Cikomyr
2012-04-29, 11:25 AM
In my regular reading of Game of Thrones series, I often toy with the idea that Valyria's supermagical thingies (the metal, the stonebuilding, the roadbuilding, etc...) were not necessarily magic, but more like realization of very high tech craftsmanship.
The thing you have to remember is that such realizations don't necessarily have to respect our own modern world's science. They are made-up science, but they are still scientific and non-magical incarnation. This doesn't preclude the existence of magic in the setting, just that certain elements that people hold as magical are purely the incarnation of Clarke's Third Law.
For example, Valyrian Blades could be made of Titanium, which the people of Westeros or Essos don't know how to mine or transform into usable alloys. But once it has been shaped into the alloys, primitive craftsmen of the highest order would know how to reshape and reforge the blades.
In the same line of thought, what about the White Walkers? Couldn't they be some sort of Alien Invaders from another world? Not sure how their Wight-creating process works, but they would have some sort of protective fields that protects them against primitive blades, and is only vulnerable to high-tech alloys and.. dragonglass. Well, I haven't figured out that last part, but I think you get the meaning.
What this thread is about is NOT discussing Game of Thrones' Doing in the Wizard (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DoingInTheWizard). As I said, it's simply an idea I've toyed with, I don't believe it's the case (although the Doom of Valyrian looks like some sort of thermonuclear device).
What this thread is about is finding ways to describe high-tech toys into fantasy/medieval settings without the reader/players (because I want to integrate this in a RPG campaign) picking it up instantly.
Here is an example I believe would would well:
You see the Warrior of Darkness rampage across the battlefield. His Monster Sword roars at the pleasure of rampage, its teeth devouring any weapon, shield or flesh that meets it path. The only sound louder than the screams of the Sword's victims is its warcry of pleasure as it bites savagely into anything in its path.
[...]
After the battle, the Monster Sword seems dead on the side of its previous owner. When you seize it by the handle, it feels heavy, almost alive in your hand. You can feel its heart pulsating, but it grown silent. Only if you put your hand on near the teeth do you wake its bloodlust, tearing whomever was fool enough to tempt the Monster's fangs.
What was it?
A Warhammer 40k Chainsword
Some items would obviously be easier to describe. A power-shield is just a very hardy shield that can divert every blow that came its way.
I'd say the trick is to give a very descriptive but imaginative description of items of people. You could have, for example, a 8-foot tall mighty warrior waving his mace around, unleashing a torrent of flames upon his ennemies.
(Space Marine with a flamethrower).
Any of you ever used such storytelling elements? Have your players ever picked it up? Do you have suggestions for more esoteric technology to be described in a way that readers/players would have a hard time pick it up?
The thing you have to remember is that such realizations don't necessarily have to respect our own modern world's science. They are made-up science, but they are still scientific and non-magical incarnation. This doesn't preclude the existence of magic in the setting, just that certain elements that people hold as magical are purely the incarnation of Clarke's Third Law.
For example, Valyrian Blades could be made of Titanium, which the people of Westeros or Essos don't know how to mine or transform into usable alloys. But once it has been shaped into the alloys, primitive craftsmen of the highest order would know how to reshape and reforge the blades.
In the same line of thought, what about the White Walkers? Couldn't they be some sort of Alien Invaders from another world? Not sure how their Wight-creating process works, but they would have some sort of protective fields that protects them against primitive blades, and is only vulnerable to high-tech alloys and.. dragonglass. Well, I haven't figured out that last part, but I think you get the meaning.
What this thread is about is NOT discussing Game of Thrones' Doing in the Wizard (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DoingInTheWizard). As I said, it's simply an idea I've toyed with, I don't believe it's the case (although the Doom of Valyrian looks like some sort of thermonuclear device).
What this thread is about is finding ways to describe high-tech toys into fantasy/medieval settings without the reader/players (because I want to integrate this in a RPG campaign) picking it up instantly.
Here is an example I believe would would well:
You see the Warrior of Darkness rampage across the battlefield. His Monster Sword roars at the pleasure of rampage, its teeth devouring any weapon, shield or flesh that meets it path. The only sound louder than the screams of the Sword's victims is its warcry of pleasure as it bites savagely into anything in its path.
[...]
After the battle, the Monster Sword seems dead on the side of its previous owner. When you seize it by the handle, it feels heavy, almost alive in your hand. You can feel its heart pulsating, but it grown silent. Only if you put your hand on near the teeth do you wake its bloodlust, tearing whomever was fool enough to tempt the Monster's fangs.
What was it?
A Warhammer 40k Chainsword
Some items would obviously be easier to describe. A power-shield is just a very hardy shield that can divert every blow that came its way.
I'd say the trick is to give a very descriptive but imaginative description of items of people. You could have, for example, a 8-foot tall mighty warrior waving his mace around, unleashing a torrent of flames upon his ennemies.
(Space Marine with a flamethrower).
Any of you ever used such storytelling elements? Have your players ever picked it up? Do you have suggestions for more esoteric technology to be described in a way that readers/players would have a hard time pick it up?