Aves

Love to RP. Including: Bg3,Eruri, WangXian, BingQiu, BeefLeaf, Haikaveh, OCxOc etc Discord: Mizary#7524

[snoopnation]

“讨论感情问题” is insane bc they tled it to sentimentality when a more accurate description is “relationship matters” or “matters of the heart/emotions.” so when alhaitham is saying he’s in progress of mastering a skill he means their relationship by both of them rebuilding the home

[avesrp]

Looking for exactly one roleplay partner that would like to roleplay Haikaveh with me.

I only have one slot open for a rp and I specifically want Haikaveh.

I’ll only rp with someone who is 20+

I don’t like m-preg, rape or heavy suicidal thoughts/suicide.

I would like to be Kaveh considering I already have a rp where I play Alhaitham, but I’m open to Alhaitham as well.

Must have a switch dynamic. I also like angst.

Reach out on Discord, mizary09

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

This event made me go!!! There's so much to unpack. And it feels like the devs are foreshadowing more to come? Like Kaveh thinking "Why is it getting so hard to keep this a secret?" It's starting to really wear him down, each event more and more, and it seems like it'll reach a peak soon. Also the small hint of their fallout was so deliberate - Haitham immediately backtracking after Kaveh got upset, oh both of them have been hurt by this so bad. We've seen them bicker, but this time it felt a bit different. Maybe the devs are setting something up, I don't know.

hiya! i have so many messy thoughts about this event so thank you for enabling me with your ask hehehe

the hidden dialogue scenes this event have been rattling around in my brain, and that line in particular is so !!!!

this concern of kaveh's has also been mentioned in the summer event last year, where kaveh lists the 'only' people who knows he and alhaitham live together

and i think it's so !!! that we also learn in the nod-krai archon quest that ofc another person not in kaveh's list (dori) knows they live together

it's interesting that this worry of kaveh's isn't mentioned in dialogue in this main event but only when they buy food together, as in when we get a splice of their domestic life at home :')

also i'm really loving the implication that besides people finding out that he can't afford to live on his own, kaveh's life is otherwise worry free - so he really has no issue living with alhaitham (as we all know lmaooo), as compared to a parade of providence where he was competing with the goal to move out

from this, along with all the mentions of kaveh explicitly referring to their shared house as 'home', it's pretty inferable that kaveh's plans have changed completely, and that he will NOT be moving out

also YES!!! the Divorce Mention scene in the temple has me going crazy honestly! i've yapped a bit about it here, but the fact that we're finally getting canonical confirmation of alhaitham's negative feelings about their argument and subsequent separation (estrangement) means so much to me, since previously, alhaitham has only mentioned their argument from a factual perspective, and this emotional element is only inferable from his character stories in contrast to kaveh's where emotion is at the forefront

i do agree that their bickering feels different from previous events following a parade of providence! perhaps this is because we're truly getting a focus on them together, as compared to previous events/quests where the focus was on the contrasting their relationship to pre-parade of providence, so that bickering took less precedence

(such as in cyno's second story quest where alhaitham and kaveh are shown to be getting along/gossiping/working together to help their friends; in nahida's bday event where kaveh is shown to have sought alhaitham out for his opinion and where their relationship with mehrak is highlighted; and in an odd textual mystery where kaveh seeks alhaitham out at the end to inform him about the conclusion of the drama, where it's shown that alhaitham's active interest in kaveh and what he was reading was the inciting incident of the whole event)

in ruins exploration we're introduced to kaveh and alhaitham essentially having joint custody over mehrak, with them both understanding mehrak's needs, as well as establishing yet again how intimately kaveh and alhaitham know each other

an issue is raised in alhaitham claiming that kaveh is 'sedentary', which kaveh then turns back onto alhaitham - something that alhaitham seems to dismiss, but actually uses to rile kaveh up by over-relying on kaveh to do things for him

this works rather TOO well, especially when alhaitham keeps this bit going in the second part of the quest in the temple, which causes the Divorce Mention, but what i find really interesting is this mention of alhaitham helping by being 'moral support' (which means that he's way too busy to pack a suitcase lmaoooo), which kaveh gets incredibly annoyed by and thanks him sarcastically

i find it interesting because alhaitham is telling the truth here (only in his rage baiting way lmaooo) in that providing kaveh moral support is pretty much exactly what he's done all along (which i yap a lot about here and here) through his constancy in providing a contrasting perspective to kaveh's and also through his presence, such as inviting kaveh to live with him

