If you do your research on hot springs all over the world they're usually places of peace. People even in warring nations and so forth they'll go and live in peace together around the hot springs which were always considered medicinal. I firmly believe in water therapy.
Crucial to understanding federalism in modern day America is the concept of mobility or 'the ability to vote with your feet.' If you don't support the death penalty and citizens packing a pistol - don't come to Texas. If you don't like medicinal marijuana and gay marriage don't move to California.
In the first book of my Discworld series published more than 26 years ago I introduced Death as a character there was nothing particularly new about this - death has featured in art and literature since medieval times and for centuries we have had a fascination with the Grim Reaper.