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I was just randomly musing as I do and I had a thought.
Assumptions:
Setting: Modern day
Magic/tech interaction: Lets say magic and technology are not the antithesis of one another. For example in the Dresden files presence of magic screws up tech. Not that.
Tech evolution: for whatever reason tech has evolved without the use of magic. Assuming magic is rare and too expensive for mass use as it is in Golarian. Exceptions exist, but they are rare. In other words their isn't a factory somewhere mass producing flying carpets. Should flying carpets exist they can only be made by someone with a great deal of skill and time. Generally such people have better/more profitable things to do than sit at a loom all day. If that highly skilled person did make a magic carpet the cost would be exorbitant.
This thought process actually started because I have a few apps that work as spell books resources, etc. If I were a modern mage I would use my iPad as my spell book (With a secure digital back up of course) and research tool all in one.
So here is the theoretically exercise question:
If magic existed today and didn't interfere with tech (as it does with dresden). What cool stuff do you think technomages/clerics/druids/oracles/etc would take advantage of?
Economics and manufacturing.
Economics and manufacturing.
Tech evolution: for whatever reason tech has evolved without the use of magic. Assuming magic is rare and too expensive for mass use as it is in Golarian. Exceptions exist, but they are rare. In other words their isn't a factory somewhere mass producing flying carpets. Should flying carpets exist they can only be made by someone with a great deal of skill and time. Generally such people have better/more profitable things to do than sit at a loom all day. If that highly skilled person did make a magic carpet the cost would be exorbitant.
Speed reading, enhanced memory, pretty much anything that makes mastering skills and consuming knowledge easier.
As in, I cast greater speed reading?
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1) you would have specialty mages who produce items, despite the cost, for the rich and famous. need to look good for that high def close up, only a lotion of true beauty will work... ect.
2) you would have groups diametrically opposed to any use of magic. This would cause those rich people in position #1 to have the "open secret" of the use of said items and might even cause some of the items to be non-obvious in their use. +3 hunting rifle. +4 slick bullet proof vest. tracking spells on your valuables ect...
3) you would have those who would be addicted to its use. Even if they did not know that they were. Using spells to do little things that could easily be accomplished through other means. please see...Cast a deadly spell or even better Dark Willow for an extreme case.
4) this doesn't include the social and religious implications of obvious or "secretly well known" magic running around. Perhaps a more centralized church and a still strong and not renamed Inquisition.
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You could borrow from Warhammer--
skaven tech: tech that's enhanced magically to over perform design or create an after effect (like a timed weapon)
Machine spirits: more than strong AI, machine spirits are magically trapped spiritual essences (Vancian), or elemental forces (Eberron), or bound souls (warhammer) used to power equipment or manage the OSs.
Magic-enhanced tech lets a bullet seek the true villain in a group of civilians, allowing the peace officer to fire into crowds. Commercial uses include hunting and home safety.
Magic-enhanced barista machines brew coffee from garden mud, making them black market items in several countries with strong ties to the coffee industry; in the US, Congressional Inquisitors actively seek and confiscate machines, and prison terms for possession are not uncommon.
Possessed TVs don't require electricity and are cablespirit-ready, providing international programming without cable or antennas, making them a favorite target of copyright protection organizations concerned with regional licensing. The MPAA has an overwhelming campaign to convince owners that getting caught with a possessed tv could result in heavy fines and jail time; they spend inordinate sums of money lobbying the Congressional Inquisition, our 4th Branch of Government.
Use tech devices as help in learning magic: how much would a computer shorten learning spell when you can hear mp3 file with proper pronounciation, can use download correct magic sigil from sigils.opensource.net and draw it with high resolution ploter on durable plastic sheet.
Use your TheStarsAreRight app for your android to determine the best time for your rituals. When searching for a plot of land to build your mage tower you can use Geomantic Google Maps to select ley lines matching your field of magic.
Buildings would be even more fantastical. The Hardening spell would be absolutely awesome for allowing materials to handle loads even better, as would magically treating the building materials (as in magical item treating).
Technomancer is a great example of setting with magic and technology not being opposed to each other.
Also, death to humans! World belong to Penguins!
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Enlarge person spells, distilled down to enlarge or reduce specific areas.....
Enlarge person spells, distilled down to enlarge or reduce specific areas.....
*golfclap* Well done, sir.
I could see a cadre of buff casters by the sidelines of an NFL game......turning the center into a dire ape and the wide receiver into a cheetah with six gibbon arms for catching footballs and whatnot.
cool...with this post I just made this thing trippy.
I imagine sports franchises would have clerics on staff or rings of regeneration for player use. Sports would be a lot more violent.