the-twilight-sword

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Life abides no reason—For none are born by their own consent. Death abides no reason—For it cannot be defied. Time abides no reason—For it deprives us all equally. Space abides no reason—The...

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genshin characters as images in my camera roll

chevreuse

skirk

rhinedottir

furina

cyno

lyney

chasca

mualani

capitano

bennett

dori

albedo

kinich

citlali

kachina

kaeya

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me: *crafting in natlan*

ifa:

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wait… the da Minci code

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Nicole rug which could be nothing. BTW, Ragnvindr (the Dawn Knight) created the Mondstadt Library, converting it from the aristocrat’s indoor bath

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i'm sorry but how the fuck am i supposed to move on from the implication that kaeya's pirate grandpa met a mage who's a fallen ""star"" and that mage nicole happens to be a fallen angel, and the teacups used to represent her are haunting dawn winery and there's a shot in kaeya's hangout where he's Seated in front of one of those teacups, and that nicole is a prophet and the seelie have the power of foresight and schrödinger's augur kaeya, and that the name nicole is a reference to the goddess of victory nike and that the first character in kaeya's name 凱 means victory, and he has that stupid sword the harbinger of dawn that "symbolizes light and victory", and that nike was sometimes depicted as a wingless goddess to prevent her from "flying" away and that kaeya's vision is missing two wings, and that the book feline firm (written by andersdottir) depicts the love story between an underground thief cat (with a knightly gait) and a noble princess cat. How

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Nicole, the Hexenzirkel, and the Gaze That Petrified Fontaine

This post is causatum of my previous post.

I believe the individual "third-party observer from the north" who saved Diluc from death at the hands of the Harbingers was his own ancestor- possibly mother, Nicole Reeyn of the Hexenzirkel. You've no doubt seen that the tea set in the Dawn Winery is the same as the one at the mages' tea party, and bears the same pattern as the one on Diluc's coat and hearth.

And, of course, the teacup appears in in Archon Quest Hunters, Prophets in Chapter IV: Act V - Masquerade of the Guilty when Mage N. is speaking.

But Nicole isn't the only Hexenzirkel witch connected to the teaset. This is a representation of the office of Anya M. Andersdotter as seen in Simulanka. The teaset is there next to her storybook.

I propose the two had a sort of student-teacher relationship. The Little Witch and the Undying Fire, written for Andersdotter around the time of her death, referenced a school that was "a direct successor of these Western witches"( perhaps the Universitas Magistrorum?). Either way, upon her death, Nicole's addition to the book was only this

A familiar face surfaced in the crystal ball. "This is your magic teacher speaking. The trial is over. You were unable to obtain your witch license."

And Nicole's farewell letter to Andersdotter implies she watched over her in life.

There's not much to worry about here with you — so why don't you watch over me instead?

But all-in-all, we don't know who the Little Witch is meant to represent allegorically.

Now, many have theorised that Nicole is Diluc's mother. While possible, I don't think it's likely given her inspirations.

Nicole's Inspirations

The two chief inspirations for Nicole seem to be Athena and Nicole-Reine Lepaut.

In the original Chinese, her name is 尼可 Níkě possibly a variant of the name of the Greek goddess Nike (Chinese: 尼刻) and the name 'Nicole' itself also derives from the Greek word νίκη nikē meaning victory. This could allude to Nike as an aspect of Athena, for Athena was worshipped as Athena Nike when the two goddesses were conflated.

Athena is known for speaking in the minds of heroes so as to guide them, as in the case of Odysseus, and our Nicole does the same thing.

Athena invented a form of prophecy, and Nicole is a prophetess. Through the Dawn Winery, and in ways I'll elaborate on further, Nicole is associated with owls- famously symbolic of Athena.

Finally, when Alice speaks of "the nations going to war" during Windblume's Breath, the camera pans to Nicole's seat.

☽ Kaj's Note ☾ The 'blue-eyed spear witch' might also reference Athena. She is frequently depicted carrying a spear, and In Homer's epic works, Athena's most common epithet is Glaukopis (γλαυκῶπις) meaning "bright-eyed". Glaukós (γλαυκός) itself is translated as "gleaming, silvery", and later, "bluish-green". The blue-eyed spear witch's spear, Crescent Pike is described as being designed by someone who is "able to visualize the fatal flaws in life itself", and that by "some mystical power, the pike would fly from her hand toward her opponents' fatal flaws." which sounds like accounts of heroes Athena has aided.

As for Nicole-Reine Lepaut (b.1723), the French astronomer, we can see where the 'Reeyn' surname comes from. She is known for calculating the return of Halley's Comet, and made advancements in the mathematics of clockmaking. Alice tells us that Nicole has "made this world's direction and order her subject of study", and I think that the cyclical world of Teyvat, with its clock allegory, might be relevant here.

But as promised- the reason I don't think Nicole is likely Diluc's literal mother; that neither Athena or Nicole-Reine Lepaut had children. Athena was, in fact, famously a virgin.

