#diluc is just perfect

[torgawl]

diluc's sun symbolism and parallels with alchemy

the magnum opus, also called great work, is the alchemical term for the process of working with the prima materia (or aether) - primitive formless base of all matter - to create the philosopher's stone - substance capable of turning base metals into gold or silver and, additionally, believed to make up an elixir of life which made rejuvenation and immortality possible. all metals in alchemy are associated with celestial bodies, gold and silver being associated with the sun and moon, respectively.

the original four stages of the magnum opus included:

nigredo, the blackening

albedo, the whitening

citrinitas, the yellowing

rubedo, the reddening

alchemists used to believe each of the metals grew under the influence of a particular heavenly body and so the connection between metallurgy and celestial bodies came to be. the process of the magnum opus can, therefore, be seen not only as the transformation of impure metals into gold or silver but as the transformation of night in day, which ties with its cyclical nature. if nigredo and albedo are symbolically connected with the moon, citrinitas and rubedo are tied to the sun.

besides the straightforward association betweent the cosmos and alchemy, the process can also be interpreted under a psychological lense. the first metal, lead (representing aether), is the personification of the ego, which must be purified in order to free the soul. is is through the lessons of time that transcendence of the cycle of life and death (like a samsara) is possible, becoming, at the end, beings filled with light and life - as pure as gold, or the sun.

in summary, what happens in each step:

nigredo

all ingredients have to be cleansed and cooked extensively to a uniform black matter. psychologically, it is referred to as the "dark night of soul" and it's the stage of confrontation with the shadow within and it represents putrefaction and spiritual death.

albedo

washing away of impurities, bringing light and clarity to the prima materia. it represents cleansing and spiritual enlightenment, often depicted by the imagery of the white elixir or moonlight. this process symbolises the growing awareness and integration of personal opposites – your anima and animus, the feminine and masculine aspects within all individuals.

citrinitas

besides the literal change in color, it symbolizes the enlightenment and dawning of knowledge as materials are purified and perfected. it's the drawing of the "solar light" inherent in one's being meaning the reflective "lunar or soul light" is no longer necessary. it signifies maturation and a step closer to achieving the ultimate goal of alchemical work. it can symbolize the emergence of consciousness from the shadowy unconscious.

rubedo

final stage of the process, it signifies the achievement of the goal. it’s associated with the act of coagulation where the material achieves absolute perfection and unification and it encompasses the ideas of unity and integration (conjunction), symbolizing the full realization of the philosopher’s stone. the philosopher’s stone is not merely a literal stone but a concept that embodies perfection, enlightenment, and ultimate knowledge. attaining it means achieving unity of opposites and representing the redemption and transformation of base matter into spiritual gold. it's an attempt to integrate the psychospiritual outcomes of the other 3 stages into a coherent sense of self before re-entry in the world, the merging of the ego and the self, resulting in a balanced and fully realized individuality.

it was through researching a bit more on the symbolism of each stage that i recognised the parallels between diluc's character and the two final and consequent steps, which i believe he embodies.

citrinitas as a stage of awakening, being associated with the rising sun or dawn - imagery that surrounds diluc -, and rubedo as the reunification of opposites to create the whole. rubedo manifests through symbols like the phoenix (bird reborn from its ashes, illustrating regeneration and the cyclical nature of transformation) and its colour is akin to things like fire or blood (as an embodiment of life), that are also alusive of transformation.

diluc's character - his red aethetic, his association with fire, dawn, birds of knowledge and the phoenix, the blood he spilled throughout his journey (the gloves with red palms) - and his ministrations as the darknight hero, facing darkness and illuminating the night with his flames, mirror both citrinitas and rubedo quite perfectly. starting with his own name that is derived from diluculum, or 'daybreak' in latin. his family owns the "dawn winery"; and, his 5th constellation is called "phoenix, harbinger of dawn" - which shares name with the sword "harbinger of dawn", that "once shone like the sun", reminiscent of diluc's own path shifting from proudly and openly having the title of "dawn knight" as part of the knights of favonious to secluding himself in the shadows after his father's death.

the rebirth aspect of rubedo is very akin to diluc's own life too. the person he used to be transformed completely after his 18th birthday. not only design-wise, with the shift from light coloured clothes to primarily red and black, but also his views and personality.

