Photography in Eberron [Archive] - Wizards Community

Photography in Eberron [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Rekko
10-12-07, 10:50 PM The question is simple. Would you add Photography in Eberron? How would it work?

I would consider adding cameras and snapshot pictures in Eberron for an obvious reason: Espionnage !

How would it work? This magical camera looks like a modern numerical camera. It is tiny, it has a lense, it has an eye to frame your picture and it has a screen made of a glass sliding panel. A faint glitterdust spell powers the camera allowing to imprint what the lense is 'looking' at on the glass screen. The glitterdust spell doesn't affect the subject as if it was hit by the spell. Instead, only people in a 10ft. cone are blinded for one round only, no Hide penalities and invisible creatures are not outlined by sparkling dust. However, invisible creatures will be outlined on the picture.

You can take a picture of something 100ft. away from the camera, and the picture appears on the glass screen one round after the picture has been taken. The picture last one hour on the glass screen and can only be seen if the glass panel is slide out of the camera and put in front of some white paper. To 'save' a picture you need to cast arcane mark while the glass panel is on the white paper, however, it takes 10 minutes for the picture to fully 'print' on the paper. If the glass panel/screen already has a picture on it, you can take another picture, but the doing so erases the first picture, so if the picture wasn't printed on paper, it is as if it was never taken (but it blinds a 10ft. cone, lol)

Spies typically carry multiple glass panel to use as screens and will print their pictures later. In this way, they can take multiple pictures of an event. If you are waiting to take a picture of something particular, like catching someone doing an act, you have to prepare a ready action and make a spot check to see if you have succeeded in taking the good shot. DMs should decide the DC according to the situation. Was the target hiding? moving fast? disguised? did it have cover? etc. Maybe a spot check against touch AC?

Cost? all depends if the cameras are a rare or common thing.

Suggestions, Comments?

Rekko
Revvecor
10-12-07, 11:17 PM I am not sure how the mechanics would work, but it you wanted a camera-like device you could always have a magic device;

That gathers visual information of a given area by using an Arcane Eye. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/arcaneEye.htm)
After some internal "magic" processes the visual data could be stored and then displayed through the use of the Silent Image (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/silentImage.htm) spell.

Although this would be more of a holographic simulation than a camera, it is a starting point. I don't have any idea of a price for such an item.
Azhmodai
10-13-07, 01:14 AM Magic mirrors could be fun. Each mirror has a command word that allows it to capture whatever is currently in its image, and keep it. some might be permanent, others might be reusable but lose the first image, and some might even be able to keep many images.
mosaic
10-13-07, 04:50 PM I think photography in Eberron could be a lot of fun and could spark a lot of adventures. I posted an idea similar to yours (though not as well developed) in a thread called Arcane Technology in the Magic, Deities & Cosmology section. I don't know how to do links so here was my idea on photography:

"Arcane imaging boxes. You can look through and preserve the image you see on alchemically treated panes of glass. Just image, the heroes slay a wyvern and then pose next to the body as the dwarf runs to set up the imager. Poof! The moment is recorded for posterity. The spell would probably be some low-level illusion spell. One could look at the pane of glass with the naked eye to see the image again, or mount it in a frame. Or, slip it into another box, arcane demonstrators, that would use a magical light source to project the image onto a wall or other surface. Note that if these imagers record still images, some could probably be created using a higher-level illusion spell to actually record moving images!"

For myself, I like the idea of cameras being big and clunky, at least the the ones most of the public sees. National espionage services might have access to something a little smaller though ...
Rekko
10-13-07, 05:30 PM Not bad at all, I never thought about diaporamas. However, even though I really like movies, I don't think Eberron is ready in 998YK to have access to such a technology. I'd see photography being developped during the Last War to create souvenirs and reminders. While cinema could be a technology of the Next War.

Links are made in this way: [URL=http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=14069281#post14069281]Link[/ URL] choose the right url adress and erase the space between / and U
Rekko
CannibalSmith
10-14-07, 04:06 AM One of my friends had a camera in a Planescape campaign long ago. It was a box with an imp living inside its extradimensional space. The snap button was actually a prod for waking the imp. Hilarity began when the imp started throwing parties.
Lord_Tirian
10-14-07, 08:06 AM I introduced "illusion glasses": These are small glass panels, 3" by 3" about 1" thick. You look through them and if you speak a command word, they hold the image you see while looking through them.

