Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Torg Axioms Revised
Torg Axioms Revised
Magic Axiom
For purposes of these axiom writeups, a 'ritual' is a spell which takes at least 1 hour to
cast.
Spiritual Axiom
0: The world is devoid of spiritual life. Faith is not rewarded. Miracles are non-existant.
There is not even the concept of higher beings or an afterlife.
1: While there is still no belief in an afterlife, belief in the spirits of the natural (and / or
supernatural) world around you exists, leading to animism. There are no regular miracles
granted, but there is a tiny, tiny chance that prayer may lead to some spirit somehow
mustering the power to grant a miracle. (The Focus Difficulty of Invocation is 52! Only
minimal success is possible.) In a sufficiently magical or technological cosm, it may be
possible to use magic or technology to contact these spirits, though they have very
marginal power.
2: It now becomes possible to produce miracles, but it requires a huge investment of time
in study. (Non-possibility rated characters must spend a decade in learning the first adds
of Faith and Focus, and each add afterwards takes ten times the normal amount of time).
Miracles can only benefit the faithful (who must all have Faith and Focus), and everyone
in the community of the faithful must be present at the performing of the miracle. Most
miracles are only possible at certain fixed times of the sacred year, and require repeated
ceremonies leading up to when the miracle happens. If any are missed, that miracle will
not be possible that year.
3: It is no longer necessary for everyone in the community of the faithful to attend every
ceremony which leads up to a miracle, though a majority must appear each time. (It now
only takes five years to learn Faith and Focus, and learning further adds only takes five
times the normal time.)
4: The process of learning Faith and Focus is further refined, and it now only takes 3
years for the first add of each and three times normal for the rest.
5: At this stage, it is no longer necessary for all of the community to be priests to benefit
from a miracle. Only a single leader need have focus, while the rest of the community
only needs the Faith skill. These skills can be acquired at normal rates. Divine
Invocation can now have up to Good Results.
6: A variety of religous symbols begin to be used, though they have no special power.
While many miracles are still tied to specific times of year and require much preparation,
a handful of ritual miracles begin to appear which are used for ceremonies which have no
fixed date in the spiritual calendar.
7: Religious symbols now hold spiritual power and can be used by the faithful to ward
off supernatural evils (Ward enemy miracle) or to facilitate the use of spiritual power.
Most miracles still require extensive rituals, but a few can be performed fairly quickly.
Their effects remain fairly subtle, easily ascribable to luck.
8: The spiritual power of priests grows; an increasing number of miracles can be
performed quickly without requiring extensive ritual. The mental state of a subject can
be nudged, though not shaped in detailed ways. Poisoning can be cured. Nippon Tech
Axioms
9: Divine Invocation can have up to Superior results. Miracles grow stronger and it is
possible to broadly enhance the abilities of the faithful. Faith healing is possible as well.
Miracles are never indisputably divine in nature, but can begin to be obviously unusual.
Core Earth Axioms
10: Religious oaths can become made spiritually binding. Other languages can now be
understood via miracle. The loa may manifest themselves by possessing people. A
variety of weapons can be blessed, rendering them more effective.
11: It is now possible for the community of the faithful to imbue an item or place with
spiritual power which can be tapped by the faithful. In addition to evil supernatural
entities, it is now possible to drive off members of hostile faiths with the presentation of
holy symbols (Banish miracle). Crops can be made more fertile.
12: It is now possible for spiritual power to be raised up as an impressive bulwark
against magic, and for a variety of miracles to aid in battle to be performed.
13: Spectacular success on Divine Invocation is possible, though difficult. Only the
most ferocious of skeptics can deny the existence of the divine, though it may be very
unclear as to what the truth of the divine is. It is possible to communicate with the spirit
realms, enabling such miracles as talking to the dead. Necromantic miracles for
unleashing armies of undead are possible. Direct Invocations can, on a spectacular
success, affect reality-phenomena, such as maelstrom bridges, reality storms, and so
forth. Star Sphere Axioms
14: It is possible to alter life forms with miracles; diseases can be rendered stronger or
weaker, animals can be given the gift of speech permanently, people can be struck blind.
It is also possible to use miracles to communicate with animals temporarily. Spiritual
entities are rarely seen, unless the magic axiom is high enough for such entities to also
tap magical energies to support themselves. Aysle Axioms
15: Locations exist which can perform perpetual miracles. Such locations are sometimes
visited by spiritual entities. The faithful can consecrate items which will perform
miracles for anyone. It is now possible to sacrifice unbelievers who are possibility rated
and extract their possibility energy for your own use. Miracles also exist allowing
possibility rated characters to voluntarily give up or transfer some of their possibility
energy to others. Miracles can create sites of perpetual miracles which sustain
themselves by tapping into the ambient flows of possibility energy and the possibility
energy of their users to sustain themselves. This is not easy. Direct Invocations can, on a
superior success, affect reality-phenomena, such as maelstrom bridges, reality storms,
and so forth. Tharkold Axioms
16: Spiritual entities begin to make regular appearances in the material world. They may
be called by the faithful, but also sometimes begin to show up without being called. The
most faithful may sometimes be able to make return visits. Atheism now begins to lose
power; they suffer a –3 penalty to their faith totals to negate other faiths' miracles. Nile
Empire Axioms
17: Spiritual entities are common, though not every day encounters. Miracles exist
which can effect entire towns, though such miracles require lengthy ritual(Difficulty 15+,
Community Ratings 20+). Atheism grows even weaker, suffering a –6 penalty to faith
totals. Orrosh Axioms.
18: Locations which perform perpetual miracles are common enough that virtually every
town has one; it typically is the location of worship services. Atheism grows nigh-
impotent, suffering a –9 penalty to faith totals. The sacrifice of unbeliever ords can now
yield possibility energy, but requires fairly large scale slaughter to do so (Spirit Axiom +
Torg Value of Ords sacrificed – 33 = Number of Possibilities yielded by the rite.)
