Technology and Progress in the Frontier

The Frontier stands at a crossroads between two fundamentally different approaches to harnessing power: the human path of industrial might built on captured spirits, and the Firstborn way of cooperative magic through mutual respect. This divide represents not merely a technological difference, but a philosophical chasm about the nature of progress itself.

Human Technology

In the Frontier, human technology draws its inspiration from the 1920s steampunk aesthetic, incorporating advanced machinery and engineering into everyday life. However, the power source behind this technological marvel is unique to the Frontier: captured spirits.

Spirit-Powered Industry

Human engineers and inventors have found a way to harness the raw energy of spirits by trapping them in specially designed containment devices, using their essence to fuel their machines and inventions. This slowly and painfully kills the spirits over time as their essence is drained away.

This method of powering technology has led to a wide array of innovations:

Steam-powered locomotives that cross the Frontier on iron rails
Airships that float through the skies on captured wind spirits
Advanced prosthetics that grant superhuman abilities
Weaponry of devastating power
Factory machinery that works tirelessly, day and night

The Cost of Progress

Factories and workshops are filled with intricate mechanical devices, all driven by the potent energies of captive spirits. While this approach to technology has allowed humans to achieve great feats of progress, it has also led to a deepening rift between them and the Firstborn, who view the use of captured spirits as a perversion of the natural order.

The spiritual cost is equally devastating:

Spirits whose domains are destroyed become corrupted and mad
The balance between the physical and spiritual realms grows increasingly unstable
Corrupted spirits birth twisted creatures and phenomena
The Maeljin—Lords of Wounds—grow in power, feeding on the suffering

Human Perspective

From the human viewpoint, spirits are a natural resource—no different than coal or oil. They see their use of spirit-power as:

Practical: Why negotiate when you can simply capture and use?
Progressive: Technology frees humanity from dependence on capricious spirits
Necessary: The world belongs to those who seize it, not those who beg permission
Efficient: Spirit-powered machines can work indefinitely without rest or complaint

Firstborn Technology

The Firstborn, being intrinsically connected to the world of spirits, have developed their own unique form of technology that relies on magic and the power of spiritual cooperation. Through the use of runes and spirit binding, the Firstborn create agreements and contracts with spirits to harness their abilities for various purposes.

Rune Craft

Runes are intricate symbols imbued with magical power, used by the Firstborn to channel the energies of spirits and the primal sources. These runes can be inscribed on various objects:

Weapons and armour: Enhanced with elemental properties
Buildings: Protected and enhanced with spiritual blessings
Transportation devices: Moved by willing spirits
Everyday tools: Made more effective through spiritual cooperation

Each rune represents not just a symbol, but a promise—a negotiated agreement between crafter and spirit about how power will be shared and for what purpose.

Spirit Binding

Spirit binding is the process by which the Firstborn create formal agreements with spirits to harness their abilities. These contracts are negotiated with respect for the spirit's autonomy, ensuring a mutually beneficial relationship between the two parties.

Key Principles:

Consent: The spirit must agree freely to the partnership
Respect: The spirit's nature and needs are honored
Balance: Neither party exploits the other
Temporality: Most bindings are temporary or have specific purposes

Once bound through mutual agreement, the spirit lends its power to the Firstborn, allowing them to achieve incredible feats of magic and technology without causing harm or imbalance to the natural order.

Firstborn Perspective

From the Firstborn viewpoint, the human approach is horrifying:

Sacrilege: Spirits are partners and guardians, not fuel
Short-sighted: Destroying spirits destroys the world's balance
Cruel: The suffering of captured spirits is unconscionable
Doomed: This path leads only to corruption and ruin

The Fundamental Conflict

At its core, the technological divide represents two irreconcilable worldviews:

Humans ask: "Why should we beg spirits for permission to build our future? Why should we be bound by ancient pacts and traditions? Progress requires us to take control of our destiny."

Firstborn respond: "You don't control the spirits—you murder them. Your 'progress' is built on suffering and will collapse into corruption. True advancement comes through harmony, not domination."

This conflict drives much of the tension in the Frontier. It's not simply about technology—it's about the soul of civilization itself.