Friends At The Table

At the heart of many capital ships, there is a great flow of heat and energy. Yet the core of of the Restitution of All Things is the coolest place on the vessel: the Center Centra Diplomatic Retreat, a snow covered nature preserve, with lake and lodge and firepit. And right now, inside of the old wooden building aside the icy water, Our Profit, Final Hegemon of Earth, is making her case: the Twilight Mirage itself is more than celestial cloud cover, more than a mist that bends time and hides space: it is fuel and it is medium, and if used in just such a way, it could open the door to a new way of living for everyone in the galaxy. But one pair of ears that was scheduled to hear it--those of Fourteen Fifteen, her recently assigned bodyguard--is absent entirely. Instead, they and their would-be rescuer, Grand Magnificent, have knocked on the door to a warehouse. And whether they go inside or not, they will soon face two truths:Dormancy is action and all that is joined will one day break. This time on Twilight

For the hundreds of days after the Miracle of the Mirage, the sky above the planet Moonlock was filled only with dust and color. While the occasional landed by and the odd satellite or station came briefly into view, the world was not--like many others in the system--a harbor for fleets or a rest stop for caravans. Perhaps, those on Moonlock thought, it was the planet's frightening proximity to Volition. Or maybe it was the tension of relationships on the surface, an awkward arrangement of Qui Err communities, NEH colonists, and of course, the militant "Particulars" who prowled the wastes looking for erratic phenomena to capture or destroy. It was not a particularly friendly world, Moonlock. So why should its skies be? But today, thousands of ships hang in orbit above the planet's capital city, the Sky Reflected In Mirrors. It is the Argosy, Spliced, flotilla of the NEH and the Church of the Self. And at the center of the fleet, is the Restitution of All Things, flagship of Our Profit, and current home to Fou

CW: This episode contains death and gun violence On one end of the Quire system, eminating from The Restiution of All Things, is the Profit's Star, an overawing beam of scalding light aimed at the distant eye of Crystal Palace, machine sage. But here, inside of the Mirage, the light shines on a free-floating, living sea. Driven by reckless commitment to success, Gig Kephart throws himself into overwhelming odds to achieve his mission and save that creature. Meanwhile, Even Gardner--consumed by a righteous bloodlust--pursues a desperate strategy that could turn the tables on their pursuers. And there at the middle of it all, enveloped by the light of Profit's Star, are a pair of siblings: Echo and Ballad Reverie, as they hurtle towards an inescapable clash of wills and hearts. This week on Twilight Mirage: The Siege of the Lineage Brighton Pt. 3 Signal coming in and out Hope you're doing well bruh Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Sylvi Clare (@captaintrash), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry

On paper, the Notion's mission to protect the Wandering Sea from the cruel talons of Advent is going well: They've secured the massive, mysterious cube that contains what they need to free the sea. They've reunited, having secured Echo Reverie from the dock at the city of Perigiean. Gig Kephart has recovered from a major injury more ready than ever to jump into danger. And they're heading into space, where pilot Even Gardner is most in his demesne. And yet there is something off about today. The mystery of a closed box, maybe. Or perhaps it is Even's devotion to the larger mission at hand. And then there's Gig's fervant desire to dive into the fray--he who was once a filmmaker now throwing himself into conflict like a mercenary. And certainly, laying under all of these things, there is Echo's lingering knowledge that family ties can not be left behind at the dinner table--and the nagging feeling that some connections may last even longer still... This week on Twilight Mirage: The Siege of the Lineage Brighton

