#and then dan heng’s light cone AGAIN

[suashii]

strangling jing yuan for not coming home WHY U HANDSOME INSUFFERABLE MAN I HATE U

[abyssruler]

got em all 🤭

[princiere]

if u see me having another category 5 autism event soon, no u didn't

[the-writer-arrived]

Dan Heng NSFW Alphabet

Synopsis: let's take a peek on how your lover is in bed, shall we?

Character: dan heng.

Warnings: afab!reader; reader is part of the astral express but isn't the trailblazer; spoilers about dan heng's past and his companion mission.

A/N: in celebration for dan heng imbibitor lunae release (finally!!), i give you all this! may our dragon boyfie come home to all who wants him <3

(p.s. that mf made me lose the 50/50 💀 his light cone better come home 😭.)

(edit: IT WORKED HIS LIGHT CONE CAME ON THE 31 😭😭😭😭)

This work has sexual themes and is not suitable for minors. If you click on read more, I am not responsable for any discomfort you may feel reading this. You have been warned.

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Dan Heng's nickname in Belobog's fight club may be "Cold Dragon Young", but he's anything but cold to you especially after sex.

After your sexual lives began, Dan Heng made sure to always have a box of tissues, a towel and a bottle of water at hand's reach.

He prefers to do the deed in your room instead of his since, you know, it's the Express databank...

Therefore, those things are usually inside a drawer of your nightstand for easier access to the both of you.

Also cuddling is a must for him.

On days Dan Heng is feeling particularly clingy, he will wrap his arms AND tail around you, not minding the feeling of your sweaty and sticky bodies.

But don't worry, he will take you to the bathroom to clean you and him in the shower/bath, before returning to bed.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

If someone had asked him that before he got together with you, he wouldn't know what to answer.

Now, however, he'd answer his hands.

Curiously enough, you've always been fascinated by Dan Heng's hands.

You loved holding it, playing with his fingers, saying they were so soft, even softer than your own!

You also loved dragging him to the sleepovers in March's room, which you would paint your boyfriend's nails while March would do the Trailblazer's.

Now, about his favorite body part of yours, it's an easy answer: your neck.

It goes hand in hand with his kink (or rather, instinct) of marking you.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

He cums an embarrassing (to him) amount.

Although the Vidyadhara can't have offsprings, they still are a dragon species and, considering Dan Heng has a much closer conection to the water dragon he controls, his instincts are stronger than others of his kin.

Yes, this is just a roundabout way to say he has a breeding kink

It's usually thick and gooey, but when he's in heat, it becomes more watery.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

When you joined the Astral Express, you were sure Dan Heng disliked you.

Although he was never outright rude to you during the (very few) interactions you two had in the beggining, he would never be in the same room as you.

Himeko assured you that the young man was just shy, but even she was at a loss at that unusual behavior of his.

Dan Heng was avoiding you, yes, but it wasn't because he hated your guts or anything.

It was because your scent was driving him crazy.

The second he landed his eyes on you, your scent invaded his system and every single fiber of his being was being pulled to you.

But he couldn't, he shouldn't. There was too much danger in his life.

But by the Aeons... He had to do something, or else he might lose his mind.

So, when everyone in the train was asleep, Dan Heng would let his thoughts be consumed by you and guide his hand to his shaft...

He would rather go through molting rebirth again than admit he did such debauchery to you.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

My guy has been in the Shackling Prison ever since he was born and after being banished from the Luofu, he had to keep looking over his shoulder for a psycho who's out for his blood.

It's suffice to say that Dan Heng doesn't have any experience in relationships or sex.

Please have patience with him, he will fumble but he really wants to make you feel good :(

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

I believe Dan Heng would prefer positions which he can see your face, be it directly or through a mirror's reflection.

What he must have, however, is access to your neck, his favorite body part of yours as mentioned on B.

So, if you do positions like cowgirl/reverse cowgirl, you can expect to have a restless (dragon) lover under you, squirming for wanting to have you closer in order to mark your pretty skin.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

He's definitely not one to be funny in bed... intentionally, that is.

Have you seen him throwing peace signs when the Silvermane Guards were pursuing the trio in Jarilo-VI?

Or him doing that when March took a photo of him next to the High Elder statue on that short animation?

Or even the things he says with the most poker face ever?

Anyway, what I mean to say is that Dan Heng is funny without trying to and that (unfortunately to him) sometimes happen in bed.

He will huff while you're giggling with yourself, before bringing you back to the right mood with a searing kiss.

What were you laughing at again? I don't know, maybe you should focus on those hypnotizing eyes darkened with lust staring down at you.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

As said on E, Dan Heng doesn't have much experience in relationships, therefore never really worried that much about pubic hair.

After joining the Express and having a safe place to be, he would groom himself and trim a bit just so it wasn't too much or too long.

Now that he's with you, he likes to keep his bush small and very well groomed, so it won't bother your nose when you suck him off.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

His draconic instincts aside, Dan Heng really, really, REALLY enjoys keeping you in his arms.

99% of the time you guys "make love" instead of fucking.

This is the first time in his life (as Dan Heng) that he feels utterly safe and conected with someone in so many different aspects.

When he says "I love you" during the deed, it comes from the deepest, most precious part of his heart.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Honestly, he used to masturbate more before you two got together.

Again, he will never tell you that or, at least, not any time soon...

Now? It's rare for him to do it.

If he's in the mood, usually you are as well.

Sure, mutual masturbation is hot and all, but he'd much rather be inside your warm and inviting pussy.

The only time he'll jack off is when you are away from each other in trailblazing missions.

You know Dan Heng will try to hold off touching himself until he can go back to the Express, but he becomes soooo snappy and with a permanent frown on his face.

So, please, send him some photos of you or audios to break his resolve and make him relax a little until he returns to your side.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

As mentioned in the very begginning of the list, I am 100% sure Dan Heng has a breeding kink, even if he can't procreate.

It's such a filthy sight, your hole fluttering after he pulls out, your mixed fluids leaking from it... A voice, primal, in the back of his mind telling him he should push it back inside or, even better, stuff you with his cum once again...

He can't get enough of it.

Also, you won't leave the bed without at least a dozen marks on your skin.

Bites, hickeys, marks of his fingers for gripping you too tightly... You'll see all of that and more on the morning after.

Your boyfriend is considerate enough to not leave them on places you can't hide with your clother or make up.

...Unless you made him jealous on purpose or has been teasing him throughout the day.

I guess scent kink is also a thing for him.

You almost make him delirious with lust when you're on your ovulating period.

Praise your guy to your heart's content, it works wonders when you want Dan Heng to let loose and fuck your brains.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

No matter how horny he is, Dan Heng will only touch you on the privacy of the bedroom.

Preferably yours since he doesn't really have a bed on the Data Bank Archieves.

Which is fine, considering he basically moved to your room.

The reason for that is the comfort and sense of security the private space gives him.

He doesn't have to be on alert for any kind of danger and can give you his undivided attention.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Call him corny, but it's when you show him you love him.

For most of his life, he has been followed by the shadow of Dan Feng and his deeds, both good and bad.

Even after Jing Yuan revoked his banishment from the Luofu, there are still many people, especially the Vidyadhara, who look at him with contempt.

Not to mention Blade hunting him through the universe to make him pay the price for his Dan Feng's sins.

So, when you cup his cheeks, stare at his eyes so softly and tell him you love him for who he is, not the shadow of his precious reincarnation...

His heart can't barely handle all the feelings that well up inside.

Dan Heng tries his best to show you how he feels by the breathtaking kisses and relentless pace of his hips snapping with yours, with chants of your name like a devotee does to their beloved deity.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

If you enjoy feeling a bit of pain in bed, I'm sorry to tell you, but Dan Heng refuses to do anything that may cause even the tiniest bit of pain to you...

