Diverse Civilizations

A galaxy can see millions of races, species, and societies rise and fall during its lifespan. While life on planets may begin at different times and civilizations may progress at different rates, each goes through similar technological advancements to reach the stars. These are roughly described by the Ages listed in this section, starting with the Age of Tools and culminating in the Age of Stars. Simple societies sometimes make the leap to the Age of Stars when introduced to extraterrestrial visitors. Over time, the technology in that world develops unique characteristics as it mixes with traditional low-magic and rural fantasy settings.

Age of Tools. The first stage of a civilization begins with simple stone and metal tools. Tasks are accomplished using solely physical and mechanical equipment.

Age of Magic. This stage of civilization describes the discovery or permeation of magic into everyday society. This marks a greater focus on magic, often by arcanists, scholars, or dark cults. The relationship between the deities and their followers deepens. Metal tools and weapons have replaced stone entirely and metal machines may even exist. A traditional campaign is typically set in this stage, often before magic becomes fully ubiquitous.

Age of Industry. At this stage, a civilization harvests resources and produces goods at a massive scale. Explosive mining, factories, automation, flying vehicles, and pollution are all hallmarks of industry. The existence of the Current is typically discovered in this era, driven by the demand for magical power. Destructive, accelerated production of refined or specialized materials can thrust such civilizations into future stages.

Age of Technomancy. A civilization at this stage develops a special form of computer through a combination of magic and technology. People harness ubiquitous long-distance communication and limited artificial intelligence to perform complicated tasks. Some groups may have successfully breached the planet's atmosphere, but have yet to make the process sustainable.

It is also common for an Age of Technomancy civilization to establish communications with another beyond the stars. This development is not without risk. A benevolent interstellar society may assist progress to the next stage, but a malevolent one may seek subjugation.

Age of Stars. A civilization at this stage achieves efficient methods for entering and traveling the Cosmic void. No society in a void-fairing civilization is alike, especially for those those that made large jumps in technology. An adventurer may see a small starport in a stone town or an artificial intelligence that serves drinks inside an old-fashioned saloon.

Civilizations entering this stage simply explore their star system and gather resources. Later in the stage, they may establish physical contact with another race and spread their people across multiple star systems and planets.

The first global civilizations arose from the discovery of technomancy: a fantastic intersection between magic and technology.

In technomancy, it is magic that empowers a device instead of physical electronics and logic circuits. Technomantic devices see widespread use on all advanced worlds including pocket-sized arcane tables for long-distance communication, holoscreens that display magical shapes, and machines that perform difficult computations. Programming is performed entirely with magic, which has created limited artificial intelligence capable of handling basic activities.

To sustain power-hungry technomantic creations enormous arcane power plants mine magical energy from an incorporeal network of ley lines called the Current. Vast power grids then deliver that magic worldwide or store it in arcane batteries used to power all manner of devices from personal tablets to energy blasters. Because these devices run on magic, those with innate arcane abilities can also use magic to fuel their devices.

Mechanical innovations must also develop alongside technomancy to propel a civilization beyond the atmosphere. Complex heavy machinery may run on steam, diesel, electricity, solar, or some combination thereof depending on its planetary origin. Mundane machines function perfectly fine alone but are often enhanced by magic. Simple starships like fighter craft may be entirely mechanical, but full fleets or stellar stations require technomancy to run effectively.

On a world without developed magic, a civilization may take tens of thousands of years to escape its planet's gravity. Launching a starship without magic typically requires the use of specialized materials for circuitry (such as gold, titanium, and silicon), the invention of a fully electronic computer, and a fundamental understanding of physics. These societies are few and far in between but not unheard of. The Roxildons are one such race who make use of sophisticated nanochips and logic circuits to run their starships.

In the infinite randomness of the Cosmos, worlds likely have conflicting pantheons and creation myths. In reality, deities only control and influence the thin slice of the galaxy considered to be their realm; each creation story may only be relevant to a fraction of the Cosmos rather than the whole.

In other words, the influence and domain of a deity rarely extend beyond the home planet. Worshipers that travel the cosmic void expand this influence in small divine pockets that maintain their divine magic; missionaries slowly expand the diety's reach as they seed thoughts into new locales. Gods rarely acknowledge the existence of other gods outside their realm and are more concerned with issues within their domain.

Few gods exist monolithically across the Cosmos. In actuality, such deities are personified concepts like Infinity, Death, Chaos, or Null. Despite never meeting, their worshipers are united by the same transcendent revelation and choose to place their fail in a higher absolute — far beyond the petty squabbles of gods. Every Age of Stars civilization is likely has an active conclave dedicated to these domains under various banners. Some establish research coalitions to further deepen their philosophical understanding while others aim to spread their truths across the Galaxy.