Fantasy Tech

Magic would make a fine shortcut in several technological gaps (frictionless surfaces, force fields), yet technology would work better than magic in some areas (a wand of magic missles really has little on an Uzi). Some of tiie following items and services are examples of what could progress from a society of magic and technology.

Booster Back

Weight: 5 Ibs. Cost: 250 gp.

The booster pack can hold from two doses of injectable potions (the normal thief pack— at least one dose of invisibility is standard) to twelve (for a warrior—lots of healing and a few combat potions). Early bulk versions, possibly found in a normal fantasy setting, are worn on Ihe back or hip and mount studs on the belt or wrist band for triggering the desired potion. A +2 penalty is applied to initiative when triggering the potion, but otherwise, this does not count as an extra action. The potion takes effect at the end of the round.

Improvements: lt would drop a haif pound every two years until it weighed only two pounds loaded. Size would be reduced over another five years until the warrior module fits against the small of the back and the thief unit straps to an arm. Method and speed of injection, reducing the initiative penalty—all these would show up eventually. The price remains above 100 gp for as long as it's hand-made. Once manufacturing is improved, prices fall. Far future versions, after the invention of cybernetics, would implant the pack subdermally and feature thought-activation.

Capacitors

Weight: 1 Ibs. Cost: 20 gp.

These follow the production of lightning generators (see beiow) and take a charge off of one and bleed it siowly. This battery would need recharging periodically. H would not be invented until years ai:ter thc gcnerators.

Improvements: Capacitors get smaller and lighter, ranging down to one ounce and costing about 2 gp. There would always be a use for the larger capacitors, but battery power is needed at any size and strength. In the far future, the capacitor is exactly like a battery in that it is bought with a charge already present. Rechargeable ones are around, bul one-shots are cheaper.

Cosmetic Surgery

Service. Cost: by spell.

Wizards using potymorph spells could change people's features. Though still high priced, magic would dominate this area over surgical procedures like cutting and stitching. Eariy versions of this service would be polymorph other spells. Drawbacks are the cost of a 5t level spell and the system shock check. Also, the magic ean be dispelled.

Improvements: It would take decades for this to become popular, but once it took hold, there would be rapid change. First would be the formation of polymorph humanoid (6th level, but no chance of death). General areas would be researched next, like polymorph skin (4th Ievel). A school of polymorphing would eventually have spells like polymorph nose and color alteration. Prices drop accordingly. In the far future, the specialist would know nothing other than shaping magic and would be able to apply it like sculpting. The personal style of the wizard/artist counts a lot. Prices would he back up in this time, since fashion costs.

Fabricator

Weight: 1 oz. to 5 Ibs. Cost: 10,000 gp.

For those of artistic (but no magical) ability, the fabricator tool line is just the thing: magical tools allowing a nonwizard to work a fabricate spell. They have different sizes and shapes to control the shaping ot the material.

lmprovements: As the spell improves, so do the tools. Eventually, there would be shapes for different applications, sizes ranging from a trowel to a penknife The prices might drop to 4,000-10,000 each, depending on size and function.

Firearms

Weight: 5-500 Ibs. Cost: 50-1,000 gp.

The invention of firearms depends greatly on inventing an explosive of some type. Cannons might be developed first and would be cheap, since casting a cannon is simple. Operating a cannon requires a nonweapon proficiency in artillery, and the rate of fire would begin at one shot per turn. Some worlds have physical or magical laws that prohibit gunpowder or explosives (e.g., Greyhawk and Birthright campaigns).

Improvements: Firearms would take off from cannon, growing smaller and more advanced every year. Rifles wouid be next, and pistols would come soon after. They would be rapidly improved, but they wouldn't affect play much unless they negate heavy armor. Firearms put a heavy emphasis on the 3rd-level wizard spell protection from normal missiles, as well as shield, most wind spells, and anything that causes wetness or rain. Magical bullets would help, but they would be as common as arrows or crossbow bolts +1, and they're expended faster. In the future, firearms would be standard weapons, but most people who are likely lo be shot at are going to be protected by spelis.

Lightning Generators

Weight: 50 lbs. Cost: 15,000 gp.

A lightning generator combines technology with applied magic. A special field would be established that a lightning or chain lighting spell could charge up. The device would keep the electricity rollng for a long time. If technology fails, a perpetual lightning spell (low charge but permanent duration) works. A device with a captive lightning quasi eiemental is possible. Early devices are inefficient and dangerous.

Improvements: Improved power capacity would be important, as would safety, since damage could release a lighfuing spell. Making portable generators and city-wide ones, would be a high priority. The expensive part of tbis device is the magical spell that fuels it, but then it never has to be refueled. In the future, electrical theory is likely raised to the point that the magic element could be removed completely, but the lack of a need for fuel should keep the lightning spell in.

