I did a deep dive into Genie Binding on Golarion and figured I would share what I learned. Hopefully this is helpful. Oh, and for context I started off by looking at the 1E Archetypes and Prestige Classes and thinking about how they might get translated in 2E. From there I just went down the rabbit hole.
Archetype/Prestige: Genie-Binder
Organization: Genie-Binders
Location: Padishah Empire
Note: Some cultures look upon the term Genie-Binder as little more than a fancy way to say Genie-Slaver. However, this shows a lack of understanding in the diversity in the art of genie-binding. Many Genie-Binders use negotiation and contracts that a Genie agrees to prior to willingly submitting to binding. This way a Genie ensures that they get as much as they want out of the contract as the Binder. Also, since the contract is part of the binding, the genie cannot be forced to perform acts that are outside the scope of the contract and the Genie is only bound for the duration of the contract. However, not every Genie-Binder is without reproach in their negotiations. Some Genie-Binders will stoop to using blackmail, threats, or displays of magical prowess to coerce a Genie into agreeing to the terms of a contract. The worse Genie-Binders are true slavers who force a binding onto a Genie against their will. Although we don’t know the currently laws relating to Genie Binding, one would hope using methods of coercion and force are illegal and punishment can range from fines and the nulling of contracts, to imprisonment and restitution paid by the binder. If such laws exist, these laws are not likely universally applied throughout the Padishah Empire, especially among the noble classes.
Archetype/Prestige: Daivrat
Organization: Daivrat
Location: Padishah Empire
Note: The Daivrat, also called Genie-friends, are a specialized group within the Padishah Empire that seek out mistreatment and abuse against Genies. They tend to be suspicious of Genie-Binders and willing provide aid to any Genie in need. This aid most often comes in the form of diplomacy during contract negotiations. However, a Daivrat may also provide legal assistance for a Genie coerced or forced into contracts. A Daivrat that has proven their value to Genie-Kind can call a willing lesser Genie called a Zhyen. A Zhyen can come from any of the four Elemental Planes. A Zhyen that responds to a Daivrat’s call will bond themself to the Daivrat in a bond that is similar to the bond between a Witch and their familiar. The most dedicated of all Daivrat undergo a mystical transformation in which they become Geniekin, not dissimilar to Suli, Sylph, Oread, Ifrit, and Undine.
Archetype/Prestige: Sha’ir
Organization: Sha’ir
Location: Padishah Empire
Note: The Sha’ir forms connections with the most minor of all Genie-Kind. These minor Genies are called Jin and they come from any of the four Elemental Planes. In addition to being connected to one of the four elements, each Jin has a minor connection to one of the eight schools of arcane magic. The bond established between a Sha’ir and their Jin is not genie-binding in the traditional sense. Instead, when a Jin responds to the call of a Sha’ir the relationship that is formed is similar to that of a Wizard and their familiar.
Archetype/Prestige: Elemental Ally
Organization: Elemental Allies
Location: Padishah Empire
Note: The Elemental Ally establishes bonds with eidolon-like Genies from each of the four Elemental Planes. The bond between an Elemental Ally and their eidolon-like Genies is similar to the bond between a Summoner and their eidolon. Elemental Allies are often considered similar to Genie-Binders but this is from a misunderstanding of the relationship between an Elemental Ally and their eidolon-like Genies. Elemental Allies have been known to work closely with the Daivrat as both groups tend to have a strong respect for Genie-Kind.
Note: Above we are introduced to three different types of Genies, the minor genies called Jin and the lesser genies Zhyen and eidolon-like Genie. Getting these three genies into 2E will be very helpful. As it stands the Jin seem on par with the standard Wizard’s familiar and I would like to see these as CR 0 level monsters, however, the monster entry will have to allow for choosing 1 of 4 elemental types and 1 of 8 school dependent, arcane abilities. The Zhyen seem on par with the Specific Familiars in the APG and I would like to see them as CR 1 level monsters. For the “eidolon-like Genie”, I would like to see them get a proper name. Also, since we don’t have eidolons yet, it is difficult to say what the approximate translation might look like. As a monster I am guessing they will work well in the CR 2-3 range. I think this will give them enough built in customization to feel like “eidolon-like Genies.” As monsters they would have a base Genie/Elemental chassis with the option to customize with one or two low level Eidolon abilities.
Additional Thoughts on Genie Binding: As written the Genie-Binder Prestige Class provides a lot of insight on how Genie Binding works in Golarion. Using the Prestige Class a guide, some additional concepts relating to Genie Binding are explored below.
Legality – In the Prestige Class we see Genie Binding is done with either, negotiations and contracts, by coercion, or by outright slavery. We also see that Genies are bound with an Elemental Seal and the Elemental Seal can be placed willingly or unwillingly. This all indicates that there is a legal framework for the binding of Genies. However, we don’t currently know the Padishah Empire’s laws concerning Genie Binding. We do know that Genies are powerful and therefore it is not surprising that some people are interested in negotiating and contracting with Genies to gain access to some of that power.
Genie Contracts – Why people on Golarion are willing to contract with Genies is fairly obvious. They gain the service of a powerful elemental, potentially have direct access to Genie magic, plus any benefits one might think of by having a personal Genie nearby. But why would a Genie be interested in contracting with people on Golarion? One possibility comes from looking at what the Prestige Class doesn’t discuss, which is Genie Bottles.
