Category talk:Technology

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[edit] Is this really the right term?

Technology, as a term, has an incongruous feel with the rest of the story. Technically, it is the right term, but its association with science, both in our world and in the story, gives it an ill fit to be used to describe devices powered by magic. I don't know what a good term would be; if we went with Magic Items, then the more powerful items would probably prefer going under the term Artifacts, and divine items, such as holy symbols, would need to go under Holy Items.

We could call them all Apparatus; however, that has the disadvantage of confusing many people, being that it is an inherently plural word which looks singular. While Apparatuses is also dictionary-correct, I would expect a certain number of people to use Apparatii or other variations, presenting a confusion of terms that could potentially make things difficult to find.

Paraphernalia would probably provide the right sense, given its use in various RPGs, but it's technically a much broader term - we're not talking about pens and paper, which, if I recall correctly, are listed in the paraphernalia section of equipment lists for a few games. (Normally, however, it's used (in these games, at least) fairly exclusively to refer to devices used in the casting of magic or creation of magic items.)

Equipment is also a too general term; everything on every RPG equipment list is listed as equipment.

Accoutrements has a distinctly different main use in my locale. Further, it is at least suggestive of portable items, so would not be applicable to such things as mirrors (not to be confused with hand mirrors).

Materiel would be mistaken by many people to be a misspelling of material, which is *not* the word we want.

Anyone have any comments on any of these words, or other words you want to add to the list? -- Tgape, 16 December 2007, 4:30PM GMT

Oh, and just in case someone thinks otherwise, ignoring this will not prevent something from altering the current status quo. If there is no response to it after what I feel is a sufficient time, I'll simply pick a term and change things. -- Tgape, 16 December 2007, 4:40PM GMT

[edit] Consumer Goods?

As you've probably seen by now I've raised the same question over on the forums. It seems like Consumer Goods might be a better term for this than Technology. Wanna go with that? -- Lunaroki, April 20, 2008, 1:28 PM EST