this method of alhaitham's is also mentioned in nahida's bday event, where he says that he aims to provide an alternative perspective in order to help reach a solution, applicable to haikaveh in that this is something that alhaitham considers integral to his and kaveh's bond, not only as scholarly mirrors but also as people - only through kaveh can he understand the world completely, and the same for kaveh through him

and they're at the point where kaveh knows this since they've reached a mutual understanding - but in this event, alhaitham claiming that he acts as 'moral support' gets kaveh particularly annoyed, which i think could be because it's in the same breath of alhaitham expecting kaveh to do things for him, like when alhaitham first invited kaveh to live with him, where kaveh wrote in his old notebook that there's no way this could be unconditional since alhaitham doesn't do things for other people without something in return, and this prompts kaveh to take on the chores in the house

i'm spit balling here, but i do find it !?!? that this (presumably) resolved motif of miscommunication is kept up pretty much the entire event for haikaveh, even if parts of it are in jest (like with kaveh telling alhaitham to be blown back to sumeru city by the fan lmaoooo he's so right for that), with it being resolved by an explicit mention of their past thesis, their argument, and the subsequent fallout, with alhaitham reacting emotionally to this, and doing a whole 180, coupling him and kaveh together with 'we', and directing their teamwork

i've been thinking that the portrayal of haikaveh in this event is really interesting, it's reminiscent of their dynamic before a parade of providence, where bickering and winding each other up takes precedence, and then this parallel to apop in alhaitham going too far, unintentionally hurting kaveh, and retracting, where the two then come to work together, reconciled in understanding

and then the other interactions we get between them highlight kaveh's pretence, that he actively separates him and alhaitham to keep up appearances of being a successful architect

it could be that this event is a synopsis of a kind regarding haikaveh's relationship, that they bicker and press each other's nerves, but not out of malicious intentions, but because they understand each other so completely; they've hurt each other in the past, but now they've reconciled, with kaveh taking priority in alhaitham's life, and vice versa with kaveh with him referring to what was once alhaitham's house as 'our place' - yet there are still threads remaining, as in, kaveh's thoughts towards his father after apop; the development of 'home' now that mehrak returned to its own in the temple, was revealed to have once belong to king deshret but described by thoth as seeming happier the way that kaveh utilises it, and returning to its new home with kaveh and alhaitham; and that kaveh's active worry is that people will discover him and alhaitham living together

in that sense, this could be highlighting that kaveh's arc of 'home' has been fulfilled, yet an element of this hasn't been resolved in that his pride in keeping up appearances hinders parts of his everyday life, where he denies his association to alhaitham by fronting that they live separately, and yet, they're entirely inseparable in every other way (@ sethos' voice line lmaooo) so much so that kaveh is now thinking to himself that it's getting more difficult to keep up the act

overall. the fact that this is essentially the basis of both hidden dialogue scenes is very eyebrow raising ahahah, it really wouldn't be surprising if this were foreshadowing to this being addressed in a future event since it's unresolved!

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

thinking about a parade of providence again

will never be over it, where alhaitham says that sometimes being correct doesn't mean anything, and the prompt relates this back to the line in ancient script alhaitham wrote to kaveh, about the fate of the idealist being denying themselves happiness in securing it for others

alhaitham's warning years ago, the reason for his and kaveh's separation, that kaveh would only hurt himself with his form of altruism proved correct, but that doesn't matter, it means nothing because alhaitham lost kaveh

it isn't about whether they're right or wrong in their philosophies, because alhaitham knows firsthand about the futility of being correct when it cost them both dearly

it isn't about scholarly debate, but how they can help each other as people, it's about them wanting the best for each other, it's about what they mean to each other and how they can prevail over their past hurt because of their differences

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

There’s just so manyyy things in the new eventttt gosh but I want to know your thoughts on a few things

like how Kaveh lists and reports his findings to Alhaitham specifically when they’re clearly in a group together. (“there’s the cat!” *points at it while looking at alhaitham* before alhaitham guides them sort of) (“it speaks!” To alhaitham again, whether or not he’s reading book and not listening at all)

it’s kind of like Kaveh yapping to him knowing he’d listen no matter anything. And it goes to showcase this possibility Kaveh does it without thinking and if he was aware that Alhaitham isn’t at all listening, he would’ve stopped. The fact that he’s continuing to report small little things to Alhaitham specifically despite him holding up a book shows that he IS listening to him no matter what Alhaitham is doing.

