Can androids perform magic?

[ChaosMageX]

It's a simple question that just popped into my head, and I figured I'd ask in the forum so that others could discuss it.

First of all, I don't just mean those expansion card things from earlier in the comic.  I mean things like attack spells, such as manifesting fire or ice.

Since both Beings and Creatures are both capable of casting spells, does that mean that all you need is a sentient soul in order to perform magic?

Or would the mechanics work more like certain RPGs, such as Shadowrun, in which (if I recall correctly) the more prosthetic you become, the less you're able to tap into magic?

[Tapewolf]

As Fendrick pointed out recently, no.  Androids can be fitted with electronically-controlled charms which perform simple tasks such as Dorcan's wing-hiding circuit, but they do not have access to magic in the conventional sense.
This is something that Page dearly wants to fix, and in the future it may yet happen.

[MT Hazard]

Does magic generate electromagnetic energy in the project future universe? There are many stories out there about magic and technology having trouble co-existing for that very reason.

[Tapewolf]

Does magic generate electromagnetic energy in the project future universe? There are many stories out there about magic and technology having trouble co-existing for that very reason.

I envisioned it as being more like particle radiation.  Like how early DRAMs weren't reliable because the packaging material actually decayed into alpha particles and flipped the bits.  Given how magic pervades the materials in the DMFA universe, system designs would have to take such things into account, and it would affect the maximum densities available using the technologies we have.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I envisioned it as being more like particle radiation.  Like how early DRAMs weren't reliable because the packaging material actually decayed into alpha particles and flipped the bits.  Given how magic pervades the materials in the DMFA universe, system designs would have to take such things into account, and it would affect the maximum densities available using the technologies we have.

You're not alone in that. Wen Spencer had a similar construct in her Elfhome series (soft science, mostly romance, but I enjoyed the smart remarks. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a clever wit) where magic interferec with electronics, badly. Except that, if you took it into account, you could power magic with electricity, or vice versa. There's one part where the heroine has her scrapyard electromagnet with a sink attached to drain off all the excess magic either generated or collected (it's not explained clearly) when the thing is switched on in a magical environment.

[Madmann135]

After reading the posted stories It does bring up some interesting questions on magic in this world.

1 - How is the energy for magic gathered?
2 - How is magic controlled?
3 - What are the limits on the applications of magic?
4 - What are the limitations an individual can do with magic?

I figured that magic was tied in with DNA similar to a Hardware and software.  The body/DNAis the hardware that limits the ease and difficulty of magic while the mind applies the magic, IE software, for practical purposes.

Applying this theory it would be theoretical to develop expansion cards (techno-organic expansion cards) that would allow an android to preform magic.
But developing such technology would require a complete understanding of how magic and DNA interact.

[Eboreg]

@ManMann135: My best guess is that the residents use the magic inside of them to manipulate any external magic. There are several reasons for this theory. First off, there's the idea that cloning a 'Cubi will just make a Being. Another thing is that in the central strip, Jyrras noted that magic pervades a lot of Furrae with a random rock consisting of about %20 magic. He also notes that after a certain amount of magic is removed from an object, it becomes harder and harder to actually manipulate said object with magic the less and less magic it contains. However, magic is apparently also capable of causing a certain amount of interference with itself that makes an object with too much magic also hard to manipulate with magic. Lastly, there's the Weres. Furraean demonology states that they are completely immune to any kind of magic while in human form but are also incapable of casting magic in that form. This does leave the question of how they change back from that but that's not important to my thesis. Another big thing is that magic does contain a hereditary component but it is not tied to the genetic structure. It is rather apparent that this magic has a side-effect of putting wings on the subject since every known race with more magical capabilities than Beings have some kind of wings on them and the 'Cubi, who live twice as long as Angels and Demons and rely on less physical needs indicating a more magical structure, have twice as many wings.

[Tapewolf]

The exact hows and whys of magic in PF are something I don't tend to go into in a huge amount of detail for the very simple reason that I'm afraid of treading on Amber's toes

[ChaosMageX]

Does magic generate electromagnetic energy in the project future universe? There are many stories out there about magic and technology having trouble co-existing for that very reason.

I envisioned it as being more like particle radiation.  Like how early DRAMs weren't reliable because the packaging material actually decayed into alpha particles and flipped the bits.  Given how magic pervades the materials in the DMFA universe, system designs would have to take such things into account, and it would affect the maximum densities available using the technologies we have.

If that's the case, then could exposure to too much magic in general actually cause an android to go brain-dead, or even kill them entirely?  After all, IIRC, he did get the technology for the android bodies from another universe, one which was practically devoid of magic.

[Tapewolf]

If that's the case, then could exposure to too much magic in general actually cause an android to go brain-dead, or even kill them entirely?  After all, IIRC, he did get the technology for the android bodies from another universe, one which was practically devoid of magic.

I have a feeling the android/panther brains are spin-based rather than fully electronic.  The blackmetal alloy also has a very low magic content due to the manufacturing processs.  The android bodies however, are locally-developed since the technology originally came from the guard panthers and the aircraft.

It is also possible to shield things from magic - I was told at one point that Jakob has a specially-shielded room inside SAIA where he repairs electronics.