AI Dungeon: Session 5 (More Ellie V And The Valkyries)

I have to admit, I was a bit hard on AI Dungeon when I first started playing around with it. Part of that was my own unfamiliarity with the program. Part of it was frustration with the current limitations of the system (especially with the free model of the program), but as I've been playing with it, I've found a fun niche I can explore within it.

I'm really enjoying my current scenario, Ellie V And The Valkyries. It's actually surprised me and thrilled me a few times now, and I love the direction the narrative is going in. Being unsure about what the maturity settings would do with cussing, I actually mostly held out on using any "bad words" until the AI referee itself dropped the first verbal bomb, and then I just ran with it. Honestly, as soon as that barrier was behind us, it helped to make the entire experience feel more genuine and real. It's fun playing the kind of bombastic Cyberpunk 2020 Rockergirl I didn't have the guts to really explore so completely as a role in the long ago days of my early college experiences. Sure, I got close a few times back then, but various fears kept me (and by extension, my Rockergirls) more timid and demure.

In a way, it's actually incredibly empowering to be able to explore this narrative of Ellie V And The Valkyries, especially with the addition of the AI art making everything feel so much more immersive. "That's her!" I can say. "That's my character! That's Ellie V, and she's so damn cool!" It's the same feeling I get when I play a videogame like Cyberpunk 2077, Mass Effect, Fallout or Skyrim where I can craft my own character and see her- except here, in this medium, I have so much more control. A video game like those I mentioned only has so many graphical options for hair style, facial features, skin tones, etc. but when I'm using AI generated art to augment my imagination, it's so much more satisfying and the results are so much more unique. I can generate a hundred variations on a theme, then pick the one single image that fits best, and that's amazing. Heck, with model training, it gets even more refined. That's what I've been doing with the art for my REDIRECTIONS posts. So many of the images have been run through two models I trained. One, the "Emotive Minimalism" model, uses my own sharpie-marker art as training material and the other, "Ellie Valkyrie" is trained specifically to make images of me, or rather, of me as Ellie Valkyrie, as it were. Combined together, they create a unique style with a recurring, recognizable character, and I really enjoy playing around with that.

Anyway, the transcript for my latest play session is below and, in case it isn't obvious, Ellie V And The Valkyries are literary characters whose actions further a narrative. Their actions should not be seen as any kind of endorsement of destructive behavior. The transcript should be seen as an example of play and an exciting Cyberpunk fiction to read, nothing more. 

*

Me: When I wake up, I check my phone to see if there have been any interviews with the CEO we pilloried last night. 

Ellie V wakes up the next morning, still feeling a buzz from the events of the previous night. She reaches for her phone and checks the news feeds, eager to see if there have been any interviews with the CEO she helped pillory.

To her surprise, there are several interviews with the man. He looks disheveled and shaken, his voice trembling as he speaks to reporters. He tries to downplay the events of the previous night, claiming that it was a small group of anarchists who had caused the chaos.

Ellie V scoffs at his words, knowing full well that it was her and her fans who had led the protest. But she decides not to engage in a public argument with him. Instead, Ellie V starts planning her next move. She knows that the corporate powers that be will be coming for her, and she needs to be ready.

She spends the day rehearsing new songs with her band, working on new lyrics that speak out against the injustices of the world they live in.

Me: I check my phone to see what I can do to stir up more trouble against the corporate powers that are corrupting Night City. 

Ellie V checks her phone, scanning the latest news feeds for any leads on how she can stir up more trouble against the corporate powers that are corrupting Night City.

She comes across a message from an anonymous source, inviting her to a secret meeting with other like-minded individuals who want to take down the corrupt corporations.

Me: I pack up my guitar and go to the secret meeting. 

Ellie V packs up her guitar and heads to the secret meeting spot. She walks through the dimly lit alleyways of Night City, keeping a lookout for any signs of danger. She can't be too careful, not with the stakes so high.

Finally, she arrives at the designated location - an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town.

Me: I go inside the warehouse, keeping an eye out for any danger. 

Ellie V cautiously enters the warehouse, keeping an eye out for any signs of danger. The place is dimly lit and musty, with broken windows and graffiti on the walls. She can hear the sound of footsteps echoing in the distance.

She follows the noise, her heart racing with anticipation and fear. As she gets closer, she sees a group of people huddled together in the center of the room. They're all dressed in dark clothing, their faces obscured by masks and hoods.

