The Quiet Consensus

[Dataweaver]

While thinking things over while putting together a response in another thread, it occurred to me: Unbelief is, conceptually, the Consensus in Denial. This got me wondering if the other forms of Quiet have Consensual counterparts… For instance, I could see describing mythic threads as the result of the Consensus in Madness: almost by definition, Madness involves being at odds with the Consensus' general beliefs. As for the Consensus in Morbidity: well, we are talking about the World of Darkness here; the pervasive sense of doom and gloom, the alleys that are a shade darker than they are in our world, the increased tendency toward violence and deceit, everything that makes the setting of the World of Darkness a shade darker than our world? That's the Morbidity of the Consensus.

Thoughts?

[Aleph]

I think that it may be an interesting way to handle Reality Zones. Maybe in some places, the Consensus of Morbidity it's stronger that the one of Denial, to the point that wierd magick that it's ill intentioned can be Coincident, while good intentioned magick that would be Coincident in other places it's vulgar there (nobody believes in the miracles of medicine here...but horrible curses...perhaps).

Or, if Unbelief it's the manifestation of Denial, maybe flashy Paradox it's a manifestation of Madness (Paradox Spirits are the Hobgoblins of the world?), and there may exist entropic manifestations of Paradox too...

[Bluecho]

I remember reading up on the WoD version of Gary, Indiana. How it's a place that seems to consume joy and foster despair. A pall of gloom hangs over the city, bearing down on visitors the moment they cross the city limits and staying until the moment their leave. And that despite repeated efforts to effect civic improvement, misfortune always seems to prevent the place from getting better. Businesses that open and close, building projects left unfinished, and events to boost tourism never getting off the ground. Even Vampires are loath to reside there, due in part to the crushed industry and rapidly dwindling mortal population. The only ones who don't leave - mortal or otherwise - are those who simply can't or won't. One resource on the subject encouraged Storytellers to give bonuses to actions that cause destruction, pain, or misery, and penalties to actions that foster construction, healing, or hope.

If any city (in America) counts as a Morbid Reality Zone, it's Gary.