unlike his outgoing and unrestrained demeanour during his childhood, diluc became a reserved and quiet adult. he believed in the system (knights of favonious) and the honour of serving his paeople as part of it. that innocent devotion and good intent suddenly changed when he saw his father die due to the knight's inefficiency and he learned of the ongoing corruption and willingness to taint the image of an innocent person for their own benefit. after a period of rage, diluc decided to take the safety of the people of mondstadt onto his own hands and started purging darkness during the night bringing light to people's lives as the darknight hero, becoming a vigilante. this "fake" light diluc used to represent contrasts the "true" light he gained after maturing. much like albedo adds light to the prima materia, but that isn't the light necessary for transformation and enlightment (sun light). rubedo is also, specifically, associated with antecipating the emergence of a crowned king or a figure wearing red clothes and one of diluc's titles is "uncrowned king of monstadt".

with diluc's assocation with withcraft and the hexenzirkel, and my belief that the ragnvindr are connected to alchemy and, perhaps, khaenri'ah, i wouldn't discard the possibility that these parallels might be intentional. but regardless, i feel like it's a fun detail. especially when kaeya is so associated with blue, silver and the moon (eclipse dynasty).

there's actually an alchemical stage between citronitas and rubedo called cauda pavonis (peacock's tail), a state between "sleep" and wakefulness. in this stage, instead of association to one colour, an entire array of colours appears, like the iridescent tail of a peacock. this is a bit reminiscent of this dainsleif quote about khaenri'ah, that talks about people "who dream of dreaming". an array of colours is lso interesting because of the connection between light and the different elements (elements originating in the light realm, realm of the dragons). traveler's ascension gemstone also remotely looks like a light prism instead of a one colour/element gemstone, like other characters. and we know, similar to the third descender, traveler is compatible with elements in teyvat.

this breakdown in colours or components is what paves the way for the unification that follows. this unification in alchemy represents the union of opposites, a sacred marriage of the polarities inherent in the universe (e.g. sun and moon, king and queen). the act of combining them leads to the birth of something new and transcendent, an harmonious whole - philosopher's stone. psychologically, it represents introspection, confrontation, and recognition, as well as acknowledging and embracing the diversity within. though i don't think this stage is particularly reminiscent of kaeya besides the duality inherent to his character.

i don't know if anyone will find this interesting but i thought it would be fun to make a more extensive post on it so here it is!!

sources: wikipedia; other sites (1, 2 and 3).

[darknights-beloved]

King of Hearts!Diluc R. headcanons and ideas

wc ⸺ 1.4k

cw; just a heartbroken diluc. </3. not exactly a diluc x reader as in direct insert but rather doing a personality, appearance just to properly decide on his overall character. not exactly ooc though obviously its a different au so, you get it. also lots of bittersweetness ‎૮ ꒰ྀི╥ ᴗ ╥꒱ྀིა ultimately he is the sweetest hopeless romantic ever ♡

also if this was an xreader fic then it would be soulmates trope w/ a tinge of forbidden love. so there.

At first glance.

Diluc is a king with a broken heart.

He rules over a kingdom that grows more delicate and fragile as his heart weakens the more years he spends in his immortal life, lonely with exhaustive volumes of blood dirtying his hands.

The kingdom suffers a famine due to the power loss. He lies to himself, tries to trick himself into thinking he has it all under control.

He doesn't.

Perhaps in this case, he- the king - is the damsel in distress, waiting for the one he holds dear to hold his heart in her hands and kiss it until it heals.

Comes to life, eagerly. Thump thump thump...

He waits.

Personality , Traits, etc

Diluc's eyes are canonically [ ? ] sharp, I think. It's like a hooded gaze. Alert, ready...present. always making sure that no danger is in sight. As for koh Diluc? I'd like to believe his eyes are more weary, droopier. His eyebrows, however, are always etched in a furrow. But his eyes? His eyes are just sad. Canon Diluc's dominant emotion is anger (phlegmatic-choleric) and koh Diluc is more sad (melancholic-phlegmatic). It's really the long years of his immortality, fighting alone despite his army, men and all. (But he is also secretly very kind. Any tough demeanor remains a demeanor)

You know what? Now that we're talking about the temperaments. Why not just get all into it.

I believe koh diluc's pdb is

Intj (T) 6w5 ,, tri type 615 [?] ,, melancholic phlegmatic ,, Ni > Fi > Te > Se ,, sp/sx ,, neuroticism (?) please give ideas.

