#magic and technology

[generalluxun]

You can't just give me this at *THIS* point in the series, and NOT expect me to ship it.

[sorazysc]

Guns and telekinesis

So, I have a friend. Let's call him DMan. He plays in my TTRPG campaign, and I play in his. Anyways, his multiverse is a very technologically-advanced world with many planets and space travel, that also has magic (and multiple dimensions). Now, I decided to get my character gun abilities and telekinesis. And I ended up just having like 20 guns that I could use to do massive damage. Although I do tend to use just 10% of my damage capacity so others get to enjoy fighting, too. So that's how I learned how overpowered telekinesis and guns are. Now, I needed to think of an explanation for as to why you can't use it in my fictional multiverse, Sorazys, or else it would be a plothole, and I can't have any of those. So here's my explanation: You can't use them for short-range combat (which would make your enemy into swiss cheese), because you can't hold them properly. There are too many parts inside a gun, so you can't use the telekinesis to directly hold the matter of the gun, because that would mess up the inner parts and make it not function. You also can't hold the air around the gun, because the rattling (I forgot the exact word) of the gun when it shoots will just make it extremely unstable. Also, you can't use telekinesis on what you can't directly perceive (see), and it would be hard to press the buttons of multiple guns all at once (it would be too confusing). So that's my explanation. I will be happy if anyone tries to debunk it in the comments.

[speculativepages]

I recently started world-building for a new story idea (I know—bad when I'm supposed to be in the middle of revising my current project) and in trying to figure out the level of technology and feeling of my new world I got lost in google searches about the different punk genres.

So I decided to make a master list.

According to Wikipedia (a highly reputable source by all accounts) a punk genre can be described as “a world built on one particular technology that is extrapolated to a highly sophisticated level (this may even be a fantastical or anachronistic technology, akin to retro-futurism) a gritty transreal urban style, or a particular approach to social themes.”

There are so many (so so many) and some people roll their eyes at every new addition but I think the names and distinctions are interesting and fun (I mean, Magicpunk may just be regular fantasy, but it sounds so much cooler). I love the idea of scientific fantasy, and of blurry the lines between the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Who’s to stop you from mixing the culture of the Japanese samurai with an epic space opera in the stars?

This is an incomplete list. I've organized it by time period (loosely, because some overlap or can go anywhere). I've also provided an example of a published work (for those that have them).

Established Fantasy Punk Genres: An Incomplete List

Magicpunk/Dungeonpunk: Fantasy punk genre where the “one particular technology” that the world is build on is magic. You have trains running on lines of sorcerer-fueled energy and ships powered by wind magic and computers running on sub-dimensional energy from the demon realm. Popular examples include The Sleeping Dragon by Jonny Nexus and The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams.

Aetherpunk: Subgenre mix of Magicpunk/Dungeonpunk where the magic source of the technology is specifically the element of Aether. Often, if not always, also has Steampunk elements. The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher is the only example that comes to mind.

Mythpunk: A punk genre that is inspired by or incorporates myths and legends. These aren’t usually a retelling of a popular myth, but rather one that includes elements of the myth, or twists and changes the story around to it’s own ends. Popular examples would be American Gods by Neil Gaiman or Deathless by Catherynne Valente.

Stonepunk: Set in the stone age, this genre is characterized by the use of non-technology as technology, creating pseudo-tech and modern inventions with natural, basic resources like stone, wood, water, fire, clay, and rope. The Flintstones would be the best example.

Sandalpunk: Sandalpunk is on thin ice as a punk genre. Rather than being inspired or defined by a technology, it instead focuses on the period of time of the ancient world before the Middle Ages, often set in Greece or Rome. There aren’t many examples of it. But the name is cool.

Steampunk: Arguably the most popular punk genre (after Cyberpunk) featuring science fantasy stories set in Victorian era, with advanced technology powered by steam engines and clockwork mechanics. Doctor Who perhaps described it best, “The Victorian Age accelerated. Starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam.” There are many examples, both in literature and film, including His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, Mortal Engines by Philip Reeves and The Parosol Protectorate by Gail Carriger.