Genie Bottles – We currently don’t know what benefits, if any, a Genie Bottle has for a Genie. However, something that might be enticing for a Genie is if the bottle acts as a combination of Demiplane and Phylactery. Granted, both the Demiplane effect and Phylactery effect of a Genie Bottle would be limited to the duration of the binding that was established in the contract. So these would be very temporary effects with a limit on duration. But that does create a situation where, at least for a limited time, a Genie has control of their own minor Demiplane. Also, they have the comfort of knowing that when summoned out of the Bottle by the Binder to confront a deadly task, any fatal wounds sustained will return them safely to their Bottle (while still gaining them all the experience from the encounter). My guess is that Genie Bottles are created via a Ritual and the resulting Bottle is only good for one Binding. I am not sure how duration would be handled. I imagine Bindings are typically not less than a year but not longer than 500 years.
Ownership of a Genie Bottle – Another issue that needs addressed for Genie Binding is ownership of the Genie Bottle. This is probably spelled out in the contract so that ownership can transfer in a way that fits the story. That being said there should be some discussion on how to handle a Genie Bottle that was truly lost and later found. Does the Genie relate the terms of the contract to the finder, and the finder needs to consent to gain the Genie’s service? Does the Genie continue to perform services, no questions asked, but only within the terms of the contract? Can the finder agree to break the contract and free the Genie from service?
Genie Seals/Elemental Seals/Ture Seals – The Genie Binder Prestige Class assumes that the four elemental Genies are the Genies primarily sought after in regards to Binding. However, unless retconned (which I hope not) all of the following classify as Genies:
Jin, Zhyen, Genie-Like Eidolon, Janni, Djinni, Shaitan, Efreeti, Marid, Jinni, Muurfeli, Ararda
To cover the minor Genies, elemental Genies, and more powerful Genie types, the Seals as presented in the Prestige Class need an expansion. This can be done with generic “Genie Seals” that cover Genies up to CR 4, “Elemental Seals” covering Genies up to CR 9 that are specific to one of the four Elements, and “True Seals” covering CR 10 and higher and can be used for the binding of any type of Genie. A Genie Binder must place a seal upon a willing or unwillingly Genie as part of the Binding. They level of Seal a Genie Binder has access to would be dependent on appropriate Archetype Feats.
Bottle Seals – Beyond the Seals that Genie Binders place upon Genies, a Genie Bottle can also hold a seal. The Seals placed on Bottles are active for as long as the Genie inside remains bound. These Bottle Seals are often beneficial to the Binder and assists the Binder when dealing with Genies or other Elementals. However, some Seals are beneficial for the Genies. A Genie Binder must use caution when adding a Bottle Seal to a Genie Bottle, as some Bottle Seals are offensive to Genies. So while a Seal may benefit the Binder in some regards, an annoyed or recalcitrant Genie may not make the Bottle Seal worthwhile in the long run. Sulesh the Great was one of the most powerful Genie Binders ever know on Golarion, however, his treatment of bound Genies maybe seen as more controversial in the modern Padishah Empire. Sulesh is known for creating two of the most powerful Bottle Seals ever seen. The Ture Seal of Sulesh and the Garden of Sulesh are powerful Bottle Seals and artifacts in the art of Genie Binding.
Jistkan magistrates (which also have an archetype) are noted for their elemental and genie binding.
The Jistkan Magistrate is a little different. Their connections with Genies are divine in nature, so for them working with Genies is essentially the same as a cleric working with an angel or demon. I did do an assessment of them as well, but I didn't include it as it seemed a bit farther away from the various Genie traditions that are associated with Genie Binding. Especially those traditions associated with the Padishah Empire. But yes, I very nearly included them as well.
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Osirion has also been known to bind genies during the Pharaonic period - the walls of Ipeq and the Khopesh Span bridge were built by genies bound by (or at the orders of at least) the Pharaoh of Blades, An-Hepsu VII, to make campaigning to the south easier, and legend claims if the pacts ever fail the city walls will crumble. There's another bound genie, a Shaitan, in Mummy's Mask who was contracted for an unexpectedly long term. In both cases though, the terms used suggest that they were contracted through diplomacy and negotiation rather than the magical compulsion typically associated with genie-binding, and that genies weren't enslaved as in Kelesh and Qadira - even for a contract lasting millennia, as immortals who don't need to eat or sleep and don't breathe time wouldn't mean much for them if the pay is right. The Pharaoh of Plagues created the first Usij by corrupting an Efreet commander, but he was an exception to a LOT of norms. Generally though, Ancient Osirion preferred to bind elementals and when those pacts failed the elementals got free and now live in clans across the deserts. The intermingling of them with humans, and their elemental-blooded descendants intermingling with genie-blooded descendants from Qadira, produced true genies native to the region.
I've long thought that the idea of Genie-Binding seems like something the Summoner is practically built for, since in 1e they can summon a genie eidolon. I would assume a 2e Genie-Binder/Daivrat would lean more towards that, showing it as a relationship built either on mutual trust and benefit with the de-emphasis on genie slavery - the genie is getting as much out of the relationship as the Daivrat/Binder is. A Binder might be less emotionally invested in their eidolon, seeing it an exchange of resources for services, while a Daivrat would be more likely to work with their eidolon in reciprocative partnership. I'd expect a genie-themed summoner's eidolon would really lean in on the magical power of the genies, contrasted to the eidolon's typical use as a martial or tank in the absence of a fighter or paladin, with some cool spell-likes to supplement their caster's abilite, or even shift spellcasting entirely to the eidolon and make the Summoner more beefy - emphasise the agency of the genie in the relationship. I don't know how that would play in gameplay terms, though.