In the year that followed the Miracle, the Brighton Lineage leveraged their skill as diplomats (and their resort-quality holdings) to gain favor with factions throughout the Mirage. So succesful were they that they became the de jure rulers of the Rogue Wave, supported not by a fleet of their own, but through a collection of treaties to the military powers of the Quire system. But with the arrival of Our Profit, the creation of Parhelia, and the revelation of the Rapid Evening, the system has been thrown into disaray, and the Brightons have been left without their external support. Smelling blood in the water--and spurred on by the relic-hunters of Advent--the Herringbone Flotilla, former leaders of the Rogue Wave, have finally struck. It is the first extended battle of the Post-Miracle Mirage, a war without guns, yet filled with bloodshed. Over the last month, Even Gardner, Echo Reverie, and Gig Kephart have helped the Brightons in keeping civilians safe from harm. They've also uncovered the real reason for

CW: This episode contains discussion of suicidal ideation. A single family remembers the Divine Pleroma, now. Neither Phive Amala nor her daughter, Aete, lived when Pleroma, a being of wholeness and breadth, still blessed the fleet with their wisdom and perspective. But every evening, just before bed, Phive Amala and her daughter, Aete, work through Pleroma's volume of the Assemblage two lines at a time. Not simply a habit, yet not quite a prayer. Still, the forces at work in the Miracle must have heard them read. Because from a scrap of the body of the being, a Basilica formed. A palace of faith and of knowledge. And now, inside of that place, Signet and Tender Sky must confront an old, difficult truth before continuing on to the Vault of Anticipation... where they will at last confront a new one. This week on Twilight Mirage: The Vault of Anticipation Pt. 2 This thing won't last unless we're both lyin' (both lyin') Fake flowers, no water needed Real life drowned by the weekend     Hosted by Austin Walk

The deserts of Altar are dotted with tombs, and each takes a shape all its own. Some are cathedrals, others monuments. One, a hanging garden. But in the base of a crater atop a volcanic peak, there is a Vault. And inside, is Anticipation... or what is left of Her. After months of study and research, an effort led by the Waking Cadent and Shoghig Salon's Temple of the Lost has learned how to open the outer door of the vault. Now, Tender Sky and the excerpt Signet have been offered the chance to open the second gate. But first, they must demonstrate that they remember the rule: No shortcuts. This week on Twilight Mirage: The Vault of Anticipation Pt. 1 Transition lightning (ascending) Ashes and remnants of ballers   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) and Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here

It is one day after the Second Miracle and the arrival of Our Profit, the so-called final hegemon of the New Earth Hegemony. Lit by the massive, false star projected by the Restitution of All Things, Our Profit's flagship, the Twilight Mirage hangs, shocked and quiet. But not for everyone. Resting and recovering in the apparent safety of the World Without End, a sudden wave of energy passes over the members of the Notion, sparked by a corrupted transmission from the all-seeing supercomputer, Crystal Palace. In their visions, the crew witness future conflicts, opportunities, victories, and betrayals. But not all revelations come in visions. This time on Twilight Mirage: Downtime on Skein We’ll let you guys prophesy We gon' see the future first Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@captaintrash), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000

Despite the faux-mornings and would-be-nights, the sun never rises or sets over the Quire system. Yet today, in the moments between light and darkness, the air hangs too quiet, the way it only does at dawn and dusk. As Fourteen Fifteen guards the scientist and artist Wind's Poem in a well-barricaded hotel room, Tender Sky goes to convince her ex, Open Metal, not to kill the Notion's Ward. Meanwhile, miles and miles away, Morning's Observation and Grand Magnificent search for answers in the floating allocology of the Church of the Self. Dark Day is here. But will it arrive, or be finally diverted? This week on Friends at the Table: Our Flaws in a Vacuum, or the Promise We Made To Each Other Click-clicking my heels wishing away the day Wish it could have been Tuesday, just not today   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcript

As the axiom Ache strikes from above, the Notion joins Acre-7 in trying to end the conflict so Quire can perform a second miracle. Gig Kephart, desperate for some additional help, makes a decision that results in painful consequences. Echo Reverie makes a move, at last, on a dangerous foe, and the planet Quire leaves its mark on them, while Signet is caught between her past and present loyalties. And, in the heart of the Wound, Even Gardner witnesses something remarkable take shape. This week on Twilight Mirage: The Second Miracle You kneel down to the dry land Kiss the Earth that birthed you Gave you tools just to stay alive And make it up when the sun is ruined Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@captaintrash), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Music by Jack de Quidt Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of

