Rockets and Mayhem is a game of retro-futuristic Pulp action. Retro-futurism and aesthetics are generally inspired by early 20th century (pre-WWI) science fiction design elements (and post-WWII possibilities). How we accomplish that specifically in Rockets and Mayhem is with Technik, the marriage of technology with Sādhanā (magic).

In practice, what this means is that mundane technology of a level up to the equivalent to the 1930’s USA in commercially and commonly available throughout the solar system. The Janya refer to this as “Primitive Tech”. Advanced technology in excess of that, including classic science fiction tropes, is available as through technomantic production, including advanced composite ceramic alloys, antigravity flying harnesses, energy weapons, longevity serums, telepathic inhibitors, and designer pets. This is labeled “High-Technik”, and is commonly available to the Savant, Nobility, and Cleric castes. “Low-Technik” is what you get when you combine the practical parts of Primitive Tech with the efficiency gains of High-Technik, and is commonly available to the Artisan and Outcaste clans of Janya.

Primitive Tech is what the Janya label sciences and technologies that involve only the mundane akashic forces of the universe, exclusive of the subtle mysteries of prana and shakti (life and sprit energies). Approximately equivalent to mid twentieth century technology, Primitive Tech is not as advanced as Technik, but may be used with little difficulty by the Andhaka.

Kravyad Primitive Tech allows for metal and polycarbonate prosthesis, internal combustion, jet aircraft, multi-stage rockets, ballistic or laminate body armor, automatic weapons, nuclear weapons, industrial fission reactors, and weak solar panels. Primitive Tech allows allows for the possibility of integrated circuits and information technology, but these are regarded as heretic technologies by Vratya Order of the Orthodox Church (the use of heretical technology is one of the few remaining capital crimes in Janya society, and is prosecuted by  a trial by tribunal instead of jury).

Low-Technik is the basis of the colonial expansion throughout the system, and the basis of local industrial production on the worlds, moons, and provinces. Based on the alchemical foundation of Technik, in a somewhat problematic marriage to the physics of Primitive Tech, Low-Technik is usable by the Andhaka peoples of the system (although they are not able to produce this level of technology).

Low-Technik allows for artificial limb and organ replacement (at roughly 85% efficiency), electric vehicles, single stage to orbit spacecraft, personal rocketpacks, ablative bioarmor, (bulky) personal scale gauss weaponry, long range mechanized rockets and linear accelerators, geothermal energy, fuel cells, and deuterium-hydrogen industrial fusion.

High-Technik is the domain of high-caste Janya, and the Savants who theorize and create it in a synthesis of their study of alchemy and physika (chemistry and physics, enlightened through the practice of Sādhanā). High-Technik is not usable by the Andhaka, in fact the sufficient presence of Andhaka individuals may destabilize the technology to the point of disaster. High-Technik is responsible for the intra-solar commercial activity that holds the Solar Kingdoms together.

High-Technik allows for the regeneration or metamorphosis of biological systems, reactionless thrust and contra-gravity and mass displacement systems in spacecraft, forcefields and mono molecular blades and plasma weapons at the personal and mechanized scale, industrial cold fusion levels of power generation using esoteric principles, and the capability of communicating with the bodiless hosts of the empyrean; the Radiant Celestials.