Sell-Out Syndicate

“This script has some real potential, but I'm just going to have to request a few teensy little modifications before we can accept. I get that the main character's all alone in space, but you're going to have to add a love interest if you want viewers to pay attention.”

Across the desk, Jo whimpers slightly as their hope and self-respect begin to evaporate.

“Also, all this philosophising about the nature of identity is going to alienate your audience. Just who do you think you're writing for here? Where are the aliens, the black holes, the brushes with death? Oh, and make sure one of her loved ones dies too. People are lapping that sort of thing up.”

One of Jo's more traumatic interviews.

Some Muses aspire to create something truly novel and sincerely felt, and leave their mark on the world, but for the Sell-Out Syndicate, creativity is a means to an end, and the highest artform is whichever one market analytics forecast will be most popular in the upcoming quarter. Some members focus on helping Jo achieve commercial success, while others analyse Jo's interests to optimise their own Juice or Trope production, but what all of them know is that when you find out what works, you milk it for all it's worth.

Many Sell-Outs are also involved in the trading of Tropes, leveraging their financial expertise to provide vital liquidity and stability to the Trope economy (and possibly getting filthy rich in the process).

Before Jo moved into academia, while they were still trying to find a job as a writer, the Syndicate's founding members were born of Jo's desperate desire to produce something publishable. They moved into a (now heavily Sculpted) version of the enormous but drab office complex where Jo briefly worked as an intern, setting up working groups to research trends among popular media. Although they never accomplished their goal and Jo's applications continued being rejected, the motivation to succeed at any cost to their artistic integrity remains a core part of the Syndicate's ethos.

The leader, Honcho, remains committed to improving the marketability of Jo's Vignettes in the world outside of Dream, but the same drive to success has led some Muses more towards pursuing wealth and power inside of Dream. As the main tradeable goods in Dream are Tropes, this usually takes the form of going out to Vignettes where the most valuable tropes are found, no matter how old, complete or obsolete, and mining as many as possible. Vast, factory-like production lines of questing knights, romantic escapades and other clichés play out in conveyor belt like fashion in the most well-trodden parts of the Dreamscape, though the Academy have managed to keep the greedy claws of the Syndicate out of Hub for the most part.

The emphasis on finding all the catchiest ideas has led the Syndicate into some trouble in the past, as putting too much emphasis on a few Tropes can lead to Memeification: a positive feedback loop dangerous to the integrity of Dream. All the Muses responsible were Censored, and measures have since been put in place so that even when looking for popular Tropes, none of them become too popular.

The start of Jo's Magnum Opus is causing considerable excitement, as it looks like there may finally be an opportunity for Jo to achieve actual success.

The Trope Exchange is the significant sub-organisation that deals with trading in Tropes. Much of that means providing a marketplace for Tropes to be swapped and traded based on any number of contractual contingencies, with wealthy Muses offering valuable cards to commission quests for bespoke Cards for their every need, obtained from new parts of the Dreamscape. But above all, they specialise in encouraging investments - or, as most Muses call them, bets - on the direction particular Vignettes will take on Vig-Net. Though the rewards are often relatively mundane, many Muses make a good living off savvy bets, and the Sell-Outs consider it a good way of keeping good Tropes in circulation.

• Honcho: The leader of the Syndicate ever since its formation. Honcho is mostly interested in ensuring Jo's work is marketable.
• Ursus: The frequently grumpy head of security at the Trope Exchange. Their team ensures that Muses make the payments they agreed, and investigates possible fraud and breaches of contracts.
• Taurus: Head of trading at the Trope Exchange, and always interested in making deals. Don't worry about his grin while you're doing business. That always happens.
• Bubble: Ever enthusiastic about Vig-Net, and always encouraging newcomers to the trading floor. So far, their Vignette speculation has been spot on, and a loyal crowd of followers is often seen following them around, trying to work out their secret.

Sell-Outs tend to wear formal, businesslike clothing, eschewing the expressive, artsy styles that many Muses prefer. Conspicuous signs of wealth are also popular, although short of sewing together a Trope-mail shirt, there's little clothing that would be genuinely expensive for a Muse to acquire.

That doesn't mean that they're completely divorced from individuality, though. Memeification has never truly left the Syndicate, and each Sell-Out has a particular favourite Trope Card that they like to take after in a small, subtle way.

• Are interested in the Trope card economy.
• Want to play a practical, grounded character.
• Want to play a power-hungry character.
• Enjoy selling your soul to corporate overlords.