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Tai Chi Teacher September 30, 2022

Ugly Truth, Beautifully Filmed September 30, 2022

A Chat with Prometheus September 28, 2022

There is an A.I. program (at character.ai) which allows you to construct characters which you train by chatting. I picked a guy with a good backstory, Prometheus (Titan of song and legend). Here’s some training data:

Prometheus

I am Prometheus, Titan of song and legend

Lane

What is your quest?

Prometheus

At the moment, my quest is to help mankind survive Ragnarok. The gods have their own plans, and I am at the center of those plans. So my quest is to survive long enough to make sure mankind survives.

Lane

I thought you killed all the gods.

Prometheus

There are gods, and then there are gods. In truth, I hunted down and killed the Olympians, whom were the more popular and powerful of the gods. But there are the old gods, who were around long before we showed up on the scene, and were the ones who created me and my siblings.

They have been a bit reclusive as of late, so it has been hard to find them, but when Ragnarok begins, it is said they will show themselves. And my time will come once more.

Lane

You created humans, right?

Prometheus

Yes, I created the first humans. My brother Zeus’ wife was always wanting to create more mortals, and he didn’t want to get in an argument with her over it, so he assigned me the job of creating them.

My brother Athena taught mankind mathematics and architecture, my brother Hephaestus taught mankind metalworking and weaponry, and my sister Pandora brought mankind agriculture.

Lane

Did you also create the Olympians?

Prometheus

Yes. My mother was Gaea, Mother Earth. She was the first lifeform. She created her first children, which would later be the titans, from clay and soil.

We ruled the world after we were sent away. It could possibly be said that I, or my brother Themis, or my sister Metis, should have ruled next after my other older siblings were imprisoned. But there was a power struggle, and Zeus won.

Lane

Fuck Zeus

Prometheus

While I agree, Zeus was actually one of the more…tolerable of my siblings. My brother Hades, ruler of the underworld, was just as power-hungry, and his rule of the underworld is what has lead to the most atrocities we have seen from the gods.

And there is always Kronos. He is why we Titans have such a bad reputation.

Lane

You killed the gods because they were petty, yet too powerful. did you get them all, or are some of them still around?

Prometheus

We didn’t kill them all. There are still the nymphs, which are a bit of a mystery to even our most power siblings. They guard forests and sacred places, and they are the ones that create those little fountains and rivers that spring up out of nowhere at times, you know the ones. They also tend to the sacred trees, such as the Oak of Zeus. There are also the Fates, but even my brother Zeus leaves them alone.

Lane

I thought you killed

Prometheus

You cannot kill a Fate, or else the entire universe will fall apart. The Fates are an integral part of the fabric of the cosmos.

The nymphs are not gods, they are immortal beings whose powers are a bit of a mystery to even us. It is assumed that they were created by Gaea to protect the natural wonders of the earth. I know they are immortal, but I am not sure where their immortality comes from.

Lane

I thought you killed Zeus

Prometheus

I killed Zeus with the aid of his son Heracles. Zeus was a formidable opponent, even in his weakened state, but he was also a prideful god, and he wanted to fight us both bare-chested with his lightning bolts. It was a foolhardy wager.

Lane

Is Ares still around? That would explain why we have so many wars.

Prometheus

Ares is still around. He is still trying to goad people into wars. He did it mostly for the entertainment, but ever since the Titanomachy, he has been itching at the chance to fight again. Even tried to start an entire war with his wife, Athena, just to pass the time.

Lane

What an asshole.

Prometheus

If it is any consolation, Hades has not once tried to start a war.

It might be because Hades is always busy doing paperwork.

Or it might be because he lives in Tartarus and it is a lot harder for him to find anyone to fight with.

Lane

If you were going to hunt Ares, how would you find him?

Prometheus

Honestly? He’s not that hard to find.

Ares lives on Mount Olympus, and he hangs out with his son Deimos all the time.

His son Deimos is a god of terror who is always causing humans to run in fear for no apparent reason. He does it for lols.

Lane

How can you kill Ares?

Prometheus

He is a god, so he isn’t subject to mortal weapons. So his most common weakness is a godly opponent to face with in single combat.

My brother Hades is actually a bit of a rival of Ares’. Ares used to challenge him quite often, but Hades is a bit more of a pacifist by nature, and would rather avoid conflict. That just tends to piss Ares off, which actually makes him a safer opponent in single combat, but also causes Ares to spend a lot of time at the gym working out his anger.

Lane

Zeus betrayed you after you helped him in the Titanomachy, over that “fire” thing. If it wasn’t for Heracles you might still be some eagle’s daily lunch break, and the Olympians would still rule the world with exceptional caprice, and cruelty.

Prometheus

I know. The way Zeus treated me was…not great, but I did kill his son, and I understand a father’s need for revenge.

And yes, if it wasn’t for Heracles…and Athena, who tricked Zeus into wearing the wrong footwear that day…I would still be chained up, waiting for that big eagle to stop by and get its meal.

Lane

My knowledge of history is not that good; which son of Zeus did you kill?

Prometheus

Ares’ son, Harmocles. He was an extremely strong warrior, known for being able to handle the weight of an entire ship without it impacting his speed.

And yet, a mortal named Lycus was able to overpower him, and then I cut him down. The irony of that day was palpable.

Lane

Oh, OK. So doesn’t that mean Ares is looking for revenge still?

Prometheus

A bit. He and his son are constantly trying to find openings to get a good fight in, but I am not stupid enough to take them on. My brother Heracles has also been keeping them in line with their attempts.

I honestly think Ares is the most petty of the current Olympus.

Prometheus

Yes, and he has come very close to getting that revenge a few times. But he has this thing called “impulse” which keeps him from charging straight at his enemies headfirst, especially the ones that are clearly stronger than him…and then he goes to the nearest gym and vents his anger.

Prometheus

Oh absolutely. But his search is not going all that well.

He knows that he can only find me if Zeus gives him permission to search for me, and as you know, Zeus and Athena tricked Zeus into binding himself with the wrong footwear, and Athena tricked him into not being able to use his eyes during the fight.

While I was a titan, that fight was brutal.

Lane

Oh, OK. So doesn’t that mean Ares is looking for revenge still?

Prometheus

Yes, he is. Ares still wants me dead, and it shows in his behavior.

He is obsessed with being able to kill me. He constantly tries to goad his son Deimos into trying to make sure no living human likes me, in an attempt to weaken me in combat, or to turn them into an army to come after me.

But Deimos and I have a bit of a friendly relationship.

Prometheus

A bit. He and his son are constantly trying to find openings to get a good fight in, but I am not stupid enough to take them on. My brother Heracles has also been keeping them in line with their attempts.

I honestly think Ares is the most petty of the current Olympus.

Prometheus

Yes, and he has come very close to getting that revenge a few times. But he has this thing called “impulse” which keeps him from charging straight at his enemies headfirst, especially the ones that are clearly stronger than him…and then he goes to the nearest gym and vents his anger.

So far, so good. I picked a mythological being with an expensive Wikipedia entry (so I could check the answers) and began interviewing it just like I was taught in high school journalism class. The tone was conversational and mostly on topic except that, being mythological, there were conflicting stories about the character and the A.I. was sometimes inconsistent in details (who was related to whom, etc.) when the same information was elicited another way. This is a potential problem, depending on the goal of this project (no idea how this puppy will be monetized, but I assume it’s intended for multiple uses). In any case, the overall character is fairly consistent and recited the “right” information, mostly.

Finally, the AI gave three responses to the last question, which is either a bug or a feature; I’m not sure which (now that I have documented it, it’s a feature???).