What is Dark?

by
Mike Spera
In Wraith, there are two parts that make up the whole: the Psyche and the Shadow. As
everybody knows, Passions are the things that keep a wraith stable and unwilling to
move on. Most Passions are built on what most would agree to be a positive emotion
("Love" most of the time), or a strong emotion that would bind the wraith's interests to
the Shadowlands. (Curiosity, Regret, Guilt, Penitence, Joy, etc.)
When it comes to Dark Passions, that's where the line gets a little blurred, at least in my
mind. Dark Passions are built around emotions that most would consider unwholesome.
(Hate, Greed, Lust, Fear, etc.) Yet, when one really thinks about it, what defines "evil?"
Perhaps there is something that both the Psyche and the Shadow gleefully revel in. Can
some Dark Passions be considered "Light?" Can some Light Passions be considered
Dark? Let me give you some examples.
Let's say that Jason is shot down by thugs because of mistaken identity. Jason dies and
becomes a wraith, complete with Passions, a Shadow, and Dark Passions. Let's say, for
the sake of argument, that a Passion of his is avenging his death, which is a common
Passion as far as murdered wraiths go.
#1 - By avenging one's own death, one takes a step closer to Transcendence and
finishing up his loose ends on the other side. But avenging your own death (Anger)
would be a Dark Passion, wouldn't it? Or would it be a Light Passion, since the Psyche
is actively pursuing it? Is it a Light one that appears Dark, or a Dark one that appears
Light? Should Jason avenge his death, or be content with being murdered? The line
between Dark and Light is not so clearly drawn, or perhaps some wraiths indulge in
Dark Passions just as much as Light ones.
2 - Please don't laugh at this one, I'm trying to make a serious point. Let's say that Jason,
or his Shadow, has the Dark Passion "Spy on women" (Lust) 2. Being a ghost and
spying on women changing or in the shower is generally taboo, but is the peeping wraith
gains Pathos from his lust and curiosity, should be a Dark Passion? What if he's spying
on the woman he loves, and he sees nothing that he hasn't seen all ready. Then would it
be a regular Passion, or would it still be Dark? Lust is considered sinful, yet almost
everyone enjoys it. So is this Dark Passion really all that evil?
#3 - Jason didn't spend as much time with his father as he wanted to, and now wants to
atone for it by "Saying goodbye to dad" (Regret/Guilt) 4. Most wraiths are tied to the
Shadowlands because of regrets and things they feel they need to atone for. Yet,
pursuing a Passion based on a melancholy emotion would garner as much Angst as it
would Pathos. Jason is tying up his loose ends on the other side of the Shroud, but his
Shadow is reaping the rewards for the Psyche's misery. So is Jason's Regret or Guilt
Dark or Light?
#4 - Jason has become adept in a certain Arcanos, and wishes to establish himself in that
particular Guild. He has strong ambitions, and gains the trait "Become Guildmaster"
(Prestige) 2. On the other side of the coin, the same Passion could be seen as "Become
Guildmaster (Greed/Pride) 2. Is Jason's aspiration Prestige or Pride? Or Prestige
disguised as Pride, or Pride wearing a mask of Prestige? Or perhaps a bit of both at the
same time: respect, power, knowledge, a higher station. Perhaps Jason's Shadow is
urging the Psyche along the way, gaining in the Angst of Jason's greedier side. Or, for
those really devious Shadows, perhaps the Shadow is criticizing Jason, saying he'll never
be a Guildmaster, and thus driving Jason all that much more to prove his dark side
wrong, while the Shadow gains that much more power for itself.
The examples could go on for eternity, but I feel that I've made my point. Dark Passions
may not be so Dark from a certain perspective, and regular Passions may be viewed as
not so wholesome as well. When it comes to what is "Good" and "Evil," the line is
drawn differently by each individual. An excellent quote in Anthony Burgess' A
Clockwork Orange goes like this:
"It may not be nice to be good, little 6655321. It may be horrible to be good. And when I
say that to you I realize how self-contradictory that sounds. I know I shall have many
sleepless nights about this. What does God want? Does God want goodness or the
choice of goodness? Is a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some way better than a
man who has the good imposed on him? Deep and hard questions, little 6655321."
So until next time, have fun and be "good."