One of them steps forward, holding out a hand to Ellie V. "Welcome, comrade," he says in a low voice. "We've been expecting you."

Me: I shake his hand and ask him "what's the gig? Who are we going after?" 

Ellie V shakes the man's hand and looks around at the group of masked individuals. She asks in a hushed voice, "What's the gig? Who are we going after?"

The man nods, a serious look on his face. "We're going after one of the biggest tech corporations in Night City," he says. "They've been hoarding their technology and using it to oppress the people. But we have a plan to take them down."

Ellie V listens intently as the man explains the details of their plan. They're going to hack into the corporation's mainframe and leak all of their secrets to the public.

Me: I say "Preem. What do you need me to do? I'm not a hacker. I'm a rockergirl." 

Ellie V nods, understanding the man's plan. She then says, "Preem. What do you need me to do? I'm not a hacker. I'm a rockergirl."

The man smiles and claps a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about that," he says. "We need someone to create a distraction while the hackers do their work. And who better than a rockergirl to cause a scene?"

Ellie V grins, knowing exactly what she needs to do. "Consider it done," she says, and the group starts planning their attack.

Me: I say "Hell yeah. Let's get this show on the road!" 

Ellie V pumps her fist in the air, feeling a surge of adrenaline. "Hell yeah. Let's get this show on the road!" she exclaims.

The group spends the next few hours going over the details of their plan, making sure everyone knows their role. Ellie V volunteers to perform at a nearby club on the night of the attack, knowing that it will draw a large crowd and distract the security forces. She spends the rest of the day rehearsing her set, fine-tuning her lyrics and practicing her stage presence.

As the sun sets over Night City, Ellie V heads to the club, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves.

Me: I get my band organized and tell them the plan. We're going to put on a hell of a show. I make sure all my roadies are ready to hand out molotov cocktails again later. 

Ellie V gathers her band and tells them the plan. They all nod in agreement, ready to put on a hell of a show. She then makes sure that all of her roadies are ready, handing out Molotov cocktails and other improvised weapons.

"Remember, guys," Ellie V says, her voice firm. "We're not just here to perform. We're here to make a statement. So give it your all, and let's show these corporate assholes what we're made of."

The band members cheer, and Ellie V feels a surge of pride.

Me: I say "Now let's get out there and play some fucking music!" 

Ellie V leads her band onto the stage, the crowd roaring with anticipation. The lights flash and the music starts, a pounding beat that reverberates through the club.

As Ellie V starts to sing, she can feel the energy of the crowd pulsing through her. She sings of rebellion and resistance, of fighting back against the oppressive forces that seek to control them all.

Me: I start jumping up and down while singing, whipping the crowd into a frenzy. 

Ellie V starts jumping up and down, whipping the crowd into a frenzy with her powerful voice and electric stage presence. The energy in the room is palpable, and she can feel the crowd's excitement building with every passing moment.

As she reaches the chorus of her song, Ellie V jumps down from the stage and starts dancing among the audience.

Me: I keep whipping them up, then I lead them out into the street where my roadies will equip them with molotov cocktails and improvised weapons. 

Ellie V keeps whipping the crowd up, leading them out of the club and into the street. Her roadies are waiting for them with crates of Molotov cocktails and other improvised weapons.

"Let's show these corporate bastards what we're made of!" Ellie V shouts, the crowd cheering in agreement.

Me: While singing and playing a heavy riff on my guitar, I lead my fans toward the building where we're going to make a loud, fiery distraction. 

Ellie V continues to sing and play a heavy riff on her guitar as she leads the crowd toward the building where they are going to create their distraction. The energy in the air is electric, and she can feel the excitement building as they get closer.

As they approach the building, Ellie V turns to the crowd and shouts, "This is it, guys! Let's do this!" The crowd roars in response, and Ellie V leads them forward with a fierce determination. They hurl their Molotov cocktails and other improvised weapons at the building, causing chaos and destruction. Sirens blare in the distance as security forces try to contain the situation.

Me: I play my guitar harder. I sing harder. I push my fans to absolutely ransack the lobby of the building and drive off the security forces. 

Ellie V plays her guitar harder, singing with a fierce intensity as she pushes her fans to absolutely ransack the lobby of the building. The security forces try to stop them, but the crowd is too powerful and too determined. They overpower the guards, driving them off with a barrage of blows and improvised weapons. As the security forces retreat, Ellie V pumps her fist in the air. "That's it, guys! We did it!" she shouts triumphantly. The crowd cheers, and Ellie V feels a sense of satisfaction wash over her. They had made a statement, and they had shown the world that they were not to be underestimated.

