Technology Overview

Technology is an important aspect of any world, especially in the context of a writer’s RPG. Knowing the overall technological capabilities of a particular setting lends a great backdrop for writers and establishes just how far they can push the boundaries of what they’re working with. To that end, we have compiled a general overview of the technological capabilities of Ransera at large here on this page. This is by no means a comprehensive overview. It is merely meant to give a snapshot of what the world in general is capable of. Each region and indeed each sovereign state in Ransera varies in its grasp on the information contained within this article. Not every area of the world has the same capabilities as they are limited by geography, resources and the general education level of its citizens.

A key thing to remember about Ransera is that it is a world of High Fantasy and Steampunk themes. While the world did suffer a terrible cataclysm, the Sundering took place over 400 years ago. Prior to this great cataclysm, the world of Ransera possessed engineering, science and mathematics sound enough to produce locomotives and highly functional clockwork automata as well as steam powered machinery. Couple that with the advent of magic and what it enables its practitioners to do and while the Sundering was terrible, mortals have had centuries to recover from it. The recovery has been slow and its repercussions are still felt into the modern day, but the world has climbed out of its Dark Age.

The Age of Steel is referred to as such because of the booming progress that mortals have begun to make in the wake of civilization’s reemergence from that terrible catastrophe.

Science and Mathematics

The scientific community in Ransera, where it is at its highest, have a grasp on the fundamentals of Chemistry extending into the late 18th and early 19th century as comparable to real world Earth. While not possessing a full understanding of periodic elements, the fundamentals of the scientific method, the precursor to understanding the laws of the conservation of mass and other ideas behind modern chemistry are present. Scholars have an understanding of the laws of physics comparable to the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton. Mathematics is progressed enough to be comparable to what was generally available between the late 17th and mid 18th’s century in the real world.

Engineering

Engineering was in an explosive and highly progressed stage prior to the Sundering. The Clockwork Empire had pushed the boundaries of what both general mechanical engineering and magical engineering was capable of. It is due in large part to the ancient empire’s push toward these advancements that such conveniences as the steam engine and the rudimentary forms of calculus are available in the more developed areas.

Power sources in the form of Lightning Dragonshards and other more arcane resources make it so that exploration on that technological front are possible. However, the widespread convenience of electricity is not available nor will it be something implemented in gameplay. The isolated availability of this concept in either exceptionally wealthy or extremely advanced areas can be explored but only with moderator permission. Oil lamps, coal, wood burning, wax candles and the occasional magic lamp are still the go-to for heating and light sources.

Firearms

Ransera has firearms. Guns in Ransera are isolated only to the most technologically developed areas. The Gelerian Imperium, the most prominent city-states in the Free Cities, and perhaps the capitals of Atinaw and Cathena. These are by no means anything resembling what would be found on Earth. The firearms in Ransera, while being the product of carefully implemented gunsmithing and engineering, do not operate on gunpowder. They are carefully constructed weapons designed to fire what are referred to as “caster shells”. These projectiles are specially refined dragonshards that are the product of runeforging (Journeyman minimum). The guns they are fired from are the equivalent of single-shot flint-lock pistols or rifles with the absolute highest and most advanced end of the spectrum only capable of firing off 3 shots at maximum before needing to be reloaded. The guns are prone to jamming if mishandled and require very detailed cleaning to prevent serious deterioration of their quality.

The guns are not widespread and those that are commercially available tend to be very expensive. Similar, much larger canons, exist for naval warfare and while bigger and causing much more splash damage, these weapons are just as temperamental.

While the scientific and technological capability of advancing these firearms may exist in Ransera, they will not be implemented in gameplay.

Flight

Flight is a reality in Ransera with it being the product of magically constructed dragonshard engines that combine both Runeforging and Artificing. Skyships are expensive and those that are constructed tend to take years to complete. The vast majority of the trade in this area are handled by shipwright’s and engineers whose families have been in the business for generations. Conventional flight as understood in the real world is not something explored or even considered due to the existence of these skyships.