Worship rites exist which harvest a small amount of possibility energy from believers,
leaving them largely unharmed and transfer the collective energy to the priest. Such rites
produce (Spirit Axiom + Torg Value of Ritual Participants with Faith – 36 ) worth of
possibilities to the priest. In either case, non-possibility rated priests can use the rite, but
it is much harder for them and they must burn the points in fairly short order. Possibility
rated priests can keep the points for as long as they like. Miracles can open portals into
pocket dimensions and the like. Cyberpapal Spirit Axiom
19: Spiritual entities are seen frequently. A fair number of the faithful have seen the
spirit realms, and some have even visited them. Atheism becomes a contradiction, and
suffers a –12 penalty to its effectiveness for those who have yet to disconnect. Everyone
is born with the Faith skill at one add, inheriting their parent's faith, although it is
possible to convert later in life. Possessing even a single add of Focus doubles the
number of miracles you have access to. Ritual miracles exist which can potentially
effect an entire county (or a very small nation, such as Luxembourg), though this is
difficult(Difficulty 20+ , Community Ratings 25+). Other rituals allow powerful spirit
entities to be called to the assistance of the faithful.
20: The spiritual power of the community waxes. It is possible to use Focus unskilled;
believers have access to a number of miracles (all of which must be Prayers, rather than
Rituals) equal to their Faith adds. Spiritual entities are a frequent, but not omnipresent
part of daily life. Priests (those with Focus) typically have some sort of guardian spirit
(assuming any exist in that mythos) whose power level depends on their faith adds.
21: The plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all miracles of
Axiom level 20 or less by 1. (Miracles which benefit from this reduction take on the
axiom level of the cosm as their axiom level instead of the normal difficulty. Thus, the
Axiom 21 version of the Healing Ritual would drop to a difficulty of 16, but now has an
Axiom level of 21 instead of 9, and thus causes contradiction in more places.) Ritual
miracles now exist which could potentially effect an entire state or a fair-sized nation,
though they are quite difficult(Difficulty 25+ , Community Ratings 30+). Miracles now
exist which allow possibility points to be spent to temporarily or permanently lower the
difficulty of miracles in a sanctified area. Such areas require periodic recharging with
possibility energy by sacrifice of unbelievers, the possibility energy of believers, or direct
energy expenditure by priests.
22: The plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all miracles of
Axiom level 20 or less by 2. All believers now typically have some sort of guardian
spirit ally. Priests frequently have a bevy of spiritual entities they can call upon for aid
and who may be in frequent attendence on them.
23: The plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all miracles of
Axiom level 20 or less by 3. At this stage, one mythos begins to become dominant, and
other mythoi suffer a –3 bonus to all attempts to perform miracles. Miracles exist which
can be used to enforce the dominance of a particular mythos in the area of effect; they
require the use of possibility energy to empower them. Miracles can create hardpoints if
sufficient possibility energy is available. Direct Invocations can, on a good success, affect
reality-phenomena, such as maelstrom bridges, reality storms, and so forth.
24: Miracles exist which could affect large portions of a continent, although they are
very, very difficult rituals, which typically require the cooperation of a very large number
of believers(Difficulty 30+ , Community Ratings 35+). The plentiful spiritual energy of
the world reduces the difficulty of all miracles of Axiom level 20 or less by 4. At this
stage, one mythos is becoming dominant, and other mythoi suffer a –6 bonus to all
attempts to perform miracles.
25: The plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all miracles of
Axiom level 20 or less by 5. At this stage, one mythos is becoming fairly dominant, and
other mythoi suffer a –9 bonus to all attempts to perform miracles. Direct Invocations
can, on an average success, affect reality-phenomena, such as maelstrom bridges, reality
storms, and so forth.
26: Entire continents may be effected by ritual miracles, although this is incredibly
difficult and requires the aid of vast numbers of believers (Difficulty 35+ , Community
Ratings 40+) . The plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all
miracles of Axiom level 20 or less by 6. At this stage, one mythos is becoming fairly
dominant, and other mythoi suffer a –12 bonus to all attempts to perform miracles.
27: All faiths but one lose all power and become contradictory. The dominant faith may
well be polytheistic and involve the worship of multiple gods, so long as they are tied
together into a larger structure of faith and practice. Said dominant faith may include
hostile cults whose mythoi are intertwined together (The dominant faith may be, for
example, dualistic, with a good and an evil god at war with each other.) Travel to
spiritual realms becomes common and spiritual entities become an ordinary part of life.
The plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all miracles of Axiom
level 20 or less by 7. Believers have miracles equal to twice the sum of their Faith and
Focus skills available to them. Possibility energy can be spent on miracles which
suppress the power of enemy mythos in an area, rendering them impotent even if a
contradiction could normally be created in the area. Miracles can bear messages between
cosms or even open portals between them. Aspects of other axioms can be suppressed
with miracles (such as Kaah rendering magnetic devices impotent in the living land),
effecting even attempts to make contradictions, unless said attempt overcomes the
miracle's strength. Divine invocations can create items similar to eternity shards, though
it requires a superior or better success to have much effect. Living Land Spiritual
Axioms.
28: Ritual miracles exist which can effect multiple continents, if not the entire planet.
These are agonizingly difficult, however (Difficulty 40+ , Community Ratings 45+). The
plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all miracles of Axiom
level 20 or less by 8.
29: Everyone is now born a priest. Faith and Focus are now a single skill, used for the
purposes of both. The material world and the Spiritual Realms are heavily intertwined.
The plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all miracles of Axiom
level 20 or less by 9. With sufficient possibility energy, the very face of the world can be
reshaped to fit religious beliefs. Local Axiom Shifts can be forced. Devices similar to
eternity shards can be created. Direct Invocations can, on a minimal success, affect
reality-phenomena, such as maelstrom bridges, reality storms, and so forth. Though not
very much.
30: Ritual miracles exist which can now effect the entire planet, if you can manage to
organize well enough to use them (Difficulty 45+ , Community Ratings 50+). The
plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all miracles of Axiom
level 20 or less by 10.
31: Ritual miracles exist which can effect an entire solar system (Difficulty 50+ ,
Community Ratings 55+). Visiting spirit realms is as easy and convenient as going to the
grocery store. The plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all
miracles of Axiom level 20 or less by 11. With enough possibility energy from believers,
the process of axiom shift can be greatly accelerated.
