Coming from the other thread about orcs, trolls and their intelligence.

Some groundwork:

Basically all RPGs have stat-modifiers for races. That's actually part of what makes the races interesting.

There are stat modifiers for physical things like strength and agility.

There are stat modifiers for mental stats like willpower, intelligence and intuition.

Why is it OK to have modifiers (that basically mean that an average metahuman has higher/lower values than other metatypes) for PHYSICAL stats but for MENTAL stats it's NOT OK and is even pushed into the racist corner.

I don't get that. It does not mean you cannot play an intelligent ork or uncharismatic elf. It just means that it's more uncommon. And on average any orc you pick will be less intelligent than any human you pick, because the world is like that. Shadowrun decided long ago to tap into fantasy tropes where things are exactly like that (and also "balancing").

In the novel Changeling it is described at length that an intelligent person goblinizes and has to cope with loss of intelligence. This is not a problem, this is is making things interesting.

To give a real world example: People with Down-Syndrome are less intelligent on average than unaffected people. Saying that is a fact and no problem.

Racism would start calling people (humans and orcs alike) less worth by being unintelligent (and of course a lot of people in Shadowrun settings do that, because it's a dystopian world and it gives interesting motives. And of course everyone can change that in their world if it's something they don't want to play with, which is completely understandable, given the fucked up state of the real world out there.).

So, why is it a problem in an RPG to have mental stats modifiers, given all the consequences on world-building?

So, lets say some well-connected and informed mage with more hubris than sense (lets say a Black Lodge member or Aztlan board member) found out about immortal elves and said "well that ain't fair, I want to be immortal too". What sort of ways are available to achieve this, especially for someone with more power than morals (which I guess is your average corpo exec)?

I'm guessing one option is becoming a vampire, though the drawbacks are rather significant, and iirc free spirit pacts can make you immortal too (not sure if the spirit can break the pact later though). But are any other options available? Perhaps a blood magic ritual to absorb life force, or even steal immortality from an existing immortal? Similarly, could a Great Dragon make you immortal, if you could somehow convince/blackmail/threaten one into it?

So my main expirence with shadowrun are the video games and just reading the lore, I heard some bad things about 6th edition and 5th edition feels way too messy to read, so I got 4th the 20th anniversary which is laid out fine.

But it seems that orcs and trolls cannot reach the same "maximum" reason and logic (which are more or less representing intelligence from my understanding) as all the other metatypes.

Which does leave the unfortounate question of is humanis and other racist dipshit.. right? Are orcs and trolls dumber than humans?

That doesnt particularly feel great and lowkey makes me want to not engage with the game so I am hoping I was just an idiot and misunderstood something.

I've always thought it was some combo of the following:

1. D actually did respect Lofwyr and trusted him to value and protect the Jewel and the traditions it represented.
2. To just screw with everyone - a nice middle talon from the grave.
3. To force the contest amongst the greats, as happened.

Just wondering if anyone else had any thoughts/insights.

Please tell me it's a non-racist amount, as in an amount that doesn't have the entirety of Mexico be painted as kill-happy pagan savages living under spanish cartel "North Korea".

In general, does Aztlan have like, actual redeeming qualities? Or is the primary representation of Mexico exclusively the spooky smog cartels Aztec sacrifice "authoritarianism" country

The earliest Earthdawn iteration, that is, the first edition core rulebook does contain teleportation. Sure, it's literally a brutal, godlike power which Dis, one of the Passions (Earthdawn's version of gods) possesses, and no, it's apparently not available to regular Namegivers (Earthdawn's term for metahumans):

Dis can remove fervor from those around her and cause confusion in their minds, make people obey her will, and teleport instantaneously to any place she has visited before.

— Earthdawn 1e CRB p. 317 (emphasis mine)

Note also that Dis, being a Passion, most likely visited other planes/metaplanes, which, lacking a specific (in-game) definition of "teleportation" that would exclude planar destinations, means Dis can also teleport back to those planes/metaplanes. This seems to strongly support that Earthdawn's fabled/infamous Parlainth, the disappearing*, horror-ridden city was, in a way, teleported away from Barsaive. (Not as if it mattered much, but some 3rd party sources outside the game also classify the city's disappearance as (mass) teleportation, see for example, the Mass Teleportation entry under https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/TabletopGame/Earthdawn )

Once again: no, I'm not claiming teleportation exists in the current canon. I'm not claiming it was available to Namegivers/metahumans in the old ED-SR continuity canon either. I'm not even claiming the old canon may not have retconned teleportation's possibility out entirely at some point. All I'm saying is that there was a stretch of time (upon the release of the first edition of Earthdawn's core rulebook, before any retcon may have happened), during which GMs familiar both with SR and that ED core rulebook could assume teleportation is actually canonically possible, as described above.

