How did we get here?

• Even now, those who find themselves to be quite loquacious, those who jabber on and never find themselves speechless, fit themselves with the mortal replacement of Hephaestus’s device, fit their own listeners (if any) with similar hearing devices, and yammer on for ages.

• Hermes and mortal listeners alike enjoy the unceasing blather of the ordinary, helping them to block out noise and unpleasant sounds with the charming ramblings of one who never runs out of things to say.

• Though Hephaestus's designs have now been made of plastic rather than being carved of stone and marble, and though the cheap imitations of his creation require limited technology that does not carry voices without fault, listeners use the devices to hear from their favorite speakers, listening to hear new information or simply allowing their droning to block out other noises to increase their focus.

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Though they don't know the origins of their behavior, podcasters and podcast listeners are the modern-day iteration of this ancient relationship between Loquarion and Hermes.