Player Name: Saffy Contact: jerkbender @ gmail [dot] com; saffy#0318 @ discord, DM! Invited by: I am here already! Other Characters: Amal (thavnairian); Zero (scryption); Mikleo (reenforces)
Character Name: Zhongli Canon: Genshin Impact (Black Order AU) Canon History:The CEO of Geo himself.
Canon Personality: 🔸 Stoic. Not to be confused with stubborn, Zhongli is something of a supportive rock for those around him, and it can be difficult to tell what he is thinking. (But he might be a little obstinate when it comes to certain things.) 🔸 Calm. Similarly, he's polite and reserved, and not prone to raising his voice or causing trouble (on purpose, anyway). 🔸 Sentimental. Zhongli has an affinity for things and people that have a long memory, much like him. Though, he isn't above disposing of priceless artifacts when they do not belong in the world anymore. 🔸 Caring. It seems that no one has a bad word to say about Zhongli. He has acted as a guide and mentor for countless characters met over the course of the quests in Liyue, and continues to do so in modern day. 🔸 Traditional. As something of a walking historian, he places special emphasis on rituals, traditions, and old beliefs. This is why he is given the position he holds at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, but it comes to light very frequently in all he does. 🔸 Materialistic. He has a taste for the finer things: good food, good drink, fine clothes, finer entertainment. From the outside this may seem shallow, but it stems from a deep appreciation of the wealth (both material and cultural) of Liyue. It can drive people up the wall, though. 🔸 Knowledgeable. Zhongli knows a little about a lot of things, a bit like a walking Wikipedia. Unfortunately, he mostly uses these powers to offer trivia rather than doing anything of tangible benefit. That, after all, would be acting as a god and not the "normal mortal man", Zhongli. 🔸 Kind. Zhongli's numerous deeds as Rex Lapis range from the generous (giving a blind old elemental the power of sight) to... 🔸 Unyielding. As a god, he was feared for his great power. He fought and killed many just like him. "Good and evil have nothing to do with it" is the way he thinks. 🔸 Lawful. Contracts are law, and law is binding. Without contracts and standards there is only chaos, and no measure of what can be considered "good" or "bad". Those who break contracts are said to suffer the "wrath of the rock", which is an unspecified punishment but one that strikes fear into Liyue's people nevertheless. It can be surmised that Rex Lapis had turned more than a few people into stone as punishment. 🔸 Fair. Though he might literally have buried people who betrayed others, he tries to make the punishment suit the crime. He's mellowed out enough over the years that breaking a contract won't mean he'll appear like a grim reaper and kill someone, but he's also not afraid to take his gloves off should someone be hostile. 🔸 Merciful. There are certainly a few instances where he could have killed people for breaking their word, but instead he lets them go with a lesson having been learned. This is not the same as letting it slide; he chooses the truth as punishment for one young misguided lady who is convinced that Rex Lapis murdered her people's god, and he gives a Fatui member a good beating for breaking the same contract. 🔸 Modest. Though he is a god of great power and deeds, Zhongli understates his abilities and doesn't like to take credit for things. His association with historians and archaeologists is not only out of desire to learn, but perhaps to gently correct some assumptions made about his character in history. (He knows such things are often futile, though.) 🔸 Hindsight. His wisdom was hard-won. Though the Warrior God of Liyue has a history of violence (and is even called "brutish" by another god), the severity of the wars he fought, grievous losses suffered, and burden of leadership wore down his sharp edges. He is keenly aware of his history, however. A part of that still lurks beneath that calm veneer, and always will. 🔸 Bad with money. The worst combination: materialistic, but also completely unable to grasp the concept of not having wealth when you need it. Zhongli has spent most of his existence able to conjure gold at whatever convenience, but in his "new" life as a mere mortal man, he no longer can. He has no real concept of how much things cost even though he can tell when something is valuable. Haggling? What's that? 🔸 Reluctant to lead. Zhongli is someone who really just hates responsibility. He took charge in the aftermath of the Guili Assembly's fall because it was the only choice. Otherwise, the people he strove to protect would die. Weak gods who can't protect anything could end up destroyed by their own people, a fact he knew well. He might have some knowledge of politics, but he wasn't eager to play the game. 🔸 Clever. This guy faked his death as part of an elaborate plan to test his beloved nation's resilience. Seeing them able to unite and dispose of a threat he would normally have dealt with himself, he was happy to cede his position and step into retirement. Though he can't take credit for masterminding every single moving part, it's still incredibly frustrating to his companions that he pulled it off... and interesting. 🔸 Tired. After so long as a ruler in touch with his people, and having walked alongside them for thousands of years, Zhongli is more than ready to step out of the limelight. He is weary, but not cynical. His motive for retirement was the simple wish to have someone say to him, "You've finished your duties, go ahead and call it a day." In all his years of service, he never shied away from his work, or took a vacation... He's ready. 🔸 Hopeful. Though the fate of old gods is to sometimes go mad, Zhongli's definition of erosion can be attributed to losing friends, and to the way he himself has been changed over the years. He isn't in any danger of going mad, but he also knows not to overstay his welcome. It's his firm belief after seeing his people come together and the Traveler's deeds that the future is in good hands.
