Magic=Technology and all that

[colonialbob]

Well, I was watching this show from the 70s, Connections, the other day, and it mentioned something about how most of the technology we use we have little to no idea how it works. This, of course, made me think of D&D, and more specifically, the magical part of it. If we have everyday citizens using technology that they have no idea how it works (for example: television? microwave? radio?), wouldn't it be the same way with magic?

Specifically, I suppose I am asking about everyday magical items that regular people would have. I'm not saying it translates perfectly, since most settings are at least somewhat feudal in nature. But in a big city with a middle class, wouldn't they have some kind of equivalent to these things? And I don't mean a magical television, I mean some sort of device which runs on magic and is mostly for entertainment. Just a thought, and since I know it's not the first time it's been thought about (at all) I was curious what others had to say on the subject.

[lithuse]

Yes, any healing at the temple would be a good example. (Cure minor wounds, light wounds, remove disease, etc.) As well as everburning tourch, low lvl potions, and the like.

[colonialbob]

But also, what about things like toys? To use an example that probably most people are familiar with, look at Harry Potter... Rowling does a great job of integrating magic into everyday life. Yes, there's shops for cauldrons and all that, but I mean things like wizard chess (where the pieces move themselves) or the photographs that move, or all the fireworks, all of that kind of stuff.

[olstar18]

How about small wands about the size of a pencil stub that cast a variation of acid spray that does no damage but has a similar effect to mace or maybe floating platforms used to help get heavy objects raised up onto shelving or between floors the way we would use a forklift and ladders with a couple of those immovable rods built in to keep them from falling.

[lithuse]

Specifically, I suppose I am asking about everyday magical items that regular people would have....This, of course, made me think of D&D...
The problem here is that DND does not have "regular people" with that kind of cash. The elete nobles and kings mayhap, but not your everyday commoner. for a copmmand word spell/item of even zero level your taking about 900gold. when a weeks wage is usually measured in coppers, (silvers for the master crafters). Still try the green leaf shop article from WOTC archives. They seem to have something like what you are lookinng for.

[olstar18]

True however nobles craftsmen and merchants would more than likely have at least a few utility magic items for moving goods or ensuring your skilled workers do not injure themselves and deprive them of their labor and expertise effectively putting some of these objects in the hands of the lower classes. Think about it is the noble realy going to load and run the floating platform he uses to wood to the upper levels of the storehouse or into the ships hold himself.

[colonialbob]

Also, who says commoners don't have enough money?

Yes, in a traditional D&D setting, I agree with you. Magic is the domain of those who have studied, etc, and magic items are hard to come by. However, in another campaign setting (high-magic, obviously), I don't see much reason that people wouldn't have items like that. I mean, like olstar said, a business would probably see it as an investment. Many people today own cars, even though it's quite rare that you can buy one outright. The same goes for entertainment items as well, to some extent. People lease televisions, or put them on installment plans, all the time. All I'm saying is that things are more affordable than you realize.

Aaaanyway... I think that a few small magic trinkets aren't out of the question. You'd think that with all this research, somebody would have found a way to mass produce items that use spells like prestidigitation, which is all you'd need for a lot of nifty little things (like moving chessmen, self-tossing salad forks, etc). Sure, the little villages in the country may not have them, but the cities most likely would. This especially works for a campaign with a more 'modern' feel... more like Europe during the Renaissance, rather than the Middle Ages.

[lithuse]

Well put. It might be easier to do in another system, or reduce the cost of magic items creation by a significant fraction. Or have most cities using a mythal. anyway you put it the cost should come down for the 900gp self siring spoon.

[Niko_Kaze]

It all comes down to the campaign, there was a series I read (something spellsinger I think) where basic (utility) magics where fairly common place. Inns and brothels had alarm spells on the windows the bar had a magic frig, etc. An example of this in opposite: sit down and look over the Cyberpunk game and compare it to technology out already, and you'll realise that we have covered (or have advance prototypes) of a lot of the tech they have in the game (our cellphones are much better, and on the modern marvels show they were showing off some really wiz new armor technologies, like Knife proof kevlar).

[olstar18]

Of course having mundane magic items like this would also mean a severe decrease in the effectiveness of scrying spells. Even if anti-scrying items are to expensive for a merchant to own the nobility would no doubt have several protecting their secrets and through theft and unscrupulous crafters so would the underworld. Of course this in turn would mean more effective means of countering such items leading to a constantly shifting information war. Plenty of rp opportunities there.

[shstiger1371]

i actually like this idea a lot and have used it in two seperate high magic campaigns...the little things like the self stirring spoon and such were very common in the cities but in the country side the very idea was laughed at as a ridiculous idea...or in some places with more educated leaders...a waste of money (after all what are our hands for but to work)..

[superhal]

i agree with the above, it makes sense that a simplefolk wouldn't know how to use an item like a automatic lamp, or a self stirring spoon. Just like nowadays we have instruction manuals, the same for DnD-folk.