Work Text
Eight friends gather around a table, each one a section of a clock to be filled in. This is a long term project, four and a half years in the making, and ending never. Even when they finish this thing they love, they will still be friends, and new friends they may never know will someday discover these words and sounds and worlds for themselves. Thus the table extends into the future as well as the past. A table is not a table. A table is a set of energy waves that happen for the moment to be in the shape of a table. When else is a table not a table? When it is a virtual space connected by several microphones in several time zones. When it is covered with maps full of blank spaces, and the blank spaces are eventually filled with strange and charming doodles. When the dice are cursed at the most inopportune times but everyone leans into that sweet, sweet, dramatic irony. A table is not a table when it is a home. one friend is the first to get back from break and takes the chance to talk about the origins of his character’s origin story, and then sings a little song thinking he is still alone.two friends pick up a discussion about the meaning of their favorite song.three friends dig deep into Star Wars lore.a fourth friend knocks over a microphone right after being asked to make a character choice which will tilt an entire fictional world on its axis no matter *what* is said next.five friends google animal facts.someone was muted this whole time, so there were actually six friends all along.the seventh friend’s video keeps cutting in and out, a data ghost in the material world.and the eighth friend says, “Welcome to Friends at the Table, an actual play podcast focused on critical worldbuilding, smart characterization, and fun interactions between good friends.”1, 2, 3…clap!