A Chaotic Good Wizard wants to enlist the services of a Lilend Azata. Hypothetically, he and his friends are about to enter a lair of evil undead so he wants a Lilend to join them and be the party’s bard for a week.
So he buys a few masterwork instruments from the local craftsmen and commissions a song or portrait from a local artist to serve as the gifts that spell requires.
He prepares the Magic Circle Versus Good in his sanctuary, lights a few candles and casts the spell. Even may even know the Lilend’s name thanks to a previous casting of Summon Monster VI.
My point is that the Planar Binding spells requires the wizard to “lure a creature from another plane to a specifically prepared trap”. When she fails her Will Save she “is immediately drawn to the trap”.
The way I see it, a Chaotic Good outsider will always begin Unfriendly to any such situation.
While Evil Outsiders would be intimidated and cajoled into service, and Lawful Good outsiders would accept such a spell as perhaps a legal defence, a Chaotic Good creature would find the whole Planar Binding methodology antithetical to their outlook on life.
Even while the wizard to then begin bargaining with the Outsider, offering gifts and accepting any refusals graciously, the whole arrangement begins on bad note. Creatures who stand for Freedom would never wholly trust or accept those who deliberately denied them their freedom.
Just looking for thoughts or options on this.
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First, you need to make absolutely certain you're both comfortable with it. Then lay out what the boundries are and find out what each of you wants out of it. After you've got some safewo-oh OH uh..
I think you've hit on some of the flavor hiccups that are frequent with this spell. I'd probably prefer for some of the basic mechanics to be used while heavily flavoring it as being far less of a binding and more of an absolutely consensual arrangement. Otherwise, yeah, it does feel off.
Perhaps view it as an open call that could be answered by any interested lillend? That goes out the window if you're calling a specific one though.
Then again as ageless outsiders they're probably used to such methodology and while certainly not happy about can probably be reasoned with as long as the caster keeps the right attitude. It's like waiting in line at the DMV, you hate it but it's just something you have to go through.
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Along those lines, one take on this that I've seen and adopted to a point is that many outsiders have a "switch" they can turn on(or have forced on by their masters, for fiends and such) which makes them receptive to summons, callings, and bindings and such. In the case of azatas, it would most likely be a voluntary thing.
Outsiders are frequently subject to many masters. This may make them a little more congenial when dealing with a new one. And as was pointed out above, if you're not making them do anything suicidal, they have infinite time to spare. Nevertheless, they are likely to be perturbed at the repeated interruptions... Hence the gifts.
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How about a worthy and easy task, a good Diplomacy roll (overcoming your phobia of avians) and a large bribe?
Mostin considered entertainment, entered his cellar, and used a Planar Binding to call a Lillend. Her beautiful blue and green feathered wings almost caused the Alienist to throw up, as he spoke to her in an unsteady voice. The outsider was subdued, expecting an onerous task to be demanded of her.
"I am having a party," Mostin said. "I should like to engage your services for twelve hours or so. You need only sing, recite poetry, play your lyre, relax and impress my guests with your..." he swallowed, "…beauty. If you agree to this modest proposal, I will give you some emeralds which complement your…feathers." He shuddered.
The Lillend, taken aback by the ease of the proposed task, agreed forthwith. Mostin lamented the sacrifices that one had to make on the treacherous path of social climbing.
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Truth be told, you probably /could/ do it without the circle, well aside from the initial casting.
It'd probably make a big positive impression on an azata if you summoned it in, and then immediately broke the circle and were like 'ok, I wanted to talk.'
It can leave anytime it would want in that situation, which might make it more positively disposed towards you.
The circle's primary purpose is keeping the outsider from zotting off/murdering you. A chaotic good or good caster calling in an azata probably doesn't need to worry about it going instantly homocidal on them.
Generally I've always found the casting of pro good to summon in good outsiders, by a good caster to be a little...dodgy.
I mean realistically, how many good spellcasters keep that in their book?
Couple notes.
First, you could try contacting the specific being with a sending, seeing if it is amendable to being conjured to this world. That's always a better way to kick things off than with a rude yank.
Second, depending on your trust for such a being (and your own alignment) you could try calling it without fortifying the circle. Use the bare minimum, no dimensional anchor, no extra silver, ect. That's what my wizard did when calling an Azata.
Third, you could immediately break the circle when it arrives, giving it the opportunity to break free.
Just a few thoughts. Talk to your GM, see what he thinks is reasonable.
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==
On the Material plane:
Jacob the mage wants a Lilend to join his party.
Jacob makes the necessary preparations and begins the incantation.
Jacob: "Nos vris imperius! Salen reut'ros malak! <more arcane gibberish>"
MEANWHILE! in the outer planes!
Lily the Lilend is hanging out on a cloud, playing music with her friends, when suddenly, it sounds like someone is shouting in the distance.
Lily the Lilend: "Hey did you hear thaOH MY LORD, WHAT IS HAPPENIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiii..."
Back on the Material plane!
Lily the Lilend finds herself trapped in a circle of magical energi. Across from her, just beyond the circle stands a robed figure.
Lily the Lilend: "What is going on here!? Who are you! Why have you trapped me?!"
Jacob throws back his hood and smiles apologetically.
Jacob: "Heh, sorry about that milady. I actually just wanted to ask someone such as you to help me in an upcoming matter"
Lily the Lilend: "You have a funny way of asking for help"
Jacob: "My apologies, again. I'm afraid I am still learning, and the only spell I had at my disposal has a pretty blunt-force-trauma approach to bringing in creatures from other planes."
Lily the Lilend: "If you just wanted my help, what is with that diagram on the floor?"
Jacob: "Just a precaution milady, I'll remove it immediately, pardon me"
At this, jacob grabs a broom and breaks the circle.
Jacob: "You are free to leave milady, though I wish you would hear my request before doing so. I promise, I seek your help in a matter of great benefit to the land and the locals"
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This seems like an okay foundation to work from, if you ask me. :)
-Nearyn