The Gaze That Petrified Fontaine

Petrifying Gaze was a quest in the 3.8 Veluriyam Mirage summer event. As we well know, the summer events usually foreshadow what will happen in the next nation. You'll have to read or watch the quest to understand what I'm cooking here.

I'm quite sure the Lonely Hydro Eidolon is meant to be Focalors, and the two sages are Nicole and Vedrfolnir. The Key to the Castle's Secret Chamber seems to be the Gnosis, and the Ancient Hex-Cleansing Remedy possibly the power of the sovereign. With the petrifying gaze of the wraiths, we have the watchful eye of the Heavenly Principles. The language used is similar to Fischl-related lore and in The Pale Princess and the Six Pymies.

☽ Kaj's Note ☾ A major symbol of Athena are the Gorgoneion, the sisters whose gaze can turn a person to stone.

Egeria is only rumoured to have created the prophecy, while it seems likely Vedrfolnir placed the tablets that foretell it. I think it's entirely possible Nicole was also involved, given her association with the prophecy. During Hunters, Prophets, in Masquerade of the Guilty, she advises us on the prophecy, and mirrors the language Dainsleif uses in Travail.

"Just as prophecies are usually only the future as seen from the perspectives of the gods, could things be happening in hidden corners where the gods' gaze does not fall?"

When she first speaks with us during Inversion of Genesis, she says this, which could be something she learned from experience.

"Unfortunately, the fate of Teyvat cannot easily be changed. Perhaps a god may have a slim chance, but for anyone else... who can say."

There are two tracks-"Voyage of the Black Crystal" and "The Owls' Nocturne"- that play only during Daiya's Three-Day Reverie quests, Petrifying Gaze being one of them. This could represent Vedrfolnir and Nicole.

They'd also make an interesting duo, from a storytelling perspective. Nicole is mute, and Vedrfolnir is blind. I've long theorised he might be blind, and the Wings of Fate's Course Intertwined confirm that bit at least. If you read my theory, you'll see why "Hunters, Prophets" describes the two perfectly.

Finally, after completing the Daiya's Three-Day Reverie quests, you can open the chest containing the Wind-Up Great Owl Spirit Mechanism furnishing, apparently a prop from Petrifying Gaze.

Loose Connections

In Simulanka, there is a story called Owl Musician, a story we never get to read but is referenced. In the combat event based on the story, the player "must swing their blade to a specific rhythm", a major point in the story. Any Diluc player will tell you that his skill, Searing Onslaught, must be "cast in rhythm" to do substantial damage. You can read about the story itself here, and you'll see how it calls Diluc to mind. An owl-shaped furnishing called Fairytale Figurine: Night's Nemesis references Owl Musician:

An exquisite clockwork owl model that can be placed on a "Good Shelf" for display. This model is said to derive from a story about an "Owl Musician." In this tale, owls who could see through the dark became the eyes of soldiers trapped in the "night," guiding them to victory. As such, the owls gained the title "Night's Nemeses."

This same furnishing is perched atop the grandfather clock in Andersdotter's study.

Another connection we have between Diluc and witches is his birthday- April 30th, Walpurgisnacht. This night of witches is relevant to Genshin in that there are many references to German witch folklore, as well as a possible mention of the Walpurgisnacht itself.

The Haar Islands (name for the Golden Apple Archipelago), once the tops of Mondstadtian mountains, may allude to the Harz Mountains in Germany. During Walpurgisnacht, a coven of witches is said to meet at the Brocken- the highest point of the Harz mountains. What Alice said matches this, "From then on, the mages would only ever convene in the woods, in the skies, or on the edges of cliffs", meeting as they do on an island floating above a cliff. More than just Alice met on the Golden Apple Archipelago; the Temple of the Star Latitudes domain is found atop the Minacious Isle.

☽ Kaj's Note ☾ The word "Haar" refers to a type of cold and dense sea fog. The Brocken Spectre is an illusion often seen on the misty Harz Mountains, which are covered in fog up to 300 days of the year.

The Little Witch and the Undying Fire also goes into depth about a "Night Carnival" attended by witches, which might be our Walpurgisnacht.

By the way, the Night Carnival is an ancient, taboo ceremony. Legend has it that at such times, the witches' magical powers are at their apex. They hold rituals in secret, offering sacrifices and keeping the bonfires burning through the night. This tradition had been forgotten in the westernmost parts of the magical continent but, for some reason, it had been revived within the deep woods. Normally, this was an event that only great witches or figures greater still could be invited to, or invite others to attend. In practice, though, participation in a Carnival had a direct relation with a witch's romantic or marital status.

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There also remains the connection between brewery as a trade and witches. The symbols of the witches hat, cauldron, and broomstick all seem to originate for the mediaeval practice of women brewing ale.

All in all, I wanted to get this out before the 30th. I'd like to see my Hexenzirkel theories proven or disproven. I just know something will happen- it's Windblume season again, Nod-Krai is coming out soon, and war seems to be brewing.

