[Crimsondude]

I never for a second believe that Great Dragons are caught unprepared (except, perhaps, by other Great Dragons )

How cute.

[Charybdis]

I never for a second believe that Great Dragons are caught unprepared (except, perhaps, by other Great Dragons )

How cute.

I'm just jealous

In terms of Artificial Intelligence design, modern science (Note: I'm not in a position to comment on Military R&D in this regard ) cannot possibly yet replicate the combination of:
1) Constant analysis of incoming information,
2) Lump sum of knowledge based on x thousand years of active life experience (which conveniently ignores the dragon hibernation cycle, although it's possible their minds were still active on the plances for this time, learning more information)
3) Predictive analysis of non-quantifiable variables (Human nature, Magical events)
4) Heretofore unprecedented level of organic intelligence to marry all these things together and spit out turns of events like a game of chess

Also a Human Logic/Intuition attribute rating of 1 is impaired, 9 is ultra-genius.

Great dragons take these to ratings of 13-15 as standard, with RAW mods of +1-3 improving these to ratings of 14-18..... enough to make Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci look like brain dead vegetables in comparison.

Ergo, I find it easy to believe that Great Dragons are simply too off-the-scale intelligent for us mere metahumans to comprehend.

Further, I then find it more plausible to believe that such a creature is rarely, if ever, caught unprepared (especially if they've focused so much thought to a particular course of action, up to and including suicide).

[Fortinbras]

It has been hinted at before that certain titles and positions convey certain power. The title of "President of the United States", one that does not dissipate posthumously or even when out of office, might be one of those powers needed to turn Dunkie into that Great form spirit.

[Abstruse]

In terms of Artificial Intelligence design, modern science (Note: I'm not in a position to comment on Military R&D in this regard ) cannot possibly yet replicate the combination of:
1) Constant analysis of incoming information,
2) Lump sum of knowledge based on x thousand years of active life experience (which conveniently ignores the dragon hibernation cycle, although it's possible their minds were still active on the plances for this time, learning more information)
3) Predictive analysis of non-quantifiable variables (Human nature, Magical events)
4) Heretofore unprecedented level of organic intelligence to marry all these things together and spit out turns of events like a game of chess

Also a Human Logic/Intuition attribute rating of 1 is impaired, 9 is ultra-genius.

Great dragons take these to ratings of 13-15 as standard, with RAW mods of +1-3 improving these to ratings of 14-18..... enough to make Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci look like brain dead vegetables in comparison.

Ergo, I find it easy to believe that Great Dragons are simply too off-the-scale intelligent for us mere metahumans to comprehend.

Further, I then find it more plausible to believe that such a creature is rarely, if ever, caught unprepared (especially if they've focused so much thought to a particular course of action, up to and including suicide).

It's been stated (I believe in Dragons of the Sixth World) that Lofwyr spends most of his time in his office watching a bank of trideo sets all tuned to different channels, monitoring all of them simultaneously while holding complex conversations in person and on the phone.  Most humans have to have a chip implanted in their brains to be able to handle that (Encephalon).

[CanRay]

And people wonder why you never cut a deal with a dragon.

[Charybdis]

It's been stated (I believe in Dragons of the Sixth World) that Lofwyr spends most of his time in his office watching a bank of trideo sets all tuned to different channels, monitoring all of them simultaneously while holding complex conversations in person and on the phone.  Most humans have to have a chip implanted in their brains to be able to handle that (Encephalon).

*cough*

Multitasking adept power

*cough*

[Abstruse]

It's been stated (I believe in Dragons of the Sixth World) that Lofwyr spends most of his time in his office watching a bank of trideo sets all tuned to different channels, monitoring all of them simultaneously while holding complex conversations in person and on the phone.  Most humans have to have a chip implanted in their brains to be able to handle that (Encephalon).

*cough*

Multitasking adept power

*cough*

1) I said "most".  Unless you want to plead spike babies, there are people who can do that now.
2) And where exactly did that adept power come from?  Could it be an attempt to duplicate the effects of an Encephlon for those who would rather spend the power points and karma than the essence and nuyen?

[Fortinbras]

2) And where exactly did that adept power come from?  Could it be an attempt to duplicate the effects of an Encephlon for those who would rather spend the power points and karma than the essence and nuyen?

As I recall Encephlon and Multitasking do very different things mechanically. I think what Multitasking does is more in line with an Attention Coprocessor in terms of concept. In terms of mechanics the only thing I can think that compares is the Echo.

[Abstruse]

2) And where exactly did that adept power come from?  Could it be an attempt to duplicate the effects of an Encephlon for those who would rather spend the power points and karma than the essence and nuyen?