Okay, it's not like he'll NEVER do it if you do enjoy it, but it'll take a lot of coaxing and reassurance.

His worst nightmare is to hurt you in any shape or form.

One thing that he will not do, no matter what, is share you.

So no threesome with Blade, sorry.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

I see Dan Heng as the giver type, to be honest.

Not that he dislikes you sucking him off, far from it!

He just adores being nestled between your thighs, your drooling cunt on his mouth...

And if you convince him to eat you out on his Imbibitor Lunae form? It's a sure way to send you to heaven.

Grab his horns like your lifeline, it will make him moan into your folds and grind his cock onto the bed.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

On normal days, the pace is slow but deep.

No matter how much you ask, beg, demand for your lover to go faster, he won't and it drives you crazy (in a good way).

He's addicted to the way your core tightens around his member like a vice when you're so close to the edge.

Only then he will concede to your wishes, so you can cum together.

When he's in heat? Good luck walking tomorrow soldier 🫡

Each of his thrusts are so deep, so fast, so hard, but never deep enough, never fast enough, never hard enough to satisfy his desires.

I hope your bed is strong enough to survive the whole night.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Doesn't like it.

To Dan Heng, being physically intimate with you requires a process, a moment when the two of you tune out the world and just focus on each other.

Like I said on P, he likes to take his time with you, to really feel every single inch of you.

Sure, there are times when both of you are too horny to wait until you are in the comfort of your bedroom and there's too little time to spare.

Even so, quickies don't satisfy him completely.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Another thing that he doesn't enjoy it.

Dan Heng is a bit self conscious about the thought of other people hearing or, Aeons forbid, see you two doing it.

A spoiler for the V part, but this guy isn't exactly quiet during the fun 🤫

That's one of the reasons why doing it on a public or semi-public place is a no for him.

Using a vibrator though, especially on him, now that's something that may happen.

Again, it'll take some coaxing from you, but there's a bigger chance of him agreeing in the end.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Even when Dan Heng is in his human form, his stamina is above average.

When he's in heat? Again, good luck walking tomorrow.

If it was up to his draconic desires, he would go all night without a break.

Fortunately for you, he can hold on to his senses enough to remember that you would not survive if that happened.

You'd die happy, but he doesn't want to lose you.

On the morning after, you two are "gently" reminded by Himeko and Welt that there are other passengers on the Express and everyone would very much like to sleep in peace ✨

Poor March had to sleep over with the Trailblazer in their room, which was the furthest from yours.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Our boy knows what a dildo and a vibrator are on theory, never tried them himself.

You'll have to be the one to introduce them in the relationship, if you want to.

I see Dan Heng as a switch, leaning to the sub side tbh.

With that in mind, I believe the toys are used more frequently on him than on you.

His favorite is those vibrators that can be controlled by a phone app, it's discreet and you can keep your partner on their toes.

His collection isn't big, maybe he owns two or three at max.

His first sex toy was one of those male masturbators, a gift from you.

Poor guy was so confused on what the hell that thing was (totally understandable, some of those look like a blender???).

Needless to say that his face turned red in no time after your explanation.

It doesn't come close to your hands and mouth, but it does a good job when you two can't be together for whatever reason.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

If there is someone who loves to tease to hell and back, it's you.

You can't help it! Dan Heng looks sooooo adorable, trying his hardest to keep a straight face while a pink tint warms his cheeks.

Your teasing can go two ways: you may have him whimpering and begging for more under you OR he will retaliate and have you whimpering and begging for forgiveness under him.

In any case, you see it as a win in your book ✨

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

*Me, speaking into the mic.* Dan Heng is a whimperer and whinier.

*The crowd boos and I leave with my head down.*

She's right! *There is a yell coming from the back.*

*It's you, with Dan Heng dying from embarrasment next to you.*

Jokes aside, I do believe our Cold Dragon Young isn't loud per se, but a whimperer for sure.

He's embarrassed by that, so he does all he can to keep his sounds at bay.

When he's in Hot Dragon Young mode, he'll do a 180°.

Embarrassed? Shy? Quiet? Not Vidyadhara Dan Heng.

He growls, he moans, he curses, he straight up purrs the more he pounds and bullies your pussy with his cock(s).

Yes, he has two, it's a consensus between writers and artists.

Please gift everyone in the Astral Express ear buds, they will need them.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Despite having a breeding kink, of course Dan Heng is aware his species isn't fertile.

He knows there are no chances of him creating a new life by the conventional means of procreation.

And yet... Watching you interact with Hook and the other children of Belobog... Watching you hold Bailu in your arms...

He can't help but daydream of the 'what ifs' and 'would be'.

If he could, he wonders what would your child be like?

Would they look more like you? Or him?

Would they have similar personality to you or him? Perhaps a mix of both?

Would they inherit his draconic features?

...Would they have a long life span like him?

...Would they still be by his side, after your passing..?

...Will he even be able to handle to live a life without you once again...?

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

I am terrible at describing things, let alone dicks of fictional characters, so bear with me OTL

Okay, so, it's been established that Dan Heng has two cocks. Good? Good.

I like to think that they also change when he turns into his original appearance.

Human Dan Heng: only one dick, but still has a bit more length than average, on the thiner spectrum, slightly curved upward

Imbibitor Lunae Dan Heng: two dicks, a growth in girth to leave you full but not stuffed, the veins are more proeminent.

How does one describe a pretty dick? Idk, but it's the first thing that comes to mind when you see it.

He's a pretty guy after all.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

I know I've talking about his heat period like a broken record, but that's because watching aloof characters becoming crazy with lust makes me absolutely feral 🥴

But honestly? Among all the Honkai Star Rail men, I see Dan Heng with the lowest sex drive.

Not that he isn't interested in you physically, far from it! He adores your body and when you show it off to tease him, it's always very effective.

It's just that I see he has bigger emotional needs than sexual needs in the daily life.

Lover boy can go two, three days without having sex with you just fine.

It depends more on how is your sex drive.

If you ask him, he'll gladly go down on you whenever you wish.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Dan Heng will only fall asleep after you do.

It comes from a desire to protect you from anything and everything.

He won't allow himself to completely rest until you are fully comfortable and in deep sleep.

Only then, he will kiss you on the forehead and bring you into his arms, giving you a sense of security you won't be able to find anywhere else in the whole universe.

[glittertimes1997]

hcq stuff except I had to shorten the amount images i could use because there's a 10 limit

will provide handwriting translation because I cannot read my own handwriting

anyways

starting with blades 100 deaths

jingliu brainwashed blade into going after dan heng over the price of what happened that day

“Remember the feeling of death, and bring it to them”

she herself stated that she had killed blade a hundred times over it, to remind him of his past karma

after that he went to find dan feng but was meant with dan heng instead, he knew dan fengs face and dan heng looked the same but younger, he knew dan feng had a price to pay and to bring death to him so he tries to go after dan heng only to be meant with hostility and the dan heng claiming to have no idea who he is or what this “price is”

“of five people, three must pay a price” isn't blades own line

it actually comes from jingliu

she was the one who knew what their exact prices were and she revealed them near the end of her quest

dan heng does remember being dan feng

he shouldn't remember anything because the normal rebirth erases all past memories but he does because the rebirth was fucked with

even jing yuan knew about it, saying he was denied a true rebirth

he's just in denial about it

jingliu called him out on it by saying he's convincing himself he had a normal rebirth and that he's insisting he doesn't remember a thing

his 4th character story

when dan feng got arrested

just to show that he does have dan fengs memories

blades 4th character story

it mentions a devastator glaive being handed to a boy/youth

the only one in the hcq who uses that same weapon is jing yuan

he was still a kid at the time the hcq started

in imbibitior lunaes 2nd character story jing yuan is a lieutenant meaning, at the point in time, he is now an adult

the hcq is said to have disbanded less than a hundred years after they started

which is a huge variable of time but it's enough time for jing yuan to have grown up and become a lieutenant

imbibitior lunaes lightcone states jing yuan to be a general after the rebirth had finished

it also calls dan heng a young man

so no, he's not a teenager

also

baiheng is NOT the beloved because her name elicits no feelings from dan heng

I'm sorry, this isn't very organized

I'm not good at these things

there's just still seems to be a lack of info in the fandom about these specific things

I do not have imbibitior lunae or the light cone so, anything about those, I have to get from the wiki

did my best to gather what I could from in game with what I was able to find info on

again, I apologize for this being very unorganized

[tree-obsession]

HSR and Scars+other physical trauma marks HCs

I haven't seen anyone do this yet, but lmk plz if someone has!