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KAEYA WINNING NEVER GIVE UP

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Considering Venti is the possible author, I think it's possible for sure.

There were 8 witches in the Hexenzirkel according to the Mages' Tea Party Story Teaser. I think the one that left- there are seven chairs- is Rosalyne.

There are 9 witches in the Hexenzirkel according to the Imaginarium Theater. The map description calls it "A mysterious room suspended between fantasy and reality, before the tale's beginning and after its end."

I have a theory that all books with roses on the cover contain secrets with regard to Irminsul editing. Noelle tells us that roses represent secrets in Mondstadt.

To avoid leaking such information, Noelle used red cloth to make a great many roses — in Mondstadt, this flower means "my lips are sealed."

And, indeed, they represent the same in our world. Genshin even references it with the ore Subrosium.

looks like the hexenzirkel symbol could be the serpent bracelet from the book hex and hound. it's about twin witches sharing one body; with one witch storing her dead sister's soul inside the bracelet.

Hex and Hound Then, she read all of the leather-bound books in the tower, and combining what she learned with dark magic and alchemy, created a new vessel. However, the ability to place her sister's soul inside the vessel and bring her back to life was not only a forbidden art in light magic, it was also exceptionally difficult — especially for Nottfriga, who knew no light magic whatsoever. Nevertheless, Nottfriga's insistence on bringing Magdalene back spurred her on, and eventually she found a solution. She transformed the vessel into a serpent bracelet that she wore on her wrist, and set out on an adventure.

if this is really related to the hexenzirkel, i wonder which witch this is 👀

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👀

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It's a bit confusing, but Pilos Peak (now Musk Reef) was almost certainly meant to be a reference to the Pileus, an ancient style of hat that can be said to resemble the peak of a mountain.

Previously, the Genshin Impact wiki said the meaning was "hair", as in the Latin word pilus.

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Strangely, the subtitles in the "Sinner's Finale" cutscene don't match the subtitles. Here's what they really say.

"It's been tough for your Furina"

"Pray live blissfully as a human for that is what I wished for"

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Inspirations of Egeria

Most obvious is the water nymph Egeria, a minor Roman goddess associated with healing waters and childbirth. The connection to healing waters is self-explanatory; the connection to childbirth may be in part because of the Archon's creation of the Oceanids. Egeria was created by Celestia as a new heart of the Primordial Sea, and Neuvillette's character story refers to that sea as "birthing waters" and "amniotic fluid".

Another overlooked possible inspiration is the famous pilgrim Egeria. Her story is known from the 4th-century text Itinerarium Egeriae, which details the pilgrimage of a Hispano-Roman Christian woman. In the context of Genshin Impact, this roughly matches the identity of someone living in the era of Remurian rule. Her origin is actually disputed academically, with some considering her to be the same as the virgin Etheria, who extremo occidui maris Oceani littore exorta "sprung from the farthest shore of the western sea, the Ocean".

The pilgrim Egeria made, of course, an extensive pilgrimage to the Christian Holy Land. We know that Genshin's Egeria made travelling Teyvat with her Oceanids her mission, with the goal being "to seek an understanding of the diverse array of species and to love every creature", a goal some Oceanids still uphold as a matter of faith.

☽ Kaj's Note ☾ The Itinerarium Egeriae is filled with lacunae, a word for a gap in a manuscript, inscription, text, painting, or musical work, which means "little lake" in Latin. In Meeting is Also Parting, when we view her prophecy's slates, the first is missing. A "mistress of many waters" indeed.

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my theories will be vindicated TRUST

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The five khaenriahn sinners - my headcanon designs because I’m always stuck thinking about them (left to right order —> rhinedottir “gold”, Vedrfolnir “the visionary”, rerir “rächer of solnari”, hroptatyr “the wise”, surtalogi “the foul”

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Miss Leucade will be this leaked Fontaine character TRUST

The island of Leucade is famous for its white cliffs, the locus of the “Leucadian trial”, where criminals were thrown from the precipice, with their guilt or innocence being judged by whether they survived the fall.

In leaks, “M” is supposedly a “prison girl”

"Speaking from our Fontanian perspective," I answered, "I find it doubtful that Takehiko truly loved Sayohime. The lovers we sing of in our operas are inseparable, even in death. If one should pass, loyalty would drive the other to join them. From Drest and Adsiltia's promise, to the duel in Tancrede et Chariclea, and even the farewell between Coppelius and Coppelia, this trope is a constant. If memory serves, we've an old fable that defines love like so: Even after all flesh, bone, and entrails have been sliced away, I still lie nestled with you in the marrow that remains. Takehiko promised a thousand lifetimes to Sayohime — even if she was corrupted by the Abyss, he should have joined her in eternal slumber. As a proud samurai of Inazuma, Takehiko should know the value of promises and oaths better than any of us."

These same cliffs were also the spot where Sappho and Queen Artemisia of Caria committed suicide for love.