AU Name: Fang Zhongli (方钟离) AU Birthday: 12/31 Faction: Black Order
AU History: Zhongli was born in something of a contentious era of history. He served underneath a bloodthirsty warlord in feudal China, and became known for his ferocity as well as his honor. Some called him a zealot, others called him fair, but no one would dare call him gentle. Fearing that his most trusted warrior would betray him and take over ruling his territory, the warlord had him ambushed and arrested for treason. This was a clear breach of their contract and the warlord's word. As he was tied up and prepared to be executed, Zhongli's powers awakened; in an explosion of earth and fury, he buried all who opposed him beneath massive stone spears, and there was silence.
Realizing that he could no longer live as a human, he used his past memories as an archon to guide his path forward. He would eventually take many names as he lived through the ages as an observer. At times he would intervene for purely personal reasons, but for the most part he was content to live, observe, and record the important events of his nation's history as he saw them. Among his many professions he'd tried: manual laborer, fisherman, shoemaker's apprentice, librarian, potter, and lawyer.
During his travels he fell into the company of another immortal companion, and they became best friends. They spent centuries walking the same path, talking at length about philosophies, the course of history, the endless possibilities of the future. But something... strange happened in his friend. They began to erode, to fracture, and go mad. Eventually they lost the semblance of humanity they'd gained, and became a danger even to Zhongli himself. His power alone wasn't enough to contain them.
He could neither bring himself to kill his friend nor could he bear anyone else to do it. It would be a betrayal of the contract they had made, where Zhongli served as their eyes to guide them in the world above. So Zhongli sought the help of someone else—an organization not quite as old as he was, but well-established, that helped with such issues when they concerned the realms of gods. Zhongli arranged to meet an agent of the Black Order through his many contacts and he explained the situation.
Naturally he had prepared a 300 page contract detailing his terms and conditions. In exchange for sealing his friend and preventing them from further descending into rampaging madness, Zhongli would assist the Black Order with whatever they required. If Zhongli managed to grow in power that he could seal or do away with his friend himself, or if the Black Order could no longer uphold their end of the deal, he would be able to terminate the contract. After 1000 years of service, if Zhongli still had not found an alternate solution, the Black Order would have the authority to dispose of his friend however they saw fit. Either way Zhongli would lose his friend since sealing essentially returned his friend to mundane status and gave him a normal life... but with this contract he would have the incentive to look for an alternative solution, where perhaps his friend could be saved and have their memories returned... and if not, Zhongli at least could seal them under his own power, and no longer rely on the Black Order for support.
His proposal accepted and the contract signed, Zhongli then spent another few decades in the basement as an archivist, occasionally racking up insane amounts on the budget and acting as a consultant for various matters, before he was finally sent to Kaisou under specific orders. No one knew how to get out of the contract with him and their legal team was already inundated with helpful "corrections" from Zhongli himself, so this seemed the best option.
AU Personality Differences: Zhongli is still very, very old and has the perspective of an observer, though he's soft and sentimental for slightly different reasons. He has the burden of memory and has lost a lot of friends, but it was due to the normal human wars he lived through and the passage of time. He also doesn't carry the guilt of the Archon War, though he remembers bits and pieces of it; he remembers enough that it actively prevents him from wanting to take any responsibility as a leader post awakening. He believes he is a very poor choice of leader and would end up stepping down much like his other self did, and as he's keenly aware of his humanity here, he isn't sure he could do it without going mad from the pressure... arguably his own version of erosion.
Unlike the Zhongli in Teyvat who had the aid of numerous creatures and personalities to stabilize and assure his eventual reign, this one doesn't have as many immortal friends, so he's spent far more of his time alone. He still has that craving for contact, though.
Element: Earth, obviously. Purchased Powers: 🔸 Fucking glowing archon hair why (2 pts) 🔸 Gold eyes (1 pt) 🔸 True immortality (cannot die or be killed) (4 pts) 🔸 Master elemental manipulation (earth) (4 pts) 🔸 Full Shapeshifting (into his dragon form, though it's capped at 7 feet) (4 pts) - 1 point left over!
