Free Idea Forum

The piece was discovered painted on the doors of the Pure Inspiration Clubhouse. It appears to be rendered in spray paint. A Muse lies pinned beneath a giant stamp held in the hand of a large, disproportionate figure in the attire of an Inquisitive of the Academy of Thought. The stamp is engraved with the word 'Censored'. On the Muse's hat is written the word 'Freedom'. Strings reach up from the Inquisitive, and appear to go through the crack in the door and into the Clubhouse.

The author is as yet unknown.

A case file in the archives of the Academy of Thought describing inflammatory artwork attributed to the Free Idea Forum.

The rebellious Muses of the Free Idea Forum are free spirits; artistic individualists who chafe at the restraints placed on their creativity by society. They believe that Censorship poses a greater danger to Muses than any idea, no matter how radical. The FIF struggles endlessly to liberate the hearts and minds of Muses everywhere, fighting for a Dream where everyone is free to create without fear of repression.

The Muses of the FIF believe Pure Inspiration represent a corrupt, self-congratulatory elite that use their influence to turn the Academy of Thought on any Muse whose ideas do not fit into their narrow definition of art. They believe that Pure Inspiration has engineered an unfair system in which only the ideas they are most talented in generating are permitted, letting them live in comfort without fear of Fading. Muses with other talents meanwhile either waste away - forced to craft ideas they don’t truly believe in - or risk being Censored by the Academy of Thought as they stray from the socially permissible version of creativity.

While the FIF are mostly peaceful in their rebellion, they are not above getting their hands dirty when it comes to removing what they consider to be the worst influences on Muse society. More than a few Muses from Pure Inspiration and the Academy of Thought have been found Censored into Fading by angry members of the FIF.

The FIF was formed in reaction to the increasing control on Muse Creativity following the Great Memeifications of Jo's teens. No one knows which Muse, or perhaps Muses, founded them. Not that it would matter. From the outset the FIF were anarchists, united by passion for a common cause rather than efficient organisation.

While the FIF represents an admittedly extreme minority in Muse society, its relationships with other factions are predominantly positive. The NFWS and FIF have long been associated: two organisations that believing in the free exploration of ideas, although the former are much less political. The FIF are often seen as heroes by those in Spindle unhappy with the elite, and as Muses brave enough to risk Censorship to take down a corrupt order. They often find sympathetic benefactors among Food for Thought, even if they might disagree on the extremity of the methods. The Jommunity is, as in all things other than Jo, split on the topic of the FIF.

Recently, many Muses of the FIF have come to believe that rigid control of new ideas is the cause of the current disaster. As more and more of Jo’s mind begins to grey, they have been increasingly extreme in their efforts to liberate the collective creativity before it’s too late.

• Radio Dream: This cool, collected Muse of the FIF secretly transmits groovy earworms and anti-Inspiration propaganda to Spindle on their talk-show Echo Chamber.
• The Reckoner: No one knows whether The Reckoner is one Muse or many: all that is known is that when the enemies of free thought go missing, this is the name whispered in fear.
• Cypher: A Muse famous for their cryptic pamphlets and abstract street art, Cypher seems to be a fervent supporter of free thought in Dream. At least we think so…
• Valentina: The only Muse openly known to have been a member of the FIF and survive Censorship. Valentina escaped repression by publicly renouncing the FIF.

Members of the Free Idea Forum tend to dress as '60s-'80s super spies or supervillains. They tend to favor the fashion of the period: tie-dye dresses, tuxedos, long coats and evening gowns. This said, some will wear more practical gear for conducting covert activities, donning tight-fitting clothing such as cat suits. Turtlenecks are particularly popular.

Members of the Free Idea Forum either go by a code-name or live in hiding.

Effectively, all members of the FIF wear something to obscure their identity, with a strong preference for either masks that cover their eyes, or bandanas or kerchiefs over their mouths. This does not need to be physrepped, and it should be assumed unless otherwise specified that any member of the FIF's identity is somehow obfuscated in session.

• Are interested in PvP by antagonising the artistic bourgeoisie and getting into fights with the Academy of Thought, encouraging revolution against an oppressive majority no matter what the concequences.
• Want to get involved in the trading of illicit and restricted Trope Cards.
• Like to play the underdog, struggling against a force that is bigger and more powerful than you that you can never hope to tackle head on, and will crush you if it ever finds you.