common spells used to bind elementals are the planar binding spells.

To bind an elemental to an item requires a spellcaster capable of casting a planar binding spell of the appropriate strength. The particular version of the spell varies depending on the purpose and strength of the intended item. Wizards and artificers most commonly perform the binding service, because they most often possess the requisite item creation knowledge, as well as the focus necessary to keep an elemental from escaping before it is transferred to an item. However, clerics, sorcerers, and even a few druids and bards number among the creators of these items.

Transferring an Elemental

Once an elemental has been successfully called and bound, the process becomes slightly more complex. The elemental must be now transferred to the item. Doing this requires the participation of at least two spellcasters. The item must be physically complete to receive the elemental, and it must have been created with space allowed for the Khyber shard.

Binding an elemental is a three-step process, as outlined here.

Step One—Gather the Shard: Without a Khyber dragonshard, an elemental binding is not possible. The shard provides a structure that accomplishes two key goals. The first is that it forms the focal point for a lattice of energy—an arcane matrix—that traps the elemental in the elemental item. The ordered structure of the crystal essentially forms a maze with no exit, which the elemental follows endlessly as long as it remains within the item. The second is that by providing this structure, the shard acts as a conduit for the elemental’s raw energy. As the elemental is forced through the crystalline lattice of the arcane matrix, it gives off energy, which is then transferred to the item. The concept is similar to the conductor stones used to allow lightning rails to move, except in this case, one conductor stone is the elemental, and the other is the matrix, with the Khyber shard at its heart. Instead of motion as a by-product, the elemental’s “chase” through the arcane matrix provides a magical effect, as determined by the item’s creator.

The size of a shard is not necessarily in proportion to the size of the elemental within it. However, larger elementals are more easily bound into larger shards (see Step Three, below, for details). The average Khyber shard used to create an elemental weapon, suit of armor, or similar item is roughly 6 inches in circumference, or about 1 to 3 inches thick, and no more than 6 inches long. Larger shards, or greater Khyber shards, are more suitable for use in elemental vessels for several reasons, not the least of which is that larger shards require more space when mounted (see Elemental Vessels, below, for more details on the shards used in the construction of those items). Greater shards are typically 6 inches in diameter, and anywhere from 8 to 14 inches long.

Transferring an elemental of a particular size has no effect on the final powers of the item, which are determined by the creator of the item (and thus determine the final cost, as well as the cost in materials). While binding a larger elemental does not add power or extra abilities to the item, it does reduce the cost to create the item. When determining the gold piece cost in raw materials needed to craft the item, the elemental item’s creator reduces the base price by 5% per size category of the elemental above Medium (an elemental to be bound must have at least 4 Hit Dice). Thus, binding a Medium elemental to an item provides the same effect as binding a Huge one, but the former item costs normal price, while the latter item costs 10% less to create. This discount does not impact the market price of the item; savings on elemental item creation go directly back into the pocket of the creator—or the organization that employs the creator.

This cost saving is why dragonmarked houses and other organizations with wealth create most bound items. These organizations must pay the spellcasters in their employ who create the items. But while such houses and governments might pay more in salaries or fees to the higher-level spellcasters on their payrolls, the money saved by binding larger elementals translates directly to a larger profit.

Step Two—Gather the Flow: Two spellcasters are required to bind an elemental to a nonvessel item. The first of the spellcasters, called the shak’krek (a Gnome word that means “flow gatherer”) is responsible for releasing the elemental from its binding and holding it, through force of will alone, for just a few seconds. The shak’krek must be of sufficient level to cast a planar binding spell capable of calling an elemental of identical power to that which she is holding. However, the shak’krek need not have the requisite spell prepared or available for the day, nor does she need to call the elemental herself that she plans to help bind. Thus, if a Large elemental is being bound, the shak’krek must be able to cast planar binding, while if a Medium elemental is being bound, the shak’krek need only able to cast lesser planar binding.

Being able to cast the spell is only part of the picture, however. The shak’krek must make a Concentration check to hold the elemental (DC 10 + the elemental’s HD). A shak’krek can hold an elemental for 5 minutes per caster level. All shak’krek are at least 9th-level sorcerers or wizards, but most are at least 10th level in case a hevrae fails to bind an elemental on the first attempt (see Step Three, below). Holding an elemental in this fashion requires continuous concentration. If a shak’krek’s focus is disrupted in any way , she might lose control of the elemental. If this happens, the elemental is immediately freed, and is likely to turn on the shak’krek and anyone else in the vicinity.

Step Three—Tie the Knot: The second caster, called a hevrae (Gnome for “one who ties knots”), must then bind the elemental into the armor, transferring it from the grasp of the first caster into its receptacle. The shak’krek is necessary in this process because the hevrae cannot break the wards of the binding and simultaneously transfer the elemental to its new home. Doing so requires too much concentration, and to falter even a bit in the transfer would release the elemental. In some cases, the creature might simply cause some small amount of property damage, but at worst, the furious creature might decide to stay on the Material Plane long enough to punish those insolent enough to capture it in the first place. Of the two spellcasters making the transfer, the hevrae is the one who must possess special training.