Clockpunk: Close-cousin subgenre of Steampunk, characterized by a lot of clocks and inspired by the pre-steam energy period of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Pasquale’s Angel by Paul J. McAuley is more Clockpunk than Steampunk.

Silkpunk: Silkpunk is another subgenre of Steampunk, one generation removed. While steampunk is defined by it’s Victorian era brass and steam aesthetic, Silkpunk is inspired by East Asian culture during the period of the Silk Road. Examples include The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu and The Tea Master and The Detective by Aliette de Bodard.

Cattlepunk: Yet another subgenre of Steampunk, Cattlepunk is the across-the-ocean-bastard-cousin set in the wild west of early America. Cowboys, bank robberies, and train heists meet robots, warmechs, magic, and super-weapons. The Wild Wild West and Firefly verse are classic movie examples. Book examples would be the Mistborn Era II series by Brandon Sanderson and The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. (And I didn’t realize until I just did all this research but based on examples this is like my favorite punk.)

Dieselpunk: This genre is set in the aesthetic of the 1920s-1950s era and is characterized by the use of diesel-powered technology. Commonly incorporates alternate history elements, as well as themes surrounding the Great Depression and World War II. It’s been called the darker and dirtier version of Steampunk with an emphasis on air travel and combat, dirigibles, and air pirates. Examples include The Iroon Dream by Norman Spinrad, Dreadnough by Cherie Priest, and Pirate Utopia by Bruce Sterling.

Atompunk: A retro-futuristic punk genre set in during the Cold War and characterized by atomic nuclear technology, ray guns, robots, hover cars, and interdimensional travel. Atompunk often deals with the themes of nuclear power gone wrong and alternate versions of the Cold War. The most popular example of this would be the Fallout games by Bethesda.

Capepunk: Capepunk is just superhero fiction set in the modern-era world where people have powers. Example would be any superhero story ever. I just think the name’s cool.

Gothicpunk: Gothicpunk is also usually set in the modern-era, but incorporates The Goth. Generally characterized by an underworld of supernatural creatures lying in wait and secretly controlling the workings of our world where humans are but cattle. This is basically dark Urban Fantasy, but it’s popular enough to get a distinction. Anne Rice’s Interview With a Vampire is an okay example. The movies Priest and Daybreakers are much better ones.

Cyberpunk: Cyberpunk, the grandfather of all of the punk genres. Characterized by dystopian and cynical future world in which technology has brought about cultural nihilism and a crap society. Often combined with Film Noir or detective fiction. (Fantastic Noir is a fantasy version of Cyberpunk). Heroes are most prone to be some form of hacker, rebel, or antihero fight against a totalitarian police state or corporate empire oppressing the people. Examples Neuromancer by William Gibson and the movie Blade Runner.

Post-Cyberpunk: This is Cyberpunks chipper, more optimistic sibling. It has all of the vision of a scientifically advanced cyber-culture without the gritty, dark, and edgy world elements. It still share’s the Cyberpunk elements of analyzing how technology interacts and impacts with society, just without such a grimdark view of humanity. Examples would be Agent G by C.T. Phipps and The Peace War by Vernor Vinge.

Biopunk: Biopunk is Cyberpunks genetically engineered half-sibling. This punk centers around organic technology with a healthy smattering of bio-augmentation and biotechnology. Examples include In the Courts of the Crimson Kings by S.M. Stirling, West of Eden by Harry Harrison, and Wolfish Nature by Vladimir Vasilyev.

Nanopunk: Also a subgenre of Cyberpunk with characterized by the use of nanites and nanotechnology as the predominate form of technology. Examples are Tech Heaven by Linda Nagata and Micro by Michael Crichton.

Solarpunk: Solarpunk is a genre characterized by it’s environmentally friendly technology meshed with African and Asian cultures and an emphasis in community, art, and a bright solar future where humanity has found a balance between technology and nature. Can also include many elements of Biopunk, but with a much more optomistic, for-the-future-of-species-and-environment outlook. Example works include Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor, Maurai by Poul Anderson, and Songs from the Stars by Norman Spinrad.

