Difference between revisions of "Rumors"
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<center>''"I don't remember where it came from. Everyone just started talking about it..."''</center><br> | <center>''"I don't remember where it came from. Everyone just started talking about it..."''</center><br> | ||
| − | + | Rumors typically are are nothing else but. Just a story, if one with the potential to damage reputations. This isn't quite so in Sumaru City. Termed 'kotodama' (literally, 'word spirit') by some, rumors exert an inescapable influence on the metropolis. What rumors are and what effects they are capable of having on people will be covered in this newsfile. | |
| − | + | ==Rumors== | |
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| − | If | + | 'If enough people talk about something, then it becomes true'. This is the core of the power of rumors. Words and stories gain power in Sumaru City the more people speak about them, and sometimes even impossible things can become real... if, of course, they gain enough sway among the populace. Rumors can't exist in a vacuum, after all. People need to actively be talking about the rumor, though belief is optional. Of course, stories can twist and alter in the telling, so anyone seeking to manipulate this force had better be prepared for surprises. |
| − | + | Most rumors are fairly general in nature. Overly specific rumors tend to become less specific over time as people tell it and parts of the story get lost or other new aspects get tacked on; unlike the famed genie's lamp, too much material can work against the intent of the one who first spreads the rumor. Rumors that are a little too much to one specificly named person's benefit--such as 'so-and-so is actually very rich'--typically don't spread very well without some added reason for people to particularly care about this fate. Furthermore, self-serving rumors are particularly inclined to end up distorted in the telling. To use the above example, perhaps in rumor about a particular person actually being very rich might mutate into them being very rich because they robbed a bank. Caveat emptor applies to rumors too. | |
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| + | Rumors typically don't last long. They're fads, in essence. There could easily be one hot story sweeping the city one day, only to be replaced by another the very next morning. While the turnover typically isn't /that/ fast, the window where a rumor has influence and can affect reality can be small. In the end, it all comes down to the story. A good story can keep going for a long time. | ||
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| + | While a rumor can live and die quickly, the effects can be somewhat longer lasting. In the end, it comes down to what the rumor initially said and what effects were created. Particularly egregious violations of reality tend to disappear outright as reality reasserts itself once the story's gone cold and uninteresting. For example, ancient and out-of-place Mayan ruins in Sumaru cease to exist once the rumor about them is no longer of any interest. However, the effects of more plausible stories just might continue indefinitely. The rumor that a particularly handsome young man has a modeling career, for example, might stick around for a long time. Ultimately, though, it is all rather subjective. | ||
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| + | For those who would spread a story, for their own gain or not, there are those in Sumaru City who keep their fingers on the pulse of the stories spread by the cities' people. Called Rumormongers, they tend to know exactly who to talk to get the latest word, and also just who to talk to to get the ball rolling on a fresh rumor. In particular, the Sumaru branch of the Kuzunoha Detective Agency is adept at spreading rumors... for a fee. | ||
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| + | ==Rumors on the MUSH== | ||
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| + | A rumor is spread by submitting a +request (+HELP +REQUEST). It should include the rumor that the character is trying to spread, the outcome they're hoping for, and the people or medium they're spreading it through (it could be as simple as 'my classmates' or as complicated as 'getting the rumor to go viral on the internet'). | ||
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| + | ICly, spreading a rumor is all about having the right story and getting the right people to spread it. But what about in an OOC sense? There are a few that things should be taken into OOC consideration when spreading a rumor. | ||
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| + | First of all, would the rumor be of interest to the media or the average person on the street? Consider the type of gossip that spread in real life and even urban legends. People tend to find stories with a sensationalistic edge more interesting than something more mundane. They also tend to like stories that purport to detail some shameful secret about people or groups. | ||
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| + | Secondly, are there multiple ways in which the rumor can be understood? Some rumors can be taken in a variety of different ways, which means that they can more easily alter in the telling. | ||
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| + | Thirdly, is the rumor a part of a player-run plot? If it's relating to a plot run by another player, you will want to get in touch with them first to make sure that what you're trying to do works out for them. If it's your own plot and you are looking for a particular outcome, then you will want to make specific note of this in your +request. | ||
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| + | Finally, if a rumor will directly affect another character, make sure they are aware of your intentions before you submit your rumor. Rumors are consent-based. | ||
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| + | It should be reiterated that a rumor may change in the telling, and will not always have exactly the results the character was aiming for. | ||
[[Category: Newsfiles]] | [[Category: Newsfiles]] | ||
[[Category: IC]] | [[Category: IC]] | ||
Revision as of 04:15, 17 August 2012
Rumors typically are are nothing else but. Just a story, if one with the potential to damage reputations. This isn't quite so in Sumaru City. Termed 'kotodama' (literally, 'word spirit') by some, rumors exert an inescapable influence on the metropolis. What rumors are and what effects they are capable of having on people will be covered in this newsfile.
