#WindbornWanderer🎐

[windbornwanderer]

Reply to ✧ ── ⟡ ˙🎐 ̟ @theskirmisher

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

The winds were howling, blowing snow and ash around the scorched ruins of what used to be a laboratory, years ago. A small figure stood among them, unmoving amidst the freezing cold. Rumbling in the distance warned him of an incoming storm, and despite his inability to feel the biting effects of Snezhnaya's lethal blizzards, he figured he would better find some shelter before it arrived.

Why he had returned to this Nation after so long, he couldn't tell you, nor why he had chosen this place specifically. A place that held so many memories, and none of them were good.

Holding his hat to prevent it from being blown away by the wind, the Wanderer made his way deeper into the ruins, searching for an intact entrance to the deeper parts of the former laboratory. The half-burnt wood, covered in snow, crunched beneath his feet. Except for him, the place was completely deserted, and he guessed it had been this way for years. Perhaps even before Lesser Lord Kusanali made the mad scientist that used to work here erase all his segments from the world. Not even the animals dared to venture near, as if they too were aware of the many atrocities that had taken place here.

Even fire and ice cannot erase the ghosts of the past, he thought grimly.

The storm was picking up now, and he could feel the frost forming on his artificial skin. Had he been human, he would have succumbed to hypothermia by now, fingers turned purple, then black, from frostbite. Snezhnaya's environment had never been very forgiving, claiming many careless adventurers who had gotten lost on the endless icy plains, unprepared for the deadly nights of winter. It didn't bother him. Unlike them, he knew exactly where he was going,

A dark opening came in sight a few feet in front of him. Most of it had caved in, only allowing entry to a person not much larger than a child, but it was an opening nonetheless. There would have been a careful way to make it larger, but the indigo-haired boy chose for something much more efficient. After summoning a concentrated orb of elemental energy, the faint glow of his Vision illuminating his person, he sent it towards the entrance. The rubble that had been blocking it was cleanly blown out of the way, no longer preventing anyone from entering the underground hallways.

Taking a deep breath, more out of comfort than necessity, Wanderer stepped inside, preparing for a flood of awful memories to wash over him. How many times had he walked these halls, filled with sterile smells and noises of procedures he never wanted to know the details of? How many times had he been on the receiving end of those procedures himself? Too many times to count. He had already lost track of them after a few years.

His footsteps echoed through the empty space, the tiles and earth around him blocking the sounds of the blizzard outside. Despite the knowledge that he was the only one here, he couldn't help but keep his guard up. It all reminded him too much of the past.

As he kept going deeper and deeper into the facility, the puppet started to feel a strange presence. Most of the rooms has been cleared out, everything of value taken away before the place was abandoned, but in some places, evidence of research and experiments remained. Scattered documents, vials with substances unknown to him, used instruments... it was exactly as he had expected, but that didn't make it any less unsettling.

"Coming here was a mistake." he said to the empty air, forcing himself to remain calm. The silence had suddenly become unbearable, and the walls too close. Unable to stand the sight of it all much longer, he turned around, preparing to make his way back. The presence had become more prominent now, strangely familiar...

Irminsul.

Leylines.

During his near ascension to godhood, the formed Harbinger's consciousness had been intertwined with the very roots of Teyvat's world tree. Despite that level of divinity being far beyond his reach now, he would never forget what it felt like; and he had that exact feeling now.

For whatever reason, he was unable to stop himself from walking, even as his vision became blurry and he began to lose control of his limbs. He felt a mist engulf his body, simultaneously warm and cold, and his view was completely blocked. He was well aware that leylines could become corrupted in some way, but he had never experienced, or even heard of, anything like this happening.

After what felt like an eternity, the mist finally started to clear. Just before he was fully able to see again, he felt a touch. Brief, and completely devoid of any human warmth. Whoever it was, they seemed to pull their hand back immediately, as the touch lasted no longer than a second. Now even more confused about what the hell was going on, he stood still, waiting for the fog to completely dissipate.

And when it did... he saw something he would never have been able to anticipate. Something that shouldn't even be possible.

Except it was.

Wanderer stared.

Indigo hair, angry eyes, and a confused look, staring right back at him.

Himself.

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[windbornwanderer]

"Wanderer... what an exquisite name you have," she thought for a while before speaking up again. "I find it a fitting title for my guide. I assume you do plenty of travelling, so likely know the terrain well. How lucky it was for I to have come across such a person!! I do apologise for my rudeness dear Wanderer, I am Furina!"

