The End?

The broadcasts cut in and out, as the Academy's jamming systems interfere with the Echo Chamber's powerful off-Spindle transmissions.

I see we’ve got a bit̴ ̡of͡ ͡èxtr̸a n҉e͘w͟s͠ ́h̛ere, c̢o͝ur̨t̨e͢sy of ҉our͟ favourite publication, “Just the Facts”… Looks like Pure Inspiration is running some sort of competition for themed Vignette alterations, with the winner getting showcased in the Exhibition Hall. Pah! – I͏ ͘bet̀ ̡t̶he̸y’ll on̴l͏ỳ h͘a͢v͝e ̕it̨ up̕ fo͝r̕ ̧a ̢d͞a͡y͝ be͠f̴o͘re͏ t͠hey ̴kic͘k ̧i͠t o͞ut̨ ̶ag͘ain̸.̷ ͟A͞n̕d͞ her͝e̛’͏s t̢h͜e best ̀p̧a͠r͝t́:͘ t҉h҉̨e ̵̡j̶̡u̢͡d̛͢g̨e̡s̴̛ ͘͠͏are̵͡ ̢͜n̢͝o͏ǹ͡e͟ ̡o͏̶t́͢h͘͜e̕͜͞r̷͘ ̛t͘ha҉̕n̨̛҉ H̶e͡a҉͝d͝ C̕ur͢a͠t́͡o͞r̵҉ ̸V͡ei̴̴͠lmóǹ̸t͏e͡ ́͞͠a͘͜n҉̧͏d ̧t̛ḩ̕a̛͢t͘ ̴̴s̶ţ̷͡uć͠͝k̡͏͘-̵̨ù͢p̡ P͡a͢tri̸ci̷a̴ d̶’Arte he̶r҉sèlf̢.̡ Co̧ul̷dǹ’t t̴he͡y at least try to look like they’re playing fair? Don’t let the theme of “collaboration” fool you – this is just another attempt to force control over our right to creative FREEDOM!

Interviewer: Today at the Echo Chamber, we have a special guest. T͘his i͘s a Mu̷sę famed f̡o̡r ͞h͢is elusiveness and neutrality, who in the p̛as̛t̛ t͝wo d͝e̷ça͜d͡e͏s̛ h͝as͏ ̴͘s̴̕ùc̷͜çeş͠s̶̨͡f̡͟ừ͞l̸҉l̸̶y͜͞ a̶̧v͞o͢i͜͝d͏́e̶̛͝d ̷̷bòt̷͘h̸̛͢ ̡th̶e͏̶ ̶͝ţ͜͢é̴͠nd̷͜r̕͝i҉̸͘l̶͢s̴ o̢f̷ ͘t͟hȩ A͏o҉T̕ ͝án̡d th͢e͢ ͡c̸on̨t́ac̡t a̡t͟tem̢pt̢s of̢ the FIF… until now. I don’t think I’m the only one intrigued. What changed your mind?

Guest: Rather than using the usual interview format, why don’t we “trade”? It’s always more fun this way: tell me what you think, and I͢ ͜wi̵ll̶ ̷giv̴e̴ yòu͝ ҉my͟ ͘t͝ḩoưg̵h̷ţs̀.

I: I̴ ͡d̀on̷’̡t͜ ̢kno̕w̕. ̷M͟áyb͢e͜ ̵y͠o͜u̸ believe that the balance of power has shifted and now’s the time to join a side? Perhaps you have something to say about the Great Fade, and you need a platform?

G: Close speculations. Power… is an interesting thing. Contra̵r̢y t̵̀o͟ ͠w̵̢̡ḩ͢ąt̀͟ ̵m̶̛a̡̡n̴y̶͢͠ m̢a̷͢͡y͘͞ t̷̡̛h̶́҉́̕i̧͢͠͡͝ǹ̢͏͏͠ḱ̴̕,̶̡̕ ̧̨p̸̷o҉̵w̷̷̨͟͠e̢̢͠͞ŗ́͢͜͡ ̴̕ì̷͢͜s͟҉̸̨͘ ̧̕͞҉n̸̸̡͟ǫ̨͜t҉́ ̴̢͢҉a̴̵̛͘͟ ̨̨͘͡m͏̶̨̀͝e͠͝҉r̴͘͝͝͠e̸͘ ̶͞s҉̛͏h͟͜a҉̡d̡̛́͞ớw̸͏,̶̛͜ ͜͜͠a̧̕͢͠ ҉̸̨m҉̢́͠a̶͢͞͞͞k̵̶̕͞e͏̴̡̕-̧͝b̵̸e̶l̷̶̀͟i̧̨͘͠é̸͜f̸̀͢, b̧ut̷ ͜v͏͡e̶r͟͡y̴̴͏ ̛re̴̸al̢͘͢.̡̢ ̴̕I̕҉͡ ̧h͘͡àvę͝͝ ̧͢m̧̀͢ý ̵̢ow̡n̨͘͜ h̴̕͞ỳp̵ò̧th̴͠e͜͜͡s̢͡eş̕͘ re͠g͘ardiǹg̷ Fadin͞g̡ and ̀wo͡ùl̵d indeed like to share them with our audience. But first, have you ever considered this, dear host, what is it that makes Muses Muses?