32: Ritual miracles exist which can effect an entire galaxy(Difficulty 55+ , Community
Ratings 65+). The plentiful spiritual energy of the world reduces the difficulty of all
miracles of Axiom level 20 or less by 12.
33: Ask and ye shall receive. Believers are perfectly aligned with the will of the gods
and the will of the gods is all powerful. The plentiful spiritual energy of the world
reduces the difficulty of all miracles of Axiom level 20 or less by 13. The believers can
easily reshape reality to their whim.
Social Axiom
0: No social interaction between beings is possible; all beings either live in isolation or
fail to recognize each other as members of the same kind. Communication is impossible.
1: Basic interaction between beings is possible, though only the simplest concepts can be
communicated through pointing and signs. It is still impossible to form actual groups.
Sex is possible, though no long term relationships exist.
2: Families. Parent-child relationships now exist. The parents and children may come
together into a group for as long as the children need care, and some degree of
relationship may endure even beyond that. Children have rudimentary social bonds with
their siblings. Spoken language now develops, though there is no writing. Parents can
pass on basic knowledge to their children. Through shared rituals and the expenditure of
a possibility point by a possibility rated member of the family, a truly impressive event
(one in which a glory card was spent or a 60+ rolled if no PCs were around), can be used
as a focus to reconnect the members of the family to their cosm if they are disconnected,
and refill them with possibility energy.
3: Extended Families. The extended family now develops as concepts of grand-
parentage, cousins, and other somewhat broader blood ties develop. Extended families
typically compete with each other, rather than cooperating. Some families may find
brides by raiding each other, others interbreed incestuously. Verbal tradition grows
strong, and some memory of the past is preserved in stories. Rituals begin to develop,
and continuing interaction between individuals makes the concept of private property
necessary. It is now possible to spark members of your extended family through group
rites, if someone participating is possibility rated.
4: Clans. Peaceful interaction between extended families becomes possible as peaceful
practices of bride exchange are developed. These create ties which link families together
into clans. Adoption is invented.
5: Tribes. Multiple clans are now linked together into tribes by a mixture of actual blood-
ties, ficticious blood-ties, and shared practices. Tribes are typically hostile with each
other. Ideas of communal property are prevalent, in addition to personal possessions.
Leadership positions are developed. Storytelling is further developed with the creation of
theatre, which is usually religious in nature. Pictographic writing begins to develop. You
can spark your tribe members.
6: Trade. Simple trade begins as tribes start to learn how to be friendly with each other,
though violence may often be interspersed with peaceful commerce.
7: Villages. Tribes can now settle down and form villages, permanent communities, and
conduct joint improvement of the land around the village. Land ownership is more
refined as a concept. New leadership structures lead to the creation of kingship. Greater
specialization of social roles is possible, leading to the development of warrior, crafter,
religious, and other groups. Slavery unfortunately becomes possible. Pictographic
writing systems become more sophisticated and abstracted. Trade becomes a significant
phenomena, along with poetry and sports. You can spark an entire village community.
Travelling storytellers exist who can, over time spread the spark beyond the local
community to other ones in the area who share similar culture. Living Land Social
Axiom
8: City States. City States, lead by a King or ruling council of nobles become possible,
with one city dominating a collection of smaller villages. Other city states can be forced
to pay tribute or destroyed in warfare. Taxes are developed, along with improvements in
record-keeping and mathematics to collect the taxes, which are in kind. Small standing
military forces can exist. Basic feudal relations can exist. Master-apprentice
relationships develop. Every city state has its own gods and its own religious system,
which is staffed by a permanent priestly group.
9: Early Leagues and 'Empires'. It is possible to subject a large number of city states to
the dominance of a central potent one, or for clumsy leagues of city states to exist. Such
leagues and 'empires' are fragile and rarely survive more than a generation or two.
Groups of city states begin to share culture with each other and may develop cultural
identities, even if they can't achieve political unity. Major temples may have subsidiary
temples elsewhere, and faiths may intertwine to form polytheistic pantheons with shared
myths within the same cultural area.
10: Mature leagues and empires. With greater political sophistication, it is possible to
create voluntary or involuntary leagues of city states which can survive their founders.
The development of abstract and/or phonetic alphabets combines with the beginning of
libraries to promote scholarship. Laws can be codified and money is invented.
Democracy becomes possible, though it is only suitable for governing up to a single city
and is fragile. Culture may easily cross state boundaries. With better collection of
knowledge and its better preservation, proto-hardpoints (so-called because they can't
actually be noticed by natives unless an invasion happens) now become better able to
endure past the age in which they were made, for they can more easily continue to have
significance, instead of being forgotten.
11: Sub-Kings and Provinces. Larger states now become possible, as the concept of the
province is created. Sub-kings (satraps, governors, etc) are appointed to rule over them
in the name of the king. This enables empires to grow quite large. State religions may be
imposed more effectively on subjugated kingdoms. Churches begin to form into
bureaucracies as well, developing links between local congregations.
12: Guilds and Cultural Exchange / Assimilation. Greater degrees of stratification of
territorial units develop, allowing even larger states. Sects may form which are no longer
mainly the outgrowth of a particular political community. Postal and news services begin
to develop, and the trade in ideas increases. Credit, money lending, and the renting of
property develop. Long distance trade networks form. Conquered populations begin,
over time, to frequently assimilate to their conquerors. Tradesmen begin to cooperate,
forming local guilds which regulate the practice of a particular business or craft in a city.
Schools begin to develop, though few students attend them yet. Cultural exchange
between widely different regions becomes possible. Members of other cultures can
contribute to hardpoint formation by being impressed with the great deeds and works of
other cultures. The sparking of ords can now cross cultural barriers. Sparks can also
spread via news services.
13: Universities and Chartered Cities. Cooperation between merchants increases with
the formation of long-term joint business ventures, though these are often somewhat
unstable. Extremely long-distance trade is now possible if technology permits travel in a
reasonable amount of time relative to profits to be made. Government becomes
increasingly dependent on literacy. Universities begin to form, training literate
specialists. Various forms of national assemblies may exist, though they are often rather
ad hoc and irregularly summoned. Chartered cities come into existence, who buy special
privileges and freedoms in return for regular payments to nobles or kings or clergy.