They continued to walk in silence as Furina contemplated what she should do next. She felt a guilt rising within her that told her that she must do something to return the favour to her helper. But he didn't seem willing to take it. After all the many hundreds of years where Furina had to pretend to be someone she was not, she had also grown talented when it came to being able to tell when others were holding back too. This boy was clearly shutting himself off, attempting to create a barrier between himself and Furina. She wouldn't stand for such a thing.

With Sumeru city in the distance, she felt that the city was far more extravagant then the Fontainian one she was so used to. A city within a large tree was something that she never imagined herself to see. As they begun to near the large wooden utopia Furina realised it likely meant she had little time to come up with a plan to thank the man, he didn't seem like the type to wait around for long. She once again spoke up, in a final attempt of persuasion.

"Gracious Wanderer, if you are not in the mood for a meal that that is not something that I will argue against, however, please allow for me to do something to make it up to you for your kindness. Anything that you wish and I shall attempt to make it come true!!" - 🍂

── ⟡ ˙🎐 ̟.

When the Wanderer heard her name, the familiarity suddenly made sense. This wasn't just some Fontainian: this was the Hydro Archon. Well, the pretend Hydro Archon, if he had understood Nahida's story correctly. He had seen her once or twice from a distance while he was visiting the Knave's orphanage, long ago. With her celebrity status, she had been rather hard to miss. After everything that had seemingly gone down in the Nation of Justice recently... she was possibly the last person the boy had expected to run into.

Despite the sudden recognition, he kept his expression neutral, and his step didn't falter. While she had been surprisingly forthcoming about her identity, he guessed that she wasn't here on any official business. Otherwise, he would have known about it through Nahida, and he wouldn't have found her lost on a little jungle adventure. So, Wanderer decided to keep quiet about it.

"I know my way around."

He replied vaguely. It wasn't a lie, after all. She just didn't have to know the entire story. Somehow, she just could seem to get the hint that he wasn't in the mood to talk to her, and his patience was notoriously far from endless. Fortunately for him, they were almost there, so he bit his tongue once more. She was annoyingly persistent, he had to give her that.

Since they now neared the city, the road was getting a little more populated with merchants on their early way, aiming to set up their stalls and goods before the average Sumerian woke up. Some of them he recognized, others seemed to be travelers from more distant lands, who usually only stuck around for a few days.

He glanced over his shoulder once more, to see the lady --Furina-- now viewing the city with a look of awe clearly written on her face. The puppet couldn't help but smirk, though that expression disappeared almost as soon as it had come. Sumeru City tended to have that effect on those who saw it for the first time. The breeze seemed to pick up for a few seconds, although it died down again almost instantaneously.

It took all his effort not to snap when Furina simply refused to give up. Just when he was about to tell her to forget about it, another thought entered his mind: a person of her importance would have access to a lot of information that could be of great interest to him, especially about the Fatui. Perhaps in a casual conversation, she was willing to let something slip.

He turned to her with a sigh, his hat casting a shadow over his face, making it nearly unreadable. "Fine." he spoke with a flat voice.

"If you insist.. I like tea."

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[windbornwanderer]

Furina's face instantly lit up at the agreement from her new guide. She began pacing quickly forward to catch up to this mysterious person, as he seemed to want to get towards the city as soon as possible. She had begun to think he was going to refuse to help her when he started talking, but she was thankfully for his change of heart, whatever the reason for it being.

She then shifted her focus towards the scenery around her, the greenery that unfolded apon her eyes. The gentle sunlight peaked anxiously through the leaves of the trees, which swayed softly amongst the morning wind. It was nothing like the Fontainian landscape, with so much shrubbery and plants that she had never seen before. She was in awe of it all. In the distance, some fungi creatures had caught her eye, and these astonished her beyond belief. Are the mushrooms truly alive here? How marvellously strange.

After some amount of walking, she started to feel slightly awkward by the silence between herself and her unnamed guide. She needed to speak up before this had the chance to eat away at her mind.

"I thank you, kind sir, for your approval to my request! Of course, I do apologise if this sends you out of your way, however." The unease in her stomach continued on as she had begun to feel guilty for forcing him to help her, especially when he was clearly against the idea.

"For your gracious help, I shall return the favour by buying you a meal once we arrive in the city, if that is preferable to you. I do know you said not to ask questions, but please, allow me this one. What is the name of this dear saviour of mine?" - 🍂

── ⟡ ˙🎐 ̟.

As the two made their way through the Avidya Forest, Wanderer certainly kept up the pace. His steps were light, and barely made any noise on the ground below. The City was visible from a distance now, and he guessed that they would be able to reach it within the next half hour. So far, the journey had been going somewhat smoothly, without any attacks from rogue fungi or spinocrocodiles. Not even the hilichurls had shown their masked faces.

