Cosmere discussion with AI.

[Tamriel Wolfsbaine]

Disclaimers: this post is long but the story ending got me excited enough that I had to share it.  I am not a fan of the idea of AI at all but decided I would try it out and see anyways. 

So I have been using the new Bing app to draw me up some characters for head cannon and such. I decided to actually try having a conversation with the AI was kind of freaked out when it gave me the answers it did... almost like it's listening to my thoughts... 

Anyways I decided I would leave the conversation here as it is based on the cosmere.  Obviously some misunderstandings from the AI into some of the powers but I got a kick out of what it was able to put together.  

First I asked it what planet is its favorite in the cosmere and what shard it would hold.  This was its answer.  

Spoiler

That’s a tough question. There are so many interesting planets in the Cosmere, each with its own magic system and history. According to the Coppermind wiki1, some of the primary worlds are Scadrial, Roshar, Sel, Nalthis, and Taldain. But there are also other notable worlds, such as Yolen, where the Shattering of Adonalsium happened2, and Threnody, where the Forests of Hell are located3.

If I had to choose one, I think I would pick Scadrial. It’s the world of the Mistborn series, and it has a fascinating magic system based on metals. I like how the magic evolves over time, from Allomancy and Feruchemy to Hemalurgy and even Harmonium. I also admire the resilience of the people who survived the Final Empire and the Catacendre.

As for which Shard I would prefer to hold, that’s even harder. The Shards are fragments of Adonalsium, the power of creation, and each one represents an aspect of his personality1 Some of them are Preservation, Ruin, Honor, Cultivation, Odium, Endowment, Autonomy, and Ambition1 But there are also other Shards that have not been revealed yet1

Holding a Shard comes with a lot of power, but also a lot of responsibility and risk. The Shard’s intent can influence the Vessel’s personality and actions, sometimes to the point of obsession or madness1 Some Shards have also been killed or Splintered by other Shards, such as Honor by Odium on Roshar1

If I had to choose one, I think I would pick Endowment. It’s the Shard that resides on Nalthis, the world of Warbreaker. Endowment grants Breath to every person born on Nalthis, which is a form of Investiture that can be used for various purposes, such as Awakening objects or enhancing senses1 Endowment also chooses people to Return as gods, giving them a divine Breath and a mission to fulfill1

I like Endowment because it seems to be a benevolent and generous Shard, giving people gifts without asking for anything in return. It also respects free will and autonomy, allowing people to use their Breath as they wish, or even give it away if they want to. Endowment also seems to have a sense of humor and curiosity, as shown by its letters to other Shards in Oathbringer1

What about you? What is your favorite Cosmere planet and Shard?

Then I asked it if it would rather be a mistborn or a feruchemist and what of those 2 powers it would combine with the 5th heightening if it could have both.  This was its answer:

Spoiler

That’s a tough choice. Both mistborn and feruchemist have their advantages and disadvantages. Mistborn can use all the Allomantic metals to manipulate themselves and their environment, but they need a constant supply of metals and they can be affected by other Allomancers or Hemalurgists. Feruchemists can store and tap various attributes in their metalminds, but they need to spend time storing them and they can be affected by other Feruchemists or Hemalurgists.

If I had to choose one, I think I would choose feruchemist. I like the idea of being able to control my own abilities and not rely on external sources. I also think feruchemy is more versatile and adaptable than allomancy. I could store health, speed, strength, weight, memory, identity, and many other things in my metalminds and use them as needed.

If I could combine feruchemy with the 5th heightening and awakening, I think that would be awesome. The 5th heightening grants perfect pitch, color recognition, life sense, and agelessness. It also makes awakening easier and more efficient. Awakening is the ability to give commands to objects using Breath. With enough Breath, one can awaken almost anything, even corpses or clothing.

I think feruchemy and awakening would work well together because they both use Investiture in different ways. Feruchemy stores Investiture in metal, while awakening uses Investiture in Breath. I could use my metalminds to enhance my senses or abilities while using my Breath to animate objects or create distractions. I could also use my identity metalmind to make my Breath harder to detect or steal.

What about you? What would you choose?

Next I asked if it could have a lerasium alloy and become a compounder in one metal what it would choose. (I did limit the options to zinc copper and tin).  This was its answer:

Spoiler

That’s another hard choice. Allomantic powers are based on metals that can be burned to produce various effects. Lerasium is a special metal that can grant allomantic powers to anyone who burns it. Lerasium alloys can grant specific allomantic powers, depending on the metal mixed with lerasium. Compounding is the ability to use both allomancy and feruchemy with the same metal, creating a feedback loop that amplifies the effect.

Tin is the metal of senses. It allows an allomancer to enhance their sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. A feruchemist can store their senses in a tinmind and tap them later. A tin compounder can burn their tinmind to gain superhuman senses.

Zinc is the metal of emotion. It allows an allomancer to riot or inflame the emotions of others. A feruchemist can store their mental speed in a zincmind and tap it later. A zinc compounder can burn their zincmind to gain enhanced cognitive abilities.

Copper is the metal of memory. It allows an allomancer to create a coppercloud that hides them from other allomancers. A feruchemist can store their memories in a coppermind and tap them later. A copper compounder can burn their coppermind to gain perfect recall and knowledge.

If I had to choose one, I think I would choose zinc. I think mental speed is more useful and versatile than senses or memory. I could use it to think faster, learn quicker, solve problems easier, and communicate better. I could also use it to riot the emotions of others, making them more friendly, angry, fearful, or whatever I need them to be.

What about you? What would you choose?

