Steam and Sorcery in General

[FlameBlade]

This thread is to ask many different questions about the world itself...

I have been talking to Threadbare about S&S world...in order to aid with production...

Few questions:

1. Martyakan society is multiracial, right? Most of them came through the portal, right? Or Only humans? We're trying to figure out if there are two classes of Orcs: "I'm baby-eating orc" orcs or "I'm just like you under the skin." orcs.

2. How does song work in the new world? More specifically...Bard is more powerful in the world, or...?

3. Does Culver's frozen custards shops exist? They must, for the milkshakes and icecream rules! I'd imagine that technomancers are running the chain to keep milkshakes and icecream coming.

4. What race tend to be populate in technomancy? Or is it spread amongst races equally?

[Cazmonster]

1. Yes, Martayak was multiracial, and while humanity was the most populous, and had the most folk in the various Achipelago governments, the share of power was largely equal. A representative sample of the largest cities and nations made it through to Earth.

As far as the orks go, it is best to think of them as a cross between Nazi's and Klingons. Their culture is one of strict laws ruled overwhelmingly by power and one where lives are not important. Baby-eating might have caught on in some swank restaurants. However, ork culture is also very adaptable. As their world comes apart and they are no longer backed into a corner by the good peoples, they adjust and spread. Zhikagoruk has no central authority, only large mobs of orks vying for influence. (You can also use some maffia or better Italian Merchant parallels with them.)

Outside of ork-dominated culture, an individual ork could very well be a great deal like you or me, only trading muscle power for intellect or social skills.

2. I have pictured music and songs as being vital to Steam and Sorcery. However I have not implelemented this in the rules. There are going to be important, powerful songs for Bards, magic that will give them the same sort of power that the now vanished 7th plus level spells can do. (The biggest one is going to be Triumph's Music in Me) So yes, they will be more powerful than otherwise, but only in a high-level setting.

3. There's no reason why Culvers (or a thousand times better Michaels) wouldn't be operational. You can use low-level magic to create ice. Ice, salt and labor is all you need to get ice cream or custard. However, I don't see a chain of fast food places maintaining itself. There could be dozens of Culvers and each one would be different. Also, remember that a lot of the modern building materials like drywall and plastic are going to be failing so the familiar blue roofed cream colored buildings are in trouble.

4. Martayak did have Elves that were more powerful wizards than any other. However, Technomancy seems to be egalitarian. Anyone can learn it, as long as they have the discipline and the creativity.

[Anguirel]

I'm still not entirely clear on a few technomancer things. I tried going back and reading through the previous material and ended up still confused. I think the idea behind technomancy has changed over time, and with it the way it would fit into the world. Before I get into too much trouble with my posts, I thought I should get this stuff totally cleared up.

How, exactly, do technomancer "theories" work? Do technomancers get a certain number of "theories" per day, like a regular spell caster and each theory requires what amounts to a focus or material component? Alternately, are they always externalized into a magic device which could, in theory, be used by anyone (as per Use Magic Device skill or Use Technomantic Item feat)?

As a limited example, one could have a portable radio modified to cast ghost sound. However, anyone could use it -- just insert an alchemical battery and it functions. Could a technomancer could just have a small 2" speaker disconnected from anything in hand and be able to use ghost sound as well?


Do technomancers learn theories more like a wizard (theory book with listings of all known theories inside, the technomancer can pick and choose between them) or more like a sorceror (they only get access to a small number of theories, but can use them more or less whenever applicable)?


I know it's possible (or at least was previously mentioned) to get a single-item technomantic feat that allows operation, creation and repair of any single technomantic item. Do technomancers need to take these feats as well, or is a "Craft(Technomancy)" or similar skill check all that's required, or somewhere in between?


Do technomancy-powering alchemical charges need to be stored in battery form? I've already put in (misremembering the magic-missle gun) the ability to "fire" spells using an alchemical powder-charge and a specialty technomantic spell-bullet. Could you also, for example, fill a zippo lighter with an alchemical mixture to power a light / dancing light / flare spell?

[Cazmonster]

Before I get into the details on my reply, try to relax and don't think too hard about the class or technomancy. They're supposed to be a lot like a Bard.

Theories are just spells. It's a sylistic choice as much as anything else. And I think you're seriously working too hard on something that should be simple.

Yes, a Technomancer would get a certain number of theories they can prepare per day, just like every other preparation-type spellcaster. Most theories need a widget to prepare/cast, just like a cleric has got to have their divine focus.

It would be remotely possible for one technomancer to steal another's widget and cast the spell. However, since theories are not universal, there'd be a chance of failure (a good one at that). No one else is going to be able to make a widget work.

One feat per item is far too limiting. Technomancers only need to take Craft Technomagical Item and they can do what a wizard or cleric could do, give or take, with Craft Wondrous Item. I plan to also have Craft Firearm (or something like it) and Craft Construct (to cover everything from golem-like robots to cars). So three feats are going to cover a Builder Technomancer just fine.

Batteries are some of the simplest forms of storage but power is power. Gunpowder, electricity, heat, kinetics (like a flywheel-powered dwarven searing ray flinger) will all do the job. Hell, you could probably build waterwheel or windmill power sources.

[Anguirel]

Before I get into the details on my reply, try to relax and don't think too hard about the class or technomancy. They're supposed to be a lot like a Bard.

Well, yes, but some of that is slightly necessary for finishing off the character. The rest was just stuff that came up as tangential thoughts to the core character class questions.

Thanks, that answers everything perfectly. I thought that's how it all worked, but I wanted to be sure before I got too far into things.

*wanders off to plot future posts*