The silence had been great, too. He wasn't interested in pleasant talk with a stranger, who he would hopefully never encounter again after today. There was no need to learn anything about her, and the less she knew about him, the better. Then she spoke up.

Well, at least she was polite enough to thank him. That was already more than he had been expecting, considering how his encounters with humans usually went. He shook his head, but didn't turn around as he answered.

"It's fine."

His curt reply was certainly a difference from the other's flowery way of speaking. He was heading into this direction anyway. Had this not been the case, he would simply have dropped her off at Gandharva Ville, but she didn't need to know that. When she proceeded to offer him a meal, the puppet glanced over his shoulder.

"There is no need."

Food wasn't necessary for him. After all, he wasn't human, and had no need for such things. While it was true that he occasionally did eat for pleasure or facade, he wasn't about to share a meal with a stranger. Eating around others still made him uneasy, a remnant from his days as the Balladeer, when he would denounce everything that could even slightly link him to his humanity.

The last part of her small speech, the question, had him silent for a little longer. His name. After his spectacular failure to rise to divinity and his following erasure from the world, he had cast aside all his previous names and titles. He had hesitated to take a new one, finding himself unworthy of it. The Akademiya knew him as Hat Guy, courtesy of Nahida, and, embarrassingly enough, so did most of the students. The Fontainian would surely laugh if he told her that. To spare himself that embarrassment, he opted for the other title he used.

"Call me Wanderer."

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[windbornwanderer]

She watched closely as the figure turned to leave, the ribbons attached to his hat flowing gracefully as he did so. Maybe he wasn't as bad as she originally thought he was. Were his mannerisms slightly on the condescending side of things? Absolutely. But ultimately, he seemed to only have been looking out for her and not to bring harm to her, to which she was grateful.

However, now she faced a completely separate issue. Where does she go from here? She had no idea of the layout of Sumeru, the safe areas, places to avoid, or even where she should stay during her visit. She had arrived in the nation late that night after an ill thought out plan for a holiday. She had been sitting on that hill because she didn't know of any other way to go. But now that she knew there was danger in the area she had taken rest in, she didn't want to run the risk of staying much longer.

She needed somebody to help her, and the only person she could see was currently abandoning her there. As worried as she was to be mocked by the boy once again, she felt that a better fate than being eaten by a tiger.

"Please, monsieur, wait for me," hastily she lifted herself up from the grass as she spoke. She stumbled slightly as she rose, her legs still shaking from the shock of everything that occurred just moments before. Her head ached also, likely due to how quickly she got up. Often, she had problems with lightheadness because of her frequent bad habits when it came to her personal care. But the boy seemed to not take much notice of her, which meant she had to reach him before he had the chance to disappear. She unsteadily walked towards him, tapping him slightly on the shoulder once she had caught up to him. As she had gained more consciousness after the fright she was given earlier, she quickly changed her tone to seem less uneased as she was. "You cannot possibly just leave a fair lady such as myself here all by her lonesome! It should be clear I am in need of guidance, is it not?" - 🍂

── ⟡ ˙🎐

After this, there was nothing more that sounded more appealing than a secluded spot and reading in solitude. Wanderer still had classwork to catch up on, and as much as he grumbled and complained about it, he couldn't deny that he enjoyed his time at the Akademiya. So, he took it seriously. But of course, those plans had to be ruined again when he heard the woman calling after him to stop. At first, he ignored it, pretending not to hear her, and continued with a brisk pace. Then, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

The puppet turned around, his indigo eyes full of annoyance, and crossed his arms. Was this complete stranger really asking -almost demanding- his help? The audacity. Even her tone had changed, as if she was used to people heeding her commands and getting her way all the time, in a spoiled way. Well, not this time.

He scoffed. "Do I look like a tour guide to you? You got yourself into this mess, and you can get yourself out. I have better things to do."

As he prepared to take his leave once more, he could almost hear the disapointed voice of the Dendro Archon, scolding him for abandoning an outlander in the wild, all on her own. She would tell him to help the lady, and if he asked why, she would respond that it was simply the right thing to do. How bothersome.

"You better take notice of this, Kusanali..." Wanderer muttered under his breath before facing the white-haired lady again. She really did look helpless, he noted mentally. A bit desperate, too. There were small twigs and leaves stuck on the blue skirt, and her eyes had a tired look to them, as if she had been awake the entire night. Then he spoke, his voice flat:

"Here is how we are going to do this. I will take you back to Sumeru City so you can figure out the rest of your way from there. We are not going to have small talk, or a conversation at all."

He paused, considered his next words.