Koh Diluc is so, so much more exhausted. He falls asleep on his throne with his arms crossed sometimes and furrowed brows relax into a softer expression. His Guards don't dare make a sound or try to wake him up. They know how he works himself to the bone.

He's actually a little more quieter, the only time he'd usually speak is when he needs to give out another order to his men, soldiers or servants. Other than that, he's quite quiet and keeps to himself a lot /isolating

King of hearts Diluc loves desserts. He adores them. Tarts, cookies, coffee and cake - oh, he loves cake (especially red velvet/chocolate…a little self-indulgent there haha) – caramel, little toffees, pastries, chocolate.... Gods, you name it. It’s not much of a secret since at every feast and dinner table there’s always an overly generous number of deserts and sweet treats.

Despite his cold almost burnt out demeanour hes actually very soft. He love gardening a lot and tends to his flowers. He loves reading romance novels, he loves woodwork and crafting. And blade/weapon crafting too! Usually, he keeps himself occupied to distract his mind from a lot of things. Also he's immortal. so....yeah

Aesthetics / Appearance

His color palette is wine red, velvety crimson and all reds royal. Gold as well, but it's more of a light-silvery gold. He doesn't appreciate things too bright. He really likes dark colors. But he'd also appreciate the simplicity of saturated colors. (He’s a goth/victorian king.)

Having fought for more than half of his immortal life, he had earned many scars. Printed on his skin, either a proud mark of his achievements, a proof of the brunt of his responsibilities or the shame that comes with being a king that his citizens fear.

He has claw gauntlets. They're silver and the claws are long, intricately and finely designed. Despite his battles against any corruption or evil that may seep into wonderland, the gauntlets almost remain unscathed. It was a show of both beauty and strength it held.

Also what if diluc had an army outfit. like im not sure what is called but omg

Diluc doesn't like his crown. It's heavy, flashy and it irks him more than he likes to admit. It was a crown crafted for royalty, gifted by the hands of fate. It was a sign of his responsibilities, the burdens he had to carry as a king with a broken heart. It's a striking gold crown. Adorned with the rarest gems of his world, but prominently rubies and garnets.

His cape is long, it's either a dark, commanding or an intense black. Hanging over his shoulders attractively, it trails behind him as he walks with such poised posture, and he never stutters in steps. Luxurious, soft fur drapes around his neck, coating the hood of his cape perfectly.

Diluc loves rings. He loves them, he loves them, he loves them. He has many of them, all beautifully designed for his liking. The intimacy of the beautiful piece of jewelry makes his heart thump. He's a romantic.

Secret Desires, Hidden Pain

He yearns to be a kinder, softer king to his citizens. But the fear of his vulnerability slipping, his heart crumbling, he wears a mask of stoicism. He already had a fragile, broken heart. If any enemies caught sight of his weakness, wonderland would be done for. Needless to say, the mask felt heavy and unnatural.

Because he's lonely there are times where he sits in the grand chair in the huge library, right across another, slightly shorter chair (fit for a queen). It remains empty and has remained empty for as long as he remembers. He sits in a deafening silence, letting his thoughts and the overwhelming gnawing of his emotions consume him. Before him lay a chess board, on the table. White faces against him while black faces the opposite side. A few pieces were scattered beside the wooden, intricate board. He moves a piece, slowly and deliberately as if time had melted away into a misty fog his  present couldn't make sense of. His feels as though his immortal life is killing him. He moves another piece- his rook- playing the two player game by himself. One day, he's sure all the turmoil would mount and he'd throw the board, send it flying across the room so that it hits the wall. Slowly, he moves yet another piece. The king's shoulders slump.

Koh Diluc feels like he misses someone. Feels like there is an ever lingering feeling his heart. Feels like some memories of him in his mind is blurred and surreal, something he can't make sense out of scientifically. He feels it. He feels a distant love. It's almost a dream, an illusion. But part of him vaguely knew it was a little secret of his soul shared with him - well, maybe. Or his mind playing cruel tricks on him, mocking him for his loneliness.

Another rather...personal Diluc headcanon! His heart (if healed and well, and hypothetically the famine is gone) can heal injuries of his (fated) beloved with a simple touch. Just a hug, just a kiss, just a brush of his fingers against her delicate skin...

