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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SHARK" data-source="post: 388047" data-attributes="member: 1131">Greetings!Hey there Gary! I'm glad you like my ideas! I think that trying to "force" the 12th-Century European model, no matter how cherished, seems contrived after a short period of time, and flies in the face of the diverse powers of magic, and of human--and non-human!--desire for progress and change. All such creatures and races that have access to arcane and divine magic cannot really be seen as "static". For example, we all know how prolific and powerful the various spell-lists are, and how useful they are to adventurers and in all forms of combat--I simply reject the streroetype that Wizards are all isolated, selfish, bitter hermits, and that the various clerics and druids throughout the area have no problem in using their magic to help the all-important adventerers, but somehow, using magic to make lasting, dramatic changes to society on a broad scale is simply beyond them, you know?Indeed, making magic items, technology, and deploying such magical power to effect the changes I listed may not be as flashy as defeating a dragon, or hordes of demons, but in the long-term, are such achievements any less glorious?King: "Well, wizard, what have you done lately to earn my financial and political support for all of these years?"Wizard: "Well, sire, I have not defeated any dragons, or hordes of demons, but I have initiated a comprehensive program that in twenty years time will have every city and town in your kingdom lit 24 hours a day, have running water, efficient sewage removal, and countless other improvements that will enhance everyone's lives--whether they be humble farmer, merchant, or wealthy noble. In cooperation with several larger churches, the majority of the population will be wealthier, have more discretionary time and income, be happier, more productive, and live longer, healthier, happier lives. These changes will gradually combine to make you and your descendents fabulously wealthy, and the whole kingdom will be greatly advanced. Your reign will go down in history as the greatest rule to bring such glorious and beautiful changes to the whole society, that you will forever be remembered with love, admiration, and respect. In addition, for the kingdoms and peoples that live in ignorance and darkness, your kingdom will be the envy of all of your neighbors. As the knowledge and skills spread, our neighbors will become advanced and more successful, and be better able to participate even more fully with our own great magics, scholarship, and advanced economy. The more our neighbors adopt our ways, the more productive they will become, and the more wealthy and productive we will become as well.These are the things that I have done in service to you sire, and the righteous kingdom that is your domain!"It makes me think of how shallow and petty the streotypical wizard or cleric is often portrayed. These powerful people are all focused on fireballs and Greater Disjunctions, by do they nor have families? Do they not have children and grandchildren? Do they not have desires to change the grinding poverty, disease, and struggles of everyday people, that are all--to one degree or another, important to them?A corrollary is, if magic can make fireballs and wishes, but it can't make running water, increased lifespans, make work easier, and increase the joy of life in so many smaller, simple ways, what good is it? It seems incongrious to me that magic would be used always for adventurers, and all kinds of esoteric "research" for bigger and flashier spells, but somehow, many mundane improvements that would make huge differences in millions of peoples' lives is somehow so easily overlooked, ignored, and discounted, by people who have very real abilities to make such huge differences. Even if you say this wizard is a hermit, and that one, and this cleric doesn't care, fine. But all of them? That doesn't strike me as very realistic, in considering human nature, and progress. Magic would be used for a thousand different purposes, not merely for combat artillery, or for the priviledged use of adventurers. Indeed, the application of magic on a broad scale throughout society can be seen to be in the long run, far more important and profitable than any particular adventuering group. The needs of an entire society calls out for the use of magic in so many ways that are far more interesting than what adventurers would seek to use it for. It is this incongrious notion that doesn't really take into consideration the enormous scope for change and improvement that magic being applied throughout society can really effect.Semper Fidelis,SHARK</blockquote>

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