I suspect that we were standing in an area specially prepared for the casting of binding magic (They did intend to summon and bind a Spider demon, whatever that is), and that outside of it doing so would have been considerably more challenging than just burning a magic object and a couple seconds.
Mind you I agree he acted rashly, but I think he's being entirely genuine. This is annoying but workable, since such misconceptions can be corrected relatively easily by example.
Or this old location indicates that this is a last ditch effort (attempt) to get rid of the invaders (the guys with the lances), and the summoning stuff were left-overs in an old mage's tower they utilized. And the mage is basically running on 'wtf WTF WTF' and old legends.
Once it settled:
A) Headband only visible while actively using magic. Scaling from barely visible (very weak magic) to shining brightly (very strong). [Through subverted binding magic Zalan can make the band can show or hide at will.]
B) On suitable parts of the illusion armor an emblem fitting Edaine is shown. Example (for lack of good ideas): A river flowing through green landscape under a full moon. Edaine can concentrate on it to change the look of the emblem. [Through subverted binding magic Zalan can, too.]
C) Collar changing with Zalans wellbeing and mana reserve. Zalan feeling like absolute shit, barely keeping together enough to move and talk: collar is dark, gray-ish with only hints of blue. Zalan feeling great, blue like the sky on a clear summer day. The state of Zalans mana reserves makes the brightness of the collar scale, from almost no mana looking like actually painted on Zalans fur to full mana reserves making the collar shine like a candle (active use of mana crystals or the like can make it brighter). [Through subverted binding magic Zalan can manipulate the look.]
When it settles, Edaine gains intuition on the meaning of the marks.
The "change nothing" headband and collar fit magic users. Which is both what Zalan feels like and what Edaine expects.
The "unhealthy obsession" armor is based on Edaines wish for someone to fight for him ( hence armor) modified by Zalans feelings, where Tierans armor is the closest to fitting him (imagining to manage stressfull situations/fights like Tieran is aspirational, imagining the same for the Bahamuti would just be absurd to Zalan).
[x] Summonersmark design
-[x] (Edit Emblem suggestion: In the upper half Edaine Faxtis face, in the lower half: Zalan, sitting on the summoning circle that summoned him, with his arms and legs flat on the ground. Zalans arms and legs are bound by vines coming from the summoning circle, circle and vines are the same greens as the summoning magic that (End of Edit)
[x] "What did you do to me?"
[x] "What are you going to make me do?"
[x] half to ourselves, half to Adia as an answer to "Your magic makes them friendly, ah...?":"Oh thanks Tiamat, at least he isn't forcing me to smile about what he is doing to me."
[x] remember, we may not have any experience in subterfuge or charm, but through our work instructing spirits we are well used to the difference between what people want to say(also how normal people interpret it) and what they actually are saying when you interpret it strictly(also how spirits without personality interpret it). We can use that as a basis to intentionally speak in a way they misunderstand, we just have to be careful that in hindsight it will look reasonable to them.
[X] Start operation FOXY DOMINATION: you've failed in scoring the dragon in bed. So now we turn to enamour ouselves with the foxies. Be friends, learn what makes them tick and ultimatley lure them into your lair. We need some experience and more importently a means to get back home so we can one up Tieran this time around. And a way to do that is with (but not limited to) Adia and Edaine.
Ah. There's a war on. There's the other side of the Half Life comparison.
Information-gathering is good, and getting some questions answered would be fantastic. That hangover probably needs attending to, though.
[X] See if there's anything you can do to ease the hangover. Maybe they've got some clean water you can drink? Or something rich in mana that you can easily metabolize. Not being a few breaths from collapse should make it easier to remember whatever answers you get and also keep up a convincing facade. Most importantly: energy and brainpower for snappy comebacks.
I wonder how far that reflective of the binder thing goes here? Like the color of it, or does it extend to thechoice of collar because he was imagining that, or...
My thinking is that I liked the idea of keeping the motif that's already formed, but making it more dragony and extending it to some matching elements elsewhere. Pretty similar to the Genie example provided, because that looks cool, but a little more like longer gold jewelry and keeping the circlet / collar thing?
Also the tozol one is adorable, even if I don't think it fits him.
My thinking is that I liked the idea of keeping the motif that's already formed, but making it more dragony and extending it to some matching elements elsewhere. Pretty similar to the Genie example provided, because that looks cool, but a little more like longer gold jewelry and keeping the circlet / collar thing?
Also the tozol one is adorable, even if I don't think it fits him.
[X] Take a deep breath, remember that they didn't mean to summon you, and try to calmly explain that you
1. Just survived a disaster that threw you out of your own dimension.
2. Are crashing hard from stimulants and adrenaline.
3. And then while you were trying to calm down and give your translation spell time to work someone decided to mind-control you.
-[X] I know you don't want to, but apologizing for being rude will help sell the act.
--[X] Try not to puke, if you are going to anyway try to aim away from the water/people.
Slightly more seriously:
Something that says "Tiamat's Will supercedes yours."
Or, to make the point more direct (but subtly): "You think you own me. You don't."
[x] If asked how you were summoned, tell them there was an industrial magic accident that indirectly resulted in you being thrown into the void between worlds, along with two other dragons. This might be a good time to ask if they can summon the other two, but on the other hand he'll bind them, and we don't know if they're inoculated...
[x] Tell them about your currently operational abilities, but also that you aren't trained for fighting, you're an alchemist and artificer.
[x] Ask what the hell's going on.
[x] The Genie or Sun Prince (is this even a vote or will the author pick whatever he thinks looks coolest?)
Think of it as a write-in, except more of a draw-in. Just doodle ideas for the subverted binding spell on this paperdoll sheet. Then I'll either pick my favorite, or combine elements of my favorites, or hold a vote depending on what seems to make the most sense:[...]
[X] Minimal changes
Shift the exisiting markings into a representation of Zalan's Crown and Breath nodes because he's a dragon, and then don't add any extra because if Zalan wanted tattoos he would have gotten them already.