Because Diluc and his dearest lover's heart beats as one.

Architecture of the His Majesty’s Castle + Other sights

His palace is a show of extravagance. How big it is. At first glance it may seem as though it would take two whole weeks to explore it fully. From the chandeliers that hung proudly on the ceiling to the velvet carpet on the floor. Every room, despite big or small, was created with purpose. The most beautiful paintings were pedestalized on the walls. They were adorned with golden frames, or silver ones or perhaps even a void-like noir.

Diluc harbours a library, abundant with books. Books with lacy covers and intricate designs. Each page would surely cost a fortune. The information it contained was almost prestigious, for the library held knowledge that can't be found easily outside its confines. Tall, grand shelves and and shacks filled to the brim with books. Despite the grandeur of it all, it had a comforting feel to it. Oh to be snugged up in a plump couch by the window of the castle, leisurely reading a book during the dark hours of the night...

He has a bountiful, grand and extensively handsome rose garden. The whole piece of land was designed elaborately, with the finest of care. He takes long walks in them whenever he gets the chance to, to simply take a breath and clear his thoughts even for a moment. And appreciate the beauty of the scenic area. Despite his strength and ferocity, he tends to all of them with nothing but gentleness. To say he loves roses is an understatement.

Identity, Status, Trivia, other...

It is no secret that this man is ridiculously, obnoxiously and impossibly rich. Diluc is typically rich, yes. But king of hearts Diluc? He's on a whole other level. He owns everything. Everything.

The king is a warrior. He has fought many battles in the past, taken part in wars against other worlds which threaten to rip apart the fabric of reality of Wonderland and claim it for themselves. Wonderland is whimsical, strange- truly a place fit for the curious who are either brave to delve into the world or too foolish.

This is a more personal-ish headcanon, but I'd like to think that his citizens are similar to the ones in Simulanka. While the world may [ ? ] have been not created by Alice or other mages, I just like to switch it up. A little.

I'm thinking...hamsters, bunnies, frogs, cats, dogs, horses and? May be other animals I have to research more.

okay but also wonderland diluc owns a black steed <3 he pampers it a lot lol and its the toughest horse in the land. both kinda have the same personality

Mermaids, colorful fish, knights (they have no body, their soul holds their armour together somehow), those nut-cracker like figures in simulanka? Maybe. This needs a little more work but hopefully you get the idea.

Want my wonderland to be more comforting.

also he genuinely has nerd-like interests in black (barred) owls and hooded owls. He admires them, and has many paintings of the creature in his castle.

all rights reserved @dilucidal @darknights-beloved

a/n: im open to ideas ok like 🥹♥️plis

[witch-hazels-musings]

Why would Diluc recognize your footsteps??

Because he's terrified.

He's memorized so much about you. Your habits and when you need your focus, your tone of voice that tells him when you need his full attention or your putting on airs, the rhythm of your breathing when you're asleep so he knows when to hold your hand during a nightmare

He knows the sounds of your footsteps and the words they tell him are as loud as the beating heart in his chest.

He knows these all so well because every morning when he wakes up, for a split second he thinks you're gone. Terrified and unsteady, it's only when he sees you that he can breathe again.

He knows your footsteps because the sound brings him unbelievable comfort, and reminds him that his heart alive, beating, and is wandering through the halls of the Dawn Winery

[moonilit]

Ok but the entire Dawn winery staff jumping around informing each other that kaeya is here so all of them get a chance to see him was very sweet, like i knew the staff cared about him but it’s nice to get a confirmation and few childhood stories lol

[chenyuvale]

at first I was like why is baizu on my fyp and then I remembered my dear mutual diluc existed. better then my Chucky cheese moot tbh.

i needed to make sure i didnt doom scroll so,,, baizhu.png tag i go

[paimonial-rage]

Thank you so much for sharing 'Wisdom of the Enneagram' with us. It's so interesting learning about the different types in depth and helpful for analyzing characters!

Recently, I've been trying to pinpoint the traveler. Do you have any thoughts on Aether's enneagram type? (#3) Thank you in advance <3

I'm answering this out of order because oh my God I did not think anyone actually paid attention to those tags HAHA. I can't believe you actually looked up that book I am honestly like both impressed and flattered. It is a super helpful book to understanding characters and their motivations.

[Character Analysis Ask Meme]

What is Aether's enneagram type?