Apunkalypse: This genre is defined by the collapse of civilization where society is replaced by lawless bands of roving scavenger gangs or cities collapsing into decay or the rise of punks overthrows the rules of the past. Examples include Mad Max and Mortal Engines by Philip Reeves (which is also Steampunk, so it’s a good example of book incorporating more than one punk genre).

Desertpunk: Punk genre characterized by sand. Who doesn't love a good desert planet? Often features roaming tribes, wandering heroes, desert bandits, and sand storms. Can be combined with Cattlepunk, for a Western desert, or Apunkalypse, for an-after-the-end-of-the-world setting. Examples include Dune by Frank Herbert and Railsea by China Mieville.

Oceanpunk: This punk is set on the high seas. Often features floating cities of wood and iron lashed together and mighty nations fighting for dominion of the watery world and may also feature civilizations and cultures below the waves in underwater cities. Sometimes called Pirate Punk, because nothing breed pirate stories like ocean cities and sailing ships. Examples include The Scar by China Mieville, Tranquilium by Andrey Lazarchuk, and Dark Life by Kat Falls.

The Fantasy Writer's Punk List

A master list of fantasy and science fiction punk genres for speculative fiction authors.

Did I Miss a Punk? Can you guys think of any other punks to add? Either ones you've thought up, or any you've heard of that I don't have listed. I'd love to keep this list updated. I find it's useful to look through when creating a new world to get the overall feeling of what I'm going for with the story and world-building.

What punk are you writing in for your current WIP?

[litrpgburrito]

The Seattle Stacks

[Lore surrounding a version of Seattle where magic and technology collide]

In the shadow of the Space Needle, amidst the verdant sprawl of what was once a bustling Seattle park, lies the Seattle Stacks. A haphazard skyline of motor homes, each one a relic of a bygone era, now stacked atop one another in a defiant monument to survival. The Stacks are more than just a neighborhood; they are a sanctuary for the misfits, the mages, and the machinists of a world where the lines between technology and magic have blurred into obscurity.

The story of the Seattle Stacks begins with the Great Convergence, an event that fused the realms of the arcane and the engineered. Magic, once thought to be the stuff of legend, flowed into the world like a tidal wave, crashing against the shores of reality. Technology, which had reached its zenith, suddenly found itself infused with this new, wild energy. The results were both wondrous and catastrophic.

In the aftermath, society reformed in unexpected ways. The Stacks emerged as a community for those who sought to blend the old with the new. Here, enchanters worked alongside engineers to fortify their homes against the elements and the creatures that roamed the wilds beyond. Poles and bars, imbued with spells of strength, held the precarious towers of homes aloft. Chains enchanted with protective wards clinked in the wind, a symphony of security for the inhabitants.

The heart of the Stacks was its people. Each tower, a small neighborhood unto itself, thrived on the cooperation of its residents. From the cyber-witches who wove spells into neon lights, giving them a life of their own, to the gearhead sorcerers who conjured mechanical familiars from spare parts and sheer will, the community was a tapestry of innovation and tradition.

At the center of it all stood the Emerald Tower, the first and tallest stack. It was here that the leaders of the Stacks convened, a council of the wise that guided the community through the challenges of their new world. They were the keepers of lore, the architects of the Stacks' future, and the bridge between the mystical and the mechanical.

As the sun sets, casting long shadows over the Stacks, the neon lights flicker to life, painting the sky with vibrant hues. The air hums with the energy of a hundred spells, and the scent of sizzling circuits mingles with the earthy aroma of the park's ancient trees. The Seattle Stacks stand as a beacon of hope, a testament to the resilience of humanity, and a reminder that even in a world divided, there is a place for unity—in the stacks where magic and machine coexist in harmony.

[streets-of-stellarosa]

Types of Magic

Magecraft is the art of drawing aether into your body, typically using a specially cut crystal, guiding its path through a series of runes, and releasing it to a specific effect. It is both mentally and physically taxing, and very dangerous if done incorrectly. As such, magecraft is usually practiced by those who have access to experienced teachers; untrained mages rarely make it past their first few experiments without badly injuring or even killing themselves.