Minor spoilers for main plot

Arlan- scars in a lot of places, implied that he could fight as a child and was poor, canonically has a prosthetic arm (at least I think, but works as hc too) and scars on his arm and nose at least. likely has more, esp on arms since using a greatsword doesnt give great defensibility and his moveset involves cutting HP(judging by the animation, using electricity, so electricity scars too? are those called lichtenberg scars?). he's short, and again the childhood implications mean he was probably malnourished.

Asta- probably minor things from working with untested equipment, and has likely burned her hands with her own powers- but, since she's a noble, she's likely expected to be neat, so idk. I like the burn idea tho.

Bailu- she's a healer, so I think what she does get she can get rid of too. But maybe her dragon tail has unhealed bits from failed assassination attempts, or smth?

Blade- canonically has scars basically everywhere. literally got tortured for a really long time, had home planet destroyed as a child and likely didn't get out unscathed (we NEED to talk abt that more), was a forge worker (burns) and did fight on occasion as Yingxing, and then was on the run for about 1000 years or something, and canonically died even more during that time. also has a skillset that involves cutting his own hp. likely doesn't have to eat, but he's unhealthily skinny because of it anyway. chronic pain. somebody give this guy a hug please.

Bronya- she's a soldier, so callouses, blade scars, bullet scars, emergency first-aid scars, and probably desensitized to cold more than the average human bc belobog. really high disregard for pain that concerns seele on a regular basis.

Clara- her. her feet. are they ok. but also some scars from working with mechs and being in the cold, but svarog made sure nothing too major happened while she was in his care. before, though... likely got beat up for being a "pushover" (im crying plz).

dan heng-... chain scars. we NEED to talk about the fact he spent most of his life chained up in prison with guards and people who hated him (minus jing yuan). probably none of the guards would have stopped some of the more violent ones from getting physical- how else would he tear his clothes that much? probably wasn't fed enough or allowed to exercise much. and the chains- listen, i know we joke about the light cone a lot(honestly why was that specifically made into the light cone) but that was really how he lived for a long time. the desc even said he "writhed" and "gasped for breath". he definitely has huge scars from rubbing skin raw around his wrists, ankles, stomach, and maybe his neck? his arms are definitely majorly scarred over and stuff from this, and probably his ankles+legs too. also his eyesight is probably shit from the dark, unless Vidyadhara magic somehow helped that.

bonus: there is a fic on ao3 called "you're looking into their eyes (and find you're looking into your own)" by robyndoesntlikeyou that deals with dan heng having scars that i only found after drafting this post. plz rec any more fics you have on this...

Fu Xuan- i really don't know for her. probably small ones that wouldn't have scarred, but she saw them as unimportant and didn't treat them...

Gepard- similar to Bronya, but maybe not as many since he's a shielder, but more of the lack of cold sensitivity? he's on the front lines lots

Guinaifen- burn scars on forearm and hands. probably can't feel much on her hands too. idk her lore but she's a street performer, so probably not always enough money for food.

Herta- we basically know nothing about her! seriously, she's so mysterious, and her character stories are vague about her past. i can't think of anything, but maybe there were some more dangerous experiments?

Himeko- considering she rebuilt the Astral Express, there were probably dangerous components involved there somewhere... and her backstory still seems pretty mysterious

Hook- diggertron probs caused burns, and life in the underground is dangerous- plus, moles could apparently go to the fight club? which seems like an issue

Jing Yuan- he's a general- lots of war scars. and probs lighting burns because he summons that entire lightning lord/chronic pain.

Jingliu- she definitely has a lot- i'm pretty sure she's the oldest of the hcq, and also got mara-struck/ fought in wars and was on the run and exiled for a long while. canonically constantly in pain due to mara. also really, really needs a hug, except the only person she would probs let hug her is baiheng, who is dead! and also she isolated herself and tortured yingxing/blade. hcq enjoyers are in literally so much pain.

Kafka- would have a lot of callouses, but idk about where scars would be. she would probs cover them up to avoid drawing attention (as she is an assassin), but idrk where exactly. she seems really sneaky, and considering she has no fear there's no reason for her to hesitate in battle. maybe scars on arms from electricity or stray bullets?

Luka- canon that he has scars from wrestling and stuff.

luocha- again, he would probably just heal whatever scars he did get. i really don't know for him, sry ):.

lynx- most calloused hands ever and even more of a weird cold tolerance than others because she's an explorer. probably just doesn't have feeling in some places. and there are probs scars somewhere from when she ran into fragmentum beasts but she's also a healer so...

march 7th- from careless accidents, sure- dropping glasses and stuff, maybe from a few close fights. but her body was wiped like her memories, plus she's a shielder and archer, which is code for not in the thick of the fight and not taking much damage herself, although she has been careless a few times. also, bowstring burns.

natasha- again, she would heal it. but has chronic pain from lugging around that heavy gun and due to age- i think she's in 50s? she's a respected person, and raised seele in the orphanage, but i dont think there's an official age.

pela- cold resistance. maybe some scars from mechanical accidents? and also there were likely some attacks right after she was born since so many of her mother's coworkers were killed.

Qingque- she's clumsy, so accident scars- breaking glass, falling down too many stairs, etc.

sampo- cold res! and probably some close calls since he's such a rat and has enemies, so most scars are on his stomach.

seele- again, growing up in the underworld was tough, so fighting rings + orphanage scraps + street fights, plus some malnourishment since she often gave her food to smaller kids and ran all the errands. was always a fight-first person, but cares a lot and so would protect automatically. has scars all over- many knife ones, some bullet or burns, and electric ones from fixing up mechs.

serval- electric ones from when she was just starting to fight with the guitar. do i need to keep saying cold resistance for the Jarilo-vi ppl?

Silver Wolf- definitely got some, but can aether hacking erase them? either way i doubt she would actually care enough to try unless she was really bored. but also has terrible eyesight, even by punklorde standards. idrk where her scars would be, so spread out mby?

sushang- spent her entire life training and canonically is brawns over brains, so probs more than a few. also her sword is heavy so she probs had some accidents. mostly on her arms and stomach.

tingyun- probs some from people blowing up amicassador ships, since they want to interrupt peace talks and things- but she's fast and experienced.

topaz- had bad lungs, but had a surgery after getting promoted to fix them. some burns on her hands and her sense of smell is a bit screwed up, so numby is often her compass for that (i love numby SO MUCH)

trailblazer- massive scar from getting stabbed through. none from before game started, since apparently they're a puppet. i think they would heal faster, but messily because of that, so a bunch of smaller scars on their torso, face and forearms.

welt- lots and lots from soldier time, especially from debris and the honkai energy probably has some kind of physical drawback. hands are a bit screwed up too, and gets a lot of chronic pain.

yanqing- what the heck is his family history? will it become relevant later? kind of curious how that may affect these hcs, but hands are super calloused and while he often doesn't retain major injuries, he'll only care for them if jing yuan tells him to, so a bunch of smaller scars just from that. mostly on his arms and hands and neck (ppl probs try to stab there often...)

yukong- so many- was huge in the war, so lots of bullet scars and maybe even some that were previously mara-infected and made worse. hearing is shot, uses hearing aids in her fox ears. a bit irrelevant but she is totally awesome.