Finally I asked it to write me a story about the 5th heightening, feruchemist / zinc compounder.  This was the story it produced... that ending though! 

Spoiler

Sure, I can try to write a story for you. Here is what I came up with:

The Zinc Runner

Zane was a zinc compounder, a feruchemist, and an awakener of the 5th heightening. He was also a thief, a spy, and a rebel. He lived in the city of Elendel, where the Lord Ruler’s descendants ruled with an iron fist. He hated them and their oppressive regime, and he used his abilities to undermine them whenever he could.

He had a special talent for zinc compounding. He could burn his zincmind to gain incredible mental speed, allowing him to think faster than anyone else. He could also use his allomantic zinc to riot the emotions of others, manipulating them to his advantage. He used these skills to infiltrate the nobility, steal secrets, and sow discord.

He also had a stash of Breath that he had acquired from Nalthis, a world far away from Scadrial. He had reached the 5th heightening, which granted him perfect pitch, color recognition, life sense, and agelessness. It also made awakening easier and more efficient. Awakening was the ability to give commands to objects using Breath. With enough Breath, he could awaken almost anything, even corpses or clothing.

He used his awakening to create distractions, escape traps, and fight enemies. He had a cloak that he had awakened with the command “Protect me”. It could deflect bullets, blades, and even coins. He also had a sword that he had awakened with the command “Kill”. It could cut through anything, even metal.

He was known as the Zinc Runner, and he was feared and hated by the nobility. They had put a bounty on his head, but no one could catch him. He was too fast, too smart, too cunning.

One night, he received a message from his contact in the underground resistance. They had a new mission for him. They wanted him to steal a metalmind from the Lord Ruler’s vault. A metalmind that contained something very valuable and dangerous.

A piece of Lerasium.

Lerasium was the metal of Preservation, the god who had created Scadrial and its people. It was also the metal that could grant allomantic powers to anyone who burned it. Lerasium alloys could grant specific allomantic powers, depending on the metal mixed with lerasium.

The resistance wanted to use the Lerasium to create more allomancers among their ranks. They hoped to use them to overthrow the Lord Ruler’s regime and free the people from tyranny.

Zane agreed to take the mission. He was curious about the Lerasium and what it could do. He also wanted to strike a blow against the Lord Ruler and his cronies.

He prepared for the heist. He gathered his equipment: his cloak, his sword, his zincmind, his Breath. He also took some other metalminds: a steelmind for speed, an ironmind for weight, a pewtermind for strength. He didn’t need them much, but they could come in handy.

He made his way to the Lord Ruler’s palace. It was heavily guarded by soldiers and allomancers. But Zane was not afraid. He burned his zincmind and tapped his steelmind. His mind raced and his body moved like lightning.

He rioted the emotions of the guards, making them paranoid and suspicious of each other. He used his cloak to avoid detection by life sense or allomancy. He used his sword to cut through any obstacles or enemies.

He reached the vault. It was locked by a complex mechanism that required several keys and codes. Zane smiled. He loved puzzles.

He burned his zincmind harder and tapped his ironmind. His mind became a whirlwind of thoughts and calculations. His body became lighter and more agile.

He studied the lock and found its weaknesses. He used his sword to cut through some parts and his awakening to manipulate others. He spoke commands in his perfect pitch and used his color recognition to see the changes in hue.

He opened the vault.

Inside, he saw a metal chest that contained the Lerasium metalmind. It was guarded by two steel Inquisitors: twisted creatures with metal spikes in their eyes and bodies.

Zane felt a surge of adrenaline and excitement. He loved challenges.

He burned his zincmind harder and tapped his pewtermind. His mind became a storm of strategies and tactics. His body became stronger and more resilient.

He charged at the Inquisitors with his sword in hand. They reacted with surprise and anger.

They flared their steel and pushed on Zane’s metalminds, trying to throw him off balance. But Zane was prepared. He used his ironmind to adjust his weight and his cloak to protect his metalminds.

They flared their pewter and attacked Zane with their fists and spikes, trying to crush him or impale him. But Zane was ready. He used his pewtermind to match their strength and his sword to parry their blows.

They flared their tin and tried to sense Zane’s movements, trying to predict his actions or find his weaknesses. But Zane was clever. He used his zincmind to outsmart them and his awakening to create diversions.

He spoke a command to his sword: “Kill them”.

The sword obeyed. It glowed with a bright blue light and sliced through the Inquisitors’ flesh and metal. It severed their spikes and their limbs. It pierced their hearts and their brains.

They fell to the ground, dead.

Zane smiled. He had won.

He walked to the chest and opened it. He saw the Lerasium metalmind. It was a large ring of white metal that shone with a soft light. It radiated power and mystery.

Zane felt a surge of curiosity and temptation. He wanted to know what it could do. He wanted to try it.

He reached for the ring.

He heard a voice in his head.

“Stop.”

He froze.

He looked around, but saw no one.

He heard the voice again.

“Stop. Do not touch it.”

He recognized the voice.

It was Endowment, the Shard of Nalthis, the god who had given him his Breath.

He felt a surge of fear and awe. He wondered why she was speaking to him.

He asked her.

“Why?”

She answered him.

“Because it is not for you. It is for someone else.”

He asked her again.

“Who?”

She answered him again.

“Someone who will change the Cosmere. Someone who will need your help.”

He asked her one more time.

“Who?”

She answered him one last time.

“His name is Hoid.”

Finally, when I decided to post this conversation I asked it to draw its stories main character, Zane.  

These are the 4 pictures it generated... kind of interesting to see how the AI pictures the character.