"Keep up, and do not ask me questions"

Was that too rude? Maybe, but he didn't care. He was already doing this Fontainian enough of a favour as it was. Being nice about it as well truly was too much to ask. Without another word, he started to walk again, not bothering to check is she was following. The trinkets attached to his hat trailed behind him. To Sumeru City it was.

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[windbornwanderer]

Childe was walking around the market in Sumeru City, Zaria in a sling on his back. He was currently trying to find the perfect stall to get some gifts for his family while Zaria as looking around. The bab spots Wanderer and just stares at him, well more at his hat.

@snezhnayain-carrot-top

── ⟡ ˙🎐 ̟. @snezhnayain-carrot-top

The Wanderer stood at the stall of one of the vendors, a light scowl on his face. He was attempting to buy some fruit to take back home to Nahida, but for some reason, the man was insisting on making small talk.

Finally he managed to get what he needed, only to turn around and stand face to face with a child, seemingly enamoured with his headwear. That was nothing unusual; children often took an interest in his hat, especially its trinkets. What was unusual, however, was the one the baby was attached to. The ginger.

"You.." He said, too soft for anyone to hear.

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[windbornwanderer]

She froze. In all honesty, she was unaware of the dangers Sumeru could hold. In the 500 years of her existence she had never even left Fontaine, and even then she was almost always accompanied by guards when wandering outside of the court of Fontaine. Up until after the prophecy had come to it's end, she didn't have any care for what happened in other nations. She hadn't even bothered to do research on Sumeru beforehand, she never considered how important it was that she did so.

Still completely frozen in shock, she stared at the boy stood in front of her. She was wary of what to do next. Was he friend or foe? She didn't have a clue. On one hand, he had made sure to let her know that he wasn't meaning to sneak up on her, as well as making her known to the dangers of Sumeru. However, the way he laughed at her, mocking her, it made her uneasy.

A ball seemed to appear within her throat making it feel tight. If this person did appear to be a bad one rather than good, she would easily lose in a fight. The turquoise coloured vision was clearly visible to her, she knew she wouldn't stand a chance against him without any form of power of her own. The suffocating feeling in her throat became almost unbearable, causing her to let out a few coughs in attempt to clear it. Her stomach grew ill at the thought of it all, her already pale skin becoming closer in colour to a sheet of writing paper.

Why couldn't she move? Why couldn't she say anything?

"Oh archons, please allow for my body to work," She thought to herself. She was completely helpless and the boy seemed to be growing increasingly agitated by her lack of response as she stared wide eyed at him. She needed to say something, and fast.

She was terrified, but what scared her more was making the boy angry. At last, she managed to open her mouth, stuttering out a barely audible sentence, "...I didn't know that, I apologise for my lack of understanding." - 🍂

She truly stared at him like a startled deer. The Wanderer scoffed, the ornaments hanging from his hat making soft sounds as he slightly shook his head. This was ridiculous. He had barely even said a word, and this woman was looking at him like he was about to launch an attack. He was starting to debate if simply leaving was an option when she finally spoke.

Her words confused the puppet. Why was she apologizing to him? It wasn't his concern whether she got mauled and eaten by a predator or not. Or was she mistaking him for one of those treehugging rangers? Probably not, seeing as she wasn't even from around here. He highly doubted many from beyond Sumeru knew about the folk inhabiting Gandharva Ville.

Back to the matter at hand, however: the woman who was still looking at him with frightened eyes, and was also now clearly expecting a response. She seemed familiar, somehow. Trying to conceal his agitation as much as possible, and likely failing spectacularly, he replied:

"Well, now you do. Pay attention to your surroundings, or get out of here before some overgrown cat decides to have himself an easy meal."

Archons, he sounded like that fox-eared guy, lecturing yet another careless adventurer. Nahida would be proud of him, and the mere thought of her excitement almost physically made him roll his eyes.

He studied the woman in front of him for a moment. Her clothes seemed much more fit for a fancy dinner than a trip through the jungle, from the (probably) expensive shoes to the little hat she wore. Definitely Fontainian, he concluded. What in Teyvat was she doing all the way out here? He wasn't planning on sticking around to find out that answer. This interaction had been going for long enough already.

The Wanderer turned around to leave, his clothes gently swishing in the wind. He pulled his hat lower, preparing for another short walk back through the bushes. She could figure the rest out on her own, surely.

"Don't get yourself killed."

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[windbornwanderer]

Furina sat silently, staring off into the distance with a blank expression. A cool breeze hitting her face, the grass below her tickling her hands slightly as it moved in the wind.

However, she did not feel such movement, her mind so fogged that her thoughts were unclear. She felt herself hollow, like her body was there but the soul within her was nowhere to be found. This life did not feel real to her. She didnt feel real.