He even goes like “huh.. where even was I?” right after defending his family 🖐️ 😔 (like “it’s your turn to apologize since u made Kaveh apologize to u.”) I think it may go to show that he IS in fact listening, that his eyes and ears are everywhere but his damn book (at the moment, probably)

goshhh I love them sm there’s so much to uncover because these two DOES NOT speak without having double or tripple meanings behind them

but I’m curious as to what you think :>>

hiya!! thank you so much for your ask! i agree completely, there's so much to unpack with this event, it can be overwhelming!

ahhh i'm loving haikaveh having to work together again, just like in cyno's second story quest which showed a resolution of their thesis (which i talk about here and here), so i'm living for the reference to them as students, with kaveh's line about it 'all coming back' to him regarding alhaitham's work ethic

i've talked about what this means for alhaitham a little bit here but i'll probably make a post specifically for the moment at some point, but i really love this detail that, after alhaitham switches gears and steps up to help kaveh and mehrak, kaveh's mood improves, where he says 'good teamwork'!

and thank youuu for pointing out that lil detail of kaveh pointing at the cat and looking to alhaitham, it's just such an endearing moment where kaveh is caught completely off guard, as they were just talking about the cat, and turns to alhaitham so earnestly when mehrak goes after thoth

and later on when thoth turns up again, after it's established that alhaitham is reading

kaveh does the same thing, glancing in alhaitham's direction, like his first instinct is to appeal to alhaitham??

and in the next shot, after kaveh has been chastised, alhaitham has stopped reading

so, like you say, this detail of alhaitham always paying attention to kaveh is so !!?!?! it really reminds me of cyno's second story quest, where it's shown that alhaitham is otherwise reading only when kaveh isn't addressing him (which is another instance where we get to see kaveh yapping to him about anything and everything, and ofc he's so interested in what kaveh has to say!)

and lmaooo to your point about alhaitham standing up for his family, because yes!! he even uses thoth's line against him, equating the level of offence taken, so that thoth blusters and apologises, just like kaveh did (i'm creasing at this, ofc alhaitham who sees deities only as an essential part of the biological hierarchy wouldn't hesitate to speak against one when the situation necessitates it)

(the framing here is marvellous, like YEAH, it is them together, you can't separate them!)

and then as soon as he's done his part and kaveh is happy, he's shown to be reading again when thoth is YAPPING, help

i'm loving this implication that alhaitham only stopped reading because kaveh appealed to him, and then went back to reading when he had defended mehrak and kaveh, this really showcases his priorities huh (thank you alhaitham story quest)

(also i'm obsessed with the parallels with alhaitham defending kaveh and mehrak like how kaveh defended alhaitham at the beginning, questioning why alhaitham doesn't get a title, and the point as well just adds an extra tear to my eye, thank you writers and your sneaky ways)

as you say, it's never simple with them! there are always so many layers to peel back which is why their writing is so scrummy and difficult to digest, i can't believe this is something real that my eyes get to absorb

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

the development of alhaitham and kaveh's relationship (ruins exploration edition)

I am very appreciative of the parallels of kaveh and alhaitham’s ‘verbal sparring’ in this quest and their bickering during their first interaction in the archon quest

The first thing kaveh says to Alhaitham is accusing him of extorting his authority to gain access to a book – by saying ‘again’, like he holds such a low view of alhaitham’s character, that ofc this is a common occurrence for him

But now when Alhaitham twists kaveh’s goading and implies that kaveh accused him of ‘abusing’ his authority to get a book, kaveh rebukes this!! Because he was joking and he wouldn’t go that far! But he also knows that Alhaitham is just teasing him because he’s teasing Alhaitham since they ENJOY it!! Im so SICK of them but so happy they figured it out

Also !! the development from kaveh’s perspective of Alhaitham in his character quest, where he viewed as Alhaitham receiving ‘special treatment’ because his salary stayed the same...

...to this, where kaveh questions why Alhaitham doesn’t receive a special title just like him being ‘renowned’, when Alhaitham is just as famous at the others involved in saving sumeru?

and Alhaitham says that it’s because he’s a ‘lowly’ scribe who doesn’t ‘hold a candle’ to kaveh

like in the archon quest, where he says that due to kaveh’s capabilities, he’ll likely be asked to become a sage, too

Im Shaking at this… that Alhaitham has teased kaveh about this from the beginning but has ALWAYS been earnest in his praise, and now kaveh has had a 180 from the archon quest, where he no longer interprets Alhaitham to be genuinely demeaning and therefore retaliates in turn. now he wants him and Alhaitham to be EQUAL in any title given to them respectively

the trust and understanding between them is complete!!

