Revision as of 09:04, 3 April 2010

This is an attempt to create some interesting stuff based on the idea of tasked entities as a power source. Considering that you can order demons to do something forever, it seemes that something like this would have been tried at some point. This is basicly similar to using animal or muscle power, with the advantage that demons do not require food or sleep. A nice side effect of this is that one can use the personalities from Savant and Sorcerer.

Summon Based Technology History and Intro

Even during the First Age, demon based technology was never incredibly widely used, although it was somewhat common in the larger cities. It did have several advantages over essence based technologies, notable that less magical materials were required and it's much easier to produce large scale raw power. For example, a mill that turned by itself would be prohibativly expensive in magical materials, not to mention that it would require an exalt to commit essence to it. The other advantage of such systems is that they could be operated by mortals and were relativly cheap compared to more magical measures. A demon powered crane was much cheaper than, say a levitating disk, and much quicker to make. They also did not require an essence user to direct them. Then end result of this, since the applications were less glamorous, these techniques tend to occure less in histories, as they usually formed a part of the underlying fabric of civilization, rather than the part usually encountered by god-kings.

The general principal was that a First Circle demon would be harnessed to some mechanical system, given a continuous, highly specic order and used to produce mechanical power. If correctly done the demons did not mind their service overmuch and problems were unlikely to result. Only First Circle demons were used, with multiple ones used if more power was desired. Higher circle demons would resent being used in such a manner and were much to difficult to summon to waste on such matters.

Many of these techniques were pioneered by the Celestials. As the Great Curse took a greater hold, they were less and less likely to created systems that did not directly benefit them, as much of what was done by these systems could be done by mortal laborers, but much less efficiently. This resulted in new systems being created less and less as the fabric of society broke down under corruption. Most examples of this Technology were destroyed during the Upsurpation. From this comes at least part of the legend that the Twilight Solars riddled creation with traps. As the basic systems were destroyed, the demons powering them escaped. It is possible this was by design, but it is also likely that the creators had not considerd wholesale destruction in their designs. The demons used were not generally the more predatory types, and a few Dragon Blooded or a single Solar or Lunar could dispatch all of the ones used in a single system easily. It is only when the combination of massive destruction, and lack of free Exalted occured that there was a problem.

Most types of demons were not suited to this sort of service, those that are detailed below. Generally, one of these types was used, although a few other demons have very specific uses. In general there is no perfect type, These are also mentioned.

• Agata - The Beauteous Wasps consider pulling a natural extention of their function,and they are fairly strong, as such they are one of the first choices. They tend not to chafe under such service, as it gives them more time to think and philosiphize. They also can serve a decorative function, one palance had lift powered by several agatae wizzing around in a great open space, wearing moonsilver and starmetal harnesses. The primary difficultys are those invovled with harnessing flying creatures.

• Perronele - These demons temperment causes them to be incredibly loyal. However, they are physically weak. They usually only used in cases where there elasticity and lack of form is an advantage, i.e. where larger, stronger creatures cannot be used.

• Teodozji - Their fatalistic outlook makes them well suited for this type of service, the fact that they can easily be synchronized is an additional benefit. These demons often can be satisfied by making sure that they are visible. Their synchronized alien movements express their scripture, which is enough for them. The primary difficulty is the need to keep certian objects away from them, to prevent accidents. Several large mechanical clocks were constructed in the First Age using these demons.

• Tomescu - These demons also have a, well, strange outlook on life. Immortal service appeals to them in strange way. Thus, they are well suited for this type of work. The number of limbs they can bring to a task is generally an advantage. Their cries can be considered either a usefull method of marking time, or an annoyance. Soundproofing, or placement can reduce this difficulty fairly easily. The primary difficulty with these creatures is that, of all the types commonly used, they are the most dangerous to have escape.

• Hopping Puppeteer - These were never commonly used. They are incredibly strong, but tend to resent being confined. Additionally, an escape is generally catastrophic as the entire facility is rearranged. The only known example was done on a bet, and involved using one to move infants in a nursery. This kept it docile while the nursery was in use.

• Decanthropes - These demons were sometimes used by less scrupulous builders, as they provided the most work per demon. However, it is necessary to supply them with bodies. If for some reason a source is avaiable, they become the demon of choice. An additional difficulty was the need to seperate them from each other. These were probably one of the rarest types to be used.

• Others - In fact, any demon reasonable capable of affecting the physical world may be used. Deviations from the above generally reprsent using some aspect of the situation to simplify the demon management. A meat processing plant may use blood apes for example, as keeping them happy was trivial. Additionally, some demons were used for their specialized abilities in limited roles.

• • Firmin - These were commonly used in manufacturing schemes using their special abilities. Their propensity for hunting is a problem though.

• • Metody - Only used in very specialized roles involving their element, etching for example. Some cities had a few of these as part of it's waste disposal system, as a constant stream of stuff to dissovle keeps them happy. The major difficulty with this is that these creatures are difficult to confine, thin jade was normally used. The breakdown in civilization caused this to looted, with the accompanying problems.

