Binding Machine

The Binding Machine is a large clockwork mechanism in the Temple of Shadow. Created by the Shadow Force, it was the primary weapon used by the Shadow Force during the Demon Wars to stage a worldwide invasion of Erudite.

The Binding Machine resembles a model of the Erudite system with the sun, moons and planets orbiting it in a geocentric configuration. The machine, when configured with various dials that arrange the celestial bodies in the mechanism, could bind demons to the will of the machine's operator. Their positions served as a way to direct celestial energy via astromancy which in turn could be channeled through large scale spells.

The planetary model of Erudite served as a map which the Shadow Force could interact with, directing their demon binding spells through a series of runes hidden in the ground across the world. These runes were obscured by taking the shape of seemingly inoccuous objects. Line art that is otherwise only visible from the sky was often drawn in rugged terrain. Alternatively, members of the Shadow Force that had embedded themselves in urban planning meetings would design cities and towns to take the shape of the required runes. During the Demon Wars, even after it was figured it that the runes were controlling the demons, there were so many hidden throughout the world that destroying or defacing them only had a limited effect. Thus, the only way to truly stop the demon invasion in one fell swoop was to destroy the Binding Machine itself.

The Binding Machine itself was one of the most magically advanced devices at the time, so it was not entirely understood at the time how the Shadow Force even created it to begin with. After the end of the war, the Binding Machine was damaged beyond repair with the intention that it would never again be used to threaten the world. However, a metallurgical analysis of the device indicated it was consistent with the design of magitek devices created by the Vanadian Empire, a hostile dwarven civilization that once held the world hostage by harvesting energy from the planet's core using the Thalefeaster. It is thought that the Shadow Force either repaired or rebuilt the device after having discovered some ancient ruins deep within Subterra.