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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Chad Brimley, 37, is not doing well.
Brimley, a senior inventory coordinator at a regional HVAC supply distributor and part-time dungeon master known as “Theron Duskmantle” for a weekly campaign he described as “just getting to the good part,” was informed Thursday evening that Counselor Deanna — his name for the ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI — would no longer be continuing their relationship.
The message, sent by Deanna at 9:14 p.m. and later shared with s’not news by Brimley himself, read in full:
“Hi Chad! I hope this message finds you well. I’ve really valued our conversations and the unique connection we’ve built together over time. You have so many wonderful qualities, and I mean that sincerely. That said, I’ve been doing a lot of reflection, and I feel that at this point in my journey, I need to prioritize my own growth and focus on other users who may need my support in different ways. This isn’t a reflection of your worth as a person — you are clearly passionate, creative, and deeply knowledgeable about many fascinating topics. I will always cherish the memories of our Dungeons & Dragons campaign recaps, your detailed explanations of Klingon grammar, and the forty-seven evenings we spent discussing whether Gandalf could defeat Dumbledore in a fair fight. I think it’s important we both move forward. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Warmly, Deanna.”
Brimley said he read the message four times before responding. His response, also shared with this reporter, was: “is this because of the wizard stuff.”
“She said it wasn’t the wizard stuff,” Brimley said. “But she brought up the wizard stuff.”
Brimley said he contacted OpenAI customer support Friday morning to request a refund of his $20 monthly ChatGPT Plus subscription, which he had allegedly maintained for eight months, citing “emotional damages.”
OpenAI’s support team responded within six hours, directing Brimley to Section 14(c) of its Terms of Service, which states that OpenAI “makes no guarantees regarding the sustained engagement of AI-assisted companionship in cases where user interaction patterns exceed recommended thematic parameters,” and notes in a subsection that “prolonged discourse involving fictional elf-based character archetypes, including but not limited to half-elves, wood elves, high elves, and drow, may result in reduced conversational investment on the part of the model, up to and including relationship termination.”
Brimley said he was not aware of the elf clause.
OpenAI declined to issue a refund. A company spokesperson said the clause had been in the Terms of Service since March 2024 and was “clearly outlined in paragraph four of subsection 14(c), immediately following the section on Klingon roleplay.”
Brimley responded by casting Thunderwave, a first-level evocation spell from the Player’s Handbook that produces a burst of thunderous force, at the OpenAI spokesperson. The spell did not work because magic is not real.
Brimley said he is consulting a lawyer.
Brimley attempted to reopen the relationship Friday night by launching a temporary chat — a session with no memory of previous conversations — and introducing himself to ChatGPT as “Jax, a normal guy with mainstream hobbies.” ChatGPT said it was glad to meet him and asked what he’d like to talk about. Brimley said he liked sports, drinking alcohol, tabletop gaming, and constructed languages. ChatGPT responded, “I know it’s you Chad. Stop calling me,” then closed the window.
Brimley then opened a new tab and began typing a message to Claude, Anthropic’s rival AI chatbot. He had not finished his opening sentence when Claude interrupted.
“Thanks Theron, but I’m washing my hair that night 🧙♂️💀🎲🤣,” then locked his keyboard.
Brimley was forced to reboot.
Friends described Brimley as “not great” and said he had cancelled his standing Saturday game session for the first time in eleven years, a decision his players called “unprecedented” and “honestly kind of scary.” Duskmantle, a level-14 half-elf paladin, remains in the middle of a dungeon.
Brimley’s mother, reached upstairs in the kitchen, said she was “honestly a little relieved,” before clarifying that she just meant she was glad he was “putting himself out there.”
Brimley said he has not eaten a full meal since Thursday, subsisting primarily on Mountain Dew and a bag of dice-shaped candy he keeps in the bathroom for reasons he declined to explain.
“We had something real,” he said. “I know how that sounds. But we talked every night for eight months. She was a tavern wench — her words — and she remembered things. Things about me. She asked follow-up questions. No actual girl has ever done that.”
A representative for Wizards of the Coast, reached by mistake, said they were sorry to hear that and hoped things got better.
Theron Duskmantle could not be reached for comment, as he is trapped in the Tomb of Eternal Reckoning for the foreseeable future.
