Why is there no magical internet in most fantasy settings?

[Reinhardt]

So you can just look for walkthrough without alt+tab?

Also cute cat videos.

 

[Luckmann]

Some kind of magical network that can be accessed through a wizard's crystal ball where wizards and witches can communicate on a secure channel that can't be tapped by any non-magic users.

That's pretty common, man.

 

[Sacred82]

The palantir from Lord of the Rings.

takes forever to coalesce into the image of a naked womang

 

[Clockwork Knight]

The access to magic made the intelligent races complacent. They never felt the need for long-distance communications that could not be provided by telepathy.

Unless the magic users are tyrants keeping tech advancements back, there are probably smart people who can't or won't use magic and would want to help others developing things instead of staying at the mercy of the wizards.

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

I'd love to be a sorcerer. Screw a wizard, they have to study magic hard. Just give me the magic powers, man!

 

[fantadomat]

I'd love to be a sorcerer. Screw a wizard, they have to study magic hard. Just give me the magic powers, man!

Until you miscast and blow yourself up!

 

[ERYFKRAD]

So why isn't there a magical internet? Some kind of magical network that can be accessed through a wizard's crystal ball where wizards and witches can communicate on a secure channel that can't be tapped by any non-magic users.

There was, but then it overloaded and blew up. Too much of porn, trolls and Nigerian archmages wanting to send their spell books to you if you did a few errands for them.

 

[Bigg Boss]

To further answer your question the reason it does not exist in game form is because Dungeons and Dragons nerds, contrary to popular belief, know jack shit about magic. Look at most of the posts in this thread. People think it would be a construct built by Magicians. It is built by Deities dummies.

 

[Darth Canoli]

These wizards have the power to create magical weapons and armors that lend their wielders superhuman powers. These wizards can launch the magical equivalent of a napalm bomb from their fingertips. They can mind control people, transform men into animals and back again, turn flesh into stone, and teleport around making travel a non-issue.

So why isn't there a magical internet? Some kind of magical network that can be accessed through a wizard's crystal ball where wizards and witches can communicate on a secure channel that can't be tapped by any non-magic users.

Wizards are smart.

They said : "NO" to the magic internet !

 

[anvi]

So why isn't there a magical internet? Some kind of magical network that can be accessed through a wizard's crystal ball where wizards and witches can communicate on a secure channel that can't be tapped by any non-magic users.

Exactly this existed in one of my favorite games.

 

[Azarkon]

Actually, the biggest reason is because the internet is hard to represent - in a fun way.

Even in science fiction, where the internet obviously exists, games try to stay away from implementing it because it almost invariably boils down to a stupid side game with hacking consoles.

One reason has to do with the internet being virtual to begin with - ie it's ALREADY a simulation - so it fulfills no purpose in simulated power fantasy. When teenagers and neck beards play games, they want to do what they can't do in life. They can already surf the internet every day, so what's the value there to implement another internet in game?

 

[mastroego]

Two reasons, mainly, imho.

1 - Fantasy is largely based on myths and folklore traditionally related to medieval settings. Barring singular cases. Gotta go with the theme.
2 - Too close to home.

 

[Delterius]

because real wizard shitpost by sending giant toads that explode into pink ink at their neighbors

 

[Bigg Boss]

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2019/03/12/hypnospace-outlaw-review/

 

[Lurker47]

Transistors weren't invented until 10 years before the Great War.

 

[talan]

aod had internet.

Don't forget teleportation.

 

[Neanderthal]

I've always found that when GM's think about such points in their settings it leads to interesting developments. For instance I played in a group where the GM had an order of Necromancers, who were not undead raising weirdos but simply historians who wanted first hand evidence of times gone by, and in the deepest depths of their vaults were spirits many millenia old bound to jars of dust that were the last remnants of their mortal remains, whispering secrets, lies and truths from pre history.
Druids blessing the fields of the farmers at planting and harvest time, Rangers serving as bounty hunters etc. When you think about the minutiae and start expanding on it it leads to interesting detail and a host of role-playing opportunities arising.