Massive constructs.

[Psionicist]

Hi there!

With the technology of a "regular" D&D setting as Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms, is it possible for really large constructs to exist? That is, are there any skyscrapers, huge bridges or long tunnels as default in these worlds, or have you implanted one in yourself?

Thanks!

 

[Moon_Goddess]

Am I the only one thinking "Huh?"

 

[Ravellion]

Technically, the advent of mass produced steel was required for truly effective large buildings (ie. 19th century). However, magic could perhaps reinforce structures just as easily.

Rav

 

[Ravellion]

Oh... Tunnels: Dwarves. Umber Hulks. Yeah, lotsa tunnels! Although only in solid rock.

Rav

 

[Psionicist]

Technically, the advent of mass produced steel was required for truly effective large buildings (ie. 19th century). However, magic could perhaps reinforce structures just as easily.

Rav

Yeah, we have all heard of towers, with mighty wizards

 

[Darklance]

.....

*Spouts of steam spout from Darklance's head and his neck shoots up on a giant bouncy spring that swings his head around for awhile before settling down again.*

I think he has somehow has managed to predict a reply before he even posted the original. Implanting skyscrapers? Your a damned genius Psionicist

 

[Zappo]

We've all seen LOTR. There are plenty of massive constructions in it. Orthanc, Moria, Minas Morgul...

 

[Altalazar]

I think structures can be as massive as your imagination allows. Perhaps Dwarven miners use materials better than steel, that only their special senses can find beneath the ground.

I think it will only likely come into play if PCs want to build something and you want to figure out if it is possible, how much it will cost, etc.

And of course there is always that magic five letter word. er... Magic.

 

[Bran Blackbyrd]

Well, look at Wheel of Time. Some of the older structures like the White Tower and, if memory serves, the Stone of Tear were contructed using the One Power.
Magic could be used to keep a building upright that's too tall for medieval level materials to support, but that could be dispelled, and then you have a flat building and lots of dead people.
However, like in WOT, you could have buildings that were constructed with the assistance of magic (by pulling raw metal and stone straight out of the ground and shaping it), and then there's nothing to dispell.
Done correctly it could be used to make huge structures, that would be impossible to construct otherwise, or to simply make a regular structure unbelievably strong.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Well, magic can cut off the top of a mountain and put an entire metropolis on the inverted cut-off top. I think that kind of qualifies. There are also air ships, so I think it is quite possible.