Video | un: emet-selch

[recreator]

And why exactly is it that you require my help with your little aetherology lesson? I seem to recall you passed that course with flying colors during our time at the akadaemia.

[The feed is dark for a moment, and then the video at last cuts on to accompany the unabashed grumbling, revealing two figures who could not be more different if they tried. The one is white-haired and scowling, permanent furrows creasing his brow as his luminous yellow eyes narrow into the camera - as if by doing so it might surrender up its deepest, darkest secrets. Beside him is a man with a loose lavender braid hanging over his left shoulder and an expression filled with both amusement and mischief.]

And ‘tis an achievement I hold close to my heart to this day. But you’ve always been better at public speaking than me, and I’d hate to have a fine lesson such as this be soured by my sub-par presentation skills.

A fine lesson which borders on ridiculous if you ask me. What use is a discussion of the elemental wheel in a city which can scarcely scrape together enough aether for the most rudimentary of spells? –-and why is this blasted thing blinking again? Don’t tell me you’ve already begun to make a record of our conversation!

Because it’s an integral part of our world, of course. If we’re to share something about Etheirys with others, why not pick the most important part?

But yes. Observant as ever. [Pleased as punch, Hythlodaeus turns his attention to the camera as if he hasn’t just pressganged his dear friend into this] As you’ve already gathered, we’re here to share a bit of our world with the rest of you, and it is my hope that you’re inspired to join me in sharing something of your own worlds in kind. ‘Tis a project of mine I’m most eager to begin.

For my first guest, I have with me today the illustrious Emet-Selch of the Convocation of Fourteen.

[He steps to the side, and gestures to a drawing on the whiteboard]

If you would be so kind?

[A slow, painfully put-upon sigh follows, as if Emet-Selch would much rather be anywhere else. Yet there comes a visible moment where the man appears to give in and collect himself. His posture straightens, and with one last quiet huff, he flourishes widely - almost theatrically towards the whiteboard his companion had indicated but seconds before.]

Behold, the elemental wheel in all its glory.



We begin north and follow the hands of a clock in a cycle, each symbol representing in particular order: lightning, fire, earth, ice, water and wind. ...As you’ve doubtless noticed, Hythlodaeus’s diagram is also broken into two distinct triangles, each describing a series of actions - conquests and submissions - that one element presents upon another. If we divide this diagram further in half, the three “upper” elements are those more closely associated with the Astral - or active. Whilst the three lower ones are prone to stasis - the Umbral.

[A pause to let all of that sink in as he stretches out his arm to emphasize the highest point of the diagram.]

Starting with the upright triad, we have lightning, which is grounded by earth, which in turn is eroded by water, which is boiled by lightning. In the upper righthand corner of the inverted triangle, we have fire which melts ice, which in turn blocks wind, which has the capacity to extinguish fire.

Yet 'what of the astral and umbral?' you might ask. Simply put, although some of the elements are more commonly associated with one or another, each element has the capacity to fall under either polarity. Take water for example. It can exist in the form of a placid, mirror-still mountain lake, or it can thunder and rage as ocean waves tossed by a violent storm, a cascade tearing down the edge of a sheer cliff.

’Tis true even of those elements closest to each polarity. Lightning, for example, despite leaning heavily towards the astral, can still exist in a more passive form–the static in the air before a thunderstorm, for instance. Not wholly still, but not nearly as electrifying.

Of course, these are just the basics, but a starting point is a starting point nonetheless!

A starting point would indicate there is more to come.

[Emet-Selch says in his usual grousing tone, his arms folded over his chest.]

Who knows? We aren’t the only visitors from Etheirys, after all. Perhaps our future fellows would like to continue.

Anyroad, to all those who have come to listen, my deepest thanks for your time. And should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We’ve taken the liberty of using Emet-Selch’s phone for the occasion, and so he should be happy to receive any and all questions on the subject.

[Emet-Selch’s eyes widen in shock, and then he frowns, grasping immediately for the phone and pushing it face-down into the sofa. Unfortunately he has, as of yet, not learned the proper method for ending a feed - and thus the audio continues.]

Oh he’d be overjoyed by it all, would he? Need I remind you that I agreed to no such thing? A “simple” favor, you called it!

And a simple favor it is! In return, I’m more than happy to teach you how to stop recording. Now if you'll just let me have the phone…

Comments

[nomoresharks]

[Having successfully tricked Emet-Selch into being social, Hythlodaeus will of course be occasionally poking his head in on things

Like the horrible, horrible gremlin man he is.]

[recreator]

[Just you wait until he's finished fielding all of these inquiries, debates, and other grievances, Hythlodaeus.]

[Just. You. Wait.]

video ❀ un: avidya

[wreatharrow]

[ Yeah... Tighnari says nothing. Only supplies a video image to his own drawing. Nope you are not getting me to draw those kudos to ya'all and ignore the damage modifiers. ]

Your astral and umbral states are nonexistent on Teyvat. We do, however, have our own iteration of an elemental wheel. I went ahead and added how each of the elements interact with one another.

video; un: hythlodaeus

[nomoresharks]

Oh that's curious! Let's see...

