Eletech Elemental Technology
The invention of devices that harness the power of elementals and launched the Elemental Revolution occurred in 1853 with Hans Christian Oersted. This led to an ever widening scope of application that started to be explored by creative minds of arcane, divine, and even non-magical backgrounds. Developed from binding magics and summoning circles, the achievement of permanent bindings were coupled with inventive means to maintain the integrity of the bindings while structuring them to channel the elemental’s energy directly.
Terranon is now seeing a boom in the Eletech industry, particularly Eisen. The spread of Eletech to the masses is beginning to change culture, society, and laws. However, tensions have risen in recent years as its development has proven uneven across societal lines and between nations.
Development, Theory, and Construction
Elementals had been used as workhorses for as long as summoning and binding magics have existed, however, this naturally required a skilled summoner to be present and to direct the bound creatures. Some began giving carefully worded and ongoing instructions to elementals for tasks such as maintaining a forge temperature, redirecting a river, or blowing wind into a sail. Over the centuries, many summoners sought efficient ways to command their servants, but it wasn’t until the invention of the Elemental Binding Capacitor that the revolution began. The Elemental Binding Capacitor, or EBC, was invented by Hans Christian Oersted in 1853 by using modular runic languages in the binding inscriptions to control the output of a Lightning Elemental. His theory was that by binding the elemental to output a core task consistently, its strength could be safely modulated through a circuit of runes. While this limited the magical instructions given to the elemental regarding the core task, the ability to modulate it without needing an ongoing summoning ritual, magic spells, or even knowledge beyond the ability to operate the runic controls revolutionized the way elementals could be used. The core construction is focused on the EBC which is normally made out of extremely durable metals such as steel, titanium, mithral, and adamantine. The binding chamber can take many forms, often tailored to the elemental being bound. Incantations are inscribed on the frame by either etching them in with a diamond pointed pen or through calligraphy and high quality inks. The most common EBC’s are done in steel with a mixture of etchings and silver or gold inks. Extremely high quality and precise devices use EBC’s of adamantine. Only the most expensive and advanced devices etch the adamantine, and most usually use platinum inks. Each inscription is sympathetically linked to the runic controls. The appearance varies from a simple on/off lever or button to a complex system of dials, readouts, and other analog control mechanisms. To most people, this is the radical change that allows non-magically adept individuals to operate elementally powered technologies. An elemental technology device (or eletech) is bound by the rules of the particular elemental summoned. If no elemental exists for the effect desired, the energy must be channeled into some kind of engine or other mechanism much the same as steam engines would turn fire into steam into mechanical energy. This has led to eletech devices being categorized into two types; Direct Elemental devices (DE) and Indirect Elemental devices (IE). Direct Elemental devices channel the bound creature's powers directly to produce the desired effects. Such examples are Air Elementals blowing wind into a ship’s sails, or a Fire Elemental powering a forge. Indirect Elemental devices use the elemental to provide energy to a system that transforms the energy into another type such as a Water Elemental powering hydraulics, or a Lightning Elemental powering a heating coil. DE devices are far more efficient with less complex transformations of power and fewer points of failure, but are limited in producing effects tied to the innate nature of the bound elemental. IE devices are seeing increased applications and lowering production costs, but often higher maintenance costs.Operating Procedures
Eletech devices require less knowledge or capability for magic than is required of actual magic casters. Eletech is operated through sets of runic controls. In common and simple machines these are easily labeled and straightforward. These controls activate various runes and formulas which trigger a reaction from the Elemental Binding Capacitor drawing power from the elemental and out through the focusing array.Licenses and Restrictions
While it has been developing over the last century, its use by the masses is only now becoming common. Even then, while it has a huge effect on society, most of that is through highly regulated utilities and industrial applications.Game Notes
Use. An Intelligence check is required to operate Elemental technologies, and anyone with proficiency in Tinker’s Tools can add their proficiency bonus to the check. Availability Elemental Technology is categorized in the Terranon setting according to five levels- Unrestricted. Few devices beyond everburning candles
- Public Utility Device. The vast majority of Eletech people encounter are utility devices managed by the Government or Guilds
- Industrial Device. Industrial devices include cranes, forges, magnetic gates, etc, are all available with licensing
- Luxury Device. Yachts, automatons, and levinphones, are all prohibitively expensive to all but the most wealthy of citizens. You must have an Aristocratic or Noble lifestyle to be able to own these devices.
- Restricted Device. A restricted device is a device that has military applications or is extremely new technology and restricted for public safety.