The long history of SOS shows that many different degrees oftechnology have existed at one time or another. As the candle ofcivilization has burned brightly and dimly, so has the incandescence oftechnology dimmed and glowed. They do not fluctuate together so that therehave been very wise and strong civilizations that have had few machinesmore complex than a mill or a printing press. There have also been caseswhere a very high tech society has been rotten to the core.

There has to be some sort of rating system for the levels oftechnology, so I will use the system presented in Traveller. The Tech Levelindicates only the average level of an area. Thus it is possible to find atech item far out of context, like a trash to protein converter in a roadside inn without even running water. These items will usually be of greatantiquity and of unknown origin.

There will be particular cases where the entire technological outputof a nation is devoted to manufacturing a particular type of item. Usually,this is a weapon, but sometimes it is not.

It has been necessary to add some items to the standard list providedin Traveller, but the relationships are consistant. Also included in thiscampaign from Traveller are the governmental types described. Again, moredefinition specific to the D&D game have been added.

Some radical differences in techlevel vs history will be seen, butthese are those that were so easy to replicate and difficult to forget thateven a lower technology can manufacture them. Thus it is the materialsavailable that determine what is built, as well as when it was originallyinvented.

In addition to a tech level, it will be important to have a MagicLevel guage as well as the use of magic will also change from planet toplanet and even city to city. The chart below will determine this level.

Tech Chart



Technological Earth Year Level

Level Parallel Examples

Level 0 Stone Age Weapons: Club, Spear, Stone ax

Armor: Leather

Communications: Speech only

Transport: Canoes, Foot, Horses are Rare

Energy Types: Human Muscle

Level 1 Bronze Age

Weapons Personal: Dagger, Pike, S. Sword

Note: Bronze weapons have a 50% chance of breaking

On a roll of 1 to hit

Weapons of War: Battering Ram

Armor: Shields, Braciers, Shin Guards

Bronze armor is ruined 50% of the time on a

Note: when hit with a roll of 20.

Communications: Smoke Signals, Relay Runners,

Horse, Hand writing.

Transport-Land: Horse, Chariot, Cart

Transport-Water: Barge, Long Boat, S. Galley

Energy Source: Wood, Animal Oil

Luxuries: Artistic Utilitarian objects

Food: Fresh game, grains, vegitables

Medicine: Herbal

Manufacturing: Bronze casting, Fine metals

Fabric: Wool, tanned leather

Light Source: Animal oil, candles

Portable Shelter: Leather tents

Poisons: Herbal, no higher than type B

Level 1.5 Roman Era

Weapons Personal: Steel S. Sword, Mace, Axe

Weapons of War: Light Catapult, Battering

Engine

Armor: Chain Mail,

Communications: Horse Relay, Heilograph

Transport-Land: Drayage Cart, Transom, Roads

Transport-Water: L. Galley

Energy Source: Animal Muscle, Veg. Oil

Luxuries: Leasure time, slaves

Food: Dried food, Sauces

Medicine: Acupuncture, Barbers

Manufacturing: Steel, Large Scale Stone Works

Fabric: Woven fiber, dyes

Light Source: Lanterns (no lens)

Portable Shelter: Fabric Tents

Poisons: Type D and below Ing., Type B Ins.

Level 2 Medieval 1200-1500

Weapons Personal: L. Sword, Halbard,

Crossbow, Long Bow

Weapons of War: H. Catapult, Balista

Armor: Plate, Barding

Communications: Pigeons

Transport-Land: Horse and cart Rentals

Transport-Water: Small Sailing vessles

Energy Source: Wind, Water

Luxuries: Architecture, organized study

Food: Spices, herbs, strong wines

Medicine: Blood letting, sutures

Manufacturing: Large buildings

Fabric: Fine woven silks and lace

Light Source: Lensed Lanterns

Portable Shelter: Pavillions

Poisons: All normal poisons

Level 2.5 Renaissance 1500-1700

Weapons Personal: Foil, H. Crossbow, 1 Shot

Guns, Specialized weapons

Level 3 Steam Age 1700-1860

Weapons Personal: Hand Guns, rifles

Weapons of War: Altillery

Armor: Light weight plate armor for infant.

Communications: Telegraph

Transport-Land: Cabs

Transport-Water: Reliable Sailing schedules

Transport-Air: Hot Air Balloons

Energy Source: Refined Mineral Oil

Luxuries: Watches, Mechanical toys

Food: Cooling Boxes, fresher foods, Canning

Medicine: Anesthetics, Microscope, Hygene

Manufacturing: Mass Production

Fabric: Printed materials, Sewing machine

Light Source: Gas

Portable Shelter: Canvas

Poisons: Gas Attacks

Level 4 Invention Age 1860-1900

Weapons Personal: Revolvers, Gatling gun

Weapons of War: Iornclad warships, Explosives

Armor: Alloy Steel for vessles

Communications: Telephone

Transport-Land: Trains

Transport-Water: Steam Ships

Transport-Air: Hang Gliders

Energy Source: Steam

Luxuries: Running water, central heat

Food: Purified substances

Medicine: Aspirin, pain killers, quinine

Manufacturing: Large scale metal works

Fabric: Water proofing

Light Source: Electric Incandescent Light

Portable Shelter: Light Canvas

Poisons: Mustard Gas

Level 5 Gasoline Age 1900-1939

Weapons Personal: Carbine, SMG

Weapons of War: Frag. Bombs, Tanks

Armor: Cloth (Bullet proof vest)

Communications: Radio

Transport-Land: Gas Cars

Transport-Water: Aircraft Carrier, Submarine

Transport-Air: Gas, Diesel airplanes

Energy Source: Gasoline

Luxuries: Electricity

Food: Frozen Foods

Medicine: Innoculations

Manufacturing: Metal Working Precision work

Fabric: Nilon

Light Source: Fluorescent

Portable Shelter: Airlifted Field Camps

Level 6 Atomic Age 1940-1970

Weapons Personal: Autorifle, Light MG

Weapons of War: Atomic Bomb, Jet

Armor: Magnesium Mesh

Communications: Radar, Television, Satalite

Transport-Land: Diesel Trucks,

Transport-Water: Hovercraft

Transport-Air: Commercial Air Flights

Transport-Space: 1 shot rockets

Energy Source: Atomic

Luxuries: World wide communication

Food: Microwave Cooking

Genetics: Initial research, Immunization

Medicine: Micro surgery, Xray, Antibiotics

Manufacturing: Integrated Circuts

Fabric: Plasic

Light Source: Chemical light

Portable Shelter: Nilon tent, plastic members

Poisons: Radiation, Custom Diseases

Level 7 Space Age 1970-1980

Weapons Personal: Body Pistol

Weapons of War: Missles, gernade launchers

Armor: Vacc Suit

Communications: Microwave, Computers

Transport-Land: High Performance Int. Comb.

Transport-Water: Atomic Submarines

Transport-Air: Supersonic Passenger Jets

Transport-Space: Shuttle, Sm. Space Station

Energy Source: Photo Cells

Luxuries: Video Tape, Personal Publishing

Food: Improved Ersatz products

Genetics: Custom Funguses, Crude viruses

Medicine: Lasers, Atomic

Manufacturing: VLSI, Robotics

Fabric: Velcro, Spandex

Light Source: Exotic gas (cromium hallide)

Portable Shelter: Inflatables

Poisons: Industrial Waste

Level 8