Some kings may rule more than one nation, though those nations remain distinct entities
and may well grow jealous of each other. In some societies, slavery and states of
servitude begin to go into decline, though both survive in regions where it is hard to get
labor. (Magna Veritan Old Social Axiom) Tharkold Social Axiom
14: Improved Trade. Monarchies begin to raise money by investing in trade and by
granting monopoly privileges to single or groups of merchants or nobles. This, combined
with long-distance trade, helps to stimulate the development of joint-stock corporations.
Growing trade leads to the first beginnings of commodity speculation and financial
markets. Collateral is invented and banks begin to appear. Long works of non-poetic
fiction begin to appear. Monarchs may begin to sell noble status, offices, or other
privileges to make money, diluting the value of older nobility.
15: Absolute Monarchy. 'Absolute' monarchy is possible, as the power of the nobility is
reduced, though not destroyed. It tends to be in frequent financial trouble, however.
Joint-stock companies, financial speculation, commodities trading, and other such
endeavours flourish, though they also lead to social tensions. The guild system goes into
decline, replaced by the putting-out system. New aristocratic groups may arise through
the sale of offices. Tenant farming or a free peasantry that owns its own land is common.
Schools, university, and literacy become more common, though still rare. It is possible
for nations to have overseas colonies, though they can't be governed very effectively from
home unless means of very rapid travel are available. Mercantilist economic theories are
common. Aysle Axioms
16: Early Social Sciences and Improved Legislatures. National Assemblies and
parliamentary government (as a component of mixed or parliamentary government)
become a potential viable alternative to absolutist government. Such assemblies still
typically represent only the cities and the nobility and clergy. Time is denatured (the
concept of artificial units of time divorced from natural or local phenomena). Time zones
and standard time benchmarks become possible. There is a growing literary class. Ideas
of 'rights' begin to be bandied about. Economic theory begins to be developed, along
with the roots of sociology, anthropology, and other social sciences. Capitalism,
socialism, and communism can be articulated. The social support structures for an
industrial revolution now exist. Utilitarian philosophies are developed. Some churches
may govern themselves through a representative structure. Possibility rated characters
can now time the length of their reality bubbles accurately. Cyberpapal Axioms
17: Nationalism. Monarchs now dwindle in power, becoming figureheads, while national
assemblies become the dominant form of government. Nationalism begins to rise,
disrupting multi-national empires and strengthening single-nation states. Federal nations
are possible, though fragile. Cities grow to much larger sizes, with attendant problems.
Corporations begin to be formed for economic purposes.
18: Pluralism and Global Trade. Federalism becomes a stronger force and Federal
nations become less centrifugal. Broader and broader sections of the population are
enfranchised, and pluralism becomes an important aspect of viable governments.
Bureaucracy grows and education spreads. Amateur government becomes less and less
viable, which can cause problems when combined with growing representative
democracy. The growth of educational systems helps to create a flourishing intellectual
class who are able to further advance knowledge. Substantial global trade exists and is
becoming ever more important economically. Corporations become an increasingly
important part of the economy at the national level. Interest groups coalesce at a national
level, pressuring government and each other in a variety of ways. The world economy
increasingly impacts every nation. True slavery ceases to exist, though various forms of
servitude endure. Orrorsh Axioms
19: Early Globalism. A variety of corporate bodies, from businesses to labor unions to
reform associations, jockey for power in each nation, and nations jockey for power in the
international arena. Businesses increasingly spread into international operations and
while many people have only indirect links to the world economy, it now links all the
major nations and many minor ones in a web of economic interdependency. Other
international associations begin to form. The first fragile efforts are made to form
transnational governments. Fairly effective dictatorships are possible, though in the long
term, they tend to be unstable. The development of international media means that it is
now conceivably possible to spark people on the far side of the planet who you have not
even heard of, although trying to spark via news media is harder than group storytelling
and cultural rituals. It is now possible for possibility rated people to infuse possibility
energy into a unit of communication (a story, a novel, a news story, a television episode,
a chain letter, etc), and cause that unit of communication to have a disproportionate effect
on the world for a short time. Proto-hardpoints can be world-famous and benefit in
growth or preservation of their spiritual value appropriately. Nile Empire Axioms
20: Global Media. A variety of international institutions come into existence which have
some degree of often fragile power granted them by their member nations, such as global
banks, international courts, and other such institutions. Regions may possess stronger
institutions binding nations together. Concepts of rights begin to be extended beyond
human beings, leading to movements such as vegetarianism and animal rights. A global
culture is rising and assimilating aspects of other cultures. Possibility-infused media
grows in impact, lasting longer and hitting harder. The growth of global media, infused
with some degree of possibility energy by its creators means that anyone who spends
enough time exposed to it will eventually reconnect (if he is in his home cosm) once
some story hits home, though this may take a very long time. (Use the transformation
tables). Core Earth Axioms
21: Mature Globalism. While a completely binding planetary government is not yet
possible, regions may have strong federal governmental systems for nations. Their
citizens begin to transfer their highest loyalties to these governments. Other international
institutions become stronger, and competition between the regional governments tends to
be peaceful, because warfare would wreck the economy. Businesses at the highest level
are very transnational with few loyalties to the nations which gave them birth.
Populations are highly mobile and fluid at the global level. Spreading global culture helps
you to spark larger areas with a single glory deed. Possibility-infused media may well
last for months before the impact wears off. It makes an excellent advertising tool for
possibility rated businessmen. Nippon Tech Axioms.
22: Early Planetary Era. It is now possible to create planetary governments, though they
still have bugs to be worked out. The planetary economy becomes more stable and less
prone to boom/bust cycles, though the economic cycles cannot yet be completely
overcome. It becomes easier to reconcile interest-group conflicts, though they still exist.
Common identity as inhabitants of planet X (and species Y if contact with aliens is an
issue) begins to override other loyalties. A possibility-infused unit of media may well
become known around the world while its time in the sun lasts.
