IDEAS FOR RYZOM

Hmmm... Sentience is not human thinking (other than we are scientifically not aware of other sentient beings).
The very essence of sentience is taking advantage of abstract concepts to self protect, grow and prosper.

Maybe it is not gas masks that they invent, but some other spell that creates a strong wind, or a protective field, or a piece of jewelry that negates some part of the poison.

Either way, developing new concepts within Atys should be the goal.
After all, crafting, and creating things is currently the largest piece, isn't it?

Maybe rethinking how the software mechanics work is in order.

But, I digress.

Nudge -- we know of *lots* of sentient species here on Earth, just not any as *intelligent* as we are (as far as we can tell). Sentience mostly consists of the awareness of "self" and "other". It is the lowest level of cognition. It moves up from there to simple problem solving, primitive communication, warning communication, recognition of specific "other" beings, etc. (not necessarily in that order).

Speaking OOC (of course) homins seem to be intelligent, but limited in their worldview. The Matis experiments with plants, for instance, or the Tryker's implementation of experiments to use Flyners for lift or make potions that do something besides go BOOM! (or to make things that deliberately go BOOM!) seem to be driven by cultural imperatives and expediency more than by careful and systematic analysis. It is also limited by the materials at hand.

My feeling is that the technology is at about the early medieval level (pre-Industrial Revolution). Medieval humans were no stupider than we are today, they were just limited by their worldview and available technology.

Actually, instead of enslaving, you could hire a healer. Most likely you have a pretty healthy income. In my youth, being hired was the only income I had - and the only way to learn the occupation.