Zhongli | Genshin Impact | Black Order AU
Contact: jerkbender @ gmail [dot] com; saffy#0318 @ discord, DM!
Invited by: I am here already!
Other Characters: Amal (
Character Name: Zhongli
Canon: Genshin Impact (Black Order AU)
Canon History: The CEO of Geo himself.
Canon Personality:
🔸 Stoic. Not to be confused with stubborn, Zhongli is something of a supportive rock for those around him, and it can be difficult to tell what he is thinking. (But he might be a little obstinate when it comes to certain things.)
🔸 Calm. Similarly, he's polite and reserved, and not prone to raising his voice or causing trouble (on purpose, anyway).
🔸 Sentimental. Zhongli has an affinity for things and people that have a long memory, much like him. Though, he isn't above disposing of priceless artifacts when they do not belong in the world anymore.
🔸 Caring. It seems that no one has a bad word to say about Zhongli. He has acted as a guide and mentor for countless characters met over the course of the quests in Liyue, and continues to do so in modern day.
🔸 Traditional. As something of a walking historian, he places special emphasis on rituals, traditions, and old beliefs. This is why he is given the position he holds at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, but it comes to light very frequently in all he does.
🔸 Materialistic. He has a taste for the finer things: good food, good drink, fine clothes, finer entertainment. From the outside this may seem shallow, but it stems from a deep appreciation of the wealth (both material and cultural) of Liyue. It can drive people up the wall, though.
🔸 Knowledgeable. Zhongli knows a little about a lot of things, a bit like a walking Wikipedia. Unfortunately, he mostly uses these powers to offer trivia rather than doing anything of tangible benefit. That, after all, would be acting as a god and not the "normal mortal man", Zhongli.
🔸 Kind. Zhongli's numerous deeds as Rex Lapis range from the generous (giving a blind old elemental the power of sight) to...
🔸 Unyielding. As a god, he was feared for his great power. He fought and killed many just like him. "Good and evil have nothing to do with it" is the way he thinks.
🔸 Lawful. Contracts are law, and law is binding. Without contracts and standards there is only chaos, and no measure of what can be considered "good" or "bad". Those who break contracts are said to suffer the "wrath of the rock", which is an unspecified punishment but one that strikes fear into Liyue's people nevertheless. It can be surmised that Rex Lapis had turned more than a few people into stone as punishment.
🔸 Fair. Though he might literally have buried people who betrayed others, he tries to make the punishment suit the crime. He's mellowed out enough over the years that breaking a contract won't mean he'll appear like a grim reaper and kill someone, but he's also not afraid to take his gloves off should someone be hostile.
🔸 Merciful. There are certainly a few instances where he could have killed people for breaking their word, but instead he lets them go with a lesson having been learned. This is not the same as letting it slide; he chooses the truth as punishment for one young misguided lady who is convinced that Rex Lapis murdered her people's god, and he gives a Fatui member a good beating for breaking the same contract.
🔸 Modest. Though he is a god of great power and deeds, Zhongli understates his abilities and doesn't like to take credit for things. His association with historians and archaeologists is not only out of desire to learn, but perhaps to gently correct some assumptions made about his character in history. (He knows such things are often futile, though.)
🔸 Hindsight. His wisdom was hard-won. Though the Warrior God of Liyue has a history of violence (and is even called "brutish" by another god), the severity of the wars he fought, grievous losses suffered, and burden of leadership wore down his sharp edges. He is keenly aware of his history, however. A part of that still lurks beneath that calm veneer, and always will.
🔸 Bad with money. The worst combination: materialistic, but also completely unable to grasp the concept of not having wealth when you need it. Zhongli has spent most of his existence able to conjure gold at whatever convenience, but in his "new" life as a mere mortal man, he no longer can. He has no real concept of how much things cost even though he can tell when something is valuable. Haggling? What's that?
🔸 Reluctant to lead. Zhongli is someone who really just hates responsibility. He took charge in the aftermath of the Guili Assembly's fall because it was the only choice. Otherwise, the people he strove to protect would die. Weak gods who can't protect anything could end up destroyed by their own people, a fact he knew well. He might have some knowledge of politics, but he wasn't eager to play the game.
🔸 Clever. This guy faked his death as part of an elaborate plan to test his beloved nation's resilience. Seeing them able to unite and dispose of a threat he would normally have dealt with himself, he was happy to cede his position and step into retirement. Though he can't take credit for masterminding every single moving part, it's still incredibly frustrating to his companions that he pulled it off... and interesting.
