paul wrote: > I found myself wondering why the world of Dragaera has not developed some of > the simple technologies we have. Guns for example. Especially considering > how long each Dragearan has to develop various talents and knowledge. > Something about their slower development could explain some of this, but > surely, after a few thousand years, someone has figured out a fantastic use > for gun powder that allows the common Teckla an equal footing with a bad ass > Dragon wielding only a sword. Being an alternate universe (if that is even > the case), physics don't allow the same technology? I realize the reason for > this incongruity might simply be that the author is human, and didn't think > about it, or care...but finding a "logical" explanation allows me to carry > things out to new conclusions. > > For instance, say that the use of magic so completely covers the things we > non-magic users would need technology for, that there has been no need for > Dragaera inhabitants to cultivate it. Teleportation covers automobiles; > psionic communication is the telephone, etc. In a far far distant future, > might we find a Dragaera that is reversed? Sci-fi cities of floating cars > and space travel, with jhereg circling overhead. Magic is diminished now, > perhaps the seas of chaos are not so accessible. > > It just occurred to me that maybe the Jenoine, or the gods have something to > do with it. Anyway, thought it was an interesting mind game. If this has > been done to death already, my apologies. Stay cool, all. Well, part of the reason that, say, guns haven't been introduced is a meta one: Steve writes what he thinks is cool. People fighting with swords and sorcery is cooler than shooting each other. Another part of the reason you address yourself: sorcery can effectively cover for technology in the Dragaeran context. Thus, instead of guns, we have flashstones, or energy blasts, or even more subtle ways of killing a person (or even a group of people) using sorcery. There are also mystical reasons: technology that would give Teckla equal footing with Dragons would essentially either work in or around a Teckla reign/republic or once the Cycle has been broken in a way that nullifies the mystical (Cyclical) forces that more or less determine a House's ascendancy. Most of this is pararectal, though, so feel free to fill in the leaps and gaps in logic/facts that I may have created. I know we've mentioned technology before, but I'm feeling lazy and don't want to research the exact reason Steve gave regarding the guns/technology issue. Jose -- Jose Marquez \ Cthulhu 2004 jhereg69 at hackwater.com \ Why vote for http://www.hackwater.com \ the lesser evil?