This blog post may stand alone as a musing on the differing relationships between magic and technology in industrial fantasy settings, but it also refers and applies this to my Divine Council game, which you can read about here: Divine Council Part 1
Great breakdown, HG. I'm really interested to hear how the magic vs tech theme developed over time, and the Magitech option presents some interesting possibilities
The trope of Divine vs. Arcane looks so very much like Magic vs. Technology. Especially where the inquisitors are organizing trials and executions?
Will there be any inherent risks to magic casters (wild magic tables, mutations, curses, etc.)? How 'dangerous' will technological development/use be relative to continued magic use?
On Harry Potter - there is a division between the Wizard and Muggle World, but according to JK, that is having some interesting developments. According to JK, Muggles have a higher IQ than Wizards - which kinda makes sense — we have to figure things out more, leading to a larger brain. Wizards have to problem solve less because they can “just use magic”. If you look at some of the things in the movies and books, most of their inventions are muggle inspired. We make a car, they make it go invisible and fly. We make brooms, they make them fly. We make fireworks, and they make them turn into a flying dragon.
The best way to say why muggles have a higher IQ - Wizards could fly on a broom 100s of years ago. We have to figure out how to engineer a plane - which gives us an IQ advantage - we have to solve greater puzzles for the same things.
So, could that dynamic be introduced in such a world?
Great breakdown, HG. I'm really interested to hear how the magic vs tech theme developed over time, and the Magitech option presents some interesting possibilities
Thank you!!
That which is measured gets managed.
The trope of Divine vs. Arcane looks so very much like Magic vs. Technology. Especially where the inquisitors are organizing trials and executions?
Will there be any inherent risks to magic casters (wild magic tables, mutations, curses, etc.)? How 'dangerous' will technological development/use be relative to continued magic use?
This is a fascinating topic.
On Harry Potter - there is a division between the Wizard and Muggle World, but according to JK, that is having some interesting developments. According to JK, Muggles have a higher IQ than Wizards - which kinda makes sense — we have to figure things out more, leading to a larger brain. Wizards have to problem solve less because they can “just use magic”. If you look at some of the things in the movies and books, most of their inventions are muggle inspired. We make a car, they make it go invisible and fly. We make brooms, they make them fly. We make fireworks, and they make them turn into a flying dragon.
The best way to say why muggles have a higher IQ - Wizards could fly on a broom 100s of years ago. We have to figure out how to engineer a plane - which gives us an IQ advantage - we have to solve greater puzzles for the same things.
So, could that dynamic be introduced in such a world?