Enchanted Realms Rulebook
Shackles
If that surrender is successfully negotiated, then the detainees will probably be tied up or placed in manacles. But what this mean? Are they completely helpless? The short answer is “mostly.” However, the more complex answer is “no.”
When a character is brought to zero Body and then revived, when the victim of a sleep axiom, when a entity fails a save against the surrender incantation, when a being has been grappled and two successful manacle-touch-attacks have been made, or other creative possibilities, then the victim will be placed in a combat restriction of bound. Further, if gagging the victim, verbal spells will be prevented. It is also not uncommon for a shackled prisoner to be blindfolded or have a hood placed over one's head to add the blinded restriction as well.
However, the bound restriction only reduces the combat ability and prevents certain weapons from being used. That said, some creatures under a bound restriction may not us weapons anyway. Thus, those with martial arts or savage form do propose special cases. Further, there are opportunities to escape the restriction, which will be discussed shortly.
Shackling an enemy can be done in numerous ways and with different devices. A victim who is restricted as incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, stunned or unconscious can be bound with a single action if having ropes, manacles or the like at the ready. A charmed victim can be bound with a single action by the charmer - or with a coordination of efforts, using an action to instruct the victim to allow being tied or shackled, then the following action by who performs the restraints. It is possible to place someone in manacles who is actively fighting, but it is a difficult process. First, the victim must be successfully grappled. While under that restriction, an action per hand to be bound is required. The grappler does not have to be the same one to apply the manacles; however, whoever is applying the manacles must be the same person for all limbs. The exception is shackling a limb, retreating and allowing another to move in to apply subsequent shackling actions. Only after both arms are placed in manacles is the victim considered bound; however, the restriction only applies to those limbs. This means a jen’esse could still attack with its tail without being at disadvantage. Of course, specialized manacles have been created for various races and creatures, but it does require shackling those extra limbs as well. Lastly, binding a fighting victim with rope cannot be performed unless the one doing the tying has the knots skill, in which case, the actions are the same as manacles.
Escaping from the shackling is also possible by brute force or through certain skills. If tied by rope, a victim with knots can attempt to untie the binding as described in the skill. If there is something sharp available to cut the ropes, then this can be attempted as well using an Agility feat (TM:18); however, someone with the knots skill in addition gains a bonus of +4 on the check to cut free. Also, one with lock-picking when placed in manacles could attempt to open them with a -4 penalty for being bound, but only if having access to picks. The GM might allow substitute objects to act as a pick in certain scenarios and with appropriate penalties.