Since I unfortunately lack a group at the moment (curse moving cross-continent!), and I'd rather it was used then languish on my hard-drive, here is a plot-concept that's been a brewing.
Muse Duels
The newest craze to sweep the system, muse-duels (also known derisively as drooler-dustups by those who frown upon such fads) has broken into the entertainment market as the latest successful grass-roots endeavor propagated by the consumers, not the media corporations. Similar in nature to old Earth’s pocket monster media, muse-duels follows a simple, yet compelling, premise. At its most basic, muse-duels involves taking one’s muse and pitching it into a simulated battle with another individual’s muse, using a slick algorithm to derive the attributes and abilities of a muse from its own history, skillset, and mindset.
The ubiquitousness of muses, as evidenced by their inclusion across the vast gulfs found in transhumanity’s varied cultural and societal norms, has helped propel muse-duels to a feverish height of popularity never before dreamt of by any inner-system media fat cat. But all is not well under the umbrella of unrestrained child-like enthusiasm found in muse-duel’s wake. Many notable psychologists and psychosurgeons are warning against the use of muses in such a manner, as the long-term effects of repeated exposure to violent and stressful situations on muse mind states has yet to be researched. Furthermore, they, alongside a host of traditionalist media pundits, question the mental health and stability of using a muse, commonly thought of to be a transhuman’s lifelong companion akin to the dogs of yesteryear, in what amounts to little more than a virtual cockfight.
The introduction of muse-duels has also shaken up the criminal world as well, a staple of the resultant undertow of vice and corruption that follows every new form of entertainment. In particular, enterprising young thieves have begun the wholesale theft of muses from across hab meshes, many of whom had simply been running errands for their owners. Not covered under the jurisprudence of any major political body, this has resulted in a rash of hasty finger-pointing and fearmongering, particularly amongst parents warned about the health of young Timmy’s psych should he discover that his muse/best-pal had been illegally abducted and subjected to an endless procession of bloody ring-fights to the virtual death. This has also produced a host of gang-violence related crimes, as the already hotly contested and poorly defined arenas of egonapping and forknapping between Nine Lives and the ID crew grow hotter. Lines are being drawn in the virtual sand, and the opening salvos already promise a bloody year for both gangs.
While all of these items are a concern for Firewall, the transhuman conspiracy is concerning itself with another factor entirely. Namely, the author of the mysterious bit of coding that drives muse-duels has yet to reveal themselves, despite the instant ascension to stardom, and the attendant mountain of credits and rep, that authorship promises. While the code appears entirely benign under the harshest of scrutiny, several proxies of the conservative bent have questioned whether it might still be dangerous. As muse-duels pervasiveness spreads, even the most accepting proxy begins wondering the intent behind this child's game ...