23: Mature Planetary Era. Planetary governments now become stable. Entire solar
systems can be governed if suitable technology, magic, or miracles makes such expansion
viable. Global culture tends to devour and assimilate everything in its path, though such
cultures are usually quite broad and diverse. Racial, class, and sexual prejudices within a
species fade away to the margins of society, but inter-species prejudices and conflict
remain a problem. It is now possible to spark an entire nation with a single glory.
24: The social revolution. Techniques begin to be developed which can create
possibility-infused ideas which can sustain and spread themselves by absorbing minute
amounts of possibility energy from those who listen to them and agree. Such ideas are
thought-viruses, known as memes. They are still clumsy and easily fall apart at this level,
and only possibility-rated people can make them successfully, unless some sort of other
possibility-manipulation exists which can be used to charge them with possibility energy.
A meme which disconnects in an area of Axiom 20-25 becomes the most powerful sort of
possiblity-laden idea it can. A meme which disconnects below Social 20 simply
evaporates, though if it conveys concepts understood at that level, it may well spread by
normal means. Major breakthroughs are now made in sociology, psychology, and
economics as the principles of memes are applied to them. Crude systems of
Psychohistory can be developed which enable prediction of future events from current
trends, on a sufficiently large scale. It is possible to organize multi-solar system
governments, though there are problems. It is now possible to spark an entire continent
with a single glory.
25: Mature Mimetic Age. It is now possible to govern dozens of star systems, if not very
well. Federal governments of small numbers of systems can function effectively.
Planetary governments become hyper-efficient and can exceed Arrow's Axiom within the
limits of that planet. Sexual, gender, racial, and class biases within a species cease to
exist. Sadly, biases between species continue to exist and may well fill many of the same
roles. Memes are now reasonably stable and useful; counter-mimetic measures are
developed. Anyone can create memes, though it is much faster for possibility-rated
people. It is now possible to spark an entire planet with a glory result. Memes can be
created which will, given some time, create talismans and even hardpoints by causing
people to give a place or item cultural significance. While Memes cannot actually
change other axioms, they can facilitate the rise of other axioms by spreading the ideas
necessary to advance the axiom, or causing a reaction against it which will cause some to
reject the use of some level or aspect of the axiom. Star Sphere Axioms.
26: Governments can now clumsily govern hundreds upon hundreds of star systems.
Governments of dozens of star systems function effectively. Arrow's Axiom can be
exceeded for governments encompassing just a few planets. It is possible to create
governments in which multiple sentient species can effectively cooperate and co-exist,
though a variety of problems continue to exist.
27: Large portions of a galaxy can be clumsily governed. Governments encompassing
hundreds upon hundreds of star systems can function effectively. Arrow's Axiom can be
exceeded for governments encompassing dozens of star systems. Inter-species
cooperation becomes fairly effective, though prejudices still exist.
28: Entire galaxies can be governed clumsily. Galactic regions can form effective
governments. Arrow's Axiom can be exceeded for governments encompassing hundreds
of star systems. Inter-species prejudices are fading.
29: Multiple galaxies can be governed clumsily. Entire galaxies can be effectively
governed. Arrow's Axiom can be exceeded for governments encompassing entire galactic
regions. Inter-species prejudices fade away almost completely. Memes can be created
which make it possible to affect a wide-range of behaviors. Such memes enable their
bearers to more easily resist the temptation to evil deeds. The most evil of acts become a
contradiction. Sufficiently widely-held ideas will now spontaneously become memes
when they hit a critical threshold of possibility investment from their advocates. Any
performance of a glory deed will absorb possibility points from its environment, then
cause it to potentially spark anyone who witnesses it or is told of it or even just watches it
on the news. Memes can now, given enough time, transform an object into an eternity
shard.
30: Dozens of galaxies can be governed clumsily. Multiple galaxies can be united under
one effective government. Arrow's Axiom can be exceeded for governments
encompassing entire galaxies. Different governments may still experience conflicts, but
not on the basis of speciest prejudices. Memes can be used to reshape the axioms in an
area, causing a local axiom shift, by altering people's behavior on a grand and consistent
enough scale to cause them to spend enough energy to make the change.
31: Hundreds of galaxies can be governed clumsily. Dozens of galaxies can be
effectively governed. Arrow's Axiom can be exceeded for governments encompassing
multiple galaxies. It is now possible to spark an entire interstellar civilization with a
single glory, given enough time for it to spread. Communications is so possibility laden
that prolonged exposure to culture will cause people to reconnect and refill with
possibility energy. (Use the Pure Zone Transform table to see how quickly)
32: Huge regions of the universe can be governed clumsily. Fair-sized regions can be
effectively governed. Arrow's Axiom can be exceeded for governments encompassing
hundreds of galaxies. It is possible to force axiom shifts with memes fairly quickly.
Memes can reshape cultures completely, turning vegetarian pacifists into violent
carnivores.
33: Everything that is alive is united into one perfect society. There is no social conflict
and society easily reconfigures itself to deal with any potential problems. A single glory
deed automatically resparks the entire universe, given time.
Tech Axiom
O: No technology possible; sentient and semi-sentient creatures rely entirely on their
bodies, magic, miracles, etc.
1: Naturally occuring items can be used as tools—sticks and thrown rocks can be used to
knock fruit off trees or dig tasty insects out of crevices, sufficiently agile creatures could
cling to a log as it floats downstream in order to avoid drowning, and so on. Fire cannot
be created, but it can be maintained (It is understood that fire needs fuel to survive). One
can attempt to ride animals at this level of technology, but since domestication hasn't
been invented yet, one is unlikely to have much success.
2: Paleolithic Age on Earth. It is now possible to begin to modify naturally occurring
items in order to make them more suitable as tools. The secret of fire is discovered.
Stone items can be chipped against each other to produce stone blades, and these blades
used to cut wood. Vines can be woven together into crude ropes. Clothing can be
created by skinning animals.
3: Tool use improves. Simple weapons are now in use: spears, clubs, slings. More
sophisticated tools, such as needles, are developed. Sentients begin to domesticate
animals. The simplest water vehicles (rafts) are invented.
