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Message: <blockquote data-quote="willpax" data-source="post: 828503" data-attributes="member: 1602">IMC dragons are more than just "involved in politics"--several are worshipped as quasi-gods. Trying to take on a dragon is the equivalent of trying to conquer a nation. Dragons, aside from their fearsome individual powers, attract many individuals who derive their power from the implied threat lurking in the background the same way a U.S. diplomat achieves authority not from personal power, but from the economic and military might of the nation he or she represents. To even get to the sanctuary of the dragon itself, you would have to sneak around, fight through, or otherwise circumvent thousands of people, many of whom see the dragon-ruler as a preferable alternative to the other potential rulers in the neighborhood (at least you KNOW where you stand in terms of power relative to a dragon). There is an area along a major waterway where the mere threat of a dragon destroying your ship is enough to extract passage tolls from all travelers. As intelligent creatures, I don't see why dragons would not avail themselves of the benefits of followers, institutional power structures, and income-producing schemes, especially if said followers could handle the busywork, allowing the dragon the benefit. On the other hand, dragons would be no more immune to the downsides of institutional power--the paranoia, the frustrations with incompetence, and the real limitations on their abilities to effect their will (however far off those limitations may actually be, everyone's desires outstrip their abilities). These situational dilemmas actually go a long way to explaining the reputation of dragons as touchy and hostile--like every other dictator, their position forces their behavior to a certain extent. Of course, I have a rather specific idea about dragons, and they are heavily involved in the culture and symbol structures of my world (representing individual power and desire, opposed to communal aid and selfless service). This model may not work well in other worlds.</blockquote>

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