[glendoriel]

I think I just realized why Alhaitham and Kaveh's philosophies are so different, and yet both true at the same time. It's because Alhaitham thinks in descriptives and Kaveh thinks in normatives.

Let me explain.

A descriptive statement is a statement about how the world is, factually, while a normative statement says something about how the world should be, or seeks to influence or construct it in some other way through the use of language. This is why legal statutes and imperatives are also considered normative statements.

The epiphany hit me when I was reading this line from Kaveh's character stories:

This is true of a normative statement, but not of a descriptive one. If a descriptive statement is inconsistent with reality, then it is untrue, and you remedy the problem by changing the statement. If, on the other hand, a normative statement is inconsistent with reality, it is because it has failed in its attempt to shape it, and you remedy the problem by changing reality.

All of Kaveh's and Alhaitham's most core disagreements at some level boil down to this; Kaveh thinks about what the world should and could be like, while Alhaitham is more concerned with accurately understanding it. Kaveh works himself to the bone to shape the world after those normative ideals, while Alhaitham is content to refine his own grasp on its inner workings. They are both right, because the fact that Alhaitham's descriptive analysis of reality is morally reprehensible doesn't make it any less true, and the fact that Kaveh's normative ideals are not reflective of reality doesn't make them any less valuable.

This is also symbolized very poignantly by their choice of fields. Alhaitham, the linguist, seeking to describe reality, and Kaveh, the architect, seeking to construct it.

[glendoriel]

Currently obsessing over Kaveh and Alhaitham's core disagreement on epistemological question of what truth and knowledge is. The way I read their character stories, Alhaitham believes that the truth exists on a pure level in the world around us, and that language and cultural assumptions hinder researchers from seeing that truth for what it is. That's why he keeps to himself, using his sharp mind to earnestly research his topics of interest with the sole motivation of finding a truth that is untainted by such external factors. Kaveh, on the other hand, rejects the concept of an objective truth, believing that knowledge cannot exist without a subject, and that postulating an objective truth is to willfully disguise the subject, the researcher. True wisdom, Kaveh believes, can only exist intersubjectively, when enough people come together to find that truth and agree on it. This fundamental difference was what precipitated their fallout.

When Nahida says that Kaveh is the person who understands best what it means for Sumeru to be a Nation of Wisdom, I believe this is what she's talking about; for there to be a Nation of Wisdom, it's not enough for one brilliant researcher to take home there. Their wisdom will die with them. But if you cultivate an interpersonal endeavor for knowledge, you will get a nation of truthseekers, and the wisdom that is accumulated will transcend the lifespans of the individual humans that contributed to its discovery. The heartbreaking part is that this very understanding is what drives Kaveh to overexert himself to prove the merits of his ideas to the rest of the world, because he's hopelessly trying to cultivate intersubjective understanding in a nation where very few have such an honest desire to cultivate wisdom, preferring to have knowledge fed to them through the Akasha just to graduate and move up in the social hierarchy.

The only person who truly engages in such an intersubjective back-and-forth with Kaveh, is Alhaitham.

[xx-emowarz-xx]

I think the marketing failure around Jennifer's Body is an enormous part of what makes it such a brilliant master class film. You market this film with these male gazey shots of the current Hollywood sex symbol, you make it seem like a pseudo lesbian soft core porno, you then bring all these men who just want to goon to Megan Fox into the theatre. You sit them down. They're ready to watch the extended cut of her scene in bad boys. And instead you subject them to what rape feels like for women. You force these misogynistic straight men who came to the theater to get their rocks off to watch Megan Fox get shoved into the back of a van, taken to a remote location, and ritualistically sacrificed in a way where any idiot can tell it's a metaphor for sexual assault but which no one would find sexy, and then you make them watch her go to her best friend's house and throw up black bile all over the place. You make her gross and unsexy and in pain. And then you make it gay for real in a way that straight men have a hard time comprehending let alone fetishizing.

If you're a capitalist it's a terrible marketing decision but if you're a feminist and a troll it's the most brilliant move anyone has ever made.

