Karnos is a world where science and technology has not progressed at the same pace as our own. While they are significantly more advanced than real human society would have been at their age, the humans of Karnos are also lacking in many many respects.
Electricity, Transportation, and Industry:
Karnos' level of technological development is about akin to the late 1800's or early 1900's. Commercialized electricity has not yet been invented, but the concept of electricity is known and used by rich people and researchers. Cars have not yet been invented, and the main modes of transport are by horse-drawn wagon, steam engine, or steam boat, or by hot-air balloon.
Karnos is currently going through its Second Industrial Revolution and technology similar to Earth's is being developed. Steel, lead, and coal are all the rage, but Karnos has expanded further into its steam industry and the health risks of lead and the burning of fossil fuels are caught quicker and better understood (due to aid of the Blood Witches.)
Karnos continues to use oil lighting and old-fashioned lanterns, but centralized plumbing systems and irrigation systems have been developed, meaning that the world of Karnos is kept clean and prosperous.
Physics, Chemistry, and Astronomy:
The fields of physics and chemistry have not been well-explored and thus, the people of Karnos continue to believe in many theories that are now known to be outdated, such as:
- Luminiferous aether, the theory that light propagates on an immeasurable spatial plenum of a substance known as "aether," used to explain how light acts as a wave even through empty space.
- Phlogiston, the theory that states that all combustible objects contain a fire-like element known as "phlogiston" that is burned away when they are set ablaze, thus changing their form.
- Calx, a subsection of the phlogiston theory that states that metallic corrosion is also a form of combustion, and that when iron rusts the phlogiston is burnt away, leaving only the "calx," or the purest form of the metal.
As the skies of Karnos contain no stars to be studied, they do not possess any knowledge on star charts and do not postulate nor have any proof of the existence of other worlds. Thus, the field of astronomy and all fields related to it are non-existent, and theories such as the theory of relativity and the speed of light may not ever be developed.
Disease Study, Medicine, and Toxicology:
The Blood Witches, utilizing a form of pseudoscience proven to exist in the world of Karnos, are the main researchers on all three of the above subjects. Human researchers are known to attempt to pitch in on occasion, but it is generally agreed that the society of Blood Witches is simply more suited for these fields of research.
Due to their aid, the world of Karnos has been able to avoid the consequences of many serious diseases and have not had to face any hurdles in their research. In it's lifetime, Karnos has faced a very small number of diseases, some of which are incurable even by the Blood Witches (the flu strains continue to persist even here) and some of which came and went so quickly that they could not be understood and their damage could not be mitigated.
The industry of medicine is run entirely by Blood Witches and Blood Witches are in control of health regulation centers worldwide. As their aid has rarely failed, their word is trusted above all else, and they have been able to successfully mitigate the health risks of using several dangerous elements or practices, such as lead, radium, and the excessive burning of fossil fuels.
The Blood Witches are also masters in toxicology, understanding all forms of poison and how to neutralize them in order to make society safer.
See more here.
Pseudosciences:
In the world of Karnos, there are a number of "pseudosciences," generally referred to as "magic." Some of these have not been proven to exist, but some have and cannot be argued against.
- Alchemy is a budding form of pseudoscience in the world of Karnos. However, while they believe they are making progress, the researchers of Karnos are simply undergoing the same hurdles that Earth's alchemists went through and accidentally discovering chemistry.
- Blood witchery is a well known form of pseudoscience and has been well proven to exist. The cause and exact nature of blood witchery is unknown, but the practice is regarded as magic and works purely on the intent of its user. Rather than having any proven magical theories, blood witchery is about "feeling," and having the strength to produce a desirable effect. Blood witchery is traditionally used only by the Blood Witches, though exceptions do occur, and was initially used to study disease and the human body. However, it has later been discovered that blood witchery can be used for many different purposes outside of disease, though the rituals require the expenditure or alteration of blood.
- Demonology is a form of pseudoscience discovered through the use of blood witchery. A new and not well understood pseudoscience, demonology is currently used to summon "errand monkeys" and other such demons to carry out the busy work of people rich or powerful enough to summon them.
Theology, Mortality, and The Soul:
Immutable truths of the world of Karnos are well known but not well understood, and great leaps have been made in the fields of studying mortality and the soul. See more here and here.