[His face grows closer to the camera, eyes squinting as he makes note of the words on the arrows.]

Middle is fire, bottom is ice... Blue is water, perhaps, with purple being thunder? I'm having a bit of difficulty with the upper half, I must admit.

[wreatharrow]

We call them by different names, but so far you've gotten them correct so far. At the very top you have Dendro, which is the elemental energy that surrounds plantlife. The teal sigil represents Anemo, or wind, while the orange-brown is is Geo, or earth.

[ Which have different reactions, of course. Geo doesn't really react much with the other elements while Anemo seems to stir them up all together. ]

Now while I am by far no expert, I believe Fontaine uses an energy resource called Arkhe. They divide the energy types into Pneuma and Ousia.

text; un: emet-selch

[recreator]

Intriguing. (As well as frustratingly asymmetrical.)

Would I be correct in assuming that the northern point of this diagram represents flora and plant life?

[wreatharrow]

Yes, that sigil stands for Dendro. We refer to the elements as Anemo, Geo, Dendro, Pyro, Electro, Cryo, and Hydro.

When my Vision is active, I can channel Dendro energies. My best friend utilizes Electro.

text; un: archon

[onlythans]

[There are two wolves inside Thancred Waters.

One is the wolf who knows how to do his job. Who would've known exactly who it was appearing in this little aetherology lesson even if the username hadn't altogether given it away. The one who doesn't fail to mark that the body of said instructor lacks a Garlean third eye, and the creature inhabiting it lacks a fair bit of the manic theatrics of the Ascian who had judged and found the Sundered wanting after living a thousand thousand of their lifetimes, and rather instead plays off of Hythlodaeus with much the same flat exasperation as had the pair of them when he'd witnessed them firsthand at the end of all things. That wolf feels the powerful urge to respond as it was trained to, to sink back into the shadows, to skulk about and take the measure of this new complication to their time here in these new circumstances. To remember the people here that he needs to protect, and to bring that to the forefront to the exclusion of all else.

The other wolf is a punkass little wharf rat who never quite fit in with the highfalutin academic elite of Sharlayan no matter how much he might've just as validly earned his stripes among them, and damn if this doesn't altogether remind him of a lecture he's heard once before, save for the fact that the other instructor did it better — and if there's one thing he's fully aware of, it's that Emet-Selch in any form or function will never concede to being wrong about anything.]

you forgot some

[Thus today, the punkass wolf wins.]

text; un: emet-selch

[recreator]

[To Emet-Selch's credit, the man does glance over his shoulder to take another look at Hythlodaeus's diagram. After all, it wouldn't have been the first time his friend conveniently left out some small detail knowing that it would stand out like a sore thumb to Emet-Selch's stringent perfectionism.]

[Yet for the most basic of basic explanations, he cannot for the life of him see what it is he may have forgotten. And that fact alone vexes him to no end, perhaps even moreso than the brusque words in the reply that pops up on his phone.]

[He cannot recognize this person from any other. For all he knows, this response could be from one of his peers - someone with aetherial knowledge exceeding his own. To dig in his heels (although it's certainly his preferred response) would be quite disastrous in that case.]

I see we've an expert among us. Care to elucidate further? The floor is yours.

[onlythans]

what about pure astral and pure umbral?

aether even more active than levin
and even more static than ice

[voice]

[pyrrhichope]

I wouldn't have said he sounded happy about the idea.

[He'll... get back to the elemental wheel part in a bit.]

[voice]

[nomoresharks]

One could argue he rarely sounds happy about anything.

But 'tis perfectly fine, I assure you. Just making sure he takes advantage of this rare opportunity we've been given to learn and share alike.

[voice]

[pyrrhichope]

I take it he might not usually, then?

[voice]

[recreator]

[You'll have to excuse him, Jullus. He isn't used to fiddly little toys like this one, so he may be holding it a bit further away than is generally advised.]

As Hythlodaeus said, I rarely sound happy about anything. Nevertheless, I am quite used to getting swept up in my associate's whims without the courtesy of a warning.

If you've questions about anything we have discussed, due consideration will be given in providing an answer.

[voice]

[pyrrhichope]

No, I know the cycle of elements. Though it wasn't taught quite the same way, for us.

text; un: spring

[killed]

[ y'all need to keep your lover's quarrel off the network thanks!!!!!!! ]

Thank you for taking the time to explain.

You mentioned that this place has a low aether concentration. I'm assuming, then, that some places are aether rich and others are deficient? What is it that causes that variance?

text; un: emet-selch

[recreator]

[How bold of you to make such presumptions, sir!!!!!!]

That matter is something I myself have plans to investigate.

But to answer your question, the star we hail from, Etheirys, is one which is rich in aether. 'Tis an energy which is present within all living and magical beings, and one which permeates our very world. A necessity, simply put.

However, an acquaintance of mine has posited that within the universe there are other forms of energy entirely separate from aether, some of which may be even more widely observed. One of these is called dynamis, an energy influenced by emotions. It would then stand to sense that still other energies may exist, and might therefore be tied to the natural laws and structures of other worlds.

video.