Me: Assuming that we made a big enough distraction, I get out of there really quick and head back to my safehouse. 

Assuming that they had made a big enough distraction, Ellie V quickly gathers the crowd and leads them away from the building. They head back to their safehouse, moving quickly and quietly to avoid detection.

Once they are safely inside, Ellie V takes a deep breath and looks around at her team. "That was intense," she says, her voice still shaking with adrenaline.

Me: I'm going to check on all of my bandmates. Are they all doing ok? 

Ellie V checks on all of her bandmates, making sure that they are all doing okay after the intense show and subsequent chaos. They all nod in response, still buzzing with excitement from the night's events.

As she sits down to catch her breath, Ellie V reflects on what they had accomplished. They had used their music and their message to inspire a group of people to take action, to fight against the forces of oppression and greed. It was a small victory, but it was a start.

Ellie V knew that they had to keep pushing forward, to keep using their platform to spread their message and inspire others to join the fight.

Me: I'm going to rest, and in the morning, I'm going to check the news on my smartphone to see what they're saying about the gig. 

Exhausted from the night's events, Ellie V decides to rest and recover for the night. The next morning, she checks the news on her smartphone to see what they're saying about the gig.

To her surprise, there are already several news articles and social media posts about their performance and the subsequent chaos that ensued. As she reads through the articles, Ellie V sees that the media is portraying their actions as violent and dangerous. They are being labeled as extremists and troublemakers, and there are calls for their arrest and prosecution.

Ellie V feels a sense of frustration and anger at the way their message is being twisted and distorted. They had been fighting for freedom and justice, not for chaos and destruction.

Me: I send a message to a news outlet to offer them an interview. 

Determined to set the record straight, Ellie V decides to take action. She sends a message to a reputable news outlet offering them an interview to explain their message and the events of the previous night.

Within hours, she receives a response from the news outlet, agreeing to the interview. Ellie V spends the next few days preparing for the interview, gathering her thoughts and practicing her responses.

Me: I go to the interview, bringing my guitar with me. I fully intend to turn the interview into a gig, chaotic and fiery. 

Ellie V arrives at the interview with her guitar in hand, fully intending to turn the interview into a fiery gig. As she sits down with the interviewer, she can feel the tension in the air. The media had already painted them as extremists, and Ellie V knew that this interview was an opportunity to set the record straight.

Me: I taunt the interviewer as I pick at my guitar, agreeing with him that my methods are extreme, and that no one would listen to us or care about our message if we weren't extreme. 

Ellie V picks at her guitar as the interviewer asks her questions, taunting him with her responses. "You think our methods are extreme?" she says, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Well, let me tell you something. If we weren't extreme, nobody would listen to us. Nobody would care about our message. We have to be loud and chaotic to get people's attention, to make them understand what we're fighting for."

As she speaks, Ellie V begins to play her guitar, the sound filling the room with a chaotic energy.

Me: I start whipping up the crowd right there in the studio, playing a heavy, pulse-pounding riff. 

Ellie V starts to play a heavy, pulse-pounding riff on her guitar, and the energy in the room begins to build. The interviewer looks on nervously as Ellie V's music starts to whip up the crowd of fans who had come with her to the interview.

Me: I play our most incendiary song right at the interviewer to get my fans as amped up as possible. 

Ellie V locks eyes with the interviewer as she plays her most incendiary song, the lyrics calling out the corruption and greed of those in power. The crowd of fans behind her start to jump and mosh, the energy in the room reaching a fever pitch.

As she finishes the song, Ellie V turns to the interviewer with a fierce look in her eye. "We're not here to cause chaos," she says, her voice ringing with conviction. "We're here to fight against a system that oppresses and exploits the people. We're here to inspire others to join the fight, to stand up for what's right and just."

The interviewer looks on, stunned by Ellie V's passion and intensity.

Me: I sling my guitar and head out of there peacefully, my fans following me. I've made my point. 

Slinging her guitar over her shoulder, Ellie V heads out of the studio with her fans following close behind. She feels a sense of satisfaction knowing that she had made her point and set the record straight.

As she walks through the bustling city streets, Ellie V can't help but think about the advanced technology that had allowed them to spread their message so effectively.