[adobodemon]

👋 Heyy I know you play Star Rail too so I wanted to know what quests you prioritised? I recently started playing again and I thought finishing the main quests before getting to the side quests but now I'm not so sure the way my ass is getting beat by these enemies especially those swarm bugs in Ruan Mei's quest💀 so maybe i should finish them off b4 the world level gets too high? What do you think?

Took a while to get to this but yeah:

You should get up to date in the main quests, as the events as of late are requiring you to finish the latest main story mission in order to play through them

It's really important for the current event if you don't have that many characters, since there's a free 4* selector not applicable anymore lol

If you're having trouble with main quests, try and focus on getting a good core team: One DPS, one support, and 2 sustainers or a sustainer and a support if your team is tanky enough (the main sustainer should be a healer cuz free preservation options are kinda not great)

Good DPS that you can get without pulling rn are Dr. Ratio, Herta, Qingque, and Dan Heng

Good free Supports are Asta and Yukong

Good free Sustains are Fire MC and Lynx (though for Lynx you need to unlock Pure Fiction and clear at least two stages), if you don't have Lynx then Natasha works just fine

Focus on leveling in this priority: Character Level > Traces > Light Cone Level > Relics (Good Main Stats) > Relics (Good Main and Sub stats)

Don't grind relics until you're AR45 though, you should get by with free relics from treasure chests or quests until then

[fictionfixations]

asking people who know how to play moze

does moze work well with jade? ive been running him in divergent universe and its ok but it gets a little awkward if his turn is before jade and he e's cause then jade cant do her e on him

but he also works well with my main team

like okay so i have like two different versions of my main team that are kind of meshed together but they dont work well with each other but im trying to get an alternative (like im trying to save up for aven so i can use jade's e on him while still keeping main team but its looking pretty tight on skill point use and i dont have sparkle. additionally it gets awkward in auto cause jade kind of ignores preservation or abundance which is fair but also AAA)

like okay so theres

team 1: [character TBA, robin, il dan heng, lynx] team 2: [character TBA, robin, jade, lynx]

so without support characters (characters from other ppl) its usually just il dan heng, robin, jade, and lynx, which dan heng isnt follow up nor erudition (hes very skill point hungry) so its kind of not the greatest team but its my most built team

like. okay so those characters excluding moze are built to the maximum without grinding for better artifacts, having 5 star light cones or having their signature light cone, and without max eidolons (none of the built 5 stars have eidolons)

the only actual difference i guess is that for some reason jade has lower atk then everyone excluding lynx? like. like even robin has more atk then her 💀

and also i feel like he works ok with both teams. idk if the ease is just because im in divergent universe so everything has like buffs and shit but im genuinely not seeing a difference. (then again im not good at figuring out team comps and what works best with what so im kinda stumped here)

still i cant really set the jade team on auto because since her e effect disappears with like each of her turns and if moze is either still in like his departed(?) state or his turn was before jade and he went back into departed then i cant redo the e

and like i guess thats not the worst in the world but the whole point is to use her e to build up charge faster for her follow attacks + with the points she accumulates herself (if wording is confusing its ally attack + jade's attack = faster charge for follow up attack)

idk maybe im just not good at using jade 😭

in all honesty feixiao (am i spelling that right) would be a better alternative for jade i think (i kind of forgot how she plays, which is dumb cause i literally just did her trial so uh)? or like yunli.

[yokelish]

oh no...blade and dan heng combine into hsr's xiao, change my mind

edgelord singularly focused on death but also a miserable wet cat

wind boy saved by space zhongli

I mentioned sampo because for a second I had this image where DH does stay on xianzhou for at least a bit of the story and our teammates get rotated around in every world from now. and I wouldn't be surprised if sampo's relevant again in the future because he never betrays his friends and uh, you know the final scene in belobog

anyway when we last spoke the reason I brought up the foxgirl is because of the lore in the passerby of wandering cloud relic set. if you haven't read there's a line that seems to imply that dan heng did something to blade's "beloved." some people interpret the beloved as blade's pre-immortality self and boy I sure hope so

Yeah! That final scene in Belobog! I'm still torn between "Oh this is foreshadowing" and "Hoyo doing a bit". I think it's a bit more than anything. That's just how much I don't care to see him again.

Unfortunately, I think Sampo can betray anyone for the right price. But I am also aware of like 5% of his whole story.

You see, I read that lore on braces so many times and....it seems like either a mess of a storyline or a bad translation. Maybe @scalpel-mom-mori can help?

One, Foxgirl beloved seems to be a woman. Which would be in line with Honkai lesbians.

Two, in the trailer it's very confirmed that Jingliu was mara struck. Which has nothing to do with Dan Heng aka IL.

Three, Foxgirl's lover died in battle according to the light cone.

As far as those who are referred to as "beloved", those are out. It cannot be Jingliu. IL didn't turn her into a monstrosity. Tho, it's not impossible for Blade to be pulling an Otto and be obsessed with a lesbian whose sword he carries. But the lore isn't loring correctly for this to be the case.

What I think is happening in the sentence, is that it's overly poetic and too awkward to be translated into English without causing confusion. In my head, that's the part written from basically Dan Heng's perspective. He, an owner of the other bracer, turned HIS BELOVED, aka the Unnamed, into a monstrosity, which caused a rift of resentment between them. In fact, Blade lore's does speak of love and hate between him and Imbibitor Lunae. So it would fit.

Imbibitor turned his beloved into a monstrosity aka Unauthorized Immortal. Which is a massive crime. IL becomes persona non grata to Loufu. And on top of that, Blade fucking hates IL for taking away his mortality, he has faced nothing good since then.

[zhongrin]

Heyo. Anon from before, and I wanted to say congratulations for beating Belobog!

I appreciate the encouragement, and I figured that I should inform you of what I'm up to in the game. I have nearly done almost all the hidden and side quests that I can access at Trailblaze Level 20. But I am still there. Still farming.

But in my perpetual state of farming, I thought of your response to my post, which is how ruthless HSR is for new players, and I wholeheartedly agree.

So I did enough quests and stuff to pull on the beginner warp and ended up with Gepard as my lone 5*. Tried for Robin too, but didn't get her, unfortunately.

Even with Gepard, I legitimately could not do the two fights for Equilibrium 1. Gepard is arguably a good shield, but because I'm still in the beginning stages, I can't trigger his shield often enough to get protection from enemies, so my characters die. Couple that with the fact that I only really have 3 DPS units in my account - Physical Trailblazer, Dan Heng, and Serval, and it just got so frustrating.

I had to take a breath and walk away because I got so frustrated. I tried every team under the sun with the units I had leveled. I tried two sustains in my team with March 7th and Gepard, along with Trailblazer and Dan Heng. I switched out Trailblazer for Serval. I switched March 7th for Serval. I switched Dan Heng for Serval. I tried switching March 7th with Natasha (as much as I could build her). And on and on and on.