Transferring an elemental into an item takes 20 minutes, and once the process is begun, it cannot be halted. To complete the transfer, the hevrae must make a Charisma check opposed by the elemental’s Charisma check, as described in the lesser planar binding spell description. The check is more difficult if the hevrae is trying to force an especially large elemental into the matrix of a smaller Khyber shard.

A shard of a given size can be used to bind an elemental of the appropriate number of Hit Dice or less without any extra difficulty. Attempting to bind an elemental with more Hit Dice than the number recommended for a shard becomes more difficult. An elemental with more than the maximum size for a given shard can still be bound into the item, but it is more difficult to “fit” the creature inside the arcane matrix. The DC of the Charisma check made by the hevrae binding the elemental increases by 5 for each increment of size beyond the maximum. For example, a shard 3 inches in diameter can be used to contain an elemental of 15 or fewer Hit Dice without increasing the difficulty of the hevrae’s Charisma check. If the same hevrae tried to use the same shard to bind an elemental of 16 Hit Dice, the DC of his Charisma check would be the result of the elemental’s Charisma check + 5. If he tried to use the same shard to bind an elemental of 25 Hit Dice, the DC would increase by 10.

If the hevrae has helpers, who must also be present for the entire transfer, the helpers can each make a DC 10 Charisma check using the aid another action, much like combining a skill attempt. Success on this check provides the primary hevrae a +2 bonus on his Charisma check. If the hevrae fails his check by less than 5, the transfer attempt fails—but the hevrae can try again after 10 minutes, although the DC increases by 2. Failure by 5 or more means the ritual is interrupted and the elemental breaks free. If the transfer is interrupted, for this or any reason, the hevrae (and each of the hevrae’s helpers) takes 4d6 points of damage from a release of pent-up magical energy, and the materials used in the transfer are lost. Helpers must each also have the Bind Elemental feat.

This step in the process is where binding an elemental to a vessel differs from binding it into any other item. See Elemental Vessel Binding for the key differences between the two processes.

Elemental Vessel Binding

Binding an elemental to a vessel is in some ways similar to, and in some key ways different from, binding one to another type of item. The sheer size of a vessel requires that the process be approached differently, but the early stages share some similarities.

The elemental to be bound must still be called and trapped within a magic circle, and again, planar binding spells are most commonly used to accomplish this goal. Also as with items, a Khyber shard is required to bind the elemental, but in this case, the arcane matrix to bind the elemental is built into the hull of the vessel. The dragonshard is housed in a special containment chamber in a vessel’s engine room. Once activated, the energy of the bound elemental travels from the core of the ship, through its binding struts, and then through the matrix along the hull.

The first stage in the matrix is the binding struts that force the elemental into a ring shape and give every elemental vessel its distinctive appearance. From there, the elemental continues to flow through the ship’s hull, appearing as jagged, snaking lines of living energy that pulse and shift.

These living conduits of elemental energy take on an appearance related to the type of elemental bound into the vessel. A fire elemental, for example, sends tendrils of flame along the hull of its ship, while flowing veins of rock and crystal indicate the presence of an earth elemental. Explorer’s Handbook features a great deal more information on elemental vessels, focusing on piloting and negotiating with the elemental bound within a vessel.

Again, as with items, more powerful elementals are not necessarily required for larger items; they simply result in a reduction in the cost of the vessel’s creation. This means that most elemental vessels feature more powerful elementals by default. Greater Khyber shards are nearly always used when constructing elemental vessels. Impractical for nearly all nonvessel elemental items, greater Khyber shards require more room to house, which elemental vessels have in abundance. Vessel builders also like greater Khyber shards because they are thicker and more difficult to break, making sabotage that much more difficult. Vessel builders also have an easier time binding larger elementals into the larger shards, as described in Step Three (see above), further increasing the value of greater Khyber shards—a larger elemental bound into a vessel results in a wider profit margin for the vessel’s seller.

More spellcasters are required to transfer the elemental from its prison inside the magic circle to the vessel. As with other items, only one shak’krek is necessary to temporarily hold the elemental between the circle and its final destination, but the hevrae must have assistants. All told, the hevrae and assistants must have a combined caster level equal to twice the elemental’s Hit Dice. Usually, a master crafter acts as the lead hevrae, accompanied in the process by several acolytes or apprentices. Unlike with the transfer of an elemental to an item, this transfer takes 1 hour per HD of the elemental, minus 1 hour per caster level of the hevrae and assistants that exceeds the elemental’s HD (minimum 1 hour). The hevrae’s assistants still use the aid another action to help the hevrae with the Charisma check, as described above. Any disruption of this process results in the immediate release of the elemental, and each hevrae takes 4d6 points of damage from a release of magical feedback. Again, failure also means the materials used in the ritual are wasted. Once the elemental is safely ensconced in its new home, the process of creating the energy used to power the vessel is identical to that described in the process above.

The checks required by both the shak’krek and the hevrae in this binding process are the same as described above (including the more difficult checks if the binders use a smaller shard than appropriate for the elemental to be bound). Vessels are subject to the same discounts for binding more powerful elementals, but, of course, doing so has its own risks.