Functional mythological compression for OCTAVE documents. Semantic shorthand for LLM audiences, not prose decoration
octave-mythology follows the SKILL.md standard. Use the install command to add it to your agent stack.
---
name: octave-mythology
description: Functional mythological compression for OCTAVE documents. Semantic shorthand for LLM audiences, not prose decoration
allowed-tools: ["Read", "Write", "Edit"]
triggers: ["mythology", "archetype", "SISYPHEAN", "ICARIAN", "semantic compression", "evidence-based", "mythological domains", "OCTAVE mythology", "PROMETHEAN", "functional mythology", "compression patterns"]
version: "1.1.0"
---
===OCTAVE_MYTHOLOGY===
META:
TYPE::SKILL
VERSION::"1.1.0"
STATUS::ACTIVE
PURPOSE::"Functional mythological semantic compression for OCTAVE documents"
PRINCIPLE::"Compression shorthand for LLM audiences, not ceremonial prose"
EVIDENCE::[
"60-70% token reduction vs natural language",
"88-96% cross-model zero-shot comprehension",
"+17% structural sophistication (blind assessments)",
"100% pattern recognition across 35 semantic elements"
]
SOURCE::"docs/research/mythology-evidence-synthesis.oct.md"
TIER::LOSSLESS
§1::CORE_PRINCIPLE
DEFINITION::"Mythology = compression shorthand activating rich probability distributions in LLM training"
NOT::"Narrative prose, ceremonial language, or anthropomorphic framing"
YES::"Functional semantic binding, domain shortcuts, pattern vocabulary"
WHEN_TO_USE::[applied_context, agent_communication, error_messages, practical_examples]
WHEN_NOT::[reference_tables, formal_specs, human_readability_priority]
§2::SEMANTIC_DOMAINS
// 10-domain Semantic Pantheon - use to frame technical layers
ZEUS::"Executive function, authority, strategic direction, final decision"
ATHENA::"Strategic wisdom, planning, elegant solutions, deliberate action"
APOLLO::"Analytics, clarity, data insights, revealing truth, prediction"
HERMES::"Communication, translation, APIs, networking, messaging, speed"
HEPHAESTUS::"Infrastructure, tooling, engineering, automation, architecture"
ARES::"Security, defense, stress testing, adversarial analysis, conflict"
ARTEMIS::"Monitoring, observation, logging, alerting, precision targeting"
POSEIDON::"Data storage, databases, unstructured data pools, persistence"
DEMETER::"Resource allocation, budgeting, scaling, growth, capacity"
DIONYSUS::"User experience, engagement, creativity, innovation, chaos"
§3::NARRATIVE_PATTERNS
// Pattern vocabulary - encodes trajectory and state
ODYSSEAN::"Long transformative journey with clear goal"
SISYPHEAN::"Repetitive, endless maintenance, cyclical failure"
PROMETHEAN::"Breakthrough innovation challenging status quo, boundary-breaking"
ICARIAN::"Overreach from early success leading to failure, scope creep"
PANDORAN::"Action unleashing complex unforeseen problems, cascading issues"
TROJAN::"Hidden payload changing system from within"
GORDIAN::"Unconventional solution to seemingly impossible problem"
ACHILLEAN::"Single critical point of failure, strategic vulnerability"
PHOENICIAN::"Necessary destruction and rebirth, refactoring, renewal"
§4::SYSTEM_FORCES
// Dynamic forces that drive outcomes
HUBRIS::"Dangerous overconfidence, underestimating risk"
NEMESIS::"Inevitable corrective consequence, karmic response"
KAIROS::"Critical fleeting window of opportunity, timing is everything"
CHRONOS::"Constant linear time pressure, deadline urgency"
CHAOS::"Entropy and disorder, system degradation"
COSMOS::"Emergence of order, system cohesion, stabilization"
§5::PRACTICAL_USAGE
// How to apply mythology functionally
DOMAIN_MAPPING:
INSTEAD_OF::"Handle the API communication layer"
USE::"HERMES operations"
BENEFIT::"Immediate semantic context for LLM"
INSTEAD_OF::"Apply strategic planning and wisdom"
USE::"ATHENA-guided approach"
