Ashihara Tech Levels

In Ashihara the Technological and Magical Development varies between regions and states, while at same time there’s frequent blending of the various levels due to trade and wars. The developmental level is generally reflective of what a society is capable of producing, how organized, and how advanced technologically and magically they are.

Tribal societies mostly exist on the fringes of the continent of Ashihara, and on smaller continents of Yogan and Tatsushima. In addition, usually in between more advanced civilizations in extreme environments: deserts, jungles, mountains, marshes, etc. Tribal is defined as a society which is mostly hunter gathers with possible limited agriculture or animal husbandry for nomadic peoples. Technologically tribals usually are using basic hand tools, but not necessary stone, depending more on local availability and trade.

Economically tribal society in Ashihara revolves around traditional communal relationships between tribes, through agreement and obligations rather than currency. Tribal Societies typically have a higher percentage of mages though smaller total but whose use of magic focuses on magic for war and protection. Most Tribal rely on basic sustenance, but above that focusing the gathering of things like herbs, furs, occasional surface mining, and hunted animals.

Economically tribal society in Ashihara revolves around traditional communal relationships between tribes, through agreement and obligations rather than currency. Tribal Societies typically have a higher percentage of mages though smaller total but whose use of magic focuses on magic for war and protection. Most Tribal rely on basic sustenance, but above that focusing the gathering of things like herbs, furs, occasional surface mining, and hunted animals.

Yokai Tribes are an execption, generally more advanced than their human counterparts, with every member genetically being a mage. Magic is thus able to be used extensively, giving them a rare surplus among most resources, enabling a great deal more trade. Wood magic for agriculture, and earth magic for building for example. As a result most Yokai tribes are also adapt at advanced metal working.

Tribal Societies frequently may use industrial and even basic Souseiki Tech they’ve acquired either through trade, theft, or raiding. Typically less completed things which can be carried, weapons and tools being the most common. In cases of trade usually in exchange for resource rights, or luxury goods native to their region.

Medieval Societies are the most common in Ashihara, taking the place of most secondary and minor nations and organizations which lack local expertise for industrial and higher tech. Medieval regions represent the middle ground between the emerging Industrial powers and tribal areas. Medieval being defined as a society which is centered around agriculture, regardless of political structure, with basic mechanical machines powered by water or human effort. Technologically Medieval is capable of sophisticated organization of agriculture, commerce and production, with iron and steel being central.

Economically Medieval societies rely on the production of food as the staple means of trade, with frequent internal trade of other goods. Complicated crop rotation has ermerged with some support by mages, creating a suplus which sees major city growth. The cities see signficant centers of craftsmen and artisans, producing goods bought by nobles and rural peaseants alike.

Medieval Mages usually form a small part of the population, being the lowest of the percantage, centered around mage guilds, noble houses, or temples. Unlike tribal mages, they are involved in agriculture and some production of goods, mainly metal working.

Medieval Societies engage more heavily with trade and exchange, usually in adopting imported industrial and Souseiki tech to limited degrees. In many places one can see traditional mechanical machines being seen alongside imported steam and magic powered machines. Usually in exchange for a broader range of goods, such as food, raw resources, hand crafted items, etc.

Industrial Societies have only emergmed in the last 200 hundred years among the already most developed regions of the world. Industrial societies are defined as centered around the use of steam and coal power, as well as mechanical motion. They use this to be able to mass produce basic goods of all kinds, making many things affordable for common people. This is usually at the cost of major pollution, and poor working conditions, which have been slowly addressed. Technologically Industrial societies use mechanization and standardization to be able to mass produce goods.

Economically, Industrial societies use their ability to mass produce food and goods, to enable supporting much larger populations, but which requires an entangled logistic network of goods to maintain their society. Centered around the extraction of coal to fuel steam engines, and mining of iron to produce steel tools at scale.

Industrial Mages have become a large workforce of their own supporting various industries, while Industrial ideas have enabled large mage learning institutions to supplant the old apprentice system.

Industrial Societies rely heavily on trade to maintain their level of sophistication, usually trading with medieval and tribal civilizations for basic resources and luxuries, in exchange for manufactured goods and weapons. Frequently Industrial societies will have significant investment into Souseiki tech where it's deemed a priority, usually the military or key industries.

Souseiki Tech is the use of magic sigils to inscribe magical effects relating to the 10 elemental types of magic onto machines, devices, and mage conduits. The purpose is either to augment the original effects or create new uses. These are powered either directly by a mage or through using the mineral resource Seikitan which naturally contains Enrai, and can power magical devices.

Souseiki Tech was first invented two decades after the use of the steam engine, having been developed and eventually stymied industrial tech’s advancement. Entirely Souseiki Tech Societies have been slow to fully emerge outside of the Yamatai Empire, due the bottleneck of resources and skilled Kousaku Artisans required. The Spread of Souseiki Tech has also been slow due to the complexities and the protectionist policy Yamatai placed to keep the secret of making from leaking.

Souseiki Tech is usually more resilient, does not cause pollution, but does cause Enrai Corruption which can have adverse effects on Magic and individuals, as well as causing the creation of hostile Yokai. Though Enrai Corruption is normally handled by mages before noticeable problems. In addition it allows non mages to utilize some of the benefits of magic indirectly through beneficial inventions which improve on early industrial or even medieval methods.

Economically, Souseiki Tech Societies rely heavily on the complete transformation of industries utilization magic to greatly increase the quality and efficiency of the production of goods and resources. Militarily Souseiki Tech allows for high quality troops or large quantities of commoner troops made competitive. Souseiki Mages are critical for the running of their society, and so have greatly expanded in number in a few generations to a sizable minority.

Souseiki Tech Societies engage in more one sided trade, exchanging dated tech for resources and goods.