[laarems]

Happy birthday wwx get smooched

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

no thoughts just comparing the deliberate parallels between the concerned comments layla, faruzan and paimon make to kaveh which are used to contextualise alhaitham’s comments to kaveh during a parade of providence

In the desert, layla who previously had issues with dealing with anxieties, received dubious advice from kaveh about equating worries to that of a sickness for that which is no cure, therefore you have to let its run its course

Layla reveals that this advice isn’t suitable for her, since the cause for her anxiety was solely because she didn’t have a clear goal for herself. She states that therefore, if this advice is something kaveh adheres to, then this is ultimately worse for him, as kaveh claims to have a set goal - as in, he wants to win the interdarshan chanpionship.

She notes that kaveh seems conflicted, and that this could stem from some inner sadness which he suppresses with a façade of happiness.

This points to kaveh’s internal conflict being between that of his guilt complex brought about by his perceived involvement in his father’s passing, and his genuine desire to help others at the cost of himself. Kaveh cannot balance the two in ways that will allow him to prioritise his own needs and desires

Kaveh’s internal conflict is pointed out later on in the same quest by Faruzan, who highlights kaveh’s title as a genius being incongruous with his problem solving abilities after kaveh passes out in the desert due to giving his food and water to the disturbed foxes and going out of his way to lead them to safety, putting himself at risk and jeopardising his place in the competition

However, Kaveh states that his title of a genius has nothing to do with this situation, and although he admits it wasn’t the most practical solution, it was dually his conscience that ultimately caused him to act and perceivably the guilt that would come from not attempting to help

After the second round comes to a close and faruzan inadvertently informs alhaitham of kaveh’s “tribulations”, the player gets to hear alhaitham’s reactions to kaveh’s decision through kaveh, as kaveh and alhaitham have discussed the events in the desert offscreen

Paimon points out that this is definitely ‘something’ alhaitham would say due to the blunt manner of speaking and the dryness of his words - this contextualises how kaveh receives them, as personal goading

When looking past this and focussing on alhaitham’s actual words, the real meaning can be found, and it is even a point in this scene that paimon offers the exact same comments, drawing direct parallels between her and alhaitham’s words, and therefore establishing the same concerns

Alhaitham points out kaveh’s unreliable problem solving abilities being incongruous with his title as a senior - directly paralleling faruzan’s comments in which she highlighted how kaveh’s decision making abilities were at odds with his title as a genius

As well as this, alhaitham alludes to kaveh’s guilt complex being the reason why he exerts himself for others at his own expense - which is a point that the traveller and paimon directly follow up on

Kaveh responds to their questioning amicably despite the sensitive nature of the conversation, just as he did when faruzan pointed out kaveh’s problematical decision making, and this is because of their apparent concern rather than actively seeking offence, with paimon protesting when kaveh asks: “don’t tell me you think i have serious personality flaws, too?” With the ‘too’ clearly referencing alhaitham and the conversation the two had prior to the traveller and paimon turning up

Kaveh can understand the concern in others’ words when they question his problem solving skills and the sense of his inner conflict stemming from guilt, however, when alhaitham makes the same comments, kaveh sees this as a form on animosity and personal critique

Because of alhaitham’s manner of communication and kaveh’s apparent distrust of alhaitham, the two cannot reach a mutual understanding - despite alhaitham expressing the same concerns as three separate characters within this quest

It is telling then that when kaveh gleans an otherwise unseen meaning in alhaitham’s words is when alhaitham changes his method of communication and directly, and intimately, addresses kaveh by using a script that only the two are privy to

Kaveh still doesn’t wholly understand alhaitham’s meaning, but the switch up in communication method is enough for kaveh to question alhaitham’s sincerity and not attribute it to alhaitham mocking him

Kaveh continues questioning the cause for this throughout the remainder of the event, being seen to question why alhaitham left the notes for him and whether if it was a coincidence or not. He concludes that it wasn’t a coincidence and then states “then…”, inferably questioning why alhaitham left the notes for him and what the meaning of his words were, in a script only kaveh would understand. Additionally, kaveh mentions wanting to ask alhaitham what the meaning of his notes were when at dinner after the closing of the interdarshan championship, as the uncertain meaning of his words has seemingly left a profound effect on him

Alhaitham changing his manner of communication, which kaveh usually perceives as negative, causes kaveh to question alhaitham’s sincerity, and therefore causes doubt in whether alhaitham is patronising him or not. This in turn can cast obscurity over kaveh’s assertion that alhaitham holds “disdain” for him due to Alhaitham’s expression of concern which kaveh cannot perceive due to the abrasiveness of his words. Alhaitham conveying his concern in a roundabout way only allows for kaveh to misinterpret him, which kaveh perceives as “disdain”.

