We know plenty about their Zistorite predecessors and that Leonardo still invents. But what are the rest of them like? They have been described as Brithini yet the RQ Companion also describes them as retaining their individual nature and weirdly different. The presence of Casino Town only reinforces weirdness suggesting they are unlike the traditional Brithini.
A key question is their attitude towards inventions and technology. Obviously the Iron War would have had some profound effects on their society yet according to Griffin Mountain, they still "worship" Primitive Technology and that Leonardo will make no more than one of any invention. The Middle Sea Empire seemingly has the God Forgotten contribution to the Zistorites as making a Divine Machine to generate all possible permutations of the Abiding Book - this suggests to me that the God Forgotten were mechanically inclined before their contact with the God Learners and that the Machine City was in God Forgot because they were the only people who could make the primitive computer to calculate the names of God.
So what did the God Forgotten do with their machines before the Zistorites? The best thing I can think of is that since God had forgotten them or whatever they used Machines (as in the Deus Ex Machina) to call him back. Rather than have the Machines as miserable failures, I think they are massive engines summoning the cosmic essence as usable energy (or magical steam) for the community.
So what form of technology would they have? More importantly what sort of technology would player heroes most likely encounter if they mess around with the God Forgotten? Because of the fallout from the Iron War, I doubt that the God Forgotten would consciously make autonomous inventions (such as primitive robots). Their technology would be vulnerable to animation by Machine City Spirits, causing havoc in God Forgot and elsewhere in the Holy Country. But I think their best soldiers would have large suits of brass armor powered by a small boiler, wielding steam hammers and cannons, until they run out of fuel.
Civilian God Forgotten technology would be include the same powered armour but with scoops and forklifts. In addition to producing food, the farmers have to make charcoal for the machines. I don't think they use coal or oil because that gets too close to a modern economy for my liking. Rather vast tracts of their land is used to grow woody shrubs that are harvested for charcoal making. The profits of Casino Town in part go towards purchasing food from aboard so that the God Forgotten can make even more charcoal.
--Peter Metcalfe
Powered by hypermail