Magic as Technology - Society

[jseah]

In a somewhat related thread to the magic as tech thread, I am now trying to decide what interesting resources such a society could happen upon...

And thought to pave the way with an imperialist mindset.
FYI, the setting is the same as the Airships thread. No characters above 9th level, humanoid society, 4 to 7th level most common, world is civilization dominated (ie. a fully explored and charted world)

Therefore, monsters and such will be negotiated with, subjugated or assimilated in order to make use of otherwise inaccessible abilities.

Here's the list I have now:

Spoiler

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Non-humanoid Magical Contracts
- non-humanoid peoples are less rare
- sometimes done through planar binding

- Pixie: permanent image 1/day
- Forests will not be cut for wood without prior agreement
- Sprite communities allowed to accept tourists, tourists must obey the law of those communities
- Pixies are covered by the Basic Income Movement (paid by permanent image services)
- ~400 present

- Lantern Archon: greater teleport 50lbs at will
- All churches must be good-aligned
- Doctrine must be approved by higher order angels
- ~700 present
- Serve as messengers and important goods courier through Teleport Without Error at will SLA
- Serve as extra-planar liasons for high CL services
- Provide continual flame lighting (Everburning Torch costs 1gp)
- Translators (through Tongues)

- Gelatinous Cubes are bred for their trash disposal
- Dissolves everything but metal and stone
- Metal is melted and recycled
- Stone is crushed to powder and made into cement
- ~2000
- Undergoes binary fission when it reaches 30k lbs

- Griffins and Giant Eagles
- "Flyer"s license required to handle and give rides on these
- Used to transport goods that aren't as urgent as to warrant an Archon 'port but are higher priority than normal
- Use in tourism, scenic flights and recon

- Hags
- "Good" or cooperative hags were chosen and the rest killed or driven out of the country
- Coveys apply liberal amounts of Control Weather to ensure good conditions
- Vision used as a long range information gathering ability
- Hag Eyes used for espionage
- Second-class citizens, have handlers and police watching them due to alignment clash with Archons

- Gargoyles used to watch locations
- Often have an employment contract to watch a specific area and report if needed
- Traffic counters (clicky) given to them to count traffic in order to observe patterns
- Similar to hags in citizenry status

- Clockwork menders
- Used to repair hard to reach structures and aid construction

(Steelwings, CR 14, Extraplanar, usually TN)
- Adamantine feathers

For creatures negotiated with, especially extraplanar alignment ones, some form of social repercussion will occur as part of the exchange. Eg. the fey and archon agreements.

That said, I am aiming for a "good-is-relative-and-not-really-Good" tone, so the 'heavens' that the archons come from is extremely humanoid-centric. Unfortunately, this places a number of restrictions. Like no undead. Then again, permanent fuel-less practically-free light, teleport communication, detect evil patrols and translation services make this very worth it.

What others could I add? Keep in mind that high CR creatures cannot be reliably used for their active abilities (as they would easily break free)

[Slayn82]

Well, maybe Gorgons or Medusas used to petrificate criminals, or people with curses/diseases too dangerous to society that cant be solved by the availiable magic? Also, cathedrals where the bodies of Saints and Sages long deceased are stored and preserved for counsels and informations in times of crisis?

[robotrobot2]

Delvers and Thoqquas could be used as efficient mining crews. (No more shortages of metals/gems/components/etc.) Combined with a spellcaster controlling them with enchantment spells, they could dig ridiculously fast. Or any other creature with a good burrow speed, for that matter.

[jseah]

Actually, I haven't worked out much of the crime and punishment yet. Apart from detect alignment, divination, zone of truth and using angels/archons as judges.

The burrow speed idea is good. I'll snitch that idea. Thoqquas then.

[Saintjebus]

You might want to take a look at this thread:

Tippyverse'84

In short, it's a world where RAW works like it's written, and wizards rule the multivers, combined with George Orwell's 1984.

Disclaimer: I had nothing to do with the creation of said world. It is property of the Original Poster and the posters who assisted in the world building. I was not one of them.

[jseah]

I know about Tippyverse. That said, in the setting I'm using, magic trap rules are assumed to not exist and no humanoids above 9th level.