Rumors
'If enough people talk about something, then it becomes true'. This is the core of the power of rumors. Words and stories gain power in Sumaru City the more people speak about them, and sometimes even impossible things can become real... if, of course, they gain enough sway among the populace. Rumors can't exist in a vacuum, after all. People need to actively be talking about the rumor, though belief is optional. Of course, stories can twist and alter in the telling, so anyone seeking to manipulate this force had better be prepared for surprises.
Most rumors are fairly general in nature. Overly specific rumors tend to become less specific over time as people tell it and parts of the story get lost or other new aspects get tacked on; unlike the famed genie's lamp, too much material can work against the intent of the one who first spreads the rumor. Rumors that are a little too much to one specificly named person's benefit--such as 'so-and-so is actually very rich'--typically don't spread very well without some added reason for people to particularly care about this fate. Furthermore, self-serving rumors are particularly inclined to end up distorted in the telling. To use the above example, perhaps in rumor about a particular person actually being very rich might mutate into them being very rich because they robbed a bank. Caveat emptor applies to rumors too.
Rumors typically don't last long. They're fads, in essence. There could easily be one hot story sweeping the city one day, only to be replaced by another the very next morning. While the turnover typically isn't /that/ fast, the window where a rumor has influence and can affect reality can be small. In the end, it all comes down to the story. A good story can keep going for a long time.
While a rumor can live and die quickly, the effects can be somewhat longer lasting. In the end, it comes down to what the rumor initially said and what effects were created. Particularly egregious violations of reality tend to disappear outright as reality reasserts itself once the story's gone cold and uninteresting. For example, ancient and out-of-place Mayan ruins in Sumaru cease to exist once the rumor about them is no longer of any interest. However, the effects of more plausible stories just might continue indefinitely. The rumor that a particularly handsome young man has a modeling career, for example, might stick around for a long time. Ultimately, though, it is all rather subjective.
For those who would spread a story, for their own gain or not, there are those in Sumaru City who keep their fingers on the pulse of the stories spread by the cities' people. Called Rumormongers, they tend to know exactly who to talk to get the latest word, and also just who to talk to to get the ball rolling on a fresh rumor. In particular, the Sumaru branch of the Kuzunoha Detective Agency is adept at spreading rumors... for a fee.
Rumors on the MUSH
A rumor is spread by submitting a +request (+HELP +REQUEST). It should include the rumor that the character is trying to spread, the outcome they're hoping for, and the people or medium they're spreading it through (it could be as simple as 'my classmates' or as complicated as 'getting the rumor to go viral on the internet').
ICly, spreading a rumor is all about having the right story and getting the right people to spread it. But what about in an OOC sense? There are a few that things should be taken into OOC consideration when spreading a rumor.
First of all, would the rumor be of interest to the media or the average person on the street? Consider the type of gossip that spread in real life and even urban legends. People tend to find stories with a sensationalistic edge more interesting than something more mundane. They also tend to like stories that purport to detail some shameful secret about people or groups.
Secondly, are there multiple ways in which the rumor can be understood? Some rumors can be taken in a variety of different ways, which means that they can more easily alter in the telling.
Thirdly, is the rumor a part of a player-run plot? If it's relating to a plot run by another player, you will want to get in touch with them first to make sure that what you're trying to do works out for them. If it's your own plot and you are looking for a particular outcome, then you will want to make specific note of this in your +request.
Finally, if a rumor will directly affect another character, make sure they are aware of your intentions before you submit your rumor. Rumors are consent-based.
It should be reiterated that a rumor may change in the telling, and will not always have exactly the results the character was aiming for.
