[ one of these days he'll learn to pay attention and today is not that day. but he settles easily enough once he realizes it's just zhongli, looking up at him curiously. ]
Ah, my apologies. [ for spookin. he didn't even really think about it, just succumbed to the desire to give a little patpat. ] There's a location beneath the hill, if you head towards it from the beach, where you can manipulate the surroundings into intangible imagery. I would like to show you the Glaze Lilies, if nothing else.
It does not seem like it, no. [ lightly, but not disappointed. this is better. ] You won't be able to smell them, unfortunately, but it will be a taste of Liyue, regardless.
Perhaps you could use it to show me your Daphne abilities, as well.
Every flower has its scent, as it does its bloom. But the effect will not be lost.
[ nod ] While you might not be able to execute it yourself, you could at least give a demonstration through the imagery. I would be glad to do the same.
That difference is rather interesting. What other powers are there, amongst other demiflora, if you don't mind my asking? Yours is teleportation... I know of someone in Liyue who almost appears to teleport, and her Vision is Electro, but it isn't a true teleportation.
Well, it's not like I'd know them all. But, uh... A Rose can heal. A Narcissus can take on someone else's looks. A Lily can hypnotize people. [ ... ] An Iris can manifest things from art.
Electro? Like controlling electricity instead of stone?
I see... [ much to consider. ] No, I wouldn't expect you to know all of them - far too many flowers to name demiflora after for that, compared to elements for Visions.
But yes, that's right. Geo for stone, Electro for electricity, Anemo for air, Dendro for plants, Hydro for water, Pyro for fire, and Cryo for ice.
Vision holds are a smaller part of the overall population of Teyvat. Many think it is the Archons that decide upon who gets a Vision, but it's actually out of our hands - even if many who wield them have ideals in common with the Archon of that element.
So they're not as common as demiflora, then... [ maybe that's for the best. ] But... wait. If you're a god and an "Archon," then why would you need one of those Visions? Aren't you already the god?
[ this is still blowing his mind a little make it make sense grandpa ]
Clever, Laurence. [ for noticing. he smiles approvingly. ] No, I don't truly need a Vision - perhaps why I was able to bring it and my polearm with me. It's only an accessory for me, as opposed to a thing of power.
Myself and another Archon - the Anemo one - carry false Visions with us, to blend in with our people. Habit had me tell a lie when we first arrived, as I was aiming to maintain my appearance of mortality.
[ he was kind of guessing but it made sense. if you know what to look for, though, he might be a teensy tiny bit proud to nail it. ]
I guess it's probably hard to explain what a god would be doing in an afterlife... [ which he says and immediately regrets because he doesn't want to make zl feel down again? oops. back to the vision ] I just thought it was a fancy keychain, anyway.
[ more praise. laurence is a good student, actually. ]
More I've just grown used to being among mankind, and would rather you not all look at me too differently. [ but he does move on to the vision again, rather than lingering too long as the cave draws closer. his voice has humor to it, anyways. ] For me, perhaps that's not too far off. I use elemental energy to mimic when a Vision is powered.
It doesn't, in the grand scheme. [ thoughtful. but it's a good question that he asks, and he tilts his head in a slight nod. ] It is, given the nature of powers in Teyvat. As a mortal, you only have abilities if you're a Vision wielder.
To use the Anemo Archon and myself as example, he started life... oh, nearly 3000 years ago, now, as an elemental spirit of wind, whereas I am an adeptus. We have our innate connection to our elements that were amplified by our becoming Archons. If we were to use our abilities in front of everyone without Visions, we would give ourselves away as Other, and we would rather walk amongst our people as simply Zhongli and Venti. Not Morax and Barbatos.
The other Archons interact with their nations in their own ways, so they've no need of Visions. The Electro Archon is their Shogun, as the Cryo Archon is Tsaritsa - their rulers - while the Dendro Archon is a fount of knowledge for her people and the ruling force of the Akademiya, which rules in her stead. The Hydro Archon... has a unique situation, and was an idol of her people before she earned herself a Vision, as I have heard, due to severing the connection that she had to her position and returning the power she wielded to the Hydro Dragon. There will not be another Hydro Archon again.
The Pyro Archon is a position that is earned by mortals and passed down through generations of victors. The current one is something akin to a political figure, but she reins over numerous tribes that are spread out across Natlan and they have their own laws in their territories.
[ boy howdy he definitely wasn't expecting a whole lecture. it's so much information at once that it's hard to follow, even without the whole thing about "severing connections." and there's a dragon now? ]
It sounds... complicated.
[ TO SAY THE LEAST. he is once again missing the tower where things (mostly) make sense. ]
[ watches him glaze over and gives him a sympathetic, apologetic smile. ]
Apologies. The short version is that it varies from Archon to Archon. Barbatos and I haven't revealed ourselves as Archons in hundreds of years, save to a very select few, whereas the others live publicly as the Archons of their nations.
The adepti know because they would, inevitably, recognize me. I've taken on many forms and appearances in the millennia I've been alive, but this is the one that I prefer most.
