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Magic and Civilization

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Chirp
Jan 14, 2009 15:33:51 Working on a new setting inspired by the Myst video game series and a general steampunkish feel. However, instead of steam power, I'm planning to focus more on magnatism and magic as the primary power sources in the setting.

Now, technology developed from magnatism is fairly simple (altough any suggestions would be welcome.), and it will probably become the primary power source in the setting. However I want magic to exist as well, both Devine and Arcane. Devine magic will come from the two god figures of the world (the sun and moon), while arcane magic will be renamed Wild Magic, and exist as a sort of unseen mist that covers everything.

So my question is, how might magic (and magnatism) be used in technology? I'm not really looking for spell powered computers, more of a steampunk victorian style of technology. Clockwork is also going to be fairly common.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
#2
nclanceman
Jan 14, 2009 15:53:49 IMAGE(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/57/Arcanum_cover_copy.jpg)

I think there's a game out there you should play.
#3
Chirp
Jan 14, 2009 15:56:37 Thanks but I don't have the money or desire to buy and play through any games. I'm just looking for some rough ideas or suggestions.
#4
senko
Jan 16, 2009 7:41:55 Well offhand you'll need to decide on interaction, do magic and magnatism mesh (sugar disolving in water), co-exist (oil and water settling in layers) or oppose (magic causes technology to fail) each other. Another thing to bear in mind is production options. For example technology can't do things magic can (regrow limbs, communicate with spirits, change an items colour/taste etc) but it can be mass produced (hundreds of equally good magnetism powered airconditioners can be produced in the time it takes a mage to enchant and prepare one climate controlling item). Similarly duration is a thing to consider i.e. technology breaks down (at some point) but a magical item once made lasts forever.

Oh and Eberron's a good setting for magical steampunk ideas (elemental powered ships and trains, magical communication stations, permanent globes of magic illuminating an area).
#5
izerideon_dup
Jan 18, 2009 9:30:31 These may or may not be toward what you're looking for, so feel free to use them if so, or ignore them if not. I've started a campaign similar to what you describe and the same thoughts came to mind. What Senko says is true, there should probably be some serious thought into the development of technology in your world - at least if you want to maintain a suspension of disbelief for the players you're describing things to.

If you want magnetism to be the source of power, cantrip spells could be used in conjunction with it to come up with all kinds of great things. Perhaps its in the form of charged crystals (your batteries, of sort). A couple of things one might see around a city:

-- A Victorian carriage pulled by a single, large wheel that's made of two metallic rings that rotate in opposite directions as it turns (the thing, overall, highly decorated of course). The wheel is slowed or accelerated by a lever on the carriage and steered by two peddles (left and right). Sorry, no reverse.

-- Exquisite restaurants where softly-illuminated silver trays slowly float around the room, carried by unseen servants, offering refills to drinks and carrying quality cigars for the gentlemen.

-- The Grand Fountain showcased in the center of the business district of a city made of thousands of fine gears and cogs that slowly but perpetually turn in conjunction with the observed, cosmic bodies of the world. There are benches around the fountain that slowly rotate it, offering it's weary citizens the exact time of day, to the tenth of a second. The streams of water glide upwards into the fountain through a maze of clockwork mechanics that no one can seem to follow entirely with the eye.

-- Elaborately decorated street lamps constantly illuminated by magnetic crystals and also happen to magically change the color of their light when a wanted criminal comes into contact with it's light (alerting anyone near enough to see).

-- A marvelous temple whose colored, stained-glass windows constantly reform their fragments as the divine figures displayed therein carefully watch those nearby.

-- Specially-crafted magnetic crystals and compass heads that could be attuned to them; could be used for all sorts of things from a kind of GPS for people to navigate the city to collars that are placed on criminals.

You get the picture, at least, of what I was going for when I made my campaign like this. As an aside, a couple of the magical items I used in the campaign are:

-- Multi-lensed glasses that allow the wearer to see an illusionary image of the last person to have touched the surface of an object - used by official investigators.

-- A magical skeleton key that allows the user to insert it into the keyhole of any door and create a temporary portal to any door the key had previously opened.

-- A thunder-musket that fired an arc of lightning at it's target (essentially with all the same rules as a Wand of Lightning Bolts; caster level 5).

-- An blessed astrolabe that, when used properly, would essentially cast detect evil once per evening.

-- A piece of gray chalk that would reanimate a deceased individual when you outlined their body on the ground with it - highly black-market, illegal.

-- An enchanted scientific beaker that granted a +5 bonus to all Craft (alchemy) or Craft (chemistry) skill checks when using it.

-- A magical police whistle that could stun anyone that heard it for 1d3 rounds (except the blower); Will Save DC 16 - This was used by the chief of police in my campaign.

-- The chief of police also had a wondrous figurine, of sorts, that was a German Shepard police dog; the thief of the party hated the guy.

Anyway, just some thoughts. HTH,
Iz
#6
orc_alchemist_dup
Jan 18, 2009 10:26:41 Nevermind
#7
Chirp
Jan 18, 2009 10:28:56 Wow. I must say the magic items are kinda hit and miss. But the other stuff...wow. Thats exactly the kinds of things I was looking for. A wonderful blend of magic and technology, plus the addition of crystals (which I love).

