9 Archons
Nikita Desjardins
Archons (Greek: ἄρχων, romanized: rchōn, plural: ἄρχοντες, rchontes), in Gnosticism and religions closely related to it, are the builders of the physical universe. Among the Archontics, Ophites, Sethians and in the writings of Nag Hammadi library, the archons are rulers, each related to one of seven planets; they prevent souls from leaving the material realm. The political connotation of their name reflects rejection of the governmental system, as flawed without chance of true salvation.[1] In Manichaeism, the archons are the rulers of a realm within the "Kingdom of Darkness", who together make up the Prince of Darkness. In The Hypostasis of the Archons, the physical appearance of Archons is described as hermaphroditic, with their faces being those of beasts.[2][3][4]
Evidently, from works such as the Apocryphon of John, the Ophite Diagrams, On the Origin of the World and Pistis Sophia, archons play an important role in Gnostic cosmology. Probably originally referring to the Greek daimons of the planets, in Gnosticism they became the demonic rulers of the material world, each associated with a different celestial sphere.[6] As rulers over the material world, they are called ἄρχοντες (archontes, "principalities", or "rulers"). As with Classical astronomy, which thought of a sphere of fixed stars above the spheres of the seven planets,[7] beyond the spheres of the evil archons (Hebdomad), there were the supercelestial regions which a soul must reach by gnosis to escape the dominion of the archons. This place is thought of as the abode of Sophia (Wisdom) and Barbelo, also called Ogdoad.
In the Hellenized form of Gnosticism, either all or some of these names are replaced by personified vices. Authadia (Authades), or Audacity, is the obvious description of Yaldabaoth, the presumptuous Demiurge, who is lion-faced as the Archon Authadia. Of the archons Kakia, Zelos, Phthonos, Errinnys, Epithymia, the last represents Venus. The number seven is obtained by placing a proarchon or chief archon at the head. That these names are only a disguise for the Sancta Hebdomas is clear, for Sophia, the mother of them, retains the name of Ogdoad, Octonatio. Occasionally, as among the Naassenes, one meets with the archon Esaldaios, which is evidently the El Shaddai of the Bible, and he is described as the archon "number four" (harithmo tetartos).
Among the Mandaeans, there is a different conception of the Seven, which may pre-date later use by other Gnostic movements. In Mandaeism, the Seven, together with their mother Namrus (Ruha) and their father (Ur), are planets that belong entirely to the World of Darkness. They and their family are looked upon as captives of the angel Manda-d'hayye ('Knowledge of Life'), who pardons them, sets them on chariots of light, and appoints them as rulers of the world.[22]
The Manicheans readily adopted the Gnostic usage, and their archons are invariably evil beings, who make up the Prince of Darkness. It is related how the helper of Adam Kadmon, the spirit of life, captured the evil archons, and fastened them to the firmament, or according to another account, flayed them, and formed the firmament from their skin,[23] and this conception is closely related to the other, though in this tradition the number (seven) of the archons is lost.
Irenaeus tells us that "the holy Hebdomad is the seven stars which they call planets".[24] It is safe, therefore, to take the above seven Gnostic names as designating the seven planetary divinities: the sun, moon and five planets. In the Mandaean system the Seven are introduced with the Babylonian names of the planets. The connection of the Seven with the planets is also clearly established by the expositions of Celsus and Origen (Contra Celsum, vi. 2 2 seq.) and similarly by the above-cited passage in the Pistis Sophia, where the archons, who are here mentioned as five, are identified with the five planets (excluding the sun and moon).
Wilhelm Anz has also pointed out that Gnostic eschatology, consisting in the soul's struggle with hostile archons in its attempt to reach the Pleroma, is a close parallel of the soul's ascent, in Babylonian astrology, through the realms of the seven planets to Anu.[25] The late Babylonian religion can definitely be indicated as the home of these ideas.[26]
In Mandaeism, the seven planets are generally not viewed favorably, since they constitute part of the entourage of Ruha, the Queen of the World of Darkness who is also their mother (see Mandaean cosmology).[27][28]
Presently the syncretism of the later Greek philosophy found room for archons, which appear in Neoplatonism and were claimed to derive from Plato's unwritten tradition. They are inserted by the author of the book De Mysteriis Aegyptiorum,[35] and even it would seem by his questioner Porphyry, below gods, daemons, angels, and archangels, and above heroes (omitted by Porphyry) and departed "souls", in the scale of invisible beings whose presence may become manifest. It may be only an accidental coincidence that about the end of the 2nd century "Archon" was one of the names given by the Platonist Harpocration to the "Second God" of Numenius (Proclus in Tim. 93 C).