[fussiest]

[ hythlodaeus is always a sight for sore eyes; kaveh grins at the screen as he adjusts it over his make-shift rack. his background is an eclectic organised mess; schematics pasted along the walls of past, present and future projects, half a bandsaw just slightly lilted off-screen with three racks of what look to be prototype bows lined up in soldierly discipline, framed by the beginnings of what looks to be a forge.

kaveh's brushing sawdust from his hands as he sits on the lesson. a pencil materialises from the bird's nest of his hair, and a few notes are penned in careful, printing-press-neat script across thick, heavy-duty draft paper.

to the end: applause. ]

Marvelous. [ warmth seeps into his tone, as does it to the smile that curls along the edges of his lips; ] Thank you for the lecture, and for the patience in sharing it. This wealth of knowledge may not be something that most of us can actualise here in this city, but at the very least, it expands our horizons and gives us insight into other worlds and other systems. And those are things that anyone can take inspiration from.

[ hm. ] But that makes me wonder - you mentioned Aether and elemental compositions. I remember Hythlodaeus, you mentioning the act of aetherial manipulation. If I understand it correctly - is the act of manipulating the elements of Aether in certain compositions or adjusting densities what allows you to create solid objects?

video.

[nomoresharks]

Something of the sort, yes. The act of aetherial manipulation can present itself in a myriad of ways, from the enchantment of an object, to elemental magicks, to creation magicks, to any number of other possibilities. Though I would say the greatest difference between creation magicks and its fellows is that it's more... fiddly, you could say. A single stray thought can greatly influence the result.

voice;

[recreator]

[Rather curious surroundings, these. They remind Emet-Selch of his own office back in the Capitol, only instead of neat rows of magical texts and alchemical instruments, this one seems to be more of a carpenter's workshop. The bows also catch his attention, bringing to mind the far less satisfactory prototypes in Hythlodaeus's apartment, and the one singular recurve bow that appears well-crafted and functional. Could this person have had something to do with it?]

[Emet-Selch isn't used to such open praise, and frankly, he isn't certain what to do with it - except perhaps to deflect his share towards Hythlodaeus and his masterplan.]

Don't thank me. This is entirely Hythlodaeus's venture and I the unwilling accomplice - as is usually the case when it comes to that man's scheming.

[So he says as if he didn't seem to be rather invested in his little presentation just a short time ago. So he says as if he and "that man" aren't friends.]

Nevertheless, I hope the lesson proves at least somewhat useful in your future creative endeavors.

un: minfilia

[firstwaters]

Ah, this isn't about the elemental wheel. I think I already understand that part, but-

[ This is, of course, awkward. She hadn't recognised the GUY WHO LIES ABOUT ICE CREAM as one of Emet-Selch's very big friends, but he clearly is. And his presence, along with the fact that Emet-Selch looks different enough that she wouldn't have recognised him if it weren't for the name-

-well, they don't answer any questions, but they have implications. So while she's furiously taking notes through the class, the bulk of them are less on basic aetheric theory and more on the potential canon points of ascians. ]

-before, at the very start. You said that the city didn't have enough aether in it. Is it okay to ask questions about that? [ A pause, and then just in case- ] Please don't play tricks on me, though. They're proper questions.

[ The ice cream crimes are not yet forgiven, and now Emet-Selch is also guilty of them by association. ]

voice; un: emet-selch

[recreator]

["Tricks"? Does this child (she sounds like a child) think his lesson isn't serious? Or is she worried about him providing false answers out of pettiness?]

[For Emet-Selch's part, the eventually-to-be Ascian gives no indication that he's ever met Ryne before - because he in fact has not. He does, however, pick up on what he assumes is nervousness due to speaking up in front of the class (metaphorically, of course).]

If they're proper questions, I see no reason to provide you with anything less than proper answers. Which, in case there was any doubt, is exactly what I'd have done from the beginning.

For the sake of transparency, however, do keep in mind that I am still working out precisely why there is a lack of aether and what manner of energy might instead exist in its place.

With that much out of the way, you may proceed with your questions.

video ; un: librarian

[worldexecute]

( Well this is.... informative. Useless, but informative. )

A good show, gentlemen. While I can't say we have anything similar back in my city, I won't deny there's a possibility of it existing at some point. ( that's just how the city IS unfortunately... damage types probably don't count. ) It's a pleasure to see you're doing well, Hythlodaeus.

( And that you're dressed not as garishly as before— )

And a pleasure to meet you, Emet-Selch. Angela. I appreciate the opportunity to learn, even if was forced upon you... I'm sympathetic to your suffering.

[nomoresharks]

And 'tis equally a pleasure to see you as well--and that you've decided to give our little lecture a listen besides!

[This is the grin of a man without a single onze of guilt]

Though you need not worry on Emet-Selch's behalf. He's hardly as unwilling as he acts.

voice;

[recreator]

Well met.
Your condolences are appreciated, though I assure you this one has put me through far worse and more besides. One would almost suspect he enjoys it.

[Hythlodaeus deserved that rib - seeing as he's taken it upon himself to be his unofficial spokesperson when he's perfectly capable of stating his own opinions, thank you very much.]

Would I be correct in the assumption that the two of you know one another?