A parade of providence establishes the cause for the rift in alhaitham and kaveh’s relationship mainly to be perpetual misunderstanding in communication, and sets out to propose a solution being that a change of communication.

By using a language that only the two of them know shows that for kaveh to fully understand his meaning, alhaitham must meet kaveh on his own terms when it comes to communication - the two must be on equal and frank level. this could allow a potential rebuilding of intimacy the two once shared when initially learning the language, and thus overcome the idea of “mutual disdain” which kaveh asserts due to his fundamental misunderstanding of alhaitham which alhaitham seems to reinforce with his typical language

(Update: For more analyses like this, the essay this is taken from is now uploaded! It can be accessed here and here as as a pdf <3)

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

An analysis of Alhaitham's egoism in relation to Kaveh

(Update: The essay this is taken from is now uploaded! It can be accessed here and here as as a pdf <3)

Max Stirner's anarchist egoism is speculated to be the basis of Alhaitham's personal egoism, therefore I will be drawing upon Stirner's 'The Unique and Its Property' for this analysis.

Property and power are key principles within this philosophy. The egoist recognises himself as an individual, separate from the general collective of “humanity”, in which concepts such as freedom and property are governed to and over the people, for then the individual is not considered as such, rather they are a part of “humanity”, rather than a whole individual (Stirner, 170). This thinking is demonstrated within Alhaitham’s Story Quest, where he dismantles Siraj’s Hivemind by targeting individuals that compromised the Hive and reminding them of their own beliefs and preferences – the individual in themselves is a whole, and is not a “part” of a system (Stirner, 170).

In this, the egoist governs himself by what he owns and what he wants to own: “ownness is my whole essence and existence, it is myself. I am free from what I am rid of, owner of what I have in my power, what I control. I am at all times and under every circumstance my own”(Stirner, 106). This relates to the concept of freedom, which, for an egoist exists according to having the power to be free of something, for example, being freed of hunger, thirst, or societal expectations (Stirner, 105). This is reflected within Alhaitham’s description: “He lives free – free from the searching eyes of ordinary people,” but also extends to the power to own.

As power is considered something which the egoist owns, property then becomes something which the egoist exerts power over, and in this, can property be made use of by the egoist – all the while, the property remains an independent vessel (Stirner, 162). This is seen within Alhaitham’s view on his vision, in that it is “no more than a useful tool”, as it can be used to serve his own needs, and that since it in his possession, he has obtained it with his own power, it makes no difference to check on it as he continues to retain that power.

In this sense then, Alhaitham has constructed his life around this form of egoism, in that anything he wants, he has, such as his job as the Scribe, his house, the interests he pursues, the people he enjoys. In order to maintain this way of life, he will deal with, or be rid of, anything he deems as "harmful".

With this, the egoist seeks satisfaction in themselves through the satisfaction of another. Ownership, in relation to another person, can become love, which like all things the egoist has power over, is ultimately theirs – as in their love for a person (Stirner, 187), which is given willingly by the egoist, for loving a person is done for the satisfaction that love brings: “But I love them with the awareness of egoism; I love them because love makes me happy, I love because love is natural to me, it pleases me,” (186).

In loving another comes sacrifice, which the egoist can give into without compromising himself, as he himself sets the “purchase price of [his love]” (187) according to the happiness attributed to the loved one, as in return, the egoist shall also receive happiness (186). To enjoy someone, in an egoist fashion, is to be able to sacrifice all possessions and ownerships without foregoing the sense of an individual, of “ownness”, as the egoist would then lose his objectivity:

“I can deny myself countless things to heighten his pleasure, and I can risk for him what would be dearest to me without him, my life, my welfare, my freedom. Indeed, it forms my pleasure and happiness to feast on his pleasure and happiness. But me, myself I do not sacrifice to him, but rather remain an egoist and—enjoy him. If I sacrifice to him everything I would keep without my love for him, that is very easy… But if I sacrifice others to one passion, I still do not…  sacrifice my particular worth, my ownness. Where this nasty incident occurs, love looks no better than any other passion that I blindly obey.” – The Unique and Its Property, 185