With the prophesied "Dark Day" less than 24 hours away, the Notion continue their plan to intercede and stop the murder of Wind's Poem, one of the event's potential catalysts. Grand Magnificent and Fourteen Fifteen look for loopholes (legal and otherwise) that will give them access to the Compel Project blueprint. And while Tender Sky tries to convince their mark to come under the group's protection, Morning's Observation senses a threat to his boring life of simple Tuesdays. This week on Twilight Mirage: Open As Possible Forgot to tell you, gotta tell you how much I vibe with you   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you

Across the threshold into the Vale's deepest fog, The Notion is finally sets their sights on their target, Acre-7, as well as the axiom Ache, who brings with it visions of their deepest regrets. As Ache tears through the earth in the distance, the group travels with two uneasy companions, Saint Wynter and Advent agent Gigas, towards Acre-7 to get answers and offer support before focusing on the combat around them. Even Gardner does his best to keep the peace with Wynter and Gigas, and Gig Kephart (despite his initial indignation) ends up helping more than hindering. Echo Reverie tries to find a loophole to protect the group without upsetting an already distressed Quire, and Signet turns to her vast archives to help solve her own corner of the crisis. This week on Twilight Mirage: A Very Old Mistake So many pages I wrote, wish I could revise them     Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@captaintrash), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Le

Determined to prevent two murders predicted by Crystal Palace, the Notion heads to one of Skein's allocologies, a floating, all-in-one corporate campus. Their plan? Infiltrate the lab of Wind's Poem, one of the potential victims, by pretending to be the inventors of a solid-milk-based art startup. While Tender and Poem talk about passion projects, Fourteen Fifteen and Grand Magnificent try to locate the blueprint to a terrible weapon. This week on Twilight Mirage: Bona Fide, Good Faith Now I'm in the lab, always working late Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organized paid transcription project. If you'd like to join, you can get more information at https://twitter.com/transcript

After careful planning, the Notion covertly breaches the outer perimeter of the Vale, bypassing the dronefield of Saint Wynter... only to have a bumbling team of Advent Group agents set the alarm off. After retreating, the group find its bearings and begins to moves through the overgrown city, a strange echo of an alternate Quire. The group meets a stranger in need, but before he can be fully aided, Saint Wynter comes into sight, looking to stop the intruders. Echo Reverie leads the group deeper into the Vale (and away from her approach), while Gig Kep-hart and Even Gardner aim to distract and confront the oncoming threat. Signet, as is her way, searches for an alternate solution. This week on Twilight Mirage: This Place Pushes Back And I don't like to fight 'til I'm fighting Revenge in the air make my lungs sick   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@captaintrash), Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali

As half of the Notion explores the jungle valleys of Skein, the others descend to Terncage, the planet’s largest metropolis. A pair of old allies tells the group that a mysterious calamity called “Dark Day” is nearing, and that the Rapid Evening’s oracular Crystal Palace has predicted that it will follow a pair of strange murders. The predicted victims are Wind’s Poem--the artist and researcher responsible for Tender’s ReFrame system--and Profit’s Cadence--the new leader of the Church of the Self, which is rapidly spreading through the New Earth Hegemony. Complicating things further, both are killed by a prototype gun that threatens the peace that Quire established during the Miracle. Tender Sky leads the crew into a meeting with an old contact who knows a thing or two about weapons. Grand Magnificent bumps into a rival from his time on in the space trucking lanes. And Fourteen Fifteen frets as they consider the consequences of meddling with the future. This week on Twilight Mirage: Uncontrolled Fires   It fo