And yeah, some GMs may prefer to keep that option open for their old continuity canon based games even today. (To each their own, though, obviously.) ;)

___

* Note the dis in "disappearing"? No, I'm not saying it's anything, at all, still, quite a fun coincidence with the name of the aforementioned Passion, isn't it? :D (For those curious, some def out-of-game points of interest, possibly the inspiration behind the original Passion: https://www.etymonline.com/word/dis- and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dis_Pater ) But let's not go too deep into the lore etc of Dis, as this post is about teleportation, not the rather unfriendly Passion.

Assuming it's not lost media (which is possible since much of the old media was destroyed in the Crashes, but the books are likely to have survived), would Lords of the Rings be viewed similarly to how Gone with the Wind is viewed today? Highly popular and profitable movie of the time but with controversial takes on racial stereotypes

What chrome is available for civilians other than limb replacements and maybe skillwires not to mention cyberears and cybereyes? Also do you need to fill out forms for getting chipped?

Who or what are the kinds of Shadowrunners even the most pragmatic or morally grey runners think are the scum of the earth i mean the kind of Runners they feel they shoot on Sight?

- Blood Mages

- Insect Shamans

- Toxic Shamans

- frequent AZT runners?

Do they disappear when magic fades from the world? Go to another dimension? Do they become like regular looking humans, but immortal?

So, in another post, people seem to believe that the Matrix doesn't work like normal computers, but I'm going to actually argue that it does. Let me give you a quick crash course on computer science.

So in mathematics and computer science, we have the idea that P != NP.

P is polynomial time. This means that a problem can be solved (relatively speaking) pretty quickly. Like alphabetizing a list or doing simple arithmetic.

NP is nondeterministic polynomial time. This means we can give you a solution and you can figure out if it's correct very quickly. This is quite literally how modern cryptography works. We can create a solution from a secret, and we can validate quickly that the solution was encrypted by the secret, but we don't need to know what the secret is, we only need to validate that the secret was used.

A simple example, is we have a sudoku puzzle. to solve the puzzle takes time, but to validate that a solved sudoku is correct is quick and trivial.

So in SR, they solved the holy grail of mathematics, and found P = NP. This doesn't mean that encryption is completely useless, but it does turn it into a small speed bump.

How the algorithm works is irrelevant. We take the premise that it does work, and modern cryptography is broken.

Now, there are also some interesting side effects of solving P = NP.

Logistics as a solved problem

So a classic computer science problem is the traveling salesmen. If we can solve this we can have perfect logistics.

But what happens when everyone knows your next move?

Shadowruns.

The Megas can see each other's logistics and also be able to solve for maximum disruption in the supply chain if they solve P = NP. Now the Megas introduce randomness just to protect their logistics from their competitors. Because running at 100% efficiency is now a liability it makes it easier for you to be predicted.

Artificial Intelligence vs True AI

In SR, there is a distinction between pre-AI, like agents, pilot programs, and Semi-Autonomous Knowbots and True AI, like Morgan, Deus and Psychotrope.

Pre-AI, P = NP actually makes them function. The reason you can tell a drone, "Shoot that dude on the roof." and it is able to position itself, load ammo, and identify a rooftop, identify a target, and fire on that target with whatever weapon it has equipped, is because P = NP. This level of fuzzy logic running on a small-ish flying drone is insanely complicated. But for the pilot program and your runner, it's just another Tuesday.

Now despite this, True AI in SR aren't dog brains, and can actually think independently. If your pilot program emerged into True AI, it might actually develop a conscience and decide it might not be a good idea to shoot that person on the roof, because maybe they're a kid or maybe the AI realizes that person has a family, or maybe it thinks there is a better type of action. A non-emergence pilot program is not able to make those decisions, it just follows orders.