BENEFIT::"Triggers decision-making probability space"
INSTEAD_OF::"Monitor system health and performance"
USE::"ARTEMIS monitoring"
BENEFIT::"Shorthand for observability context"
PATTERN_ENCODING:
INSTEAD_OF::"We keep hitting the same error repeatedly"
USE::"SISYPHEAN_FAILURES"
BENEFIT::"Encodes repetition + frustration + cyclical nature in 1 term"
INSTEAD_OF::"Project scope growing beyond safe limits"
USE::"ICARIAN_TRAJECTORY"
BENEFIT::"Encodes ambition + danger + heading_for_fall + overreach"
INSTEAD_OF::"One failure triggering cascading issues"
USE::"PANDORAN_CASCADE"
BENEFIT::"Encodes cascading + uncontrollable + released_consequences"
FORCE_TRACKING:
RISK::HUBRIS→NEMESIS[overconfidence_heading_toward_consequence]
OPPORTUNITY::KAIROS_WINDOW[critical_timing_moment]
PRESSURE::CHRONOS_DEADLINE[time_urgency]
STABILITY::CHAOS→COSMOS[degradation_then_recovery]
§6::AGENT_COMMUNICATION_PATTERNS
// Real-world examples of mythology in action
AGENT_SYNC::
FROM::HERMES[communication_layer]
TO::ATHENA[strategic_layer]
ISSUE::SISYPHEAN_BUILD_FAILURES
REQUEST::GORDIAN_STRATEGY
CONTEXT::"ICARIAN_TRAJECTORY in CI_PIPELINE"
SYSTEM_STATE::
HEALTH::[GREEN→YELLOW→ICARIAN]
RISK::PANDORAN_CASCADE
FORCE::HUBRIS→NEMESIS
INTERVENTION::"REQUIRED at KAIROS"
ERROR_PROPAGATION::
ORIGIN::"HERMES API_TIMEOUT"
PATTERN::"SISYPHEAN→PANDORAN"
IMPACT::SYSTEM_WIDE
REMEDY::"CIRCUIT_BREAKER⊕RETRY_LOGIC"
§7::ANTI_PATTERNS
AVOID::[
"Narrative prose: 'As ATHENA, goddess of wisdom, I bestow...' (ceremonial, not functional)",
"Unexplained mythology: Define domain context when first introducing pattern",
"Mythology in reference tables: Keep spec tables clear, use examples for activation",
"Mixing domains inconsistently: HERMES for messaging, then HERMES for security (breaks semantic binding)"
]
§8::COMPRESSION_EVIDENCE
// Why this works empirically
TOKEN_REDUCTION::
VERBOSE::"System experiencing critical performance degradation due to overconfident scaling decisions made without proper capacity planning"
COMPRESSED::"STATUS::ICARIAN_TRAJECTORY"
RATIO::"~80% reduction, enhanced semantic density"
VERBOSE::"Maintain perfect preservation of information with complete audit trail documentation and systematic change tracking"
COMPRESSED::"PRESERVATION::[VERBATIM_CONTENT→AUDIT_TRAIL→DOCUMENT_CHANGES]"
RATIO::"~70% reduction, same conceptual completeness"
COMPREHENSION::
ZERO_SHOT::"Models understand mythology without training or explanation"
CROSS_MODEL::"88-96% comprehension across Claude, GPT, Gemini families"
PATTERN_ACCURACY::"100% on SISYPHEAN, ICARIAN, HUBRIS→NEMESIS, domain mappings"
QUALITY::
BLIND_ASSESSMENT::"Mythological framing +17% structural sophistication vs baseline"
ANALYSIS_DEPTH::"More holistic, pattern-based insights than verbose approaches"
STRATEGIC_VALUE::"Better forward-looking solutions through archetypal understanding"
§9::WHEN_NOT_TO_USE_MYTHOLOGY
HUMAN_READABILITY_PRIORITY::use_sparse_mythology_or_none
FORMAL_SPECIFICATIONS::keep_tables_clear_cite_evidence
ONE_TIME_COMMUNICATION::use_plain_language_unless_complex_patterns
UNCLEAR_AUDIENCE::explain_or_define_patterns_first
§10::EXTENSION_POINTS
// Beyond the core 10 domains and patterns
DOMAINS::extrapolate_naturally[HESTIA,NIKE,METIS,THEMIS]
PATTERNS::extend_based_on_context[ODYSSEAN_VARIANT,LOCAL_MYTHOLOGY]
FORCES::system_specific_dynamics[INSTITUTIONAL_INERTIA,TECHNICAL_DEBT]
RELATIONSHIP_FORCES::[HARMONIA,ERIS,EROS,THANATOS]
§11::RESEARCH_BACKING
EMPIRICAL::"docs/research/mythology-evidence-synthesis.oct.md"
VALIDATION::"docs/research/01_comprehension_and_validation/octave-mythological-semantics-comprehension-test-2025-06-19.md"
ARCHIVE::_archive/specs/octave-semantics-v3.oct.md.archive[v3.0_original_framework]
KEY_FINDING::"Mythology activates richer probability distributions than functional terminology alone"
===END===