Analysis below!

I'm going to answer your question in a more train of thought process because the Traveler is a really interesting character. They're meant to be a faceless character we can project ourselves on, but they certainly do have a personality. That being said, do we know enough about their personality to be able to pinpoint an ennea? If I have to be honest with you, I don't have a set idea of what they can be.

The best way to do process of elimination with ennea is to focus on the triads. What is their core emotion? Shame (heart triad), fear (head triad), or anger (gut triad)? Do they have issues with identity (heart triad), security/anxiety (head triad), or autonomy/control (gut triad)?

The hard thing about the Traveler is that the only time they show emotion is when it has to do with their sibling. But what else do we know about them? They don't like being tricked. They don't like being obligated to do things out of the goodness of their heart. They're friendly. They like cracking jokes. They like playing around.

I think, with what we're given, we can throw the heart triad out right from the start. The traveler shows no signs of shame. They have no issues with their self-image. Based upon their bond with their twin and Paimon, the answer seems to lean the most to wanting support and guidance. But can it be said their core emotion is fear? Could it possibly be anger instead?

Unfortunately I'm going to have to cheat a bit here and go based purely off of my knowledge of actual people and their types. If the traveler is a head type, the only type they can be is a 7. 5 and 6 simply are not their vibe. They'd probably be a 7w8. That being said, a 7's core aspects do not match that of the Traveler as seen above.

If the Traveler is a gut type, the only types they can be is a 9w8 or a 1w9. Simply put, they are not aggressive enough to be an 8. The argument for 9w8 is that... well... this type I fall to when most other types don't match. HAHA A 9w8 is primarily peace seeking, but won't hesitate to fight and assert themselves if they see the need to. The core aspects of a 9 match as well, as seen below.

The argument for 1w9, though, and also the one I'm leaning more towards is that 1s are very judgmental. And the Traveler is extremely judgmental. LOL 9w8s literally don't care. Just leave them alone. 1s, on the other hand, typically have superiority complexes. LOL Not to say that the Traveler does, but I digress. Unlike 9s, the Traveler does not hesitate to judge. They are self-driven and won't hesitate to make decisions based upon what they feel to be right. That being said, the core aspects do not match, at least with what we know of the Traveler currently.

So those are my picks as to their possible type. I am leaning more towards 1w9, even though we don't have enough canon evidence to support it. Probably a 1w9 so/sx. But if we go based off of canon evidence, they'd probably be a 9w8.

[suguwu]

accidental marriage with diluc except it's a handfasting done by a drunken venti to show their customs to a visitor, not thinking about the fact that he's barbatos and any ceremony he does holds

[kaeyapilled]

I saw something or other a while back talking about how ENG Diluc's fatal injury lines were all breathy and sad and regretful, whereas Kaeya sounds angry and almost hisses on some of them, and... yeah! He does!

Also you're so right about the denial and masking and Keeping His Cool

I'm nOt done yet.

That.. was. unexpected.....

ough... Time to fight back.. I s'pose

gUGHUH you're getting on my nerves.. [not even missing a beat you good man you sound like you just got stabbed. and that's what you're following it up with?? take a breath first maybe??]

I'm getting tired of this game >:(

Don't push your luck >:(

AUGH... this... doesn't. look good :/

literally!!! he is constantly trying to keep up the cool unbothered facade like. Babygirl. its okay. you can drop the mask for a moment. its alright i promise. i know you need to be Strong and Cool because that's the person you show to everyone else at absolutely all times and you're deathly afraid of not being in control of the situation but oh my god. how do you live like this all the time

[soft-cristobalite]

Throw back to a moment of geniousness i had bcuz this is the best kaeluc crossover EVER and nothing can change it

[wriochiluc]

There'll be plenty of time to decide on the way to Mondstadt. Guess Diluc will have to make a decision before then. Vote here

[mookybear12404]

The fact that Kaveh's best weapon is the pretty pastel claymore with all the flowers on it feels SO fitting

[torgawl]

i need wriothesley to discover the wonders of milk tea

[cryoweaving]

Oh. OH.

[yusukenui]

miss when scaramouche was red and beautiful...

[cityofmondstadt]

Oh right did I ever post this

Adventures in a new art style, p1

[isaut]

kuroro fic queued up for tomorrow at 5:30 🤍 hope it is enjoyed….. 🙏🏼