Some features are common in almost all Demon based technology

• Confinement -- A common feature is that the demon is confined to an area. This always part of the task(do not leave this area), although physical confinement is common, and also keeps them out of sight. It also looks like a safety feature.
• Simple Task -- The daemon is given a simple task to do repetativly, usually at a fixed rate. The task is usually short, but includes a laundry list of injunctions not to leave, dematerialize, communicate, stop, start, etc... In fact, if the task is specified well, and things do not change to much, nothing goes wrong.
• Control -- A simple control mechanism is usually provided. Sometimes this is a simple series of flags the demon is told to watch for, sometimes the control is entirely mechanical, i.e. a demon that provided power for a mill might be engaged and disengaged via a gearbox. The very best engineers used a combination of both methods. Primary control was provided mechanicly, while secondary control was provided via flags or keywords that caused the demon to suspend and resume it's task(to allow repair of mechanisms).
• Management -- Demons were usually selected based on a propensity for service or an outlook on life that causes them not to mind repetative service. Sometimes, there was also an unusual aspect of their nature that can be appealed to.

working on re-writing the examples, but ideas from others are welcome - FlowsLikeBits

Sample Tech

The Mill of Stone without Water

The mill had always been there. There was no stream, but it mattered not. The gigantic stone paddle wheel turned just fine, despite being suspended in the air outside the building. In ancient times a prince had given the villagers the mill in gratitude for circumstances long forgotten. There was an obsidian tablet at the front of the mill, written in some langugage none could read. Presumably, it said what deed the gift was for. Some thought it was a gift from spirits of the air, but it worked the same no matter which way the wind blew. Lightning once struck the building, destroying the wooden parts with fire. While this happened, the wheel still turned. The fire burned the mounting for the obsidian tablet, which fell and broke. It was sold to help fund the reconstruction. The wood was rebuild onto the stone structure, and some thought it was the spirits of the earth. A thaumaturgist was brought in to try to bargin with them to make the mill go faster, but he failed, and was run out of town. Eventually, people stopped wondering too much and just accepted it. Sometimes the wheel would start to squeek in an highly obnoxious way, but that was easy to fix. Then, one day, the mill stopped, and no prayers or offerings could make it go again.

Actually, the wheel had a number of perronele inside. The tablet explaining this has been lost. The cessation of their service confused and saddened them. If they escape the wheel, they would most likely attach themselves to people and attempt to corrupt them, although appealing to their sense of loyalty could also work.

Hundread Wheels Palace

Deep within the chaos, something moved. Something big. Eventually reality become more solid. Out of Wyld the mighty tower rolled. In the window, the lone survivor smiled. While the structure itself was relativly protected, creating a road was difficult. An order was passed down to the motive power below. Smoothly, the giant structure turned toward the Pole of Earth, continuing as it always had. At the apex, the survivor smiled, not noticing the monstrocity behind them. Several days later the structure encountered a lake. Crossing this cleaned a mess off the roof, but had no other effect on it's progress.

One of the strangest manifestations of this trend was the Hundread Wheels Palace. Created for a paranoid ruler of old, it was a massive circular stone tower. Underneath a reinforced stone and iron skirt, demons in gigantic wheels labored to move the mobile castle according to the will of it's master. Supposedly, it was created because something that could be lifted by a Wind Spirit was not defensible enough. Other tales say the owner refused to be parted from the earth. Scholors suppose that this was one possible origin of the Rolling Earth Carpet spell, even if it is not, the spell was definaly required to move the contraption, which took up most of the spell's area. The palace was supposedly lost to the Wyld, although this is not known for sure. It is believe that the palace was protected against chaotic influences, although, how long these would last is a mystery.

While not speedy by any means, being limited to the running speed of the daemons moving it, the Hundread Wheels Palace could cover surprising amounts of ground, simply due to not needing to stop. Some legends speak of it being able to move underneath the ocean, although this slowed it somewhat. This forms the other guess as to it's current location.

Elemental Based Technology

Elemental Based tech has always been much rarer than the demon based variety, due to the fact that they cannot be bound for as long periods and the fact that doing so can outrage the Celestial Hierarchy. A common theme was a object would be enhanced to utilized a summoned elemental to give enhanced capabilities, rather than actually requiring one to function. Usually, a specific type of elemental might be required.

WIP

Sample Tech

Comments

Total re-write. Should be more useful this time. Anyway, comments welcome.

SummonTech/OldComments

How do you solve the problem of essence though? Staying materialized costs essence... sure, you can let your demons attune to the manse or demesne, if they're in one, but that's another security risk. If they're not in one, they need some source of essence to stay physical
-- Darloth

Good point. Going through Exalted, GoD and the PG...demons have the Materialize charm, thus implying that they would be subject to this problem. It comes down to weather one would consider demons to be naturally incorporeal or not. Given the descriptions of Malfeas and Blood Apes preference for physical existance I would say it seems likely the demons can gain Essence via respiration while Materialized. Additionally, there are large numbers of examples in canon of demons being used as guards or physical laborers for weeks on end. Thus is seems odd that they would need to continually spend essence to remain materialized. (Which would generally make them unsuitable for long term service). I think the simplest thing is to say that demons can respire in either form, or maybe that they are naturally Materialzied in Malfeas, but naturally Dematerialzied in Creation. However they only respire while Materialized. It gets weird quickly. -FlowsLikeBits sigh

I would agree in that demons seem to respirate Essence whether material or dematerialized. -Argent