It is relevant to note that just as the egoist receives happiness from a loved one’s pleasure, so does an egoist suffer from a loved one’s despair. Just as the egoist would sacrifice something of their own to provide happiness for a loved one in order to exact their own happiness, so too would an egoist sacrifice something, or act, to eradicate the root problem of a loved one’s misery, as this, in turn, would then resolve their own misery:

“If I see the beloved suffering, I suffer with him, and I find no rest until I’ve tried everything to comfort and cheer him…. It doesn’t follow from this that the same thing causes suffering… his tooth gives him pain, but his pain gives me pain. But because I cannot bear the sorrowful crease on the beloved forehead, therefore, then for my sake, I kiss it away. If I didn’t love this person, he could go right on creasing his forehead, that wouldn’t trouble me; I’m only driving away my troubles. – The Unique and Its Property, 186

The phrasing of “driving away… troubles” is particular to note here, due to similar usages of language used within Alhaitham’s Character Stories, in relation to him acting in accordance with his self-governed rules and serving his own self-interest by: “[acting] on his own will and deals with anything that appears harmful in his eyes”.

Kaveh, however, interprets Alhaitham’s egoism as a detached, pragmatic view of humanity, in which the individual isolates themselves not only as a means of prioritisation, but by elevating oneself over others by refusal to intermingle and to cooperate for the benefit of others. Not only is this a harmful opposition to Kaveh’s view of individuals sharing their knowledge and talent in order to pursue a better society, but due to Kaveh’s experience of Alhaitham’s personal egoism, it is harmful to Kaveh personally. Kaveh refuses to prioritise himself over others because he has seen a negative consequence of egoism, in which he has been “cut to the quick” and it has ended one of the few stable relationships in his life.

By Kaveh seeing Alhaitham’s comment about his altruism as malicious, Alhaitham has elevated himself over Kaveh, since Alhaitham does not have the same struggles as him, and has trivialised Kaveh’s trauma. To Kaveh, Alhaitham’s prioritisation of the self actively harms others as it desensitises the self to the emotions of others. Therefore, Kaveh opposes the egoism which Alhaitham advocates for, since he interprets it through his own lived experience. Hence, by Alhaitham asserting egoism over Kaveh as a means of Kaveh prioritising himself, it only reinforces Kaveh to strive to consider the feelings of others, as well as to not prioritise his own way of thinking if it undermines someone else’s.

In actuality, Alhaitham’s frustrations with Kaveh lie in his belief that Kaveh’s talents are incongruous with his values, and that if Kaveh were to prioritise himself, he would save himself suffering and enable himself to discover his “true self”, unrestricted by others placing labels onto him.

This is a personal frustration which Alhaitham would not compromise himself to assert onto a person he was indifferent to, due to his belief of not getting involved with other’s fates. However, he has been observed to ‘subvert’ his own rules to accommodate Kaveh. Through egoism, it can be seen that rather than ‘subverting’ these rules, Alhaitham adheres to them as an egoist, since he sees Kaveh as his mirror, they offer each other a contrasting perspective he believes they need to have a complete, objective vision of the world.

This is necessary for Alhaitham to consider within his own life, and therefore has extended his house to Kaveh, in order to expand his scope of thinking, and to consider perspectives he otherwise would not entertain. Kaveh’s ideals, his beliefs, and his philosophies explicitly interest Alhaitham, in contradiction with Kaveh believing that Alhaitham is disdainful of his perspectives.

In this way, Alhaitham enjoys Kaveh. He willingly pays for some of Kaveh’s tabs; pays for crates of wine for the two of them; and goes out of his way to pursue interactions with Kaveh. Just as Alhaitham is to Kaveh, Kaveh is an old friend, as unchanged in his beliefs as he was in the past and thus is a constant: “the most unshakable part of one's past is a friend that will never change”’.

Alhaitham strives to act in accordance to his own egoism and therefore assesses what “appears harmful” to him, in relation to these rules, so as to be rid of them. This can be extended to Kaveh, as Kaveh falls under what ‘belongs’ to Alhaitham, in the sense that ownership equates to Alhaitham’s enjoyment.