As I recall Encephlon and Multitasking do very different things mechanically. I think what Multitasking does is more in line with an Attention Coprocessor in terms of concept. In terms of mechanics the only thing I can think that compares is the Echo.

Maybe I'm thinking previous editions of Encephlon...either way, this thread is completely derailing.

[CanRay]

*Looks at the bodies and cargo spilled onto the countryside from the derailment*  OH THE HUMANITY!!!

[Charybdis]

It has been hinted at before that certain titles and positions convey certain power. The title of "President of the United States", one that does not dissipate posthumously or even when out of office, might be one of those powers needed to turn Dunkie into that Great form spirit.

Indeed, that's a good thought!

This is a holdover from the Earthdawn mechanics, where Names (note the capital 'N') could hold immense power.

There's definitely nothing stopping that particular piece of magic starting to 'Awaken' into the 6th age....

[Abstruse]

It has been hinted at before that certain titles and positions convey certain power. The title of "President of the United States", one that does not dissipate posthumously or even when out of office, might be one of those powers needed to turn Dunkie into that Great form spirit.

Indeed, that's a good thought!

This is a holdover from the Earthdawn mechanics, where Names (note the capital 'N') could hold immense power.

There's definitely nothing stopping that particular piece of magic starting to 'Awaken' into the 6th age....

That's actually in the Aztlan soucebook.  It does still work in the Sixth World as some of the Aztlan/Aztechnology priests had specific titles that carried power with them.  It also may be why the Caribbean League having so many problems keeping a Head Hougan alive to collect the 30+ million nuyen worth of Great Dragon talon clippings, and it also may be why Big D required one be named to claim it.

[Charybdis]

Indeed, that's a good thought!

This is a holdover from the Earthdawn mechanics, where Names (note the capital 'N') could hold immense power.

There's definitely nothing stopping that particular piece of magic starting to 'Awaken' into the 6th age....

That's actually in the Aztlan soucebook.  It does still work in the Sixth World as some of the Aztlan/Aztechnology priests had specific titles that carried power with them.  It also may be why the Caribbean League having so many problems keeping a Head Hougan alive to collect the 30+ million nuyen worth of Great Dragon talon clippings, and it also may be why Big D required one be named to claim it.

Interesting. I may have to go forth and claim this Atzlan book..... now where was that Credit card?

[Malex]

Gee fella ain't you full of helpful information.

Who, me?  I own almost every book including the novels and I've been playing Shadowrun for almost two decades at this point.  I've picked up a lot of trivia.  I'm running into problems in the game I'm about to join as a player because I know more about the metaplot than my GM.  Wasted three of my knowledge skills to explain how my character might know all the crap I do (Sixth World History, Shadowrunner Hangouts (since I couldn't find one that said "I can identify Shadowtalkers from 1st-3rd Ed by their posts without looking at the SIG"), and Conspiracy Theories).

And seriously, this is me holding back.  I deleted half of that Horrors history lesson since I kept going off on tangents.

This doesn't seem like that much of a problem. I'd either cut the Meta-plot related skills or suggest that the GM learn a bit about the Big Picture. If the GM is looking to keep the game small scale, then having knowledge skills that rely on the Meta-plot being implemented to the game are useless. Perhaps asking the GM if those knowledge skills will be of use is something you could do and if not cut them and put the points into something more to the game they're running.

[Fizzygoo]

Also a Human Logic/Intuition attribute rating of 1 is impaired, 9 is ultra-genius.

Great dragons take these to ratings of 13-15 as standard, with RAW mods of +1-3 improving these to ratings of 14-18..... enough to make Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci look like brain dead vegetables in comparison.

Ergo, I find it easy to believe that Great Dragons are simply too off-the-scale intelligent for us mere metahumans to comprehend.

Hehe, yeah...but no Great Dragon ever invented the wheel. Or calculus. Or peeps. Let alone Relativity (Special or General), Quantum Mechanics, and silly string. Hellz, even "After much research and hundreds of bags of burned Nuke-and-Pop" The Big D couldn't discover how open-flame popped popcorn packages could be made!

And before the "yeah, but their great, friggin, dragons...they don't need wheels or calculus or peeps" argument is made...well humans didn't need it either. The Maya never invented the wheel. As long as there was food and shelter Newton never needed to be curious about light, gravity, and mathematics...but he was...and it was that curiosity that led his logic/intuition to formulate some durn gud models for how those things work. So then either great dragons aren't curious (but the Big D is clear evidence that at least one is) or...their great logic/intuition is all a lie! A lie, I tell you! They're nothing but lizard-brained scaly-ego'd charlatans!

And in closing (to this tongue-in-cheek, semi-IC, rant); um...never deal with a dragon?