For all the series of the ruling Gods (θεοὶ ἄρχοντες), are collected into the intellectual fabrication as into a summit, and subsist about it. And as all the fountains are the progeny of the intelligible father, and are filled from him with intelligible union, thus likewise, all the orders of the principles or rulers, are suspended according to nature from the demiurgus, and participate from thence of an intellectual life.
The SevenFrom left to right: Ei, Nahida, Venti, and Zhongli, four of the current Seven.DetailsBaseCelestiaThe Seven Archons, typically shortened to The Seven,[1] are the seven gods who preside over the seven regions of Teyvat, established after seven gods emerged as the victors of the Archon War 2,000 years ago. Each Archon is associated with an element and an ideal, by which they formed their territories' environment and determined their method of governance over their regions.
As of Archon Quest Chapter IV: Act V - Masquerade of the Guilty, only six Archon thrones remain. The throne of the Hydro Archon was destroyed and Fontaine's seat of power has been returned to the Hydro Dragon Sovereign.
The Archon War began an indeterminate time in the past, and ended around 2,000 years ago. During this period of time, many gods and archons roamed the land, locked in a bitter struggle for supremacy. It appears that the battles associated with the Archon War are a multitude of local struggles that were grouped together by human history. For example, Barbatos became the first Anemo Archon among The Seven after the death of Decarabian 2,600 years ago,[3] while Morax is implied to have already become Geo Archon by the time the last of the original Seven claimed their title and thus brought an end to the War.[4]
The original Seven appeared to be relatively close, sharing a common duty of guiding humanity and often gathering in Liyue for drinks. However, over time, five of The Seven passed away, and some of the newer Archons no longer adhered to the duty of guiding humanity.[4]
A thousand years ago, Barbatos awakened from slumber in response to Vennessa and her people's plight.[5] He recognized them as the "children of Murata," identifying her with the same epithets Dainsleif uses for the Pyro Archon in Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail.[Note 1] However, considering Vennessa's tribe had departed from Natlan so long ago that they no longer remembered their heritage, much less Murata's name, Murata's status has been left unclear.
500 years ago, the destruction of Khaenri'ah led to forbidden knowledge pollution and the rampage of Rhinedottir's creations, which held the power of the Abyss and ravaged the world of Teyvat.[6] Among those who were perished in the ensuing conflicts were Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, Raiden Makoto, and Egeria. They were subsequently replaced by Lesser Lord Kusanali, Raiden Ei, and Focalors, respectively. The Tsaritsa was also greatly affected by the cataclysm, resulting in a drastic change in her personality.
During this time, the Traveler and their sibling descended on Teyvat and, seeing the chaos, attempted to leave this world, only to run afoul of the Unknown God. While the twins did not meet The Seven during this time, The Seven are aware of them and have been awaiting the Traveler's arrival.[12]
Around 400 years ago,[13] Ei completed her research into creating a lifelike puppet, the Shogun, to enforce her vision of Eternity over Inazuma while she retreated to the Plane of Euthymia.[14] Ever since then, the Shogun has been ruling Inazuma in her stead. Though Ei failed to make her puppets compatible with the Gnosis and thus gave it to Yae Miko instead, the Shogun is capable of tremendous feats even without it.
An Archon's source of power has been attributed to two sources: the first is through presiding over their respective region,[1] while the second is from their people's faith in them.[15] Barbatos, who refuses to govern Mondstadt directly and has left Mondstadt for extended periods of time in the past, claims to be the weakest of The Seven as a result; Lesser Lord Kusanali, who was imprisoned in the Sanctuary of Surasthana and shunned by the sages since she was born 500 years ago, explains that her fighting skills are inferior to the Traveler's because she does not hold her people's faith.
The Seven appear to be privy to information that mortals are generally unaware of or deem to be merely fictional. Both Venti and Zhongli are aware of the existences of other worlds, as well as the fact that the Traveler had the power to travel between different worlds.
Each Archon presides over their respective element and have used it to shape the landscape and climate of their respective territories. This ability seems to be held by any god and not only The Seven, but ever since the end of the Archon War, there have only been seven Archons at a time.
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