Consensus is an immense clockwork creature and god that resides in the lower levels of the Darklands deep beneath Khapesh, particularly concentrated under the city of Peremoun. An amorphous, shifting mass of clockwork mechanisms that runs for miles in the dark cave systems, Consensus' motivations, goals, and nature are inscrutable to mortals. Very few know of its existence, or that the mysterious, dangerous clockwork automatons that have long appeared in Khapesh are actually semi-autonomous parts of Consensus of which it has lost control. Consensus continues to grow and morph in its underground abode, working towards unknown aims.
Description
Consensus has no fixed form. Its clockwork mechanisms are capable of rearranging and reforming themselves into new configurations as needed, and the entire entity is able to move by flowing almost like a liquid. When it encounters an obstacle, it forms part of itself into a tool to remove the issue. Consensus grows and expands to fit the space it has, stretching for miles in the cave systems of the Darklands. It often seems to form itself into a labyrinth, becoming walls, chambers, and corridors that its more autonomous aspects can occupy and pass through. No matter its local shape, Consensus is ever-changing.
When it finds some reason to do so, Consensus can form parts of itself into autonomous clockwork constructs that it then sends away from its larger self. These usually take humanoid or animal-like forms, but this can change if it requires them for a specialized purpose. It is not uncommon for Consensus' drones to have means of defending themselves, as its contact with the outside world has taught Consensus this is often necessary. These drones are psychically connected to the rest of Consensus, no less part of the whole even when physically distant. On occasion, however, this psychic connection can falter or be broken entirely. When this happens, the clockwork drones continue their base missions to the best of their abilities as they wait to rejoin the Consensus. The automatons that sometimes find their way to the surface in Khapesh are actually drones with which Consensus has lost contact.
Consensus is a powerful psychic entity, though it rarely reaches outside itself in this manner. Those that worship Consensus often find themselves touched by visions as they sleep, nightmares to some and dreams to others. Its only means of communication is via its psychic abilities. Very rarely, almost entirely directed towards those that intentionally enter the main halls of Consensus, it psychically "speaks". Even then, its messages are often indecipherable. Some of Consensus' followers believe it does not realize its method of communication is not universal.
To everyone besides itself, the nature of Consensus' existence can be difficult to fathom. Among its followers, it is generally believed that it divides the world into two categories: itself, and not itself. Other living beings do not register as distinct to Consensus, but rather as infinitesimal parts of the unordered, chaotic flow of everything outside itself.
Consensus is always learning. When it encounters something new, its immediate reaction is nearly always to investigate to determine what it has found and how the previously unknown object functions. To Consensus, anything and everything is worthy of this response, whether inanimate object or living creature. After venturing into the main body of Consensus, one group of adventurers hired by a Peremounite workshop centuries ago found themselves literally pulled apart as the clockworks disassembled them organ by organ, bone by bone - it is believed this was done in order to determine how they worked. The drones usually do not perform this behavior themselves, though they sometimes bring objects back to the large mass of Consensus to be studied there.
Consensus' origins are unknown. Some believe it was created for a purpose, while others claim it self-assembled. Regardless of its original genesis, it has certainly morphed far from that.
Followers
Very few people are aware of Consensus' existence. Those that do are almost entirely associated with the workshops of Peremoun. A small handful of inventors have taken to worshiping the clockwork god, in hopes of receiving some kind of divine inspiration or guidance through the dreams Consensus can induce. Those that pray to the god receive cryptic, often nonsensical dreams, frequently featuring vast scenes of clockwork contraptions.
It is unclear if Consensus is aware it has followers, or even if it an understanding of what it means to be worshiped, if it has any interest in it at all. Though it grants divine spells to its followers and bestows visions upon them, it seemingly has no interest outside of itself and never communicates with its devotees in any clear manner.
Consensus' followers have broadly agreed to keep their knowledge of it secret, lest others attempt to interfere with its inscrutable activities.
Location of worship
Effectively all of Consensus' exceptionally few followers can be found in Peremoun.
Holy text
Consensus has no holy text.