Deep in the jungles and mountains of the planet of Skein, far from the NEH metropolises, scientists from across cultures have come together to form Ternion Research. Their chief object of study is the Wound, a massive gash in the planet’s surface that comes to its deepest point in a place called the Vale, which may be home to the consciousness of the world-being Quire. The three subgroups of Ternion—defector explorers from the Ever Forward, creators from the former Crown university called the Garden, and the gene-modifying scientists of the Skein—maintain cool relations, though, and a recent disruption—in the form of Acre Seven—risks destabilizing not only Ternion, but also the Wound itself. Now, the Notion has been called in to retrieve their old ally before it is too late. Even confronts an old rival, Echo and Gig dig into the data for more information, and Signet reaches across time and space in search of clues. This week on Twilight Mirage: Every Time We Leave, It Changes Forest green Forest blues I'm rem

With their missions on Gift-3 behind them, the Notion is made to consider what went right, what went wrong, and what they can do to make sure things go better next time.Tender investigates the experimental NEH technology in her Angler unit. Even meets up with an old friend for a quiet dinner together, while Signet finds her own company to celebrate the anniversary of the Miracle with. Gig makes good on a promise to the kids of the Ark, while Fourteen Fifteen ensures that the group has secured recognized legal standing on the planet. In a flip of the old days, Echo tinkers with some tech while Grand Magnificent Works out. But most importantly, a surprising guest on the ship leaves everyone wondering one thing: Who, exactly, is the Waking Cadent? This week on Twilight Mirage: Downtime on Gift-3 I know that we sin but I do believe we try   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@captaintrash), Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel)

Deep within the endless Q-Glass storm of Gift-3, the Notion investigate and converse with the residents of the Axiomatic town of Polyphony. While Even Gardner trades ship tips with the smuggler Tannoy Kajj and Echo Reverie confronts their feelings about a supposedly perfect place, Signet speaks goes right to the source: Polyphony themself. The question is, if the inhabitants of this quaint town need no rescue, if there is no alibi for violence, what should the Notion do? This week on Twilight Mirage: The Pathways in the Woods So why see the world, when you got the beach? Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@captaintrash), and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) Episode description by Austin Walker Music by Jack de Quidt A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organi

Deep in the scrapyards of Gift-3, a bubbling ocean of glass is battered by an massive, endless lightning storm. And beyond the sheets of rain, lies Barricade, the axiom that Notion members Signet, Echo, and Even must deal with on order of Kitcha Kanna, their dubious taskmaster and the Chief Expeditionary of Advent's technology division in the Mirage. They prepare their minds, ready their Anglers, and take flight... But when they pierce the storm, will they find a fight or something more? This week on Twilight Mirage: The Center of the Storm Sparks of lightning storm behind wet faces   Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Janine Hawkins (@bleatingheart) Sylvi Clare (@captaintrash), and Andrew Lee Swan (@swandre3000) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) Episode description by Austin Walker Music by Jack de Quidt A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by

Aboard the floating airship of Big Garage, the Notion come face to face with an old ally, the award winning bounty hunter Waltz Tango (Cache). As Fourteen Fifteen scraps with Waltz and Grand Magnificent squares off against a monsterous foe, Tender, Gig, and Yam attempt to secure a pathway forward for the crew. Unfortunately, these are not the only obstacles between them and the perpetual motion engine they need to power the Ark's shields. This week on Twilight Mirage: Look the Other Way You are from my past life Hope you're doing well bruh  Hosted by Austin Walker (@austin_walker) Featuring Ali Acampora (@ali_west), Art Martinez-Tebbel (@atebbel), Jack de Quidt (@notquitereal), and Keith J Carberry (@keithjcarberry) Produced by Ali Acampora (@ali_west) Cover Art by Craig Sheldon (@shoddyrobot) Episode description by Austin Walker Music by Jack de Quidt A transcription is available for this episode here.A full list of completed transcriptions is available here. Our transcriptions are provided by a fan-organ