Additionally, a silent illusion directly cast into it can also produce a picture, so they're also used by illusionists for artwork.

I figured out, that creating a small permanent illusion within a small panel is at best the equivalent of a 1st level spell, so I've priced these panels at 50 gp (the price of a 1st level spell potion), as an one-use item.

If you want bigger pictures, you have to put several of these illusion glasses together to form a mosaic.

Already used panels vary in price, of course, depending on the content.

Cheers, LT.
Alex_
10-14-07, 12:10 PM House Phialarn/Thurrani have a Dragonshard item which is a shard suspended in a circlet by several fine wires. It's capable of capturing images and what not. I'd imagine the most obvious use for them would be in reconnaissance/spying, but given their dual function as entertainers, they could probably also use it in that function as well. Showing audiences still and moving images from things across Khorvaire, selling wealthy patrons imprinted images of their families and friends, capturing performances, etc.

I'd imagine that since a Dragonmark related item, it would be another one of those technologies that while existant in Eberron (like airships, the lightning rail, speaking stones, Jorasco healing, etc) is not so mundane that the average commoner has ready access to the product/service.
Owlperson2007
10-14-07, 03:52 PM Fairy stories talk about magic devices that are used as mini TVs so why not? The story of Snow White or the Japanese goddess Amaterasu both have analogues of the magic mirror which is essentially closed-circuit TV designed to scry on others. In fact I'd be surprised if their seers (like Nostradamus in 16th century France) didn't look forward in time to see what we moderns got up to and then tried to explain away computers and TVs and cameras and even iPods ("a magic thingummy that looks like a rattle that kids use to scare birds away from the crops...but get this...when you spin it round it plays MUSIC - like what Bernard can play on his lute! - and a princess had a mirror in which she could talk to people on the other side of the kingdom and then the handsome old king came and whisked her away in a chariot that didn't even need a horse to pull it!" "Nah, pull the other one, Frederick, you've been at the mead again, haven't you...").

Almost every technological device that has been developed in history has come about because there has been someone who needs an image faster than someone else can paint. I don't doubt that in places with access to DnD magic it would get invented a whole lot sooner.
thehaze
12-23-07, 10:20 AM In my groups take on Eberron, we have a form of camera. It's a popular, yet expensive Cannith-produced "toy". It's based on the cameras of the late 1800's and is generally equally unweildy.

It functions by burning off a thunderstone, which of course produces a huge bang (earplugs are standard equipment for photographers). The energy of the blast is directed into the main chamber of the camera, illuminating a plate of glass which is then imprinted with whatever is infront of the foci-lens.

The glass plates are the magical part of the contraption, while the camera itself is a mundane, mechanical construction.
Romulus LoneWolf
12-23-07, 11:02 AM My idea for a camera involves an alchemically-treated crystal held inside a sealed locket. When the locket is opened and the crystal exposed to light, it actually takes in a three-dimensional picture of everything that reflects into it's facets. Lockets come in directional and omnidirectional, depending on the user's choice. To see the image, hold the crystal up to the light and you can see the image, rotating it for full visual effect. You can even use "Create Image" with the crystal to project a larger illusionary version.

...Experiments are being done to create a version that can capture motion pictures.
Rekko
01-03-08, 03:54 PM I like that burned tunderstone idea.

Any other take on photography?
CannibalSmith
01-04-08, 04:47 AM I like that burned tunderstone idea. I don't. Too much like real world.
Cuaglar
01-05-08, 06:10 PM Photographic Scroll
When read while facing in a certain direction, a standard action, an image, seemingly painted from normal pigments, appears on the parchment. The image is crude and slightly blurred, but it is still good enough to identify specific people or things. It can be used to qualify as a likeness or picture when used for scrying.
CL 3, Craft Wondrous Item, Scribe Scroll, silent image, market price 125 gp

I invented this thingamabob for an adventure in which the PC's had to take a picture of a dragonmark on a cliff in the Lhazaar Principalities. It's not really a photograph, but more like a crude drawing. Kinda like the work of many fantasy artists!
:rimshot:
Rekko
01-07-08, 09:38 PM That's interesting.

