Low-Tech: Magic?

[Greg 1]

Am I the only one here who would love to see a Low-Tech supplement for magic?

It could stick strictly to the facts, explaining the place of this (non-working) technology in society. However, it would likely be very useful in games where magic is real.

[Dinadon]

Isn't that just Fantasy Tech 1?

[Greg 1]

Originally Posted by Dinadon

Isn't that just Fantasy Tech 1?

Fantasy Tech 1 is a work of creative fiction, not a guide to the way that this technology really fails to work.

[vierasmarius]

I'm a little confused about what you want. Are you talking about a book discussing the mythologies of past cultures, but only treating them as the fiction they turned out to be? There are certainly books that address myths, even in the "Historical" books (for example, 3rd edition's Japan, Imperial Rome, Russia) but they include information on how to handle those stories as though they were real.

[Greg 1]

Not all mythology. My interest is in magic, as something actually used by humans in the real world.

[gilbertocarlos]

Originally Posted by Greg 1

Not all mythology. My interest is in magic, as something actually used by humans in the real world.

Sorry to be the bad news carrier, but probably there aren't any real magic in our world. If you think there is, James Randi is willing to give you a million bucks if you proves it.

[Dinadon]

I think you need to explain more clearly what you would actually do with this information. Fantasy Tech 1 contains one shot inventions, alternate technology paths and pseudo-science. The first two work in reality but weren't used due to economic reasons. The last is the only set of things that doesn't work, but we are told how they were thought to work or the myths surrounding them. If they don't work in a setting then you just don't use the rules given for it working.

People won't use things that don't work, only things that they believe will work. Fantasy Tech 1 covers alchemy, astrology and medicine as it was believed to work. The reason alchemy and medicine didn't always work requires modern knowledge of the processes used. With astrology it is the simple question of do the stars actually influence events.

Ultimately though, telling you why something doesn't work doesn't tell you how it should work. What you really want is probably more along the lines of Thaumatology: The Real World.

[Greg 1]

As long as it covers real magic in society (as Philosophers and Kings does for other social elements) I would find it interesting.

Or put it this way: GURPS Crusades covers real people acting on what they think are supernatural directions. It isn't a book of rules for miracles or paladin powers - it is a book covering the actions of people who believed in miracles.

[eustakos]

Originally Posted by Dinadon

Thaumatology: The Real World.

This or
Low Tech: Historical Magic