It was infuriating to me that despite grinding and leveling up my characters, their traces, and their light cones to the absolute highest levels it could go, I still died by a large margin. It wasn't even close.

As I kept dying over and over, for me, that's when I had the thought of the Gacha system completely screwing over my hopes of progression.

In my gacha pulls on the beginner banner, I ended up with more 4* light cones than characters. That isn't a bad thing. But the 4* Light Cones I did pull, I can't use. I have no Nihility units. I have no Imaginary units. I have no Quantum Units either. Aside from Natasha, I have no other Abundance units. Already, that means that I have a very limited selection of elements that I can use to fight against enemies, and my team building is really limited.

Furthermore, I got a lot of characters with repeating elements. They are characters I can't use to their fullest potential. Case in point, I got Tingyun in my pulls on the beginner banner. I've heard she's great. But because I can't reliably heal or shield every turn, I can't swap her in because it means one less sustain unit. She's a support, yes. But she can't support if she's dead.

On top of that, she uses lightning, which also means that she's vying for the same spot that Serval is. I could try to shove her and Serval in a team together, but then if I come across a unit that's immune or resistant to lightning, my damage is nonexistent.

So back to the teams I was trying and failing to do Equilibrium 1 with - one of my issues with having two sustains (either Gepard and Match 7th or Natasha) is that my team becomes very Skill Point (SP) Hungry. For Gepard, March 7th, or Natasha to be able to do their sustains, they need a skill point, which takes away from the ability of my DPS to do any sort of damage. And on top of that, since the Equilibrium enemies have more than one in the horde, I'm playing a game of... can the shield or I hold out long enough to heal from the relentless enemy attacks?

At that point, I found the game frustrating because it felt like I was spending all my time doing SP management. I couldn't break the enemy shields because I didn't have the elements to do so. I couldn't do damage because I couldn't break the shields. In my latest attempt, I was surviving yes, but because of how long I was engaged in the fight, the computer I was using overheated and shut down in the middle of the fight.

So guess who had to do the fights from the beginning once again?

At that point, I was on like try 5 when the computer I was using overheated. I tried again, but gave up my play session after I died.

I'm bad at turn based combat. I fully admit to that. But I find it messed up how you can literally level up a character's levels, traces, and light cones to the max, and still not be able to clear.

I play Genshin too, which makes HSR all the more frustrating. While I found the beginning of Genshin hard to get used to, I could still clear content if I leveled up my characters, their talents, and their weapons to the max. I could visually see enemies dying quicker because of the effort I put into my characters.

But not HSR.

I get that the way I play HSR could be a skill issue. I fully get that, especially as I'm bad at turn based combat. But it is frustrating, especially after spending 20+ hours grinding my characters to as high as I can go, to know that I still can't beat the dang trial to ascend my Equilibrium level.

I'm gonna hope that at some point, I get lucky with enemy RNG and I can squeak by by the skin of my teeth to ascend my Equilibrium level and advance the story.

But until then, it's back to the Calyx grind.

thank you thank you! please do, i love hearing other people's experience with games and stuff ᰔᩚ

orgh…. yeah, it's definitely super ruthless especially with team comps. i hope you at least have friends who have maxed-out characters so you can clear the calyxes everyday without too much pain??

this is a very amateur opinion and i'm not sure if it'll help much… but as you said, i think gepard is more usable in later parts of the game. as of now you won't be able to use his shield that often. i'm seeing my brother's build and you also need energy regen, which i don't think you've even unlocked in the relics at your state of the game (idk if it plays a major difference but it feels like it would). idt you can build him that efficiently in the beginning, and if i remember correctly there are not many enemies that will do AoE attacks anyway. i'd say swap him out for march 7th.

i find asta really useful and is generally a good support, or, since you have serval, maybe she could work too? if i remember right, i think i went for dan heng-bronya-trailblazer-march 7th for equilibrium lv 1 quest, but you can always replace bronya with serval/asta maybe? trailblazer also swappable with natasha if you find march's shields isn't making it.

sobsob i already get frustrated reading your whole story, i can't imagine how painful it is for you ;;; have you tried looking at some guides online? there should be ones that can help with directing which team you need to use to specifically clear that quest, and with f2p characters. 20+ hours is INSANE…. you did a lot more than me because i completely disregarded almost all side quests. atp when you level up your equilibrium you'd be ready for equilibrium lv 2 trial orz

[astrxlfinale]

Wanted to give this a spin when I saw it on the dash! Less imagery though, and more me writing out the thoughts. So let's dive into it!

Will get a wee bit lengthy. So under a read more it goes.

1.

A character that got me into Star Rail was genuinely the Trailblazer themselves. I think anyone who's come to know me is not surprised AT ALL with this once interacting with me. There's a shared energy I love making full use of, reveling in their share of chaos, their certainties and their comical doubts. Just the way they wholly dive into the experience is a quality I can relate in enjoying myself.

Not to mention I'm just a fan of their design in general. Even if it looks like they're ~somewhat~ cosplaying the Express itself, all of the golds and blacks really compliment their set up.

2.

In this game it feels like a main is harder to come by, since I'd primarily need me a gang to get things knocked out. Though! If there's a character I've pinned a lot of commitment into, it'd be Firefly! Holding her at E1S1 and been spending the whole of 2.3 burning up TB power at her domain. I've really come to enjoy the Oppressive playstyle of just having enemies not do jack shit. Cutting through defenses, playing around with the high speed to boot.

It's playstyle that's suffocating on opposition and that's how I want it. After getting stunned, DoTted, blown up, one shot wiped. Finally I can have an effective means to supply that same hell onto my enemies. So working to the point of cracking open a high pivotal damage point is fun to me, it rings familiar to RPGs like Octopath Traveler that also had it's own break mechanics.

3.

As for a character I come to love? I think I might've answered that accidentally on number one. LOL. I'm a full on Trailblazer fan here! Characters like them feel a little hard to come by in this era where Nonchalance is revered and hailed supreme. So characters that can showcase passion? I'm absolutely all for.

4.

Dr.Ratio. While I love the pointed passion, dealing with someone like that would genuinely be agonizing for me to deal with. It'd just be the condescending note that would honestly, make me want to tell him to fuck off. Then again I'd have no doubt that arrangement would be just fine with the both of us.

5.

I really want to get Silver Wolf onto my teams! Though, I've heard that not having that starter Light cone would make the curve of getting her improved more of a genuine hell. I'd be willing to work on that struggle, especially if it means I can find my 'cheat code' around weakness types. Playing the game made me learn just how much more tanky enemies are if they don't have the specified weaknesses on them.

Not just in breaking (which adds more vulnerability.) I'm literally doing 20% less damage, and I'm nowhere close to the point of nuts artifacts where brute forcing becomes a viable option.

6.

I believe Gallagher has the closest example to my eye color. (Mines is brown.)

7.

Dan Heng! (I have black hair.)

8.

Honestly? I don't think any of these characters share a solid match of personality for me. Similarities for running around with chaotic thoughts with the TB can be shared, but as it stands I'm too laidback. I do share Qinque's MO for wanting to make work related lifestyles as amicable and amendable as possible. Just enough, never above and beyond, especially when you're aware of the field you're in.

9.

For the time being right now. I'm saving for a Silver Wolf rerun, though, I will admittedly try my luck on Feixiao. That depends on if their kit appeases me however, gotta see how flexible it is with the balance of characters I have. (I know I'ma need another Harmony at this point. Robin may on the rerun radar as well depending on how Feixiao works.)

10.

Firefly! From the shade of dual hair colors, the sunset eyes to the way that energized spirit green can shine within them. There's a lot of her features that brings plenty of appeal to the table. I love how her outfit works like the prismatic wings of either an insect or a fairy, also giving off that appeal similar to stained glass despite being cloth. A lot of it just mesh to be a joy to the eyes and in kind, how it can work with either shades of fire she utilizes.

