7 Original Archons

[Quincey Homer]

TheSevenFrom 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.

Unlike humans, who rely on resonance with a Vision to use the elements, the Archons seen so far were already affiliated with their elements before becoming Archons: Barbatos was originally a wind spirit who ascended to godhood, historical records regarding Morax address him as the "God of Geo" long before he became the Geo Archon, and Ei (and by proxy, Makoto) is an "incarnation of lightning."[16] Incarnations of Irminsul, i.e. Rukkhadevata and Nahida, are appointed guardians and maintainers of the tree of Irminsul. Nahida was created using a branch of Irminsul, confirming the connection between Irminsul and Dendro.

While people on Teyvat commonly believe that the Archons grant Visions,[17] they actually have no control over the distribution of Visions and are largely unaware of circumstances surrounding Visions.[18] However, within her Plane of Euthymia, Ei could enact the "Vision Hunt Decree" effect to seal all characters' Elemental Skills and Elemental Bursts besides the Traveler's.[19] Because the Plane of Euthymia is Ei's personal dimension, there is not enough information to determine how this effect works or whether Ei is capable of enacting this anywhere else.

While gnoses are described as being emblematic of an Archon's status and give them a direct connection to Celestia, their exact purpose and abilities remain a mystery. They evidently grant Archons a large power boost and the "divine ability" to defend their nations,[20] and Zhongli attributes the ability to mint Mora as something that "requires the use of the Geo Archon's power."[21] The use of the gnoses' power is not exclusive to its respective Archon, as Nahida also utilized the power of the Electro Gnosis to aid in the healing of Irminsul.

On multiple occasions, Archons have fashioned humanoid vessels using their powers as an Archon, perhaps through the use of their Gnoses. Venti's vessel was his first use of his newfound divine power after ascending to godhood as the Anemo Archon.[22] Zhongli's body was likely created through this method as well, as he states that his "structure is not the same as that of normal people."[23] After becoming the first Electro Archon, Makoto "reforged" Ei's body after Ei gave up her bodily form so Makoto could ascend to the "heavenly citadel."[24]

Vessels created through an Archon's power have another major weakness: they are incapable of being healed through ordinary means, including a Vision-bearer's healing abilities.[2] Venti harnesses the power of the Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero twice to heal himself; first was to expunge the abyssal magic that poisoned him via Dvalin when the Traveler unintentionally interrupted them,[28] and the second was to recover after having his Gnosis taken by Signora.[2] The exact properties this tree holds is unclear, but it may have a connection to Celestia: according to legend, it grew from the spot where Vennessa ascended to Celestia.

It's important to note that vessels can be the Archons themselves and not different entities. This page specifically refers to a human body created by Archons to live among the people of Teyvat as vessel creation is not exclusive to the Archons, in fact most gods are capable of this feat.

Xiao and Barbatos love each other, that is a fact. It's been that way for thousands of years, and if all goes well, it'll be that way for thousands to come. But how did it start? Well, with a meeting of course.

Accompanying Lord Morax to meet the other Archons was an honor given to the best of Rex Lapis's Adepti, so of course Xiao accepts when he's chosen. He might regret it once there, just slightly, but he just needs to keep it together until the meeting ends, then he can go home and forget everything about the event. That is what he would have done, had he not been followed by a god with big white wings and a bigger heart.

Jedi do not form attachments. It's what they were always taught - to let go, for giving in to one's emotions was to open oneself to the dark side of the Force. Jedi dedicate their lives to the Order. To the Republic. To peace.

But with war raging across the galaxy, how could one simply 'let go' of the bonds formed over so many years and strengthened by conflict? It's a question that haunts Zhongli sometimes, though he would never dare act upon it.

"Naoyiaka," Mavuika narrowed her sun-flamed eyes on the bloodstained warrier before her. "You have commited not one but two of the eight Exilia'd sins of Natlan: The second, stating that no true child of Murata will lower their sword against and oponent, no matter the challange, and the fifth, allowing your blade to innocently slaughter a pure life."

"And for those crimes, you have been sentenced to the Exilia Trial. You are now banished from all six tribes of Natlan. Leave with your head low, or stay with your head held high and face death by the Primal Fire of Xbalanque." Those eyes, which normally shone as bright as her nation's flames, pierced through the warrior, gaze as cold as a snowstorm.

Naoyiaka, more commonly known as Nao, was her tribes pride and joy, fighting countless battles against The Captain himself. Until her life got turned upside down because of an accident. She had lowered her weapon against Capitano, holding out a hand for him after a won battle. And that sparked tension in the Fatui troops, which led the domino effect of killing an innocent bystander while trying to break up a fight.

Capitano was unfamiliar with the concept of love, yet he believed that this is how it supposed to feel like and he was willing to risk it for the man that helped him lift his sword and made him a god.

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