4: Mesolithic Age. Sentients now grasp the principle of the seed, which enables them to
invent horticulture (they learn how to gather and scatter seeds, thus promoting the growth
of desired crops, though all work is done with crude hand tools, if any tools at all.) There
begins to be improvements in the use of wood, enabling canoes to be made. Sentients
figure out how to use naturally occuring deposits of relatively pure copper, but cannot yet
smelt the ore.
5: Further improvements in the use of wood now enables the creation of small fishing
boats, though it is too dangerous to go far from shore. The wheel and axeled rollers
begin to be used. The spread of horticulture leads some to develop simple calendar
systems based on easily observable natural phenomena. Simple buildings begin to be
built. Animal breeding begins, and so does the simplest plant breeding.
6: Bronze Age begins. The invention of pottery makes it possible to begin to smelt
metal. Metal now begins to be smelted and tools made out of soft metals. The first
alloys are created and bronze is invented. More sophisticated weaponry now develops:
swords, daggers, improved spears with metal tips, and the first bows. Oil lamps are
invented. Fermentation is discovered, enabling the making of wine and beer. The
invention of the plow triggers an agricultural revolution by lowering the mobility of the
populace but increasing its agricultural productivity. Increased food productivity may
(with an appropriate social axiom) encourage the beginning of the development of
specialists, because now it begins to be possible to produce a sufficient food surplus to
allow some people to devote their lives to something besides avoiding starvation. Cloth
now begins to be created. Living Land Technology.
7: Ancient Egypt. If the social axiom supports it, specialization increases. Medicine,
engineering, architecture, astronomy, metalcrafting, carpentry, and other specialized
fields begin to develop. These developments enable the building of more sophisticated
buildings out of stone, wood, and adobe, using tools like pulleys, levers, and block and
tackle. The extraction of stone and metal improves with the development of quarries and
the invention of techniques which allow harder metals to begin to be worked, though
such harder metals remain rare. Weapons and armor technology continues to improve
with stronger bows and metal armors. Chariots come into use, forming a military
revolution. Wind-powered vehicles (sailing vessels) begin to appear and maps are
developed. The domestication of more unusual animals (avian, reptillian, etc), begins.
8: Iron Age. More sophisticated timekeeping begins, with improved calendars,
improvements in astronomy, sundials, and water clocks. Agriculture flourishes further
with the development of large-scale irrigation systems (which also require an appropriate
social axiom). Further improvements in architecture, allowing larger buildings and
simple plumbing. Multi-sail vessels develop, allowing for still dangerous oceanic travel.
The Iron Age begins as methods for smelting iron are invented.
9: Mature Iron Age. Further improvements of medicine as herbs begin to be cataloged
and surgical methods improve. Infrastructure improves with the spread of roads, bridges,
and dams, and the use of aquaducts and tunnels to provide water to cities. The dying of
fabrics begins, and the use of hard metals spreads. Lathes, paper, and candles are
invented.
10: Classical Era. Specialized surgical forms develop. Basic anatomy is understood,
facilitating the development of medical systems. Gears and screws allow the
development of water power. Siege equipment improves. Simple steam-powered toys
are possible. Sugar begins to be refined.
11: Fifth to Eleventh century AD. The stirrup is invented, improving the striking power
of cavalry and kicking off an era of domination of mobile cavalry over less mobile
infantry. Plows are improved, improving the productivity of agriculture, along with
three-crop rotation. Man-portable crossbows are invented.
12: Twelfth-Thirteenth century AD. Stronger horses are bred as armor becomes more
sophisticated and heavier. Alchemical knowledge improves, allowing development of
better inks for printing and writing, the creation of acids, the denaturization of alcohol to
serve as a disinfectant, and Superior stone-buildings oriented to defense may be created.
Gunpowder is developed but is mostly useful as a toy to make fireworks.
13: Fourteenth Century AD. Glass mirrors and corrective spectacles are developed.
Cannon are developed. Metal armors achieve new heights of sophistication and weight
as improved metalworking lets metal plates be added. Clockwork mechanisms develop,
though they are very expensive and rare. Pike tactics begin to develop, along with the
use of the Longbow. Superior paper-making techniques are developed.
14: Fifteenth Century AD. Metal armors peak in sophistication, as do castles. Crude
firearms are developed. Improvements in glass working make cut-glass and superior
lenses possible, which enables microscopes and telescopes to be invented. The use of the
telescope leads to new breakthroughs in astronomy. Barometers are developed and
weather prediction is crudely possible. The printing press is now invented.
Improvements in navigational technologies and sailing technology make long-distance
ocean travel more viable. Aysle Technology.
15: 16th century AD. Anti-cannon defenses begin to be developed, leading to the
creation of sophisticated forts which can survive cannon fire. Muskets are invented, and
gunpowder-based military tactics now begin to dominate the battlefield. Pistols are
developed as well. Medical science improves as new visual tools are applied to the study
of anatomy and crude forms of anaesthesia are used. Watches and bifocals become
possible.
16: 17th-18th century AD. More advanced forms of mathematics, such as calculus, are
developed. Newtonian Physics is developed. Muskets become more reliable, and pistols
more common and useful. Armies typically respond to this with the development of
massed forces of musketmen; pikemen fade out and cavalry tends to shrink to a lesser
arm of the military. Further improvements in agriculture occur with the beginning of
more efficient fertilizing methods. Animals begin to be classified according to function
rather than appearance (Linnean biology). Crude steam power begins to be used in
mining operations. Sail technology reaches its peak with the clipper ships.
17: Early 19th century AD. Industrial revolutions become possible as the combination of
interchangeable parts, reliable steam power, improved metalworking, and improved
cloth-manufacturing technologies synch up to provide the foundation for such a thing.
Rifles and improved cannon are developed. Military tactics shift away from the massed
tactics of Tech 16 to the use of skirmish lines, greater use of sharpshooters, and the use of
field artillery.
18: Middle 19th century AD. The railroad opens up new horizons, as does the steamship
and the telegraph. Inoculation, improved hygiene, and the development of the bacteria
theory of disease. Biologists further refine their models of the interrelations and origins
of species. Electrical batteries are developed. Photography is invented.
