Question about Spirit Binding

[Gallowglass]

A question came up with one of my players during our last session of RQG. When he rolled for his family heirloom during character creation (p. 83 in the core book), he got the 8-11 option. It says you have a magic POW crystal that can either store a certain number of magic points, or serve as a spirit-binding matrix. He chose the second option, and just recently found a spirit that he considers worth capturing. However, once we checked the rules, it looks like he would need to still sacrifice a certain amount of POW (3 points in this case), and also have access to a binding enchantment spell, which is Rune Lord/Priest/Shaman stuff. 

Does anyone have any insight on how this family heirloom is supposed to work? I'm thinking that maybe what it actually meant was that the POW crystal stores and mp, and could also be used to bind spirits as well, when that becomes feasible. But even that is confusing, because I thought any object could be used for binding. 

[Joerg]

A crystal is the equivalent to the product of the binding enchantment spell p.257 (which takes POW to create) and (unlike the enchantment) conveniently isn't limited in the number of characteristics of the spirit to place in the crystal. Page 265 has the Spirit Binding spell which is required to bind a spirit into an animal, a matrix or a crystal. This appears to be a special form of "Control (entity)" which doesn't specify the species but doesn't make the spirit entity do anything but enter the prepared housing.

I am not quite certain whether a simple Control (entity) spell can force a spirit to enter a crystal or a matrix, and whether that spirit is only trapped, but neither able nor willing to provide magic points or other abilities to the holder/owner of the crystal. A Controlled entity has no more magic points, and other than teaching a spell or revealing its true name for future summonings or similar has no varlue.

Spirit Binding creates that bond between the spirit and the owner/holder of the matrix, or the magic that makes the spirit merge with the animal companion body (and possibly the resident spirit of that animal). I don't think that an entity can regenerate magic points in the matrix or crystal without being bound into it (and thereby the physical world).

The spell Spirit Binding apparently doesn't require a roll on the Resistance Table, which makes it look like the spirit has to be consenting to the Binding.

Soirits appear to desire a permanent residence in the world of the living, even if it means being housed inside the limitations of an object or animal. Thus they may be bargained or gambled to occupy such a housing.

[Shiningbrow]

2 hours ago, Gallowglass said:

I'm thinking that maybe what it actually meant was that the POW crystal stores and mp, and could also be used to bind spirits as well, when that becomes feasible.

Not at the same time. It's explicitly forbidden. You can *either* bind a spirit in it,, *or* store MPs. (I hope I'm reading your post correctly. Apologies if you already realised this).

I've always presumed that a control spell could force the spirit into the crystal, and from that point it's effectively "bound", and you can then use its MPs. And, with another control spell, order it outside and so stuff (until the spell duration ends).

No extra spells, bindings, POW loss required... 

[Gallowglass]

9 hours ago, Joerg said:

 

A crystal is the equivalent to the product of the binding enchantment spell p.257 (which takes POW to create) and (unlike the enchantment) conveniently isn't limited in the number of characteristics of the spirit to place in the crystal. Page 265 has the Spirit Binding spell which is required to bind a spirit into an animal, a matrix or a crystal. This appears to be a special form of "Control (entity)" which doesn't specify the species but doesn't make the spirit entity do anything but enter the prepared housing.

 

So if this player of mine wanted to bind the spirit (which is a wraith), all they would need to do is cast Spirit Binding? And once the spirit is “bound,” my understanding is that you can use it’s mp, spells if it has any, and release it to follow your commands. But that last option requires something like “Command Cult Spirit.” Do I have all that right?

8 hours ago, Shiningbrow said:

Not at the same time. It's explicitly forbidden. You can *either* bind a spirit in it,, *or* store MPs. (I hope I'm reading your post correctly. Apologies if you already realised this).

That makes sense now that I think about it, you can’t have two sources of mp in the same rock.

[Kloster]

12 minutes ago, Gallowglass said:

So if this player of mine wanted to bind the spirit (which is a wraith), all they would need to do is cast Spirit Binding? And once the spirit is “bound,” my understanding is that you can use it’s mp, spells if it has any, and release it to follow your commands. But that last option requires something like “Command Cult Spirit.” Do I have all that right?

For me, almost. In fact, you don't need a spell to give a command, but if you do so, you can give only one command, and then, the spirit is free. You need a spell, like "Command Cult Spirit", to be able to give several orders, the las one being usually "Go back into the Matrix/Crystal". For the rest, you are right on spot.

[Bill the barbarian]

2 hours ago, Kloster said:

For me, almost. In fact, you don't need a spell to give a command, but if you do so, you can give only one command, and then, the spirit is free. You need a spell, like "Command Cult Spirit", to be able to give several orders, the las one being usually "Go back into the Matrix/Crystal". For the rest, you are right on spot.

I think this is from RQ 3, does it still work this way in RQ G?

Cheers

[Kloster]

2 hours ago, Bill the barbarian said:

I think this is from RQ 3, does it still work this way in RQ G?

Cheers

RQG p249

[Bill the barbarian]

6 minutes ago, Kloster said:

2 hours ago, Bill the barbarian said:

I think this is from RQ 3, does it still work this way in RQ G?

 Cheers

RQG p249

Thank you.