Medecine

Service. Cost: by spell or by job.

Cure-all priest spells hold this markel forever. and they get easier and cheaper as time goes on. Instead of corrective surgeries, all that’s needed are more specific spelis. Rejuvenate organ would solve the need for several surgeries.

Still, a little basic training among the common people would make the priest's life much easier. Someone trained in first aid or herbalism couid make a decent living treating people who can't afford the priest spells or who aren't deathly ill. The nursing profession wouid carve a nice living for itself as priest assistants and independent healers.

Improvements: An enterprising alchemist would notice the benefits of large-scale potion production. Heaing potions would replace minor surgery, and vitality potions would cover the normal illnesses. In the future, the priests, alchemists, and nurses have this field sewn up tight, and there would really be nothing that they couldn't do.

PermaLyte

Weight: bv product. Cost: by product

Tlie continual lighl spell is sure to slow the invention of light bulbs, maybe forever. Enterprising wizards have probably found several applications for the spell in anv campaign.

Improvements: lf the spell can be cast on a large amount of substance and then divided up, prices fall. A glowing gel would be extremely cheap, since one low-level wizard could enchant buckets of it with one spell. Other improvements include enchanting multiple items at once, brighter glows, colorful glows, and flashing and sparkling options.

Rejuvenation Centers

Service. Cost: by spell and by month.

Bv use of clone, clients could leave a small tissue sample with a service, to be cloned once certain conditions were met (death or long-term absence). First fees wouid be to deposit a tissue sample, pay for a preserve spell, and pay in advance for the clone spell. A monthly fee could then be charged for storage of the tissue sample and for every time the customer wants to update the sample.

Improvements: Death verification could be made through high-level divination speils.

Preserveware

Weight: 1-5Ü Ibs. empty. Cost: 10 gp/lb.

These glass or metal containers range from 1 cubic foot to 50 cubic feet and keep food and drink from spoiling indefinitely. The initial invention of these incredibly useful devices depends entirely on someone creating a preserve spell that enchants containers before they are filled, and one that blankets several containers at once.

Improvements: The containers would be made cheaper, finally switching to plastic when technology made such a thing possible. Finding a way for the containers to be reusable would be next big step. Even with the advent of refrigeration and freeze drying, the containers would be popular for long-term storage.

Telepads

Weight: 250 Ibs. Cost: 25,000 gp.

This transit system would be employed first on large scales where the high cost could be paid by the govemment and made back in revenues. These items would be platform and arch combinations created in pairs. The telepads are placed on a flat surface, and by walking through one, you are transported to the other as if by teleport without error. These wouid be set up wilh a toll booth. A kingdom or empire on a war footing would find these useful for rapid movement of troops, and a major trade route could save enough in shipping costs to afford a set of these.

Improvements: A mat of woven gold and silver would make a nice telepad, since it could be rolled up for storage and moved easily. On a more difficuit level, having multiple telepads and being able to pick and choose from possible destinations would be nice.

With this kind of mass-transit, no other long-distance transportation would ever be needed, but short-distance transit systems would still be cost effective for inner-city movement.

Thantos's Money Handler

Weight: 10 lbs. Cost: 20,000 gp.

Designed by a wizard with a large amount of treasure, the money handier is a small, hand-held magical item with an attachment to fit any size bag. lt has a tapered snout and a small control pad with a counter readout. The device uses telekinesis and a custom-designed spell for valuing coins and gems.

lt has fwo functions: intake and deliver. On intake, the device sucks up all the coins and gems it's pointed at, at a maximum rate of 200 pounds per round, placing it in the attacited bag. It records the value of all treasure taken in and displays it on the control pad counter. On deliver, the operator sets the counter for a gp value. The device extracts that amount from the treasure bag and deposits it through the device's nose at the same maximum rate.

Improvements: One of thc first additions would be a bag of holding or portabte hole instead of a normai bag, With a slight alteration to the valuing speil, the device could separate the treasure according to type (gold, silver, and so on) and into different compartments. The operator could now select the type of treasure (gold, gems, and so on) to be taken in or given out. A detect magic ability causes a light to blink rapidly when pointed at a magical item, and a separate function causes another light to blink if the device is pointed at an object of great value it can't intake. Finally, a minor creation spell could be incorporated so that, on deliver, the money would appear in small leather pouches of a maximum 100 gp value eacli. This would slow the rate of flow to aboul 150 pounds per round.

Weather Predictors

Service. Cost: by spell.

This service can be provided by a priest or druid and paid for by the spell. Both weather summoning and a new spell, weather predictian, are necessary. Since several priest spells deal with prediction, tliis should not be a problem.