Birth of a Projection

The Goblet Wire, a surreal microfiction podcast created by Esther Ellis and Justin Hellstrom. This is Episode Zero, Birth of a Projection. Good evening, player. You can call me the operator. You've called to form your projection. Do you know what I mean by projection? Not really. Your projection is what you use to explore and interact with the Goblet Wire. It's the vessel for your thoughts and actions. Oh, like a character. Exactly. I'm gonna ask you some questions. Just answer them in whatever way suits you. Okay. You are standing at a crossroads. One path leads to a mountain's peak bathed in a purple aura. The other leads to an amber pebble beach. Where do you go? I think I'd go to the mountain. You win a mysterious puzzle box at an auction. It bears the image of a stag with seven eyes. Are you most interested in what it contains, how it works, or where it came from? Where it came from? It's history and all that. Have you seen the moon in a dream in the past 12 months? No, I don't really dream. What would you eat an octopus? Oh, maybe? If it was cooked, probably not raw, especially if it was alive. Would you rather live forever or die young? Die young. You encounter a deity that you admire greatly. It offers to crystallize and display one of your organs in return for a boon. Which do you pick? Your heart, your brain, or your eyes? Can I pick none of the above? I don't want to give a deity my organs. And finally, at this moment, what is your favorite word? God, that's hard. I like a fidean a lot. I heard it in a documentary, so yeah, a fidean. Very good. Now we move to the second stage of a formation. In the future, would you like to experience the goblet wire in spoken English? Uh, yeah. What pronouns would you like to use for your projection? I'll stick with she/her. And what would you like your projection to be called? Does it have to be the same as my name? No. Okay, well I always go with Esper. Noted. We're entering the final stage of the formation. This is a process of endowments. As your projection is your primary means of interacting with the goblet wire, it's important that you're comfortable piloting it. You have just woken up in a place you consider home. Please describe the process of getting ready for your day. Well I get up, obviously, out of my bed. I reach to turn on the light, dig the socks out of the sheets, and put them on before walking to the bathroom. I wash my face and take my pills. How many pills? Uh, three. And what do they do for you? The depression, anxiety, that kind of thing. Continue. Assuming it's this time of year, I grab my jacket because it's cold and my backpack. Then head to the kitchen. That's all I need, thank you. You will receive a follow-up call in the next few days to set up your access and answer any questions. You will need a six-sided die and a coin. Is this time of night generally open for you? Yes I'll be here. Can I ask a quick question? Of course. What is this, exactly? That is for you to discover. Hey, this is Esther Ellis. I wanted to thank you for listening and tell you a little bit about the show. The core of the Goblet Wire was developed by some of the most talented podcast creators I know. Tozamon of Caravan, Eli Barraza of the Far Meridian, and Justin Hellstrom of the Great Chameleon War. We've been working on this project for about a year, carefully crafting an evolving series of episodes full of clues and mysteries that will slowly reveal the deeper nature of the Goblet Wire. We're laying out the pieces, it's up to you to put them together. Episodes will release weekly, from now until September, with something a little larger coming out in October. From there, we reveal the next group of creatives, already hard at work on the second batch of episodes. So long as I can find the funds, I aim to continue this cycle. Speaking of talented people, this episode starred Phoebe Joy as the operator, and Myanna Barron as Ferris. Our show art was created by Chandler Candela, and the credit music was composed by Oliver Morris. Birth of a projection was written by me, Esther Ellis. I want to give a special thanks to James Oliva, Tal Minier, P.J. Scott Blankenship, and A.R. Oliveieri, who helped me find my feet in the early stages. Tune in next week for Episode 1, Ocular Metamorphosis.