Spirits, Summoning, and Binding

[hdan]

I found the thread about how Spirit Combat works, but I'm still a bit foggy about the procedures for and utility of summoning spirits and elementals.

If I summon a spirit, must I bind it? Or does the variable casting time include me talking a spirit into performing a simple task for me? (Such as "attack that thing" or "defend me from that other spirit")

Similarly with elementals - if I summon an elemental, will it fight my enemies (or interact with me in a useful way) without me having to bind it?

Or in all cases do I need to Bargain with the spirit once it arrives to attempt to get it to cooperate?

Thanks

[Stoatbringer]

Good questions. In the rules it says "Once successfully summoned the spirit MAY be bound for future use." So I'm guessing that they don't have to be bound, unless you wish to use them later. Remember that the summoning part is tiring and that the summoner must rest for POW minutes. Until then his skills are halved. The variable casting time should include some talking to it, I imagine, otherwise you could be summoning any old spirit. Roleplaying and communication skills should be used too.

You don't have to bind elementals for them to do work for you. It says in the Advanced Magic book that if you succesfully summon an elemental it will do one task for the summoner, if it is not self defeating or contrary to that element. This involves some negotiation, so again roleplaying and communication skills should be used.  

[Simlasa]

I like mixing it up, depending on setting.

In one homebrew setting I've made it a cultural friction where certain groups insist that ALL spirits must be 'bound' for safety while others generally disavow that practice and bargain with them instead. Bound spirits can be resentful... whereas those who are bargained with MIGHT become dependable allies... or they might be playing their summoners for fools. Either way, I try to keep as much of it in the realm of RP as I can, giving each spirit its own persona/goals/quirks.