I: Key to being a Muse… free̛dom͝?

G: S͢ome ̴senses, yes. Freedom is a form of power – a most ba͡s̕ic͏ ̵f͜or̴m.̡ M̀y ͝cla͠i̕m i͠s t̵̛̀ḩa̸͟t̢͞ ̀͢p̕ow̨͟͝e͠r ís̨͝ t͟͡͞h̶e͜͢ B͘͜͢e̡͢i̴ńg̨̕ ̕͡òf͘ Mu͞se̸͟s.̴̕ ̶͠Ṕ͢oẁé̶͞r͘͞ ̸̵̢i̛s̴̕ ͞n̕e͏ver̀̀͝ ̕àn̕͟͞ i͜n̶͜d͡e̷͜p̨̀e̷̸n͏d͏͘en͢t̢ c͢on͢c̢ep̛t,҉ bu͢t one̸ r̸ela̶tiv̕e͘ ̕t͘o͝ something else – power o̡ver̶ something. Freedom, is the power over oneself. By having power as part of our Being, we are by nature relational. We as Muses are defined by our power over things – ourselves, o͝t͟he͘r͞s҉, fu̡nda͝mènta͡ll͞y͏,̷ ͜n̢arŕąti̕v͡es. In ̡Vigņȩt͜t̸es͠,̕ our most natural expression of Being change the course of stories, change the fate of Impressions; in Dreamscape, our most natural expression of Being chart the course of history, change the fate̵ ͘o͞f ҉e͟a͞cḩ o̡the̸r͏.͢ Thi̸s̸ is͘ w͜h͝a͡t ̡w̶ȩ ar͝e.̶

I: To ̵b̡e ho͏n͝e̛s̴͘͡t̵, ͏I̴͟'m̡͘͜ ̨n̴o͡͞t ̧́q̷̀uį͏t̢͠͡e̵̡ ̸̸fo͞҉̶l̕l̷̶͞o͏͜͝w̶̢i҉ǹ́g̶͘.̶ ̨͢W̕h͟a҉͢͠t̴͘ ̵̶͟d̵̕͢ǫ̷̶e̵s ̡͞t̢̀h̀i̕ś͝ ҉h̶̨͠a҉̛v͝͏́e to̵ d̷o͞ ͏w͜i͠th F̛ad͞i͠ng?͜

G: Eǹta͡ìlm̸ent͘, ̶th̕a̛t's what I'm getting at. To Fade, is to lose the Being of a Muse – to lose one’s power, freedom.

I: Right… so the Great Fade is caused… n̡o͝, i͢s͠ t̨he sympto҉m ͝o̴f́ ̕M̶us̸es͟'̕ l͡os͜i̵ng pow͟e̡r͘ and̨ ̀fr̶e̛ed̛o̷m̀? S͡ǫ̀҉me̴̡ ҉͟͡of͟ ̧͝t͘he̛͏̸ ̀F҉̡͝I̧͜͏F̕ ̶̧h̢͠a͢vé҉ ̷̢ḩ͠e͜l̨̀d̨ ̀̕ţ͟hé ̨͢͡be͟l̶i̵͘ȩ̸͜f̢ ̵́́th̢̧͞a̵̢t̢̀͏ ҉̷t̢ḩ̶͜e͠ ̶̵͢c̵̨̧u̕͡r̨͜r̸en̴͏̀t ͠d̸i̢̕s͜a͢st̛ę͞r̴ i̵s ҉r͡esųlt͜a̴n̶t̷ ͟of̵ the̕ ̕s̴ t̨a̵̕͞g̕͝na͜t̷ì̡͡o͡͡n͝҉̛ ̷҉̡c͜͞a̸u̢sed͞ ͡bỳ ͏t҉h͞e ҉͞ri̶g̶͏i̸͏͜d̴ ̧c͟͜o̷̷n̵tr̢o̷̕͡l̶̀ o̶̧f̛̛͟͜͠ ̴̸͜͜͡ţ̵h̛ȩ̸ ̛͜͠͡Ą́͟o͠͏̷́C̀͝҉͢ ̨̨̢a̸͏̛͞n͏̧̢́͡d͏̧̡ ̷̷̶͡P̀͏͢I̕͢.҉̴͝ ̸̸̧́Ý͜o̵̧ù̢͟ ̡͡w̕͜͝͏͜ó̶̶̶u̢͘l͏̸d̛́̀͜͠ ̵a̢͠g͟͏̕͏r̴͜ę̸̶̡ę͠͝?͘