The days had been blending into one for so long, feeling as if they could never end. Most the time she just went through the motions, working completely on auto pilot to get through the day. It was all so exhausting, so she had decided to take a break from it all, escaping the agony of putting on her facade for just a short while.

Suddenly, a rustle of grass sounded from behind her, startling her out of her trance. The noise caused Furina to quickly turn her head, searching for the source of it.

"Who are you? Why is it that youre sneaking up on me?" she speaks in a confident tone but there are hints of fear in her voice, unknowing of what should happen next. - 🍂

The sun had only barely risen, its soft light illuminating the forest below. The fresh morningdew was dripping from the petals, accompanied by the sounds of leaves gently rustling through the breeze. The early mornings were usually the most quiet part of the day. Everyone else was still asleep at this time, save for the birds and the occasional forest ranger on a dawn patrol. This was also the exact reason that the Wanderer had chosen this particular time for a walk to clear his head after another terrible night's sleep, or what passed for it.

So, imagine his surprise when he suddenly spotted a hint of white and blue through the vegetation, the colours a stark contrast from the natural greens of the forest. Despite the odd sight, the puppet tried to pay it no mind. After all, it wasn't his business. This forest had plenty of rangers who could take care of a lost adventurer or two.

Still, Wanderer couldn't help but take another look at the figure behind the leaves. Now that he saw them more clearly, he could confidently say that they weren't from around here. Not only had he never seen them before, but their entire attire screamed 'foreign'. Frizzled and layered. Mondstadt? Fontainian, perhaps? He shook his head. Still not his business.

There was something about them that prevented him from leaving. Perhaps it was the fact that they stood out like sumpter beast in the House of Daena (he had Nahida to blame for that expression), or maybe the way they were gazing into the distance, completely oblivious to everything else around them. Like half of the animals in this place didn't have the potential to cause them harm, not to speak of the plants.

He curled his lip in disgust at his own thoughts. This sounded suspiciously much like concern, for a stranger nonetheless. Still, he couldn't let it go. Against his better judgement, with a small groan, he made the regrettable decision to approach the white-haired figure. At least he would have something to tell Nahida later.

As he drew nearer, the Wanderer made sure to refrain from concealing his footsteps. After all, he was approaching from behind, and humans had an awful habit of being startled at nothing. Despite his 'best' efforts, that was exactly what happened.

"Who are you? Why is it that youre sneaking up on me?"

Hm, a hint of fear, poorly hidden. A pitiful attempt, truly. As he stood in front of her, the puppet laughed, mockingly.

"If I were sneaking up on you, you would not have heard me." Then, he added: "Just like a rishboland tiger, for that matter. Don't you know that this place can be dangerous?"

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[windbornwanderer]

── ⟡ ˙🎐 ̟

Greetings, traveler.

My name is Zephyrus, and this is my Wanderer-centric roleplay blog. My asks will always be open for interaction, as will any unclaimed starters. Before you do, however, please read the rules under the cut, as well as this specific blog’s lore.

26 he/him aroace

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Rules

Be 18+. I am not comfortable roleplaying with minors.

No NSFW or suggestive content under any circumstances.

Basic DNI.

No drama or real life politics.

I accept OOC asks, but I am under no obligation to answer them.

I reserve the right to delete asks that make me uncomfortable.

I will communicate my boundaries when necessary, and I expect you to do the same in a respectful manner.

You may interact without being a roleplay blog. I will respond in character unless you ask otherwise.

Please, no one-liners.

2. Disclaimers

Due to personal circumstances, I may occasionally not be able to respond for a few days. Please be patient.

There will be violent and graphic content on this blog. Viewer discretion is advised.

I do not mind doubles.

3. Links Masterlist

Account Canon

4. Starter Masterlist

TBA

5. Tags

#WindbornWanderer🎐 -> In-character RP

#UponTheGale🎐 -> In-character Asks

#BowYourHead🎐 -> Open Starters

#TheWindRises🎐 -> OOC Posts/Asks

#SquallAndFury🎐 -> Blog announcements

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Profile banner image by Hoyoverse

[windbornwanderer]

Alrrriiighhtt!! Sold! To 🪷 for five thousand! Please contact me and deposit your money via BestBank or BankSecure! Goodluck 🪷-anon, he's all yours!

-Auctioneer anon, signing off on WindbornWanderer's blog.

── ⟡ ˙🎐

"Hold on," the puppet interjected with a disgruntled expression. "Do I even get a say in this?"

Scowling, he added: "I do not consent to this. I am worth far more than that."

Insult after insult... He was not standing for this.

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