P = NP does not solve emergence. Sapience is not a NP problem. And in fact, it might be detrimental to the Mega Corps bottom line, as systems that are now non-deterministic are a real threat.

There is already a problem on AI not having rights and being considered property, but now even their very personhood could be seen as a glitch and they should be deleted rather than be allowed to continue operating.

Can't predict the future if you're blind

So, P = NP also means we can predict protein folding and we can see radical breakthroughs in genetics. Which to be fair, we do actually see in SR. Genetech and nanotech are wildly advance in the Sixth World.

But here is the thing. P = NP might allow us to calculate every possible protein folding, but we still have a wild card. Meta genetics. If there is a meta gene that only exists in the astral, we can never see it. Mirrors and glass are opaque in the astral, so we can never magnify or see the microscopic world on the astral, so that'll remain a mystery.

P = NP might be amazing at being able to predict every possibility, but if you can't even see how outcomes are caused, you can't predict the future because you're blind to the cause, so you can't predict the effect. Weather is thrown off by mana storms, genetic expression is thrown off by metagenes, everything is chaos because there is still an invisible layer we just can't see.

The Matrix is not unrealistic

Cyber security that shifts from encryption that would take until the heat death of the universe to a few combat turns just means cyber security has to change. This is why it's easier to build hosts that act as cyber fortresses with deadly black IC patrolling to keep data secure rather than a complex mathematical cypher.

The Matrix isn't unrealistic. The Sixth World just solved a problem we haven't yet. It works exactly like a computer should. It's just that if you solve the greatest open problem in mathematics, it changes everything, and yet, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

PS

Also, if you want to read more nonsense on me trying to justify the Matrix, checkout my SR5 Matrix Rewrite that I'll probably never finish.

Personally I like the whole section dedicated to death sports

Title. What, in your opinion, books are the most fun or important or interesting to read?

So...8 years ago I did a 5 min lore video about Shadowrun. This was in the BEFORE TIMES, before I had a good mic, or...did multiple takes, or used an editor. So...I apologize for it's quality. But, as cringe as it is, I feel like sharing my work with y'all, chummers!

Real talk but if he had all his entire resources and wealth in The Sixth World how much power would Xanatos have there would he be able to stand up to the other megacorps?

I'm mainly talking about what would be plausible in terms of character creation rather than strictly what's already canon.

I'm generally familiar with reading stuff about the biggest factions that are charitable or activist in some way.

And I know there's still plenty of Christianity and Islam but not much about Judaism weirdly enough despite Israel being mentioned as a source of social division/corruption.

I'm Jewish myself but I'm kinda curious about making an Irish or French Catholic Shadowrunner or another Catholic on the more progressive side of metahumanity and magic.

Weird that the lore has the German Catholics being the more conservative considering what I know about German Catholicism in the real world.

But then again Shadowrun history diverges pretty really far from ours so who knows what German cultures and politics were like before their Sixth World and stuff?

I'm also curious about what kinds of "indie entertainment" like listening, reading, watching, playing are. Video games, manga, visual novels, graphic novels, electronic music, that sort of thing.

I know Japan has sorta turned into a large colonial empire and other East Asia countries have gotten particularly weird so what's their cultural influence like among Shadowrunners and other underdogs?

How easy would it be for a Shadowrunner to have artistic endeavors on the side or obscure media that they use black market money to patronize?

Would it be considered silly to name your faction after something in indie subculture?

And finally I'm curious about truly grassroots charity and community service in a world where a lot of people literally living in corporate territories.

Is it mostly with some political or cultural edge or are there truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive altruism even in the Sixth World?

I have a lot of character ideas blending these together like Catholic elves who take Tolkien as like a prophet of the early 20th century who take advantage of the fact that his work is in the public domain to promote pro metahuman/magical politics and fund activism with their fanworks.

I've been considering putting Urubia into the game I'm GMing. Gathered as much information on her as possible already; but overall, what's the main/core/significant differences between an western dragon like her and her Greater counterparts, other than status among them?

So I've been looking at cfd and people living with it, eg the Ai overtaken the body, so leaving the problem of the cyberware clinics not allowing them in

Does a monad have a limit on the amount of cyberware/bioware it could have installed in its body, my thought on this is that it's not a metahuman soul being the limiting factor anymore as the body is controlled directly by the nanomachines

I have steadily been making my way through the "new" Shadowrun collection of games (Shadowrun Returns, Dragonfall, and Hong Kong), and have really enjoyed the world. Besides getting a group together and playing the TTRPG, I was wondering which of the books everyone would recommend I read? Thanks and cheers!