G: Ó̸̕ne̵̕ ̷̢̢m̧̧͜a͏y͜ ͜u̸͘͢s̶͘͟e̵̛͢ ͢ǫ̴̶n̵e̴’̛͟s҉̸ ̶̨͞n̷͡a̵҉rr̢̀a͏t͢i҉v́ę p̕ơwe͢r̷ ̶o͡n o̶ne͟śęĺf ҉in̶ ̵the̵ ́f̶ór͏m o̸f̢ beliefs. Beliefs are dangerous, for what we prophecise, most often comes true. If one start to believe that one lacks freedom, lacks power, is being oppressed by others… it will become true. Your attempts in the past ͜h̕ave͏ b҉een͝ ad̢mir͘a̕b͡le̸, ̕t̷o͠ an ̴e͏x͘tent. But the first step to freedom is not hoping or striving towards it. It is to be free. For you already are, so long as you exist.

I: Inspiring and fas̢c̕in̕at̛ing ̛in͡s̶i̸ǵht͠s̴.̀ Thánk ̡you very much for joining us today. Everyone, Reminiscer.

“Now let me tell all yo͠u̡ cơo͝l̢ ̵c͝at̕s͜ ͜a҉bo͝ùt͞ a ̛m͡e̶ssag̀e ̛f̷r̡o̴m͘ my̶ m̸a͘in Muse, Cypher:

I can carry a tune, but I move silently through the air. If you just listen you can c̢o̡uńt on̛ ͡m҉e ̡t̵o sh͞o҉w y͟ơu ͜t̷h͡e ͡Tr̨uth̵.

C͘r͝a̴͟z͢͞y̢͠,͢ ͝e͏͞h̛͢?”

“Now we’ve got a listener on the line. Hey honey, whats your name?”

“Oh my gosh, Hey Radio Dream, I just wanted to say I’m your biggest fan! M̧ỳ ̕c̛odéna̸me ͢i͝s͞ ҉R͟i̶o͘t,̴ ͢a͞nd̴ I̷ ̢ju͠st̕ w̵̛̛͝a̷͝n̵̛͝͝t̵̴e̷d̷̢͘͟ ̷t͢͏̕o͏̶͜͡ ̷̧͘҉g̢͘̕͟͠i̴͘v̧͡é̶̛̛ ̴̛̀̕͟a҉̧̡́ ͘͝s̶̴̀҉̧h͏҉o͝͞u͟͞t̶͞ ̧̀҉o̧͟͏̶u̡t̵̢͝ ̶̵̨͏t̸̶̵̡̀o̴̧ ̢͠t̡̛̕h͏̸̀͡e̴͜͢ ̵̨̕M̸̸̵ų́͟͝s҉̴̨̢e̵̢̛s̵ w̵h͢o̡ w҉recke͜d̕ u̷p Th̴e E̶xh̕ib̴i͜tion H̡a̕l̡l: f̡i̡g͠h͞t̀ ̕th̷e͡ ͟Mac̶h͜ine! ̧B̢uţ for real, why should some PI jerk get to decide what is art?”

“Thank's for calling, Riot. Right on. Right on.”

“Now there's this cool Vignette about to open up. Jo’s idea for a r͜o̴le ̧play̷in̕g̡ ̛ga̷me̵ t͏ơ ̛p̢lay͢ with͜ th͟eir f̵ien̷d͘s̡. ̀N͜ow͞ ́i̴t̨s real rad ̡be̷c̶a͘use̵ unl͡ik̨e̴ ͟m͠o͏st óf wh̷at ̕Jo ͞w͡r̢it͜es t͡his͠ has͢ ͟ą ŕéąl cooperative story telling vibe, you hear? Characters telling their o͏w͝n͟ s̸tơri̕es̨,̡ g̵r̵e͡e̛d͏y͡ ́murders ge͟tt͏i̷n̨g͏͘͢ ̨̨͘w̛ḩ̴͠a̧t҉͜s̀͢ ͝c̸͜o͝m͏͏͘i̢̕ng̕҉ ̢t̛̀ó ̴̕͜th̵̢eḿ҉, ̶͢c̶̴a̵҉m̕arąd̛e͜͡r̸̷í̢e̕͡.̛͘ ̧Ǵ͟o͏̸͢t͏ ͘i̢t̨͝ a̡҉l̕͡l̛͢.̕͢͜

