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[Degausser]

There is a lot of Shadowrun historical stuff out there, and, predictably, some of it doesn't make a whole lick of sense. I have noticed a lot of people have been asking about bits and pieces of it, and that seems kinda inefficient. So, here is the idea. People can post their questions here, along with others who answer, and I will edit this first post to include the answers. That way we can get our information faster and in one thread.



The Deal with Dankelzan:

WARNING, the following is spoileriffic and most of the populace of earth doesn't know the details.

Big D, after being elected president, elected to kill himself in the creation of a very powerful power foci, which is/was/will be used to keep some big nasties at bay. This act created an astral rift at the site of his death. Anything astral getting close to the site was sucked in and killed.

Later, in '61, an astral dragon named 'Ghostwalker' appeared out of the rift and flew to Denver. He somehow got re-aquanted with his body, and killed the section of Denver that had been given to the Azzies. Then he set up a new system of government, where he was the leader, and the current government ruled at his pleasure. Some think that Ghostwalker is Big D, but people on Dumpshock have informed me that he is, in fact, big D's brother.

Question 2.

Some elves claim to be from the previous era of magic on earth . . . HOW?

According to Dumpshock informants, there are about eight elves on earth that have lived through previous magical cycles. Apparantly, during low magic times, Elves (and Vampires) transmute into humans with one difference, they don't age. They loose all other supernatural abilities, and walk the earth for thousands of years. Dragons go into hybernation, but can retain some contact or knowledge of the outside world.

Question 3

What up with the great ghost Dance?

The Great Ghost dance was overseen by the first confirmed Shaman (at least in North America), Daniel Howling Coyote. The Dance was done in an approx. 20 meter circle with many other casters. This was the first confirmed use of ritual spellcasting in North America. Dumpshock people have proposed that some form of spirit (or possibly the son of a 'half horror') taught the natives how to do blood magic.

BIT OF FLUFF FROM ACTUAL HISTORY.
-The Great Ghost dance is borrowed from actual Native American History. During the 1800s, in the west (when Native Americans were being rounded up and put on small reservations), there were many who fought back against tyranny, oppression, and outright cruelty. One man (and it is bad of me, I can't remember his tribe, but his ideals spread to many tribes), received a vision that if he did a special dance, and put the whole of his body and soul into it, then his ancestors would come to his aid, and enchant his clothes so that no bullet would pierce it. Still today, some tribes perform the Great Ghost Dance, but never do they undertake it lightly. It is said to be such a spiritually charged event that babies and small children should not watch for fear of being overwhelmed.

[Wesley Street]

1. True or false? Immortal Elves and Great Dragons are always about during low mana cycles (such as the Fifth World), however they take on the forms of "ordinary" people. Otherwise, I have a very funny image in my head of dragons and elves piled up like kittens in basket taking a 5000+ year nap.

2. Not a new question but one that's never been answered to my satisfaction. Mana ebbs in flows in 5000+/- year cycles. However, recorded human history dates back to 4,000BC. Given that there is no precise date for the beginning of the Fifth World, were dragons and Immortal Elves hanging out with the Sumerians?

Same with vampires.

Vampires, as I understand my Shadowrun lore, are the result of a HMHVV virus, of which the side effect is agelessness. I think of it as a type of mana-based AIDS. However, it hasn't been established if one were to become a vampire if he would be truly immortal.