As a PC, how to introduce an enlightenment

Elegan/tg/entlmen, I would like to advance the tech level of the setting *without* being accused of meta gaming.

A friend of mine is the GM in a setting where humans, once the slaves of elves and other magical races, fought a war of liberation as the result of a diety giving them direct knowlege of how to counter thier magic through "anti-magic." This divine's revelation to mankind also spawned a state religion that makes magic illegal in the human controlled nation state. The principal doctrine of this religion eschews magic because it's origins come from making pacts with very nasty demons, but people may also inherit magical abilities. Magic is seen overall as "cop out", path of least resistance, selling your soul to gain power and soforth. The catch here is that not everyone who has magic made said pact, but they are treated as heretics and burned regardless.

My character is a former member of the military arm of that state religion. The tenets of the religion promote ingenuousness, but the politics and misinterpretation of the doctrines prevent any real technology from advancing due to being seen as heretical (ie; if I were to invent a clock, it would be decried as magic).

How would I go about basically puling a Galileo /DaVinci/Copernicus in this game without using too much out of character knowledge? I have thought of attempting some sort of reformation from within, since most of the adherents of the paladin's order are genuinely of good intention, if not a little ignorant.

(final note: alchemy is 50/50, with half of it being considered "medicine" and the other half being seen as nasty heresy that needs urgent purging.)

>I would like to advance the tech level of the setting *without* being accused of meta gaming.
so talk to the gm about it

first post only required post

You don't. Kick door fight orc, son, kick door fight orc.

It's not that simple. I have talked to him about it to some extent, but I want it to appear as organic as possible,

>hey GM, i'd like to invent a steam train
>how would your character come up with that idea, there's nothing really like that in existence. It's also very complex.
>here, just let me roll for it.
>that seems a bit far-fetched...I'm gonna say no.

...

Well you don't fucking invent a steam train.

Invent a hot-air balloon.

Then think about how it can be used.

Then think about how hot air can be used without the balloon, and invent an engine.

Improve upon the engine until it's small enough to be put on a cart.
Anyway, actually improving the tech level is a really really long and tedious process, which has very little in common with adventuring.

Ask your GM. Ask the group. If the group isn't happy by the prospect of sitting on their asses while you spend years in research, drop it.

I'm not trying to develop pulse rifles or anything, just maybe have a character who is a reformer of a society coming down off their magic addiction.

Characters like that are better as NPCs. Adventuring doesn't really leave time for research, invention and testing.

I ws thinking of simply coming up with the designes for simple medival machines and then farming out the crafting to local craftsmen.

>hey blacksmith make these parts
>what are these, they don't look like swords or horseshoes.
>I pay gold, don't ask questions.
>k

the first industrial machines were extremely simple, but were revolutionary in the amount of labor they saved:
the carding machine
the water frame
newcomen engine

that thing you have posted is too complicated. you should start simple. pic related

It's important to remember that no major reformation, renaissance or enlightenment figures came up with their ideas out of nowhere.
Da Vinci was a part of a continuos artistic movement, and his inversions were based on previous scientific knowledge which he came up with new uses for.
Astronomy was an established, respected science, and Copernicus was developing a new theory within a major scientific field when he proposed heliocentrism. He was actually more famous at the time for tweaking the Julian calendar, on the pope's commission.
Most of Galileo's advances were made because he had the biggest telescope around, and thus could see more shit in space. He wasn't the only person championing heliocentrism, he was just the loudest when it was eventually declared heretical.

Despite most historical narratives putting great reformers at the forefront, and declaring great ages of advancement these are, at best, exaggerations. Issac Newton didn't come up with gravitation because an apple fell on him, he developed the theory over years. Darwin didn't suddenly invent evolution when there had only been creationism beforehand, he reformed the existing field by applying the theories of both Gregor Mendel and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck to his own studies, then published it super fast because someone else was in the process of developing the same theory and he wanted credit.

If you are suddenly inventing an entirely new way to think, and coming up with brand new theories and inventions because of how super-smart your character is then it has to be metagaming. If you're looking to introduce ideas from other countries, or push the boundaries of what is or isn't considered heretical by making new versions of things that already exist or generally developing off of existing ideas then you're good.

Why not start a workshop or engineering school with the money you earned from adventuring? Your character clearly sees technological progress as key, so even if he doesn't have all of the ideas himself he still has something to work towards.Try to take inspiration from the magic stuff you encounter, and sell it like "what if we had a golem that wasn't powered by dead babies? Think of all the labor we could save!"

There is a solid chance that the blacksmith will immediately call the local inqusitor on your ass.

If you're the OP then the technological progress you're trying to install is exactly the nuggets-to-pulse rifles equivalent. Sorry man but either you abide by the rules of the setting or uproot the system by every means necessary and become the warlord Galileo

As a GM I'd allow the character to try installing his bullshit, and shortly after that has his character executed for heresy.

Fuck you, OP. If your GM has a set tech level and not makes the game about improving it, it's for a reason. Go die in a fire.

Nah, he did say that technological progress is being intentionally impeded. It's possible the ideas he's looking for exist...in "heretical" tomes in sealed church libraries.

Bam, there's a hook for an adventure.

So basically, I need to start a machine cult.

Pure Excellence

this is why you either call it something else or blackmail him.

>it's just a really special hitch for my cart, you see
>You know, it's be a real shame if the inquisitors found out about your lodnum addiction. But I'm your pal, I swear it'll be our little secret

Go read Maou Yuusha. It's about a Demon King who decides to push her setting forward a couple hundred years by slowly introducing technological progress.

Potatoes are a Big Fuckin' Deal.

I've never heard of it. Is the anime any good?

Your grammar is astounding.

>If your GM has a set tech level and not makes the game about improving it, it's for a reason.
>not makes the game.

Your flurry of insults has convinced me of the error of my ways and to never question the DM ever again. Truly, you are a most wise sage.