Not to mention the SAM unit itself! Human sized Mecha (or close to it) can easily win some appeal points for me. The way it operates as armor, and plays upon the concept of ignition for fierce strikes and high momentum just feels into the value of momentum, which is another big plus for me. There's also that dichotomy between the form, which adds a charm point when you see those respective 'modes' shine through to what she's externally showing.

11.

Destruction!

Characters who thrive in the fight, risking damage and turning that struggle into strength through various means will always speak to the fiery side of my soul. The gameplay style where you're balancing that vitality as much as your enemies are working to deplete is interesting to me. I love that measure of control, and how the enemy has to deal with me on multiple fronts as much as I have to deal with them.

Part of me wishes they'd come to do a mini rework on the Destruction TB for this reason. With their healing factor being only outside of battle, and how there isn't much usage for sacrificing high vitality for empowerment, it leaves a lot to be desired when you catch an eye on more modern units.

12.

Imaginary! Primarily for the creation appeal that many of the characters utilize with it. It's an Element that really highlights the creativity of a character, and gets them to really show off what they can literally bring to reality when given the chance. I for one, will always come to recognize the appeal they bring to the table with that.

[yeonban]

*On Dan Heng's fear of the dark.

Dan Heng doesn't have many fears to speak of, but darkness / the dark is one of the few he really is afraid of. He doesn't go out of his way to mention this to anyone nor does he avoid tasks that have to do with being in a place devoid of light, but whenever faced with such a scenario he will hesitate to go there, and when he ultimately finds the courage to do so every muscle in his body will visibly show signs of strain. He refuses to let any fear (even if in this case it's one stemming from deep trauma) get the best of him so he attempts to shrug it off if needed, but he does still try to avoid it whenever possible.

Why does he have this fear?

"From birth, all that ever lay before  him  was but a lightless dungeon. To this darkness, irrelevant sins bound him… irrelevant memories engulfed him. He writhed, gasping for breath with every fiber of his being, attempting to clasp a sliver of light in this fathomless ocean. Until the day the  general  stepped into the lightless depths of this prison, he beheld a radiance shining brighter than the sun – the gaze of a  young man." Imbibitor Lunae's light cone ("Brighter Than the Sun") explains how most of Dan Heng's life was spent in the Shackling Prison where he had nothing but the darkness to keep him company.

Although there are a few inconsistencies in the story (i.e: the mention of how the Four Precepts gave Dan Heng an education), I'd say this most likely happened on rarer occasions and definitely still within the prison; maybe with a faint light nearby (a fire or an artificial light) that was brought in from the outside in order to allow Dan Heng to see better before once again forcing him to return to the pure darkness. This kept going until Jing Yuan finally freed him, which is to say several decades after "Dan Feng" ceased to exist and "Dan Heng" came to be.

Within the dark dungeon, Dan Heng slowly started relieving various moments of Dan Feng's life, very likely starting with the worst of them considering a long-lived species' most vivid memories are their most terrible ones, so on top of being unable to see nor hear anything within that darkness, Dan Heng also grew up plagued by nightmares and hallucinations. He canonly refused to speak to anyone for many years while he lived in the prison, and he wasn't getting that many visitors to begin with anyways, which means for most of his life the only things keeping him company within the darkness were the worst moments of Dan Feng's life and the ghosts of his past.

The first time Dan Heng ever saw the sun and his own body was when he left the Luofu, as mentioned in his Character Story 1: "It's just another extremely average day aboard this  giant ship. The markets have just opened and the morning dew is still fresh, but the young man crossing the street has never seen such a sight. Before he manages to notice all the differences between the actual city and its descriptions in books, he is immersed in savoring the warmth of the sun on the back of his neck. It is his first time seeing his own body clearly. This body belongs to him. It belongs to this current name. When he arrives at the port, the escorting soldier removes the last of his shackles. He walks forward without looking back."

Not to mention --- one of Dan Heng's most important memories overall, and the most important one regarding Blade, is of Blade hunting him down with nothing but the darkness surrounding him (them). On top of being forced to relieve Dan Feng's memories within the darkness, Dan Heng himself had traumatic experiences within it - of being hunted, of feeling bloodlust towards himself, of killing the source of it (Blade) only for Blade to appear again and again and again in front of him like a never-ending nightmare. There is absolutely nothing positive that Dan Heng has ever experienced within the darkness, and as such he has an immediate subconscious reaction against it whenever put into a place where he can't see anything or can barely see anything.

What does he do about it?

Though we haven't seen that much of Dan Heng's habits or daily tendencies thus far, what we have seen is his room (the Archives) and him sleeping in Blade's trailer. The Archives room is always bright during the "day" (which makes sense if we remember that the other Nameless can come in and out of it as they please since Dan Heng keeps the room unlocked during this time), but the thing is - he keeps this same brightness on during the "night" / sleeping time as well. The first three screenshots below are of "night-time" aka when Dan Heng is sleeping (WITH the door locked! which implies there's no logical reason for the light to still be on when no one else will come in) and the fourth is of the Archives room during daytime - the room practically has the same amount of brightness 24/7, even though the lights can definitely be turned off.

This is a habit Dan Heng upholds during Nameless missions too, as well as whenever he has to sleep somewhere outside the Express. For example, the trio (DH-March-Trailblazer) each got a separate room at Goethe's Hotel in Belobog every time they slept there, which isn't really necessary. They're comfortable and trusting enough of each other to easily sleep in the same room without worrying about it (if anything, it'd cost them less to pay for one room than three separate ones) but I imagine Dan Heng and March came to an agreement to not share a room at night ever since she joined the Express because Dan Heng always leaves the lights on at night, and I doubt March (or many others) could get a proper night's rest with the lights blaring in her face the entire time.

This is something Dan Heng does when forced to sleep outside too - he finds a place with either strong artificial lights (such as a market street) or a place with a good view of the full moon, and only after doing so is he able to fall asleep. He cannot sleep if he's devoid of light, and in the off-chance that he's exhausted enough to fall unconscious anyway, he will have a restless sleep full of nightmares and he will wake up faster than the rest, feeling worse than he did prior to sleeping.

Outside of this intentional habit of his, Dan Heng doesn't go out of his way to do much else. He only tries to avoid going into places with very low visibility, both due to his darkness-related trauma and also due to the fear of being ambushed (coughs the Blade flavored trauma), and he abstains from going outside during night-time if there isn't much light around even if his company is very trustworthy (he may accept if prodded incessantly, but he'll be on his guard and feel uncomfortable the entire time). Dan Heng will never bring up this fear nor comment on it unless specifically prompted to (and even then, he'd only do so with people he trusts), and he tries his best to not let it show either, but it's something that has plagued him since the day of his "birth" and it shows no signs of stopping anytime soon either.

[almea]

I've got random 2.2 thoughts because I had such a good time with it.

I'm so glad I didn't try to power through the rest of the story before going to sleep last night because the boss fight was so hype that I don't know if I would have been able to fall asleep after it. I will never get over slamming the Express into the boss, and Stelle looks SO PRETTY in the animation when you use it. I loved Robin and the rest of the crew having a line the first five times you activate it. Himeko's line fucking took me out. Hoyo… truly knows what my weaknesses are.

I heard you still have the Express's help in the Echo of War version of the fight but you don't get the animation of Stelle and Clockie summoning it and that's just. A crime. I'm pretty sure they still show Dan Heng in the Echo of War Phantylia fight, so why don't we get Stelle and Clockie? Like, I guess??? It could be weird if you're using Destruction or Preservation Stelle in the fight and then it's the Harmony version in the animation, but it would be the same situation as using 4 star Dan Heng against Phantylia. I'm just so sad I'll never get to see it again in the game.

