Dead Radio

By Tod T. Fox (vulpine@pobox.com), inspired by the novel Godmother Night by Rachel Pollack

Introduction

"This is KRPS, coming to you dead and in-person from the necropolis of Austin, Texas. Our broadcast this eternal night is brought to you, as always, by the Hierarchy and all they stand for! "Later on this evening, we're pleased to announce we'll have a live, well, almost, performance by Texas' own Janis Joplin! For now though, we'll continue our theme of the music you remember from this great state . . . up next, an entire hour of Buddy Holly!

"And remember, only the Hierarchy can bring you acts this big right to your relicradio!"

Broadcasts from Beyond the Grave

Sometimes, when a radio station closes, it is so loved that the memories are strong enough to carry it across the shroud. At other times, such a station or parts of its equipment are brought across by cataclysm -- fire, earthquake or deliberate destruction. It behooves one to remember that many radio stations are simply an antennae and a shack in a field, making them extremely vulnerable. Artificers have succeeded to some extent in creating radio stations of their own, but they are, for some reason, less reliable than those made of the substance of memory. They have, fortunately, had more success making the radios.

Just as is to be expected, the music played on the radio stations of the dead is most often yesterday's top 40, ranging anywhere from the big band hits of the 1920s through the songs of the 60's peace movement to the music of the Renaissance. Since recordings themselves must be found or somehow made, and due to the variety of generations to be found in the Shadowlands, many stations are more eclectic than even those found at the colleges of the Quick. The vast majority of the radio stations are controlled by the Hierarchy, but the occasional 'pirate' broadcaster springs up, playing the role of 'Tokyo Rose' to legions.

The behavior of otherworldly radio is often unpredictable. One night, a station may have a broadcast radius over an entire state or more and the next barely reach the next 3 blocks. Some wraiths dislike having a radio station nearby, as they have been known to spontaneously 'tune in' to random conversations. On very rare occasions, the broadcast has been known to reach across the Shroud and appear on the radios of the living. The officials of the Hierarchy are usually unconcerned by this -- the best efforts of Artificers and Proctors alike have been unable to recreate such occurrences and, as one DJ commented bitterly, "the Quick are usually too stupid to know what they're hearing."

Mechanics

In game terms, most radio equipment should be treated as a Relic of level 3 or 4, depending on the amount, quality, and condition. An entire radio station, or the complete equipment to make one would be a Relic 5, or higher.

In order to operate radio equipment, a character should have a good grasp of Technology. In addition, a successful DJ will need a fair helping of Expression and Performance.