There's been some concern about elementals being misused as super power
sources and some good suggestions as how to avoid this (my apologies for not
quoting or attributing directly-you know who you are). I like the
suggestion that elementals hate being controlled and that elemental cultists
would avoid abusing elementals-as was stated they are fellow cultists.
Other possibilities to avoid this problem are:
- They haven't thought of it or didn't do it. You may laugh but the
Greeks invented the steam engine a long time ago and da Vinci thought up a
lot of nifty ideas without ever putting any of them into use. Don't assume
because something can be done that it will be done. Not every society is so
bullish on change and heedless of consequences as ours is, in fact it's
probably the one true distinguishing feature of 20th century society.
Someone thinks of something and immediately we do it-atomic bombs, genetic
manipulation, poison gas-let's do it! We're good on action, weak on
consequences. Human society has always been basically conservative until
very recently. The Egyptians changed very little over the course of 4000
years and not a lot (relatively speaking of course) changed between say the
Classical Greeks and 1800 or so. At least not compared to the changes say
from 1900 until today. (It's at this point that I duck behind my flame
proof computer monitor for cover). I can hardly believe the changes that
have occurred since I was born in 1963 for crying out loud.
- They're too stupid to leave untended. You might tell Gusty to turn the
blades of your windmill and come back ten minutes later to find it's ripped
the vanes off. Ships, waterwheels and windmill vanes can move or turn too
fast.
- Duration. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the elemental have to
return to its binding object after 15 minutes when the command spell runs
out? Not a very reliable power source. Great for emergencies but unless
you've got a lot of Command whatever spells you're not going to get a lot of
use out of your elemental.
Oliver D. Bernuetz
bernuetz.oliver_at_ic.gc.ca