I sincerely thank you Izerideon, you've given me some prime examples of the kind of technology that might appear in this kind of setting.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Chirp Jan 14, 2009 15:33:51	Working on a new setting inspired by the Myst video game series and a general steampunkish feel. However, instead of steam power, I'm planning to focus more on magnatism and magic as the primary power sources in the setting. Now, technology developed from magnatism is fairly simple (altough any suggestions would be welcome.), and it will probably become the primary power source in the setting. However I want magic to exist as well, both Devine and Arcane. Devine magic will come from the two god figures of the world (the sun and moon), while arcane magic will be renamed Wild Magic, and exist as a sort of unseen mist that covers everything. So my question is, how might magic (and magnatism) be used in technology? I'm not really looking for spell powered computers, more of a steampunk victorian style of technology. Clockwork is also going to be fairly common. Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
#2 nclanceman Jan 14, 2009 15:53:49	I think there's a game out there you should play.
#3 Chirp Jan 14, 2009 15:56:37	Thanks but I don't have the money or desire to buy and play through any games. I'm just looking for some rough ideas or suggestions.
#4 senko Jan 16, 2009 7:41:55	Well offhand you'll need to decide on interaction, do magic and magnatism mesh (sugar disolving in water), co-exist (oil and water settling in layers) or oppose (magic causes technology to fail) each other. Another thing to bear in mind is production options. For example technology can't do things magic can (regrow limbs, communicate with spirits, change an items colour/taste etc) but it can be mass produced (hundreds of equally good magnetism powered airconditioners can be produced in the time it takes a mage to enchant and prepare one climate controlling item). Similarly duration is a thing to consider i.e. technology breaks down (at some point) but a magical item once made lasts forever. Oh and Eberron's a good setting for magical steampunk ideas (elemental powered ships and trains, magical communication stations, permanent globes of magic illuminating an area).
#5 izerideon_dup Jan 18, 2009 9:30:31	These may or may not be toward what you're looking for, so feel free to use them if so, or ignore them if not. I've started a campaign similar to what you describe and the same thoughts came to mind. What Senko says is true, there should probably be some serious thought into the development of technology in your world - at least if you want to maintain a suspension of disbelief for the players you're describing things to. If you want magnetism to be the source of power, cantrip spells could be used in conjunction with it to come up with all kinds of great things. Perhaps its in the form of charged crystals (your batteries, of sort). A couple of things one might see around a city: -- A Victorian carriage pulled by a single, large wheel that's made of two metallic rings that rotate in opposite directions as it turns (the thing, overall, highly decorated of course). The wheel is slowed or accelerated by a lever on the carriage and steered by two peddles (left and right). Sorry, no reverse. -- Exquisite restaurants where softly-illuminated silver trays slowly float around the room, carried by unseen servants, offering refills to drinks and carrying quality cigars for the gentlemen. -- The Grand Fountain showcased in the center of the business district of a city made of thousands of fine gears and cogs that slowly but perpetually turn in conjunction with the observed, cosmic bodies of the world. There are benches around the fountain that slowly rotate it, offering it's weary citizens the exact time of day, to the tenth of a second. The streams of water glide upwards into the fountain through a maze of clockwork mechanics that no one can seem to follow entirely with the eye. -- Elaborately decorated street lamps constantly illuminated by magnetic crystals and also happen to magically change the color of their light when a wanted criminal comes into contact with it's light (alerting anyone near enough to see). -- A marvelous temple whose colored, stained-glass windows constantly reform their fragments as the divine figures displayed therein carefully watch those nearby. -- Specially-crafted magnetic crystals and compass heads that could be attuned to them; could be used for all sorts of things from a kind of GPS for people to navigate the city to collars that are placed on criminals. You get the picture, at least, of what I was going for when I made my campaign like this. As an aside, a couple of the magical items I used in the campaign are: -- Multi-lensed glasses that allow the wearer to see an illusionary image of the last person to have touched the surface of an object - used by official investigators. -- A magical skeleton key that allows the user to insert it into the keyhole of any door and create a temporary portal to any door the key had previously opened. -- A thunder-musket that fired an arc of lightning at it's target (essentially with all the same rules as a Wand of Lightning Bolts; caster level 5). -- An blessed astrolabe that, when used properly, would essentially cast detect evil once per evening. -- A piece of gray chalk that would reanimate a deceased individual when you outlined their body on the ground with it - highly black-market, illegal. -- An enchanted scientific beaker that granted a +5 bonus to all Craft (alchemy) or Craft (chemistry) skill checks when using it. -- A magical police whistle that could stun anyone that heard it for 1d3 rounds (except the blower); Will Save DC 16 - This was used by the chief of police in my campaign. -- The chief of police also had a wondrous figurine, of sorts, that was a German Shepard police dog; the thief of the party hated the guy. Anyway, just some thoughts. HTH, Iz
#6 orc_alchemist_dup Jan 18, 2009 10:26:41	Nevermind
#7 Chirp Jan 18, 2009 10:28:56	Wow. I must say the magic items are kinda hit and miss. But the other stuff...wow. Thats exactly the kinds of things I was looking for. A wonderful blend of magic and technology, plus the addition of crystals (which I love). I sincerely thank you Izerideon, you've given me some prime examples of the kind of technology that might appear in this kind of setting.