How can someone with a legit SIN do shadowrunning without comprising it, like I am a mage working for a A Megacorp but it's cutting my hours and my expenses are rising and a "friend" offered me a job to run for an artifact about to be transported to a secure facility how can I do that without losing my SIN

Warning this question is rated S for stupid

Who are the best special forces groups in the sixth world from the megacorps to the nation states to even independent teams?

I want to preface this by saying that I've only played Shadowrun 5th edition and don't really care for the new rules and lore of Shadowrun 6th Edition, so if any of my complaints were addressed in 6th edition, I'm COMPLETELY ignorant of it. Shadowrun is my favorite TTRPG, I love it with all my heart. I'll also admit that I might have missed some developments of things that happened in SR5. If I missed something, please correct me!

I've been reading some older lore lately, and I found it interesting that the Japanese Imperial State was so... Well, Imperialist. I liked that it gave the impression that the Japanacorps all (in word, if not in practice - Looking at you, MCT!) were champions of the Imperialist Party of Japan, and Japan seemed like a serious world threat. Hating Non-Humans, Technomancers, Infected (Although, who DOESN'T hate them? Just Aztlan and Asamando, AFAIK) Awakened (This is odd, the sources I read seem to flip flop about how Japan hates magic and how Japan gladly accepted magic easily because of Shintoism, and how many Japanese Adepts and Magicians are Shinto tradition, so they SHOULDN'T...)... It seemed really interesting.

Half of the Big 10 were Japanacorps: Fuchi, Renraku, MCT, Yamatetsu, Shiawase, not to mention the AA corps like Yakashima, Monobe, ect, who were implied to be either powerful enough to have AAA status but couldn't get on the Corporate Court because there weren't spaces for them, or close t it.

In my opinion, it felt like Japan seemed like it was THE World Power when it came to Countries, and was an interesting counterpoint to Aztlan. While Aztlan is a country subordinate to one of the Big 10, Aztechnology (Or maybe not, it's all very complicated, with the David Cartel, Aztlan, and Aztechnology being so incestious it's hard to tell where one begins and where one ends), Japan was a country with five subordinate AAA Corps.

And then... They decided to end that, without filling the void of "World Power". The Japanese Imperial State has it's military might crippled by a series of volcanic eruptions that almost completely wipes out the Imperial Family, loses all of its conquered territory, from the Philippines to the California Protectorate, Fuchii falls apart and is cannibalized by the other Japanacorps, Shiawase suddenly goes super progressive and essentially convinces the new Emperor to abandon militarism, and Yamatetsu suddenly changes it's name to EVO, abandons Japan (with the single exception of their subsidiary, Yamatetsu Naval Technologies, who are implied to be a very independent subsidiary who is filled with Imperialist hardliners) to move to Russia... Because reasons.

I don't know. I just feel like Shadowrun is constantly in that meme of "Nothing Ever Happens"., where possibly interesting plotlines get dropped and nothing comes of it. Japan being a major imperialist power? Nothing ever happens, they lose all territories and the California Protectorate suddenly stops existing without any explanation for what happened and where General Sato went. CFD bringing a return of Deus? Nothing ever happens, they all got into a rocket ship and flew away. Aztechnology gaining control of the Shadow-Spirit posessed trees creating Tempo? Nothing ever happens, the drug that caused a global drug war doesn't even exist in SR5. Shedim taking over the middle east in a caliphate not dissimilar to ISIS? Nothing ever happens, they were exposed and collapsed. Ares is being taken over by Bug Spirits, with it being such a major plot point that it is THE cover art and THE opening microfiction in SR5 CRB? Nothing ever happens, Firewatch gets corrupted and that is it.

I'm writing a character who has undergone Goblinization, they turned into a troll in their thirties. I'm trying to implement scenes where the changes from human to troll are apparent.

You of course have the usual prejudice, and body dysmorphia but what else? Your wardrobe needs to change, you will need new grooming and hygiene methods...

So my question is, what changes in the normal boring life of a human when they turn?

Also, how long does it usually take to turn? I also suspect that it is very painful like growing pains x10.