They have also been my friends for that entire time.
Another is a traveler, one that I hope will witness the history of Teyvat. I was sought for my aid, and it turned out that the traveler was the one who gave Liyue - and all of Teyvat, slowly but surely - aid.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Sure. What is it?
no subject
no subject
[ ANYWAY let's not focus on that it's embarrassing. ]
...Seriously? I didn't know something like that's possible. [ he didn't explore that far. ] So you won't even have to draw them, after all.
no subject
Perhaps you could use it to show me your Daphne abilities, as well.
no subject
...You think it would work for someone's abilities?
no subject
[ nod ] While you might not be able to execute it yourself, you could at least give a demonstration through the imagery. I would be glad to do the same.
no subject
Hm... It might be hard to show how it works if we can't use it, but I can at least try a portal. You said your powers are... Geo?
no subject
Geo, yes. I can show you a few different examples of it besides my own, if you like - it changes to each individual.
no subject
no subject
no subject
Electro? Like controlling electricity instead of stone?
no subject
I see... [ much to consider. ] No, I wouldn't expect you to know all of them - far too many flowers to name demiflora after for that, compared to elements for Visions.
But yes, that's right. Geo for stone, Electro for electricity, Anemo for air, Dendro for plants, Hydro for water, Pyro for fire, and Cryo for ice.
no subject
So it's all kinds of elements. That's crazy. How do things not get chaotic with all that?
no subject
Vision holds are a smaller part of the overall population of Teyvat. Many think it is the Archons that decide upon who gets a Vision, but it's actually out of our hands - even if many who wield them have ideals in common with the Archon of that element.
no subject
So they're not as common as demiflora, then... [ maybe that's for the best. ] But... wait. If you're a god and an "Archon," then why would you need one of those Visions? Aren't you already the god?
[ this is still blowing his mind a little make it make sense grandpa ]
no subject
Myself and another Archon - the Anemo one - carry false Visions with us, to blend in with our people. Habit had me tell a lie when we first arrived, as I was aiming to maintain my appearance of mortality.
no subject
[ he was kind of guessing but it made sense. if you know what to look for, though, he might be a teensy tiny bit proud to nail it. ]
I guess it's probably hard to explain what a god would be doing in an afterlife... [ which he says and immediately regrets because he doesn't want to make zl feel down again? oops. back to the vision ] I just thought it was a fancy keychain, anyway.
no subject
[ more praise. laurence is a good student, actually. ]
More I've just grown used to being among mankind, and would rather you not all look at me too differently. [ but he does move on to the vision again, rather than lingering too long as the cave draws closer. his voice has humor to it, anyways. ] For me, perhaps that's not too far off. I use elemental energy to mimic when a Vision is powered.
no subject
We're all in the same position here, anyway. Doesn't seem to matter who's a god and who's not.
[ doesn't hurt to be respectful, anyways, but that's pretty much always conditional for laurence so ?? ]
No one would expect a god to just be walking around with them, anyway. Is all that extra work really necessary?
no subject
It doesn't, in the grand scheme. [ thoughtful. but it's a good question that he asks, and he tilts his head in a slight nod. ] It is, given the nature of powers in Teyvat. As a mortal, you only have abilities if you're a Vision wielder.
To use the Anemo Archon and myself as example, he started life... oh, nearly 3000 years ago, now, as an elemental spirit of wind, whereas I am an adeptus. We have our innate connection to our elements that were amplified by our becoming Archons. If we were to use our abilities in front of everyone without Visions, we would give ourselves away as Other, and we would rather walk amongst our people as simply Zhongli and Venti. Not Morax and Barbatos.
The other Archons interact with their nations in their own ways, so they've no need of Visions. The Electro Archon is their Shogun, as the Cryo Archon is Tsaritsa - their rulers - while the Dendro Archon is a fount of knowledge for her people and the ruling force of the Akademiya, which rules in her stead. The Hydro Archon... has a unique situation, and was an idol of her people before she earned herself a Vision, as I have heard, due to severing the connection that she had to her position and returning the power she wielded to the Hydro Dragon. There will not be another Hydro Archon again.
The Pyro Archon is a position that is earned by mortals and passed down through generations of victors. The current one is something akin to a political figure, but she reins over numerous tribes that are spread out across Natlan and they have their own laws in their territories.
no subject
It sounds... complicated.
[ TO SAY THE LEAST. he is once again missing the tower where things (mostly) make sense. ]
no subject
Apologies. The short version is that it varies from Archon to Archon. Barbatos and I haven't revealed ourselves as Archons in hundreds of years, save to a very select few, whereas the others live publicly as the Archons of their nations.
no subject
What makes those "select few" so different, then? If you're trying to hide who you are, isn't it dangerous to let anyone know?
no subject
They have also been my friends for that entire time.
Another is a traveler, one that I hope will witness the history of Teyvat. I was sought for my aid, and it turned out that the traveler was the one who gave Liyue - and all of Teyvat, slowly but surely - aid.
no subject
They must be one incredible person to help a whole world.
(no subject)
(no subject)