19: Late 19th century AD. The repeating rifle ushers in an age in which defense
becomes stronger than offense, along with the use of field fortifications. The first
primitive machineguns develop, such as the Gatling gun. Ironclad ships dominate naval
warfare. Agriculture begins to become mechanized, with chemically produced fertilizers,
reaping machines, and the development of refrigeration. Electrical power spreads in use,
spawning a need for new fuels. Metal smelting can now be conducted on a truly massive
scale, and steel is developed. Bicycles, telephones, hydrogen airships, and submarines
become possible. Improved printing methods make mass-circulation periodicals both
practical and common. Radioactivity is discovered. Radios are invented. Orrorsh
Technology.
20: Early 20th century AD Human mobility takes another leap with the invention and
spread of airplanes, automobiles, and motorcycles. Sonar makes submarines more
effective. Radar facilitates air travel. Relativity and Quantum Physics are developed.
Automatic weaponry improves (machine guns, submachineguns, automatic pistols).
Tanks are developed. Black and White Movies are invented, color movies remain too
expensive to be practical most of the time. Radio becomes common. Nile Empire
Technology.
21: Mid-20th Century AD. Quantum Physics begins to be applied effectively, leading to
nuclear weapons, nuclear energy, and computers (large mainframe devices, using vaccum
tubes and punchcards). Synthetic materials become increasingly common, such as nylon
and other fabrics. Rocket technology is developed, leading to jet planes, ICBMs, and
eventually rockets able to escape Earth's gravity entirely. Satellites can be launched.
Helicopters become practical and useful. Medical technology continues to be refined
with common use of antibiotics, innoculations, and greatly increased survival of surgical
procedures. Television becomes common.
22: Late 20th century AD. The electronics revolution takes place, enabling the creation
of microcomputers. Manufacturing is increasingly automated, reducing the number of
humans needed. Home electronics begin to flourish, with easily portable radios and
recording devices, from casettes to CDs. The first computer networks are developed on
national and international scales. Knowledge of genetics advances, and medicine
advances with a profusion of new drugs. Eventually, the genomes of the major sentients
are mapped out. Allergies can be treated, if not eliminated. Many old diseases are wiped
out. Smart weapons begin to be developed. Stealth aircraft are invented. Sentients begin
to experiment with space travel, sending manned and remote-controlled missions to other
planets. Interstellar travel is still out of reach. Scientists fumble towards a Grand Unified
Theory and towards finding the fundamental particles and origins of the universe.
Theories of multiple or quantum universes are explored, but have no practical application
as of yet. It is possible to use Magic or Spirit to travel to such alternate dimensions if
those axioms support the attempt. Core Earth Technology.
23: Near Future Age. Fusion Power becomes practical and common, as does Solar
Power. Various forms of smart technology become common, and improved artificial
intelligence allows crude robots to be made, though they remain pretty dim-witted in
many respects. Very powerful, but limited expert systems are developed as well.
Computer networks are highly sophisticated, enabling easy access to the totality of
human knowledge, although sorting the good from the garbage and understanding what
you find is another question. Crude virtual reality is developed, but it has yet to come
into common use. Smart technology is used to make industrial production highly
efficient with a minimal need for labor. Medicine begins to extend the human lifespan,
cloning technology allows bulk production of meat for food, of organs for transplants,
and of organic compounds for a variety of medical and industrial uses. A variety of
useful bio-engineered organisms are developed, from super-productive and super-
disease-resistant crops to pollution-cleaning bacteria to augmented guard animals. In
addition to replacement limbs and organs, a variety of mechanical replacements for lost
body parts are available. Technologies to allow control of devices by thought are being
developed, but are still not very reliable or practical, as of yet. Most vehicles are
powered by fuel cells or are electrical. Hovervehicles are common. Short distance space
travel is reliable, though slow. Bases can be built in hostile environments (methane
worlds, vaccum, etc) and space stations are highly sophisticated. Mining operations
begin in space, as well as the construction of space vessels in zero gravity. Crude energy
weapons are developed, but are not very practical. Nippon Tech Technology.
24: Cyberpunk Era. The age of Cyberpunk begins, as virtual reality technology becomes
practical for wide-spread use. In addition, cybertechnology is refined; humans can now
control many machines by thought with the use of appropriate machines, accessories, or
implants. Sophisticated implants can enable humans to gain capabilities beyond the
norm. Knowledge and skills can be summarized onto electronic chips which can be
accessed by humans or artificial intelligences with the appropriate equipment. However,
at this tech level there continue to be problems with the mind/machine interface, which
sometimes malfunctions in ways which range from annoying to deadly. Cyberpsychosis
is another major problem, as very high levels of cyberware create feedback patterns in the
brain which lead to various psychoses or even brain damage. Vehicles become extremely
responsive; most vehicles also contain highly sophisticated auto-pilot expert systems.
Personal weaponry can be thought controlled now, with appropriate cyberware or
accessories. Automated medical facilities exist, though they require some sentient
staffing. A wide variety of robot systems exist, as well as cyborged animals controlled
by Ais. The scientific basis of psionics begins to be understood; crude devices can be
built to mimic psionic powers, though they don't work well yet. Interstellar travel is still
not viable, but travel within a solar system is practical, though it may take weeks.
Limited terraforming of other planets is possible. Inefficient energy weaponry is
developed. It is now possible to build long-term colony ships for interstellar travel,
though typically the crews are put into suspended animation for the duration of the trip.
Suspended animation technology becomes common. Many genetic problems are now
somewhat correctable. Personal energy weapons are viable, though not hugely common,
yet. Military application energy weapons are growing more common and are quite
potent. Smart ammunition is available for personal weaponry. Sophisticated personal
armor, cybercontrolled, becomes viable. It is now possible to build nuclear weapons
which will leave the environment largely intact while killing every living thing with
deadly doses of radiation, with minimal amounts of left-over fallout. The principles
which will make teleportation, gate systems, and jump drives feasible begin to be worked
out, but can't yet be usefully applied. Cyberpapal Tech Level.