I loved the whole part where Stelle's trapped in the Order's dream because I was just like. What is happening? This is feels so abrupt and I'm so disoriented and, bitch, I know the boss has two more phases and there were cutscenes in the trailer that still haven't happened yet. And then as soon as Topaz was like "Everyone has agreed to work together to help Penacony" I was like. Yeah. No. This is 100% a dream lmao.

I think it's incredibly sweet that Stelle's dream was a world where everyone would work together and be happy though.

Also, I don't know if this was just an audio glitch, but when I went back to the train, the music was reset to the default song, so I was like. Um???

When Black Swan said the card she gave Stelle was an empty light cone, there was a moment where I thought she would use it make a light cone using Stelle's memories and I was so disappointed that didn't happen. I really want a light cone with Stelle in it one day...

Harmony Stelle's animations are so good, I'm in love with her. There's so much personality and sass to them!! I'm surprised Stelle and Caelus's ultimate animations are almost exactly the same except for one part because their other ultimate animations look very different from each other while conveying the same thing. It's probably my bias speaking, but I feel like, aside from that really cool knee slide only Caelus has, the rest of the dance looks like it was animated a little more with Stelle in mind than Caelus.

I love Harmony Stelle so much that I'm going to start building break DPSs for her. And Ruan Mei lmao. I've been sitting on Ruan Mei for ages as I farmed relics for other characters. I was already planning to build Xueyi eventually because I used a trial version in one of the combat events and she was very fun and now I have another reason to do it.

I'm thrilled that Stelle got to talk and say cool shit in the cutscenes. I love her and she's so precious and I love that she gets to be cool!!! I always want Stelle to talk more.

Dan Heng's interactions with Boothill are so funny. He's just like. I don't want this man to ever speak for the rest of his life, I will murder him if he claims to be a Nameless again.

I was like. This close to crying when Dan Heng said his companions are once-in-a-lifetime treasures. My fucking heart, man.

All the Nameless stuff makes me so emotional and I'm not even entirely sure why. There's something about the way they present it that always has me dead on the ground. Like, the fact that the Astral Express has been around for so, so, so much longer than the current crew and they will continue to visit worlds that were visited and loved by their predecessors. The way the Nameless who left the Express still held it so close to their hearts. I love the reverence they have for the past Nameless. Stelle kneeling in front Mikhail after she received his hat was so beautiful.

I cried over Misha getting his memories back, and how only the other trailblazers were able to see him. The 2.0 explanation that only honest people with childlike innocence could see Clockie was very funny and I had thought it was a Stellaron thing since Stelle being able to see weird things related to Stellarons is an established thing, but the fact it's actually that you need to share the same spirit of trailblazing that Mikhail had is so uggggghhhhh.

Acheron finding Tiernan and helping him find peace and move on was soooo sweet. Now that we very concretely know the final fates of two of the three Nameless that stayed on Penacony, I'm curious whether we'll eventually get a more concrete ending for Razalina since I think her fate was still a little ambiguous.

I fucking LOVE bookends, so Acheron repeating what she told Stelle during their first meeting being one of the last things that happened in 2.2 and asking her the same questions she asked at the beginning... Those were personal attacks on me.

I'm still not 100% clear on the meaning behind Acheron's red text. I know it's related to red being the colour of existence (I think that's what she said) but I don't know what it's supposed to mean in the context of the red text. My first thought was that the red text is her breaking through the Order's dream's influence, but I don't remember if that fits with all her red text. And her red text appears when she's talking to Tiernan too, and I don't think that was part of a dream.

So I really don't know. Maybe her red text isn't that deep and everyone freaked out when they saw it for no reason lmao.

I have no idea what Sparkle was up to. I thought her buttons would do something during the last boss fight, but no? That doesn't seem to be it? I guess the Charmony Festival technically didn't start yet, so it's might be setup for something in 2.3. Either that or it's more of her red herring imagery.

[shining-gem34]

||Overdue 2.1 Commentary (The Mess)

HSR Spoilers

I'll put it out here now I started 2.0/Penacony thinking I won't be emotionally attached to the characters. Do I like them? Yes, I do to the point I like to give my thoughts about them and their actions just like any other characters. Just not to the extent I would be having my heart strings snapped and used as a jump rope for H*yoverse as they revel in my suffering.

Everything about 2.1 story is still information overload for me so I feel like I'm still missing alot of stuff.

Minor stuff (1): Gameplay wise(?), I do like how they handled switching Character POV's and label it as Trailblazer Story Quest (yellow/gold plot icon). It did fee like they improved it from the beginning parts of Xianzhou main story where you had the option of playing Dan Heng side of the story (purple plot icon) even though it felt just as important main story wise. So that was nice to see.

Acheron & Welt

I'm not too familiar with HI3 and other game/stories relating to it. I can recognize a few references to it such as Acheron is definitely Mei in HSR universe, her Myraid Celestia Trailer is a reference to the Honkai invading "Earth"and the twelve blades are references to the Herrschers in order, and Acheron is a result of no Kiana(?) and she defeated/kill "Kevin"/End. So I cannot say much about any HI3 references between them other than the fact it was nice they met and somehow recognized each other secrets. It makes me think about again how lonely Welt must've felt seeing a familiar face but it's not the person he knows. At the very least Acheron can be someone he might be willing to talk to about his past. Keyword: might. Main story wise cause Penacony 2.1 so far (or overall since 2.0) is a detective-like story, their discovery of new clues in Sunday residence is very eye-catching when you confirm Sunday is aware of "Death" (the meme) and IT has been around for a long while. Robin and Firefly are not the first victims based on the notes, BUT it randomly attacks people anywhere at anytime with no pattern. Sunday himself is personally looking into this case, moreso since Robin is now a victim but he's discouraged and told to hold off on it by Old Oti (Alfalfa Family) until after the festival is concluded. Of course we also learn Sunday definitely loves his sister as he kept a Light Cone of her first performance when they were kids. But more interesting is Robin letter. We find out why her voice is different not because of health-related reason, but because of the "Harmony in Penacony is not pure". She knew something was going on in Penacony and came to the conclusion there is a traitor in the Family. She was going to join her brother and go over what information she had, but unfortunately as we saw at the end of 2.0 she got caught by "Death". :((( Also what I find interesting about Robin "voice" is that she's far more sensitive to the "Harmony" to notice something was wrong compared to Sunday, as we saw both siblings are capable of using Harmony power by a "voice". But so far I haven't seen Sunday confirm if he noticed anything wrong with his "voice" unlike Robin. Makes me wonder how close she is to Xipe...