Some beings, notably fae and elementals, have natural physiological structures for aether to flow through. These conduits, typically known as spellveins, can be utilized with minimal thought or effort, and often produce less strain on the body as they provide less resistance to the flowing aether. However, they tend to be narrow in effect, compared to the infinite versatility of magecraft. And while fae and elementals can study magecraft, many struggle to work around their spellveins and to go against their instincts.

In the modern era, the most common form of magic in daily life is runetech. Rather than risking their own bodies through magecraft, people have long sought to offload the dangers of magic onto objects. The principals are similar--shaping some sort of tube or piping into a series of runes, filling it with a conductive liquid, and using a crystal lens to draw aether into it. In the past century, advances in glassworking and artificial crystal creation have sparked an industrial revolution of mass-produced runetech, which is used in every aspect of life--manufacturing, military, consumer goods, and more.

[potatocrispsodainsane]

I've always thought about aperture science, it's such an interesting concept, but I think an aperture like a science place hidden from people, as normal, but it's in a wizard world. Some bro pulls up with a weird looking thing and shoots a portal so you cast counter spell and this other fool laughs and walks through and shoots you with a gun, a world in magic would never expect something like that.

[chibi-pix]

Off and on, an idea has been on my mind. And whenever dragons are mentioned in the discord server I’m in, it resurges. Well, I finally got myself to at least draw a sort of cover. No idea if/when I’d end up taking up this project or how it’d even go but I’m glad I got myself to draw this. And I’m rather fond of it. 

Anyway! I hope y’all enjoy this piece! Until next time!

[cowtale-utau]

More questions. You mentioned monster tech in your other answer. If the monsters had better tech are they rapid advancing in some areas for the Cowboy era? Do they use it to their advantage? Is anyone kinda like wtf how did you do that?

Monsters basically started out with “modern” tech. They were ahead in a lot of ways (the core, etc) because of magic-tech, and behind in others (no way of knowing where the humans are at tech wise, besides what fell in the dump). When the others starting showing up they brought a variety of things with them. Some were behind, some ahead, and some... sideways? So they are so far ahead of humanity at this point, it isn’t even funny. But the thing is, they won’t share it. It was considered, and debated, but ultimately it was decided, the humans can’t be trusted. So most of the most advanced tech stays in the mountain. There are only two ways in, and both are guarded zealously. Ebott Territory and Ebott City are similarly guarded. It’s not easy for humans to get in, and most human/monster trade is done in border cities. The borders are patrolled, and they are extremely careful. There are humans living there, but they are carefully vetted, and sworn to secrecy on anything “odd” they see. 

Now that’s not to say monsters aren’t helping or anything. As humanity progresses on it’s own, they tend to... guide, if you will. Leaving helpful hints and tips and ideas about as they come up naturally. Magic though is not really shared. They haven’t really run into any magical humans aside from the occasional anomaly with a specific and minor power. Part of Aurum and Viridis’ work is figuring out what happened to the mages. (They’re still there, they’re just better at hiding now). They will give humans trust and tech as they earn it, but its unlikely as it stands, that monsters will ever trust humans with magic. But luckily it’s kinda a moot point as human magic and monster magic tends to be vastly different. 

So pretty much, monsters are way ahead, but they are very careful not to advertise it. The only hint of it that most people get is easily enough written off by humans willingness to just accept and dismiss odd things. Like the gang for instance, they use subspace to carry way more than they appear to. But because they always have out a “normal” amount of camp stuff, and take things out of subspace carefully so as to not suddenly double there supplies, no one really notices. There have probably been a few close calls with things like cell phones (magic based or satellites they snuck up, I haven’t decided yet, maybe both) and some of the devices Aur and Vir use in their research travels, but they’re pretty good at covering their own asses. Ebott city is probably the biggest “wtf” zone, as it has power and plumbing and what not beyond the rest of the world. If it were ever to come up however, they’d probably try to brush it off as “what else would we do in a cave, than design a better toilet?”.

Hope that answered what you wanted. If not, lemme know, and I’ll see what I can do. (‾◡◝)