Level of Science and Technology in the 4th Epoch

In the world of the 4th Epoch many things have developed differently from how they would have on our own contemporary timeline. This is a world coming out of the dark ages into a renaissance, but it is not the dark ages or the renaissance that we know.

The world has been shaped by congruence in ways that we will ultimately discover together. Many things in this world will seem very familiar, but there will be ample room for surprises and intrigue as well as a little bit of awe.

Each nation possesses a unique congruence technology , of which they keep knowledge closely guarded.

Below I’ve gone over the major categories of technology and where they stand currently in the 4th Epoch.

Agriculture -

General knowledge of agriculture would exist in all regions in the 4th Epoch, however the specifics would vary widely with changing climate. Different regions would have knowledge of how to grow the crops native to their area.

Generally the exact science is not known to most. They might know that good rainfall or crop rotation helps with crop growth, but they won’t know why. The rationale behind how and what crops are planted comes down to tradition more than anything; it worked for my father so I guess it will work for me. Often attempts to please the right Divinity are employed to insure a fruitful harvest. In most areas this science changes very slowly.

The nation of Caliharah would have the most advanced development of these “traditional sciences,” so to speak. They would have developed intricate methods of agriculture more sophisticated than other nations; these traditions would be passed down by word of mouth from generation to generation. Knowledge of why these methods work would still be limited.

In the country of the Nashriam more advanced sciences would have been developed, and they would have a higher understanding here of why crops flourish or fail. Agriculture in their valley would be robust, approaching an industrial level, focusing on quantity over variety or quality.

Security Science -

Basic defensive strategy would be common knowledge. People would know that placing towns and villages on a hilltop would provide a better view of the landscape, while also making attacks more difficult. Towns in monster- or bandit-ridden areas would erect walls and palisades whenever possible. They would normally be made of wood at this level.

When it comes to defenses at a national level, large cities will normally have congruence users at their disposal to erect walls, towers. and other defenses. They would vary in makeup, as congruence users are not bound to using simply stone as their material. For example, a wall could be formed from hardened clay inlaid with metal or could be formed out of solid granite. This opens the doors to some interesting artistic possibilities. The Vas’n had even developed a technology that allows them to melt sand to create glass structures.

Most nations would have congruence devices or artifacts that are used in defense, but these would be very closely guarded secrets and you wouldn’t see the same devices used in more than one nation.

Food science -

Outside of the educational center of Nashriam there would be no knowledge as to what food decay actually is. There would be methods to preserve food (i.e. salting meat or pickling vegetables) but, like in agriculture, it would not be known why these methods work outside of scholars.

There would be some congruence devices that would slow the decay of food but these would be rare and expensive, used only in major cities.

Transportation -

The most common method of travel would simply be using horses. Land travel would use the equivalent of horseback riding or horse drawn carriages. The nations of Curath and Nashriam would have a vast system of roads.

Sea travel would also be in the norm. All nations would engage in some sea trade and fishing. The nation of Garshalla would have a knowledge of shipwriting, but their vessels would tend to be smaller with limited offensive capabilities (viking longboat type). Alvania would have a prolific navy, with large cargo and battleships that could withstand long voyages (more along the lines of 1600s Great Britain, sans gunpowder), they might have access to some congruence knowledge that they would use to defend and power their ships. The people of the Lonely Fjords Fjords also boast a high degree of shipwright skill, however they are a simple, fairly closed people who do not build fleets or seek great riches through trade.

There would be various congruence devices and artifacts that would aid in transportation. Some might have access to horseless carriages. Different nations and regions would have different types of technology along these lines. This can be extremely varied.

Animal Husbandry -

The majority of animal husbandry would fall into the agriculture category and has progressed as you would expect, with a variety of domesticated animals.

Many nations would have attempted to make use of congruence-using monsters, and would have attempted to breed those that they could into creatures they could bend to their will, with minimal to no success outside the errant adept. This would lead to a variety of creatures that different nations would employ both for defense, offense and commerce. The secrets of breeding these animals would be closely guarded.

Architecture -

This blends into the defenses category to a degree. Most dwellings would be simple and made of wood, stone or sod, depending on the region. Comparable to medieval equivalents.

In large cities congruence users would have gained the knowledge to bend natural materials to their will. Entire castles, walls, and towers could be molded out of a single material or several materials melded together. This extends outside of defenses. Churches, city buildings, universities etc. could all be constructed in this way. In some areas it could be a sign of wealth and privilege to live in a home made using congruence.

Much of the extended knowledge, and to an even greater degree skill, have been lost over time, both from the Literary Purge and before. Many of the grand structures within cities have simply stood throughout time, while newer buildings are less ornate and grand.

Medicine -

Knowledge of medicine would be limited. For the most part it may simply be the local medicine man or apothecary, whose knowledge would have been passed down on a master-to-apprentice basis. They would know how to use herbs to treat common illness and infections as well as staunch bleeding and repair broken bones. Military doctors would be able to perform amputations and cauterize a wound. Snake-oil-salesman types would be common due to the low education of the general population.

Healers that could use congruence to assist the healing process would be rare, most of which originate in the Vellidan One would have to be properly trained in physiology, which is next to unheard of in this world, or have an innate understanding of the human body and its connection to congruence. Although not entirely unheard of, this second one would be the stuff of legends and rumors.

Engineering -

Most people would have access to simple tools. Axes, hoes, hammers, tongs, plows, knives and the like. Most machinery would not have advanced too far without the use of congruence. Nations and research centers would have quickly realized that using congruence would increase efficacy and profit, so any advancement of machines or tools would be focused in these areas.

While simple farming and working class people would generally only have access to basic non-congruence tools (medieval level technology), major nations and cities would have access to many types of congruence use. Factories could be built that would turn raw materials into swords, cloths, jewelry etc. The Nashriam would have figured out a way to automate farming on some level. Centers of bureaucracy would have machines that could store and file large amounts of paperwork. Each nation would have access to unique technologies that they would guard from the other nations.

Physiology -

Outside of the education capital of the continent, Nashriam, knowledge of Physiology would be very limited. It would be understood that wounded people bleed and bleeding too much can lead to death, but why a person bleeds and what blood is would not be understood. There would be various local superstitions to explain various bodily functions.

In Nashriam and more specifically the Vellidan, there would be a better understanding of the body. They would understand that, like a fire, a body burns food and air to operate and move, but they wouldn’t understand this on a chemical level. They might think that the blood is the “fire” that is heating the body’s “furnace” and losing too much of it lets the “fire” go out.

Civil engineering -

Most civil engineering would be akin to the level the Romans reached. There would be a sophisticated road system, and cities would have garbage and sewer systems. How good or bad they were would vary widely.

Education -

The education capital of the continent would be Nashriam (and to a smaller but more focused extent Polyandrium). They would be by far the most advanced in terms of education but would still be far behind by today's standards of science. They would have schools and a teacher there would speak to students in a lecture-hall-type setting. The teacher would select who he considered the brightest and invite them to directly work and learn under him; the hope of these advanced students would be to become teachers themselves someday. The schools would often have a patron who would fund research projects and expeditions. The teachers, with the help of his advanced students, would write as many books as he could on the subject he was researching.

Outside of Nashriam, education is done on either a master to apprentice or parent to child basis. Specific knowledge of a subject would vary from region to region due to this.

Countries would have their own congruence schools, but they would keep these secret. Admittance to these would be very difficult.