So far, we have a few different types of photography. Going from the imp-in-a-box, to photographic scrolls and old type tunderstone flash camera.

What else could be used?

If ever to be found in a book, which one you think could make its way in a book?

Rekko
kelvinaw273
01-13-08, 12:51 PM House Phiarlan have a magical artefact that does this, in essence. I think having an 'image capturer' would not be a bad idea: combine magecraft with detect thoughts and an artist, and draw a good likeness of the person you are thinking of - the sort of service Sivis would offer.
Alyss
02-25-08, 01:38 AM Personally I'd go for an arcane eye and minor creation approach. The two spells would make ideal candidates for a camera that creates the photographs (they pop out of the air like instant polaroids)
Elton74
02-25-08, 08:33 AM hmmmm. Eberronite Photoshoppers . . .
Tusalu
02-25-08, 08:36 AM Actually the iconographs of the Discworld-series (by Terry Pratchett) would fir quite well into eberron. The basic idea is that you have a small box with a window in one side, and inside you have a small homunculus that is trained to paint what it sees quickly and perfectly. :D
skrap-san
02-25-08, 10:12 AM Id just say make it a level 1 illusion spell (mirror image springs to mind) combined with an eberron shard. Ad a expencive box and ignore the rules. At least that is my plan, but I'm not to fond of itim creation among my players.
Syltorian
02-25-08, 12:40 PM Dragon 327 had a "Modern Magic" article, and includes cameras (memory crystals), although they cannot be printed, should you want to created images for the Korranberg Chronicle or Wanted posters. It might be a start, and it even allows for photo manipulation. Besides that, there are quite a number of good solutions here on this thread.

