Well, magic not working in the presence of 'cold iron' is traditional.
In places, yes. And one of the ways it's been interpreted is specifically as a technological issue--that indigenous peoples (of the British Isles specifically, since that's the area I know best, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was more widespread) were invaded by metal-working tribes and overwhelmed by their technological superiority, and the memory of them being defeated by iron is coded in the fairies not liking cold iron. It's an interestingish idea, one you could get stories out of. But it still doesn't work well in the reverse, and besides, as I said in another thread, do the Sidhe not have hemoglobin?
How does one make machines not do what they do, when what they do is because of the properties of the physical world? How can steam not do what it does? Why does the chemistry of gunpowder not work but the chemistry and electrical impulses of the human body still do? Tech works because it's a manipulation of the natural world. If tech stops working (because the universe is different) two things will be true--it's not tech by definition, and the properties of the universe that, say, allow us to be alive will also no longer be true. This will also be true--"magic" that's reliable and effective will, in fact, be that universe's technology.
To be lazy ... iron (or all metals) could become subject to the standard fumble table. Too much effect, too little, wrong target, backfire. Or could melt or get hot....
That's a least a thinking through of it--the person I was engaging in conversation so long ago did not respond with "but Iron...well, someone centuries ago laid a spell that..." or whatever. The response was a very indignant insistence that obviously magic and science were opposed and anyone who said otherwise was just thinking too hard. Which, insert me headdesking.
Anyway. I could buy that some time in the distant past a god or wizard laid some world-covering spell that broke steam engines. I just can't buy that "steam engines or gunpowder don't work in worlds where magic works" especially not if the reason is "magic and science/technology are opposed!"
no subject
In places, yes. And one of the ways it's been interpreted is specifically as a technological issue--that indigenous peoples (of the British Isles specifically, since that's the area I know best, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was more widespread) were invaded by metal-working tribes and overwhelmed by their technological superiority, and the memory of them being defeated by iron is coded in the fairies not liking cold iron. It's an interestingish idea, one you could get stories out of. But it still doesn't work well in the reverse, and besides, as I said in another thread, do the Sidhe not have hemoglobin?
How does one make machines not do what they do, when what they do is because of the properties of the physical world? How can steam not do what it does? Why does the chemistry of gunpowder not work but the chemistry and electrical impulses of the human body still do? Tech works because it's a manipulation of the natural world. If tech stops working (because the universe is different) two things will be true--it's not tech by definition, and the properties of the universe that, say, allow us to be alive will also no longer be true. This will also be true--"magic" that's reliable and effective will, in fact, be that universe's technology.
To be lazy ... iron (or all metals) could become subject to the standard fumble table. Too much effect, too little, wrong target, backfire. Or could melt or get hot....
That's a least a thinking through of it--the person I was engaging in conversation so long ago did not respond with "but Iron...well, someone centuries ago laid a spell that..." or whatever. The response was a very indignant insistence that obviously magic and science were opposed and anyone who said otherwise was just thinking too hard. Which, insert me headdesking.
Anyway. I could buy that some time in the distant past a god or wizard laid some world-covering spell that broke steam engines. I just can't buy that "steam engines or gunpowder don't work in worlds where magic works" especially not if the reason is "magic and science/technology are opposed!"