Aventurine & Ratio (Aventurine Boss Fight)

This was like the big bulk of 2.1 story where Aventurine is pretty much the main character. I will admit it does feel weird we're getting to see alot of Aventurine backstory at once before getting to read his character story, but again- He's the star of the show here. We're seeing Aventurine making the biggest bet of his entire fucking life here. Starry did warn me beforehand his story will be tragic but I did not expect for a seven course dinner of tragedy and angst to be shoved down my throat. Because at the beginning with Aventurine and Ratio??? They were a duo who got along pretty well despite their contrasting personalities. It could be years of working together, or they're more alike than they admit. Also I love the sandbox pit, because it was so funny to watch a giant Ratio helping out this itty bitty Aventurine wandering in Golden Hour city replica. The NPC's T-Posing bothered me more than needed...As they should (T-Pose for dominance). Then the big fucking thing happened during the meeting with Sunday where Ratio "sold" Aventurine out and I was ready to throw my phone like: DAMN. But also I had to stop and think about it carefully, because ??? That isn't Ratio style. He can plot behind the scenes but that's for the sake of "students" to find a lesson to learn from it. Also! He would not risk people lives at that too and had a measure of safety net arranged. He's a Scholar who believes knowledge is for everyone and in all, a pursuer to find a cure for people "ignorance". Not play with people lives. Even if there is a chance he hates Aventurine, he wouldn't betray his own principles like that for greed. The obvious answer? Ratio "betrayal" is part of the plan. Aventurine obviously has a plan when Sunday interrogates him. Not going to lie, when Sunday pretty much put a death sentence on Aventurine, I was legit worried we were going to have another "death" happening. I will say I do admire Aventurine perseverance (HAH!) in trying to survive and fighting to the bitter end. And we do see! That his fight to live stems from his past from his childhood! His home planet is dying, his parents gone, his clan slowly dying off, losing his sister, sold as a slave, and eventually joining the IPC- Aventurine went through so much to survive! But we also see his survival comes to a price- the death of many he cares about. The guilt of being the only survivor combined with his sense of worth led to a disarray of thoughts we see in the quest description.

Unable to escape, unable to move on, unable to see his own worth, and unable to see his own future where he's still alive. In an illusion where he's facing his own selves, the past and the future as he marches onward, Aventurine came to find his own answer at the end: He wants to live. I'm still untangling stuff around the parts where Aventurine grand plan is to call a bluff for Acheron to unleash her true power and leaving a deep mark on the Dreamscape. I do know her power had effectively removed the Harmony placed on Aventurine thus saving his life from that. But the big point Aventurine had to Penacony regarding the "murders" happening is that: No one can "die" in a dream(?????). And it felt like he was taking a big risk with his life on the line to not only save his own life but to point to a bigger clue to the guests after the Watchmaker legacy: Who dunit? For Aventurine, his story has more or less concluded in Penacony. He's not dead despite it looking like he is accepting his "death" because again- You can't die in Penacony. I do know he'll return in the next story. And Dr. Ratio has full faith in his return, and it was??? Like I got chicken tendy that Aventurine looked relieved reading his note. Like there is someone waiting for him. BUT ALSO HE'S SAYING GOODBYE TO HIS PAST SELF TOO, I'M JUST AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. TLDR: Jade is not okay during the entire Aventurine portion of the story. I just wanted to cry and hold this bitch close, because this bitch is making me emotionally attached to him. AND HIS BOSS FIGHT WAS SO COOL. I was reminded of Childe Foul Legacy appearance with the beam shooting from his mask but Aventurine was his chest gem. Super nostalgic. I was just super bummed when I found out H*yoverse just nerfed his boss fight when I fought him. ;;w;; I really wanted to experience how hard he was based from what everyone was saying, but I guess that's what I get for taking my time. Though I guess they had to nerf it so people can continue the story.

Gallagher & Sunday

Gallagher background information about the Watchmaker. The tidbits I focused on is the fact Mikhail, who we've been hearing about since last patch, is actually the Watchmaker (Betrayer of the Family). If the Watchmaker title is inherited, and Mikhail is dead, who is the next Watchmaker? Is it Gallagher, one of his "children" or another individual? He never did explain, if he knows, how the Watchmaker are chosen. (I'm putting my bets on Misha because why not-). Minor Vent: When Gallagher answered the question of his age with "I'm Thirteen"- I prayed that social media peeps do not take it literally. Unfortunately, and I mourn for this, people did take it literally. Yes, you can disguise yourself in dreams, but come on. It's obviously means something else and how quickly, Gallaghter changed topics back to the original subject at hand before anyone can ask about it. The question remains that idk if it's been answered in-game or it's in other lore (Relics- I haven't read the Watchmaker relics lore yet because I haven't needed to grind that set yet): What did the Watchmaker do that was considered betrayal to the Family and earn their hatred? And what did they do for the Oak Family to have set them up to be branded as traitors? I haven't gotten a good grasp of Sunday character yet. The characters, except Robin, have a neutral to disdainful view of him. I can tell he manipulates to get things done for the sake of the Family, likes to be very much in control of the situation, and very much adores his sister Robin. But the confrontation between Sunday and Gallagher has me going unga bunga. The tension between them as Sunday reveals his suspicions about Gallagher, ripping apart his identity piece by piece to unveil a bigger puzzle. I thought it was another Sparkles disguise moment, or when Gallagher called Sunday "my brother"- I thought it was Robin and I was like HUH???? And then I realized it was something akin to mocking Sunday. Also Sunday calling Gallagher follower of Enigmata. I had to look it up because I was not too far into Gold/Gears/Swarm Universe to unlock the Aeon of Enigmata. Oh boy, that unlocks ALOT of possibilities for Gallagher. BUT ALSO GALLAGTHER AND DEATH MEME CONNECTION???? THAT LAST SCENE OF DEATH APPEARING AND STABBING SUNDAY? WHAT THE FUCK I GOT BLUEBALLED SO HARD AT THE CLIFFHANGER. Holy shit so Gallagher is definitely (99% likely now) one of the culprits here. The question does remain is: Who is Gallagher exactly? Because Sunday described so many pieces Gallagher had taken from 52 loyal members of the Family and made it into his own identity. What was the truth and lie he told us, the Nameless? And what did happen to Sunday??? Man. Oh Man.

Sam & Trailblazer

Man, I was like already 99% certain Firefly and Sam are the same people. But at the end where Sam revealed himself to be Firefly, I was the Trailblazer for that moment getting sucker punched into the gut. Like, Trailblazer had no breaks??? How long has it been since they saw Firefly got stabbed and disappeared, and shortly found out Robin was also stabbed? And then they had to be dragged all over Penacony to unveil the murders behind it? And then fight Aventurine??? Like legit they get no breaks and to find out Firefly, whom they consider a close friend and thought they were dead, is actually alive and part of the Stellaron Hunters? Man I would feel betrayed. I am curious to Firefly/Sam story though.

Minor tidbits to include:

-Sparkles answering Aventurine inquiry about the "mute" person that is not Robin, but somebody else. This is still stuck in my head. I'm just like: ????????????????????

-Baby Aventurine is too cute and pure for this world.

-Jade (I found HSR version of me everyone /j) is beautiful and I am willing to roll for her.

-Black Swan investigating Acheron! I wish this was explored more, but I know this will be a big plot in 2.2 since we heard Boothill voice! I'm curious to what kind of relationship Acheron has with the Galaxy Rangers. She is an imposter, but she continues to call herself a Galaxy Ranger. In Boothill case, he has a vendetta against her and plans to fight her. But also! It's confirmed Acheron did kill Duke Inferno and his children escape! And we heard Constance too!

-Also!!! My son Dan Heng makes an appearance...Over the Astral Express group chat asking if he needs to join them in Penacony and help out. ;;w;; Because everyone was worried about the Trailblazer not responding and obviously something serious happened. And Mom Himeko reassuring he's not needed for now, and Dan Heng trusting they'll let him know when they need him. ;;w;;

[lodish]

if i dont get both dan heng and his light cone youll never hear from me again

[scruus]

Good luck to kafka wanters! Skipping her cause i pulled for blades light cone last minute (I got it) and now I'm down to 10 wishes😭

-💃

Bro i had 20 wishes. I am saving for babygirl dan heng but I thought “hmm let me pull for her once”. I pulled the 10 pull and guess what🤡🤡🤡

Absolute clown moment. Now i need to grind again for dan heng😭. I shouldn’t have pulled in the first place.