As an aside, next to memory crystals, the dragon article has magical equivalents for parcel service, internet maps, compact discs, video phones and PDAs. Many of these things I found to fit Eberron quite well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rekko 10-12-07, 10:50 PM	The question is simple. Would you add Photography in Eberron? How would it work? I would consider adding cameras and snapshot pictures in Eberron for an obvious reason: Espionnage ! How would it work? This magical camera looks like a modern numerical camera. It is tiny, it has a lense, it has an eye to frame your picture and it has a screen made of a glass sliding panel. A faint glitterdust spell powers the camera allowing to imprint what the lense is 'looking' at on the glass screen. The glitterdust spell doesn't affect the subject as if it was hit by the spell. Instead, only people in a 10ft. cone are blinded for one round only, no Hide penalities and invisible creatures are not outlined by sparkling dust. However, invisible creatures will be outlined on the picture. You can take a picture of something 100ft. away from the camera, and the picture appears on the glass screen one round after the picture has been taken. The picture last one hour on the glass screen and can only be seen if the glass panel is slide out of the camera and put in front of some white paper. To 'save' a picture you need to cast arcane mark while the glass panel is on the white paper, however, it takes 10 minutes for the picture to fully 'print' on the paper. If the glass panel/screen already has a picture on it, you can take another picture, but the doing so erases the first picture, so if the picture wasn't printed on paper, it is as if it was never taken (but it blinds a 10ft. cone, lol) Spies typically carry multiple glass panel to use as screens and will print their pictures later. In this way, they can take multiple pictures of an event. If you are waiting to take a picture of something particular, like catching someone doing an act, you have to prepare a ready action and make a spot check to see if you have succeeded in taking the good shot. DMs should decide the DC according to the situation. Was the target hiding? moving fast? disguised? did it have cover? etc. Maybe a spot check against touch AC? Cost? all depends if the cameras are a rare or common thing. Suggestions, Comments? Rekko
Revvecor 10-12-07, 11:17 PM	I am not sure how the mechanics would work, but it you wanted a camera-like device you could always have a magic device; That gathers visual information of a given area by using an Arcane Eye. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/arcaneEye.htm) After some internal "magic" processes the visual data could be stored and then displayed through the use of the Silent Image (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/silentImage.htm) spell. Although this would be more of a holographic simulation than a camera, it is a starting point. I don't have any idea of a price for such an item.
Azhmodai 10-13-07, 01:14 AM	Magic mirrors could be fun. Each mirror has a command word that allows it to capture whatever is currently in its image, and keep it. some might be permanent, others might be reusable but lose the first image, and some might even be able to keep many images.
mosaic 10-13-07, 04:50 PM	I think photography in Eberron could be a lot of fun and could spark a lot of adventures. I posted an idea similar to yours (though not as well developed) in a thread called Arcane Technology in the Magic, Deities & Cosmology section. I don't know how to do links so here was my idea on photography: "Arcane imaging boxes. You can look through and preserve the image you see on alchemically treated panes of glass. Just image, the heroes slay a wyvern and then pose next to the body as the dwarf runs to set up the imager. Poof! The moment is recorded for posterity. The spell would probably be some low-level illusion spell. One could look at the pane of glass with the naked eye to see the image again, or mount it in a frame. Or, slip it into another box, arcane demonstrators, that would use a magical light source to project the image onto a wall or other surface. Note that if these imagers record still images, some could probably be created using a higher-level illusion spell to actually record moving images!" For myself, I like the idea of cameras being big and clunky, at least the the ones most of the public sees. National espionage services might have access to something a little smaller though ...
Rekko 10-13-07, 05:30 PM	Not bad at all, I never thought about diaporamas. However, even though I really like movies, I don't think Eberron is ready in 998YK to have access to such a technology. I'd see photography being developped during the Last War to create souvenirs and reminders. While cinema could be a technology of the Next War. Links are made in this way: [URL=http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=14069281#post14069281]Link[/ URL] choose the right url adress and erase the space between / and U Rekko
CannibalSmith 10-14-07, 04:06 AM	One of my friends had a camera in a Planescape campaign long ago. It was a box with an imp living inside its extradimensional space. The snap button was actually a prod for waking the imp. Hilarity began when the imp started throwing parties.
Lord_Tirian 10-14-07, 08:06 AM	I introduced "illusion glasses": These are small glass panels, 3" by 3" about 1" thick. You look through them and if you speak a command word, they hold the image you see while looking through them. Additionally, a silent illusion directly cast into it can also produce a picture, so they're also used by illusionists for artwork. I figured out, that creating a small permanent illusion within a small panel is at best the equivalent of a 1st level spell, so I've priced these panels at 50 gp (the price of a 1st level spell potion), as an one-use item. If you want bigger pictures, you have to put several of these illusion glasses together to form a mosaic. Already used panels vary in price, of course, depending on the content. Cheers, LT.
