The Worldbuilder Diaries: Technology
This is a post I’ve been excited to write, but also one that I wasn’t sure how to begin. So let’s start with what I mean by “technology.”
The standard definitions of the word are as follows:
Technology: noun, plural tech·nol·o·gies
- the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.
- the application of this knowledge for practical ends.
- the terminology of an art, science, etc.; technical nomenclature.
- a scientific or industrial process, invention, method, or the like.
- the sum of the ways in which social groups provide themselves with the material objects of their civilization.
(definitions courtesy of dictionary.com)
Looking at all of the above, technology can encompass anything from a hatchet to cybernetics to a string of beads worn as a necklace. The technology present in any given world should fit its level of industrial advancement, and that will vary depending on which world, which time period, and sometimes, which genre I’m writing in.
When I first considered writing about the tech featured in my worlds, the story that immediately came to mind was Wraith and the Revolution. It’s a futuristic sci-fi with cyborgs, interstellar travel, an AI-driven government, and a whole lot of tech that was fun to incorporate. Plasma rifles, cybernetics, robots that act as bartenders… That’s where my mind leapt to as I thought about this post.
But every world has its version of technology, even if it isn’t the flashy, computerized version prevalent in my sci-fi book. And a lot of my tech is magically-powered or derived.
The relics in The Relics of War series are a great example of that. They were created by magic, imbued with an often singular purpose, sometimes bestowing an extra benefit to the user. Some relics were tied to an individual (the fireblade, for example, was bound to a certain character’s soul.) But others, like the pocket stones mentioned briefly in War of the Nameless, can be used by anyone (and in that case, they merely protected the person carrying them from the winter weather.)
The cursed blade that appears in Guardian is another magically-derived bit of tech. In this case, the magic benefits only a specific type of mage, but is inherently dangerous to anyone else who might touch it, whether they’re a mage or not. (I like the idea of magical tech that has a downside/dark side.)
Beyond the magic, there are also many other types of technology featured. The Murkor alchemists in The Relics of War are responsible for the creation of things like “firesticks” (like real world matches), “sandblasts” (landmines), and a wide array of items used in healing as well. They create their wares using a more scientific approach, though obtaining some of the ingredients they need can be difficult (for those who have read Serpentus, you know the origin of a certain venom they used, and why those who naturally possess it are often unwilling to give it up.)
Side note: I had a lot of fun with the alchemists. It was one of the few times I’ve incorporated something of my real-life workspace (a laboratory) into a fantasy story.
While a lot of my fantasy is set in a medieval-esque world, I do have an upcoming project (The Fontayne Company series) that is much more modern. There are devices very similar to some of our modern-day tech like cars and smart phones, but powered by embedded magic. Since The Fontayne Company is still in its early stages, I’m not going to say anything more. Yet. (The time will come, just be patient 😉)
Anyway, thanks for reading another rambling post about my worldbuilding and what it entails!
You can read more from this series here: THE WORLDBUILDER DIARIES