25: Advanced Cyberpunk Era. Advances in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and
automated production lead to the development of AutoCAD and synthecyclers, which
enables the complete automation of industrial production, and allows those of minimal
technical knowledge to design and build and customize a broad and ever-growing variety
of technical devices. [This is effectively a technological wish parser...] Cyborging
continues to be improved, with cyberware that does less mental damage to its wearers,
resulting in less frequent cyberpsychosis. Implant capacity grows, and now many
psychic powers can be simulated with appropriate implants. Crude teleportation
technology is developed, creating gateways between locations. This technology can also
be used to visit alternate dimensions, planes, and spirit realms within a cosm, though this
is dangerous. The technology requires obscene amounts of power. Fairly reliable robots
can now be developed for a wide range of uses. Genetic science advances to the point
that pre-existant species can be combined in strange ways, creating chimera creatures.
The intelligence of animal species can be improved and sentient plants can be developed.
Genetic engineering can begin to increase the psychic potential of a species as well.
Personal battlesuits achieve a high level of sophistication. Personal energy weapons and
powerful railguns are common. It is possible to build crude reality-analysis equipment.
Such equipment can assess local reality, determining what works and what doesn't, and
what world laws exist. It can also sense large concentrations of possibilities. Stelae can
be sensed. It is now possible to build devices which can fling someone into another
cosm, but you can't get them back. Tharkold level technology.
26: Early Space Age. Jump-Gate technology becomes far more reliable and less hungry
for energy. Methods of warping space are developed which enables spaceships to travel
at very high speeds as well. Some civilizations may begin to exploit the properties of
alternate universes to speed travel, and travel to alternate dimensions is reasonably safe,
at least so far as the actual transition into and out of the other dimensions goes.
Interstellar space travel is now quite practical, if not quite so easy as a plane-flight is at
Tech 22. Cyberware is now perfected, and no longer causes cyberpsychosis in most
people, although mechanical failure is still a danger. Medical technology has advanced
to where genetic flaws can be fixed in the womb. Medical technology now greatly
increases the length of lifespans. It is possible to create viable hybrids of different
sentient species with enough time to study and work on it. Sentients can be built to order,
although it still takes years to age them to a useful state. Minds can be transferred from
sentients into electronic matrices and vice versa. Electronic immortality is possible.
Communications and computer advances make Interplanetary and even Interstellar
computer and communications networks viable at reasonable speeds. Planetary
Terraforming becomes quite effective. It is now possible, though very difficult, to build
devices capable of opening portals between cosms. Reality-disturbances (such as reality
storms) can be sensed at a distance.
27: Early Biotech Age. For those species who wish to pursue it, the Biotech revolution
begins. Genetic engineering has now advanced to the point where a wide variety of
machines can be replaced with living technology. Mechanical implants begin to be
replaced by biological implants. The initial ones are often rather inefficient and require
the consumption of large amounts of food to fuel them. Living vehicles are developed,
but space travel still requires some degree of mechanical technology. Gate systems
become more efficient. Personal space vehicles become available; travel between solar
systems is now as convenient as a long driving vacation. Smart technologies learn from
experience and improve themselves using AutoCAD technology. Devices can be built
which communicate between Cosms (such as the Signal Fire) or can create small
hardpoints and talismans.
28: High Space Age. Breakthroughs enable greater understanding of the fundamental
laws of the Cosmverse and improvement of Possibility-energy manipulating
technologies. They can be used to manipulate some natural forces, making gravitic ships
and weapons possible. Bio-borging becomes more advanced, and it is no longer
necessary to glut oneself to feed one's biological improvements. Biotechnology and
possibility science can be combined to create Genetic Enhancement Packages for species.
Those races inclined to mechanical technology render their technology incredibly clean
and efficient and it is possible to micronize devices to a point that someone may appear to
carry no technology and yet has a vast array of it at his command. Parts of a Cosm can
be folded in interesting ways to create things like hypercubes and vehicles which are
huge on the inside and small on the outside. Warp-technology ships can now travel
interstellar distances without jumpgates in reasonable amounts of time. Terraforming
technology is very potent. Matter-Antimatter collision as a source of energy is also
perfected.
29: Mature Biotech Age. Possibility technology can now manufacture talismans, and
eventually self-maintaining ones (like Reality Trees). Permanent gateways can exist
between cosms, though they are difficult to build. Biotechnology now begins to use
symbiotic organisms for effects, thus enabling one to easily swap needed biotech in and
out of your body. Nanotechnology serves a similar purpose for mechanically oriented
societies. Telepathic technology becomes very common for communications and
computing. Akashan Technology Level.
30: Early Possibility Age. Possibility technology advances to the point where it is
possible, over time to 'terraform' the laws of physics, altering the ways in which the laws
of nature work. Ords can be drained of possibility energy or refilled with it and
reconnected. Pocket universes can be created and difference of world laws between
universes can be exploited to create sources of energy which violate conservation of
energy (sort of). It is now easy to create gateways between cosms. It is now possible to
accelerate the growth of life forms tremendously, allowing one to produce biotechnology,
cloned tissue, cloned beings, etc, at an incredible rate. If it lives, it can probably be
cross-bred, even strange things like a silicoid slime monster and that dog you hate.
Technological and bio-technological devices can enable body reconfiguration at fairly
rapid speeds. It becomes possible to time-travel far into the future, but not to move
backwards in time. Yet.
31: Mature Possibility Age. Possibility technology enables users to make the scientific
laws of nature dance the mazurka for them. Petty limitations like conservation of energy
and the speed of light are henceforth only for the weak. Spaceships can be built which
will cross the Hubble Volume in a few hours, running on potatoes. Micronized
mechanical or biotechnology enables every person to wield god-like powers on a small
scale. Hideous Reality-based weaponry is possible.
32: High Possibility Age. Science is near-omnipotent; man-portable devices can reshape
entire solar systems. Every living thing can be made effectively immortal, barring
something killing it. With some effort, other cosms' Tech axiom can be reshaped, if you
can get enough possibility points and open a portal to them.
33: Infinite Possibility Age. With a thought, you can do almost anything unless someone
opposes you. Possibility technology can now duplicate the full range of darkness device
abilities, using them to reshape and drain other cosms, including affecting other axioms if
those are below 33.