🔸 Tired. After so long as a ruler in touch with his people, and having walked alongside them for thousands of years, Zhongli is more than ready to step out of the limelight. He is weary, but not cynical. His motive for retirement was the simple wish to have someone say to him, "You've finished your duties, go ahead and call it a day." In all his years of service, he never shied away from his work, or took a vacation... He's ready.
🔸 Hopeful. Though the fate of old gods is to sometimes go mad, Zhongli's definition of erosion can be attributed to losing friends, and to the way he himself has been changed over the years. He isn't in any danger of going mad, but he also knows not to overstay his welcome. It's his firm belief after seeing his people come together and the Traveler's deeds that the future is in good hands.
AU Name: Fang Zhongli (方钟离)
AU Birthday: 12/31
Faction: Black Order
AU History: Zhongli was born in something of a contentious era of history. He served underneath a bloodthirsty warlord in feudal China, and became known for his ferocity as well as his honor. Some called him a zealot, others called him fair, but no one would dare call him gentle. Fearing that his most trusted warrior would betray him and take over ruling his territory, the warlord had him ambushed and arrested for treason. This was a clear breach of their contract and the warlord's word. As he was tied up and prepared to be executed, Zhongli's powers awakened; in an explosion of earth and fury, he buried all who opposed him beneath massive stone spears, and there was silence.
Realizing that he could no longer live as a human, he used his past memories as an archon to guide his path forward. He would eventually take many names as he lived through the ages as an observer. At times he would intervene for purely personal reasons, but for the most part he was content to live, observe, and record the important events of his nation's history as he saw them. Among his many professions he'd tried: manual laborer, fisherman, shoemaker's apprentice, librarian, potter, and lawyer.
During his travels he fell into the company of another immortal companion, and they became best friends. They spent centuries walking the same path, talking at length about philosophies, the course of history, the endless possibilities of the future. But something... strange happened in his friend. They began to erode, to fracture, and go mad. Eventually they lost the semblance of humanity they'd gained, and became a danger even to Zhongli himself. His power alone wasn't enough to contain them.
He could neither bring himself to kill his friend nor could he bear anyone else to do it. It would be a betrayal of the contract they had made, where Zhongli served as their eyes to guide them in the world above. So Zhongli sought the help of someone else—an organization not quite as old as he was, but well-established, that helped with such issues when they concerned the realms of gods. Zhongli arranged to meet an agent of the Black Order through his many contacts and he explained the situation.
Naturally he had prepared a 300 page contract detailing his terms and conditions. In exchange for sealing his friend and preventing them from further descending into rampaging madness, Zhongli would assist the Black Order with whatever they required. If Zhongli managed to grow in power that he could seal or do away with his friend himself, or if the Black Order could no longer uphold their end of the deal, he would be able to terminate the contract. After 1000 years of service, if Zhongli still had not found an alternate solution, the Black Order would have the authority to dispose of his friend however they saw fit. Either way Zhongli would lose his friend since sealing essentially returned his friend to mundane status and gave him a normal life... but with this contract he would have the incentive to look for an alternative solution, where perhaps his friend could be saved and have their memories returned... and if not, Zhongli at least could seal them under his own power, and no longer rely on the Black Order for support.
His proposal accepted and the contract signed, Zhongli then spent another few decades in the basement as an archivist, occasionally racking up insane amounts on the budget and acting as a consultant for various matters, before he was finally sent to Kaisou under specific orders. No one knew how to get out of the contract with him and their legal team was already inundated with helpful "corrections" from Zhongli himself, so this seemed the best option.
AU Personality Differences: Zhongli is still very, very old and has the perspective of an observer, though he's soft and sentimental for slightly different reasons. He has the burden of memory and has lost a lot of friends, but it was due to the normal human wars he lived through and the passage of time. He also doesn't carry the guilt of the Archon War, though he remembers bits and pieces of it; he remembers enough that it actively prevents him from wanting to take any responsibility as a leader post awakening. He believes he is a very poor choice of leader and would end up stepping down much like his other self did, and as he's keenly aware of his humanity here, he isn't sure he could do it without going mad from the pressure... arguably his own version of erosion.
Unlike the Zhongli in Teyvat who had the aid of numerous creatures and personalities to stabilize and assure his eventual reign, this one doesn't have as many immortal friends, so he's spent far more of his time alone. He still has that craving for contact, though.
Element: Earth, obviously.
Purchased Powers:
🔸 Fucking glowing archon hair why (2 pts)
🔸 Gold eyes (1 pt)
🔸 True immortality (cannot die or be killed) (4 pts)
🔸 Master elemental manipulation (earth) (4 pts)
🔸 Full Shapeshifting (into his dragon form, though it's capped at 7 feet) (4 pts)
- 1 point left over!