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If I place an enemy or individual in a set of dimensional shackles (I've already placed instant summons on the shackles), and I summon the shackles to me, what happens?

As I read the description of the spell and the shackles, I notice a few things:

  • The individual can't teleport away from the shackles.
  • The individual must go where the shackles go.
  • The shackles must answer the summon because they are in my use, not in the use of some other individual.

So, would this combo:

  • Create some sort of hiccup in time/space?
  • Rip the shackled individual's limbs from its body?
  • Teleport the individual to my location?
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The outcome is ambiguous, ask your GM

Drawmij's instant summons specifies:

If another creature is holding or carrying the item, crushing the sapphire doesn't transport the item to you, but instead you learn who the creature possessing the object is and roughly where that creature is located at that moment.

You'll have to ask your GM if the shackles binding a creature count as "holding or carrying". If they do the shackles won't teleport based on the clause.

If your GM decides that being bound by shackles is not the same as holding or carrying then the shackles will teleport, unbinding the creature. Nothing about Drawmij's instant summons would bring the creature bound by the item along with it, and dimensional shackles don't prevent the shackles themselves from teleportation.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I would have to disagree on that. If the shackles are still closed around the individual, they haven't been released from their purpose of holding said individual. Only if the shackles are unlocked would they be allowed to free themselves from the individual. \$\endgroup\$ – JoshWa5h Sep 16 '19 at 18:01
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    \$\begingroup\$ @JoshWa5h that may be the concept of the shackles, but that's not how the rules work as written \$\endgroup\$ – David Coffron Sep 16 '19 at 18:05
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It says holding or carrying. Someone bound in shackles is still carrying the shackles.

Drawmij's Instant Summons

"If another creature is holding or carrying the item, crushing the sapphire doesn't transport the item to you, but instead you learn who the creature possessing the object is and roughly where that creature is located at that moment."

The definitions of carrying are:

"to wear or have on one's person"

"to bear upon or within one"

"To move while supporting"

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carrying

If the individual wasn't wearing the shackles, they wouldn't work. So the individual is definitely carrying the shackles.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Hello, welcome to RPG.SE. This is a good start of an answer, but answers should also stand on their own. A sentence or two indicating why carrying the shackles is important (perhaps quoting the relevant part of the spell) would make this a very good answer. \$\endgroup\$ – BBeast Feb 24 at 0:12
  • \$\begingroup\$ @BBeast, I updated my answer. Does it now fit with what is expected of a good answer? If it is still missing something, please let me know. \$\endgroup\$ – Warriormon87 Jun 30 at 20:07

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