Alex_ 10-14-07, 12:10 PM	House Phialarn/Thurrani have a Dragonshard item which is a shard suspended in a circlet by several fine wires. It's capable of capturing images and what not. I'd imagine the most obvious use for them would be in reconnaissance/spying, but given their dual function as entertainers, they could probably also use it in that function as well. Showing audiences still and moving images from things across Khorvaire, selling wealthy patrons imprinted images of their families and friends, capturing performances, etc. I'd imagine that since a Dragonmark related item, it would be another one of those technologies that while existant in Eberron (like airships, the lightning rail, speaking stones, Jorasco healing, etc) is not so mundane that the average commoner has ready access to the product/service.
Owlperson2007 10-14-07, 03:52 PM	Fairy stories talk about magic devices that are used as mini TVs so why not? The story of Snow White or the Japanese goddess Amaterasu both have analogues of the magic mirror which is essentially closed-circuit TV designed to scry on others. In fact I'd be surprised if their seers (like Nostradamus in 16th century France) didn't look forward in time to see what we moderns got up to and then tried to explain away computers and TVs and cameras and even iPods ("a magic thingummy that looks like a rattle that kids use to scare birds away from the crops...but get this...when you spin it round it plays MUSIC - like what Bernard can play on his lute! - and a princess had a mirror in which she could talk to people on the other side of the kingdom and then the handsome old king came and whisked her away in a chariot that didn't even need a horse to pull it!" "Nah, pull the other one, Frederick, you've been at the mead again, haven't you..."). Almost every technological device that has been developed in history has come about because there has been someone who needs an image faster than someone else can paint. I don't doubt that in places with access to DnD magic it would get invented a whole lot sooner.
thehaze 12-23-07, 10:20 AM	In my groups take on Eberron, we have a form of camera. It's a popular, yet expensive Cannith-produced "toy". It's based on the cameras of the late 1800's and is generally equally unweildy. It functions by burning off a thunderstone, which of course produces a huge bang (earplugs are standard equipment for photographers). The energy of the blast is directed into the main chamber of the camera, illuminating a plate of glass which is then imprinted with whatever is infront of the foci-lens. The glass plates are the magical part of the contraption, while the camera itself is a mundane, mechanical construction.
Romulus LoneWolf 12-23-07, 11:02 AM	My idea for a camera involves an alchemically-treated crystal held inside a sealed locket. When the locket is opened and the crystal exposed to light, it actually takes in a three-dimensional picture of everything that reflects into it's facets. Lockets come in directional and omnidirectional, depending on the user's choice. To see the image, hold the crystal up to the light and you can see the image, rotating it for full visual effect. You can even use "Create Image" with the crystal to project a larger illusionary version. ...Experiments are being done to create a version that can capture motion pictures.
Rekko 01-03-08, 03:54 PM	I like that burned tunderstone idea. Any other take on photography?
CannibalSmith 01-04-08, 04:47 AM	I like that burned tunderstone idea. I don't. Too much like real world.
Cuaglar 01-05-08, 06:10 PM	Photographic Scroll When read while facing in a certain direction, a standard action, an image, seemingly painted from normal pigments, appears on the parchment. The image is crude and slightly blurred, but it is still good enough to identify specific people or things. It can be used to qualify as a likeness or picture when used for scrying. CL 3, Craft Wondrous Item, Scribe Scroll, silent image, market price 125 gp I invented this thingamabob for an adventure in which the PC's had to take a picture of a dragonmark on a cliff in the Lhazaar Principalities. It's not really a photograph, but more like a crude drawing. Kinda like the work of many fantasy artists! :rimshot:
Rekko 01-07-08, 09:38 PM	That's interesting. So far, we have a few different types of photography. Going from the imp-in-a-box, to photographic scrolls and old type tunderstone flash camera. What else could be used? If ever to be found in a book, which one you think could make its way in a book? Rekko
kelvinaw273 01-13-08, 12:51 PM	House Phiarlan have a magical artefact that does this, in essence. I think having an 'image capturer' would not be a bad idea: combine magecraft with detect thoughts and an artist, and draw a good likeness of the person you are thinking of - the sort of service Sivis would offer.
Alyss 02-25-08, 01:38 AM	Personally I'd go for an arcane eye and minor creation approach. The two spells would make ideal candidates for a camera that creates the photographs (they pop out of the air like instant polaroids)
Elton74 02-25-08, 08:33 AM	hmmmm. Eberronite Photoshoppers . . .
Tusalu 02-25-08, 08:36 AM	Actually the iconographs of the Discworld-series (by Terry Pratchett) would fir quite well into eberron. The basic idea is that you have a small box with a window in one side, and inside you have a small homunculus that is trained to paint what it sees quickly and perfectly. :D
skrap-san 02-25-08, 10:12 AM	Id just say make it a level 1 illusion spell (mirror image springs to mind) combined with an eberron shard. Ad a expencive box and ignore the rules. At least that is my plan, but I'm not to fond of itim creation among my players.
Syltorian 02-25-08, 12:40 PM	Dragon 327 had a "Modern Magic" article, and includes cameras (memory crystals), although they cannot be printed, should you want to created images for the Korranberg Chronicle or Wanted posters. It might be a start, and it even allows for photo manipulation. Besides that, there are quite a number of good solutions here on this thread. As an aside, next to memory crystals, the dragon article has magical equivalents for parcel service, internet maps, compact discs, video phones and PDAs. Many of these things I found to fit Eberron quite well.