View source for Technological Spells

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Traditionally, most magical settings are [[TL4]] or below – pre-industrial. Introducing magic to a post-industrial setting, however, can create fascinating new developments for players and GMs to explore. In a setting where high technology and magic coexist, spells that manipulate and support the tools and features of the mechanized world must logically arise.

Unlike other spells, many Tech spells are [[:Category:Technological Skills|technological skills]] and must be learned at a particular [[TL]]. When a mage is expert with magic designed to interact with [[TL10]] technology, he is at a penalty when trying to power a [[TL11]] blaster or trying to drain the energy from a [[TL7]] flashlight battery.

These penalties also affect prerequisites. To use a Tech spell as a prerequisite, you must have it at the level associated with spending one character point on the spell. Thus, a mage trying to learn [[Reveal Function]]/[[TL9]] must either know [[Seek Machine]]/[[TL9]] at [[IQ]]-2, [[Seek Machine]]/[[TL10]] at [[IQ]]-1 (to compensate for the -1 penalty), or [[Seek Machine]]/[[TL]]8 at [[IQ]]+3 (to compensate for the -5 penalty).
==Machine Spells==
For the purpose of these rules, a machine is a tool that in some way uses, stores, or transforms power in order to do its job. Thus, a hand drill doesn't qualify, but an electric drill does. A spring-powered pocketwatch is a machine, while a sundial is not. The GM has final say regarding any gray area.

In some cases, it may be important to assign an attribute to a machine for purposes of determining spell resistance. For most purposes, the machine's [[HT]] is appropriate for this purpose; most machines have HT 10, unless specified otherwise.

Machine spells are intended for use on machines without sapience or free will; as a rule, they should not affect any being that would ordinarily be built as a character. They should affect most machines with [[IQ]] 5 or less, and some machines with the Automaton meta-trait. AIs and other sapient machines should be controlled with [[Communication and Empathy Spells|Communication and Empathy]] or [[Mind Control Spells|Mind Control spells]] (though the GM may wish to assess a -4 penalty for controlling an "alien" mind). At the GM's discretion, the more physical Machine spells, like Glitch or Malfunction, may work on sapient machines.

===Seek Machine/TL===
{{Information}}

Identifies the direction and approximate distance of the nearest machinery of any sort. The caster can also specify that he is looking for a specific sort of device; lasers, computers, light sources, etc. Any known examples of technology may be excluded if the mage specifies them before casting. Use [[long-distance modifiers]].
:''Cost:'' {{Cost 3}}.
:''Time to cast:'' {{Casting Time 10 Seconds}}.

====Item====
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Energy cost to create: {{Energy Cost 100}}.

===Reveal Function/TL===
{{Information}}; '''Resisted by spells to conceal magic'''

Reveals the functions of the subject machine. If the subject has more than one function, the spell reveals them in order of complexity (simplest first), and tells the caster "there are more functions." Later castings will reveal the remaining functions, one per casting.

The spell can also be used to reveal how to activate known functions (i.e., which button to press); the caster gets one try, at -5! If successful, the caster can then use the machine with the appropriate skill (or [[IQ]]-6) at a penalty of only -1 for unfamiliarity.
:''Cost:'' {{Cost 8}}.
:''Time to cast:'' {{Casting Time 10 Minutes}}.
:''Prerequisite:'' [[Seek Machine]].

====Item====
Staff, wand, or jewelry. Energy cost to create: {{Energy Cost 1,500}}.

===Machine Control/TL===
{{Regular}}

Control the actions of one [[machine]] (anything under [[IQ]] 6, of any size) or a swarm of small ones, up to about 1,000 machines or 100 pounds total. The caster must be aware of the machine's functions to control it. The spell does not supply the skill to use the machine – the caster must use his own skill at [[Gunner]], [[Computer Operation]], [[Driving]], and so on. [[Concentration]] is required.

The spell acts through the machine's triggers and controls, mechanical or electrical. A mage could use the spell to make a camera snap a picture, a robot strangle its evil creator, or a gun discharge all of its ammunition. He could not aim the object, or move it, unless it was self-aiming or self-propelled (at least without adding an [[Apportation]] spell). If something else has control (an AI in a vehicle or a human operator at the driver's seat, for instance), then he/it may dispute control of the machine every second with a [[Quick Contest]] of the caster's effective skill vs. the operator's skill (or [[Will]]+[[TL]] for cybernetic control).

A mage who knows this spell may use the [[Rider]] or [[Rider Within]] spells on machines; note, however, that a machine's sensory apparatus may not be readily intelligible to a human being!

:''Duration:'' {{1 minute}}.
:''Cost:'' {{Cost 6}} to cast. {{Cost 3 to maintain}}.
:''Prerequisites:'' [[Reveal Function]], [[Locksmith]], and [[Lightning]].

====Item====
Staff, wand, headgear, or jewelry.
''Energy cost to create:'' {{Energy Cost 1,000}} for an item that controls a specific type of machine, {{Energy Cost 2,000}} for one that will control any machine.

==Energy Spells==
TODO
==Radiation Spells==
TODO
==Metal and Plastic Spells==
TODO

[[Category:Technological Spells]]