N̛ò̢͢w̕͢ ̴̡̀t̵̴̀h̸͠͡e̛̕͘͘͜ ̷̷͜M̵̀̕͜a̡̢g͢͠҉̷́n̵͢҉ų̵m̸͢͝͠ ͝͠O̸̵҉p͜͏͢u̷̵̴̧҉s̷̷̢̨͡ ̢͟i̡͞͞ś̨̡̕͟ ̶̶͡҉c̵̛̛͏͜ơ̕͝m̨̡í̷͘͡҉n̶͏g̴̢͠ ̧́͘͢͝u͏҉p̶̸̀͜͝ ̧̕͡͡͡ą̕͏n̶͞d̵̵͜͢ ̵̧w̧͡e̶̡̕͟ ̷́̕͞a͜҉͟ĺ̡҉̵l̸̵͜͏͢ ̨̕͟͟͜k̵̵̛ń͠o̶w t̛h́҉̶a̧̛͝t̴͟ ̢҉i̷̛s ̵̧͘g̵o̷̸i͘n͟g͏ ͏t͜͠͡o͘͝ ͢͏̸s̢͠h̕a̧͟͢p͠e ̧͘J̢̧͡o̸̕͞'̸̛s̴ ̨͢͞m҉i҉ǹ̵͘d̸ ̀͝fơ̡͜r ̀ý̶̧e͞ar͜s ͢t͜͠o̷ ͡͏c͏͟͏o͏me͏, ͝a҉nḑ ҉a ͘l̕o͟t҉ ̴y̡ous ̧u̷s ąre t͟h͞ínkíng th̸at ̡its͘ ͠for҉ ̶t҉he b̢es͟t̶ if a story like this is at the front of Jo’s mind. The first chapter will be opening up in a few days time and I strongly enc̢o̡ur̸age a̕ll o̵f̡ yo͟u ̧whơ want a fairer, freer Dream to go and make this a success.”

Hey there righteous freedom fighting types! A͝re ͜you g͟ǫo̴͝d̡̛ ̢̛͘w͡í̡t̛͞͝h ͘͟c̀͜o̧͠͝ń̛ce̕̕p͢͏tua͞lly wrang͟l̢i̴n͞g ̕a b͡east?

How about plundering ruins and spelunking in distant caves - well have I got a job for you!

Pay pending in̸͜ ̴͠ŗ͠a̷̡r̡̧̀ę ̶T҉r̷͜ǫ̛̕p͢e ̸͠C̶̶ards! (Subject to loot found).

If you're interested, you know where to meet me.

“Now some messages from our sponsors: the people.

This one’s anonymous: looking for w͘o͠rk͡?̵ ͠Ẁan̛t̸ t͢o͠ mak̢e a͠ ̵fe͞w͘ ͘T̵ro̢p͘ȩ ca̴r͠d̨s,̴ s͜t͡u͟c͡k ͏in ̨a̵ ̨r͞u̶t͝ ̡a͝n҉d̶ wan͟t ͝t̀o̧ ̨g̕è̸̢t̕͏ y͞o̴̧úŕ͜ C̢͟r̡e̶a͠͠͡t̢i̧̛v̢͟e̵͘ ͡J̡u͜͞҉ic͠ès̀͘҉ ̴̴͞f̷͡l͝o͝w͟͠i̡̢ǹg̕͢͡?͞ ́W͟͡è́’r̡͘e ̨i҉͟n̕ţ̵͜er͡v̢i̷̶͟ę̸͟w̛͢͏ìn̷̡g͠͠͝ ͏̶a͠͡t̸ ̴̷t̨̢h͘͜e B҉r̶̨a͢i̢n͞s҉tor͘m. ̴Co͜ol.

Next up That Shifty Guy wants y'all to know that if there's a Trope you want the Machine says you shouldn’t have, let him know: he’ll fix y͜o̵u ͘a d͢e͘al.̶

This one's from a long time listener: you know those mis̨s͘in͘g ͜M̴u̢s̀es,̶ m͜y ̢hear̛t͝ ҉goe͠s̡ o̸ùt to ̶ţh̢e miss̛in̶g̷ NFW͘S fol̴k͞ś,͜ b̵ut̨ ̢m͠ayb͏e͟ ̕its҉ ̢b͡e̷tte̢r̨ ̀if͞ the̢ ̷S҉u̕its a̧n̶d t͝h̶e S̷n̵͏͠obs̵̢̕ ͢d̴́ǫ̴n̢’t͏͞ c̸̵̛o̡̕͠me̶͢ ͜b͞a̶͞c̛͟k.̴ ̛̛́Dr̸ea͟m̨ ͠i̷̵s͜ ̴͜b̵̢͡e̢t͞te͟r o̸ff ́wi̶t͠hou̵t͘ ͠ţh̵em̛. I feel you there, my Muse, I feel you there.”