caffeine-overclock
A few days ago, I asked how bindings are powered/recharged here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Iteration110Cradle/comments/d95b8u/how_are_bindings_recharged/
The consensus was that bindings work as they are described in Soulsmith, where Lindon creates his own water: his core is basically drained from the effort of "activating the binding," where that madra is converted to water madra.
The critical detail being that Lindon's own madra is drained from him into the weapon to activate the binding.
So far, so good.
Then, in Uncrowned, we see Yerin activate an Archlord weapon. The explanation we're given is that her new diamond channels kept her from being destroyed by using it two stages too soon. I guess if it's an enormous amount of Yerin's madra being ripped out of her into the weapon, this explanation makes sense, except...
Where did Yerin get all that Madra?
It's described as consuming the enormous arena stage, and being so much that Lindon's arm was ripping at the seams trying to control it all.
Has Yerin been using the HEPW? I can't imagine her having all that madra in her cores, especially after a long fight with Lindon.
Will Wight
The madra can come from the substance of the construct or from the madra forming the binding itself, which is how independent constructs work and why they cannibalize themselves over time.
Since Yerin can’t afford to subsidize an entire Archlord technique with her own madra, she puts as much as she can into activating and controlling it, and the rest of the power comes from the sword itself.
Which will cut down on the sword’s lifespan unless it receives serious maintenance.
caffeine-overclock
Yessss thank you!
So if Eithan wanted to activate an Archlord binding, and hypothetically also had diamond channels, he could do so without damaging it?
Will Wight
He could! Technically any Underlord can, if they have some way to handle the stress it puts on their spirit. It’s just usually better to have a weapon you can control and activate consistently with no risk.