I Don't Like Magic; I'm Going To Write Past-Tech Sci-Fi

Post Reply New Topic

Basically that. I like everything about fantasy except wizards. I mean, except for me, obviously I'd be a wizard (instead of a god).

What I have in mind (and largely won't need to make any major changes to) is writing stuff that uses early modern tech and where something similar to peat plays a vital role in the global economy, but isn't as vital to the area where the story is set. The 'dark ages with guns' realms of the north haven't been of much interest to the people from the other side of the world until they start to outstrip their own supply of that peat/coal like substance which ends up driving their involvement in what was up until then a slightly more traditional fantasy story. The science can be hand-waved in the same way Star Wars would hand-wave it.

I had been trying to think of a motivator that could cause that story line to develop, I like taking this angle, instead of making it motivated by magic or religion or something else more supernatural.

No, there will not be aliens.

I don't like magic either, unless its limited.

Conquest for resources seems like a good motivator.

Perhaps travelers from a different time, or even a different reality, might travel to this world and introduce more sophisticated weapons and sciences. Look at Lest Darkness Fall, by L. Sprague De Camp, where a 20th century scholar of ancient history, Martin Padway, finds himself in 6th century Rome, where the Ostrogoths have a chance of keeping civilization stabilized, but will face overthrow by the Byzantines, causing western civilization into the Dark Ages. Along the way, Padway introduces updates in technology and warfare while saving the Goths.

I'm not interested in that take on the genre, someone else could do that though.

I intend on getting into the inner workings of societies and using it to comment on colonialism and imperialism. TL;DR version is that it's cheaper to import food from that southern empire than it is to grow it, environmental degradation and resulting famines caused the collapse of states in the region about 500 years before the story occurs. The states that replaced them have steadily gotten tied into a similar economic relationship (labour and raw materials/resources out; finished goods and cheap food in) and they're on the cusp of that cycle repeating.

At first this element won't be shown at all, instead it will start like a more traditional fantasy story with a focus on a realm called Akerstaed which has it's own internal issues (conflict between Wølish and Theedish people, other internal political conflicts) as well as lingering hostilities with both neighbours. The neighbouring realm to the east is a failed state with dozens of petty kings (Wølish people) that are kept fighting constantly and the neighbour to the south is a trade partner of the big southern empire. The big empire used piracy and smuggling as an issue to force Esaria (the southern neighbour) and Akerstaed into a conflict and that's roughly where the story begins.

I've tried to develop a campaign setting before, and now that I understand my lane I can try to finish that project when and if I ever have time/energy.