Why is there no magical internet in most fantasy settings?

[JarlFrank]

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.

 

[ultra loser]

Most of fantasy settings don't even have electricity and lightbulbs.


I think Witcher had its videoconference equivalent with portals though.

 

[JarlFrank]

Why do you need electricity and lightbulbs when you can just summon a magical floating sphere of light?

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

Why do you need electricity and lightbulbs when you can just summon a magical floating sphere of light?

Convenience? "Ugh, I gotta cast that Light spell again? Where's my firefly component? Is-maaaaar, Spectro, Patronum!"

And what if you had a rough day and used all your mana at work? And your wife drank the last magic potion to use Charm on the shoe salesman for a new pair of discounted leather heels?

Dude, just flip the switch. So much easier.

 

[Dorateen]

The palantir from Lord of the Rings.

 

[moraes]

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.

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

Or provided by teleporting directly to the message receiver (if the message is important enough.) Otherwise they just send letters, or magical mail-carrying animals.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Why do you need electricity and lightbulbs when you can just summon a magical floating sphere of light?

Convenience? "Ugh, I gotta cast that Light spell again? Where's my firefly component? Is-maaaaar, Spectro, Patronum!"

And what if you had a rough day and used all your mana at work? And your wife drank the last magic potion to use Charm on the shoe salesman for a new pair of discounted leather heels?

Dude, just flip the switch. So much easier.

EXPLANATION OF SPELLS:
Magic-Users:
...
Continual Light: This spell creates a light wherever the caster desires. It sheds a circle
of illumination 24" in diameter, but does not equal full daylight. It continues
to shed light until dispelled. Range: 12".

A 2nd level spell in original Dungeons & Dragons

 

[Swigen]

The evil crone in Stephen Kings Dark Tower series watches people fucking in her crystal ball while her pet snake drills her pussy.

 

[Arulan]

Technology doesn't progress linearly. A civilization's culture, environment, and many other variables may create needs that create wildly different advancement paths. Why would you expect them to have it?

You mentioned travel being a non-issue. Would a civilization that can teleport to any location or person at will develop a strong need to communicate on the internet?

I don't see why a fantasy setting can't have an internet equivalent, but I wouldn't expect them to.

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

EXPLANATION OF SPELLS:
Magic-Users:
...
Continual Light: This spell creates a light wherever the caster desires. It sheds a circle
of illumination 24" in diameter, but does not equal full daylight. It continues
to shed light until dispelled. Range: 12".

A 2nd level spell in original Dungeons & Dragons

But what if an unwanted relative shows up and you have to quickly turn off the spell, then when they leave activate it again? Only you're now out of daily casts of that spell.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[ultra loser]

Would a civilization that can teleport to any location or person at will develop a strong need to communicate on the internet?

Shitposting and calling people fags without them trying to beat your ass is a fundamental human need but I guess they can't know that if they never tried

 

[Deleted Member 16721]

Wow, an ultra loser. That's some seriously high (or low?) level of losing right there. What's it like?

 

[J1M]

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.

They are in a state of post big-tech internet where the wizards have restricted the right to comment to those in an ivory tower.

 

[J1M]

Technology doesn't progress linearly. A civilization's culture, environment, and many other variables may create needs that create wildly different advancement paths. Why would you expect them to have it?

You mentioned travel being a non-issue. Would a civilization that can teleport to any location or person at will develop a strong need to communicate on the internet?

I don't see why a fantasy setting can't have an internet equivalent, but I wouldn't expect them to.

Don't be retarded. That's like asking why you would text someone when a phone call exists.

 

[Monkeyfinger]

Magic is pretty short range in most settings.

 

[grom]

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.

Isn't that basically what crystal balls do in fantasy anyway?

 

[Gregz]

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.

Master of Magic has this, in the same way that you can instantly speak to your opponents in the Civ-likes.

 

[King Crispy]

In D&D and apparently in Pathfinder as well there's the spell of sending which is used to do exactly what you're talking about, Jarl: sending a private message magically/telepathically to someone instantaneously.

I just saw it used in the storyline of the Varnhold's Lot DLC for Pathfinder: Kingmaker when I was playing last night.

P.S. Since its casting time is so long (10 minutes) we can assume there's a very high ping rate and lots of lag.

 

[hoothoot]

The palantir from Lord of the Rings.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palantir_Technologies

Found out other day that minority report type company is called this

 

[Gerrard]

- wizards are a bunch of dicks who don't want plebs using magic
- magic is actually as subtle as a brick to the face (can cure stab wounds but cannot cure common cold)
Two most common reasons that came to mind.

 

[samuraigaiden]

Pigeon post

 

[sser]

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.

Heh, my first attempt at a novel was a sort of 'Smash TV' fantasy edition where wizards had adventurers storm a spire that was in reality just a bunch of trap rooms full of monsters. They'd then sell the tapes or collect them and it was kind of implied that like all the major 'victories' of fantasy heroism were really just setup for their entertainment.

 

[aweigh]

because it would remind the game's players about how they're just neckbearded internet-addicted incels playing LARP.