Magic and technology

Magic and technology in the Mansionverse are married forces. While the two can be separated, they are usually interlinked in the world.

Much of the technology that the Mansion is built on and what humans commonly use was originally created by the Ettins. Humans have managed to understand and replicate some of their technology, but their best efforts still remain a mere shadow of what can be archived. A testament to the engineering of Ettins is that many of their devices still work. While magic can be used by itself, many apparatus of wizwitches (such as wands) are actually complex technologies that often had the backing of a dedicated industry.

The Crash has changed this however. Because most Ettin-technology was magically-powered the Crash had a catastrophic effect on all known civilizations using it, human or otherwise. The most dramatic case is that many devices exploded, became dangerous or otherwise become broken unless the item was un-powered or protected somehow. Since then a resurgence of non-magic technology has become increasingly prevalent, everything from simple sail-ships to steam engines. But these technologies are more limited and often inferior to their magically-powered equivalents (notably, the Kingdom of Y's army has gone back to bows and spears). Working magical technology, whether Ettin-made or not, is thus highly prized.

Types of magic-users

Magic reacts to the will of people and some people have enough magic in them to use it anywhere in the world. Most people can interact and use magical items, even develop a sense for them. But some people are going to have more magic than others for various reasons. These people have remarkable abilities and the world reacts to them peculiarly. They are often characterized wearing pointy hats and use wands among other tools of the trade. Descending from magic users with the most Aura to the least:

• Wizwitch: the most powerful type of mortal magic user, these people often have multiple innate magical abilities and can explore any kind of magic as long as they have access to education. Currently, most such people are in hiding but Amos was once one.
• Hedge-wizwitches(?): people who have a more limited set of talents, able to do only a handful of spells and are more restricted in their potential. They usually did household charms.
• Intuitives (not cannon name): people who have one (or perhaps more) innate magical abilities that they can intuitively use without education. Sylvester's mother may be one.

Note that the above list only applies to species that are not magical by their very nature. Specific species that this excludes are Zarkians, Djins and Sneeches. Magic works differently for them. All other species are likely capable.

Magical technology

Known technology that are a fusion of magic and technology include:

• Zap-tridents: devices that emit a powerful destructive beam.
• Poke-kits: a portable extra-dimensional hole that follows its owner around and acts as a pocket.
• Thaumnodes: devices that tap into magical energies to power machines or other things, wizards often wore one on top of their heads called a "point".