Alhaitham wants to have Kaveh in his life due to the alternate perspective which Kaveh offers him, thus expanding his horizons and granting him knowledge he otherwise would not obtain. As well as this, Kaveh is seen to be considered part of Alhaitham’s way of life that he wants to protect. In line with Stirner’s egoism, it follows that as Alhaitham enjoys Kaveh, as in, ‘owns’ the contentment Kaveh elicits, he therefore is affected by Kaveh’s self-inflicted grievances. Therefore, Alhaitham sees Kaveh’s altruism at the expense of his own wellbeing as something “harmful” to be dealt with, as this not only causes Kaveh inward misery, but also detriments Kaveh finding his “true self” (Alhaitham Character Story 3), which the egoist pursues above all else.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

The parallels between Kaveh and his mother and what this implies for Kaveh and Alhaitham

(This is an excerpt taken from my Haikaveh essay! If you're interested you can check it out here or as a pdf <3)

When discussing Kaveh’s mother, Faranak, with her old teacher Zaha Hadi in order to discover the password that will unlock Faranak’s journal, “companionship” is given as the password over “understanding”. This is due to Faranak placing more value in the companionship of Kaveh’s father over him understanding her artistry, as despite his lack of understanding, he stayed at her side regardless in order to “support” her. Zaha Hadi states that Kaveh’s father’s support was likely the reason that Faranak chose him over her “many admirers”, which Kaveh then equates to “companionship”:

A romantic connotation is created by the association of “companionship” with the relationship between Kaveh’s mother and father. Although companionship is also assigned to a platonic connection, pictured in Faranak’s journal of the gathering consisting of Tighnari’s parents, Alhaitham’s parents, and Cyno’s adoptive father. Her advice to Kaveh of pursuing companionship, too, falls in the platonic category, as she states for him to: “seek a friend” in order to gain support. Companionship, then, becomes dually used for romantic and platonic connections.

It is interesting then, that Faranak herself can be used as an allusion to Kaveh. This is emanated in how the two share many similarities, not only in physical attributes, their studying in Kshahrewar, and their shared profession as an architect, but also in their mannerisms and their method of working.

Just as Faranak keeps a diary, Kaveh writes in an ‘Old Sketchbook’. Faranak is described as a “perfectionist” who insisted on redesigning drafts, just as Kaveh designs six drafts for a singular client.

She is also described to have a “sensitive and vulnerable heart”, just as Kaveh is described to be “sensitive” due to his empathetic nature.

Just like Kaveh, she is said to have gotten into a “heated argument” with a friend, presumably over conflicting viewpoints on art. As an artist, her woes are that of Kaveh’s, stemming from being misunderstood by others.

As she is directly compared with Kaveh and as their similarities are listed, it can be inferred that the two are to be paralleled due to their resemblance. It is relevant then to look to her view of her relationship with Kaveh’s father as it provides a perspective of an ideal companion for a struggling artist:

This is interesting in regard to the relationship presented here to that which exists between Kaveh and Alhaitham.

Kaveh and Alhaitham have a mutually deep understanding of each other, which creates a sense of intimacy that they share with no other character. Additionally, Kaveh has the similar struggle of being eclipsed by a “dream” in his heart, as in, his ideals conflicting with his own self-interest. Kaveh’s father, rather than understanding Kaveh's mother's ideals in relation to himself, seeks to support her, “listen[ing] to her joys and share[ing] in her sorrows”. This is a similar statement to Alhaitham’s “listen[ing] intently” to Kaveh’s troubles when meeting in a tavern, calling to question Kaveh’s pursuit of his ideals: “How has realising your ideals gone for you?”

Where Faranak writes of meeting her future husband for the first time, Kaveh’s meeting Alhaitham is recorded in a similar instance:

When comparing Faranak’s first impression of her future husband with that of Kaveh’s impression upon first meeting Alhaitham, the two are dissimilar. Kaveh notes that it is rare to meet someone of his intellect, and therefore appears to treasure the bond, whereas Faranak is seemingly indifferent to Kaveh’s father, but he appears to grow on her. In regard to Kaveh and Alhaitham’s relationship history as a whole, however, similarities can be noted.

Where Kaveh and Alhaitham fell out due to differing viewpoints and their inability to effectively communicate, Kaveh can be seen to not “think much” of Alhaitham’s perspective. When the two meet again in the future, this perception of Kaveh’s has the potential to become applicable only to a “younger [Kaveh]”, as Alhaitham is the only person whom he has formed an “intimate bond” with. Although Alhaitham will not be able to understand him in terms of empathy, Alhaitham can provide companionship, just as Kaveh’s father did for Faranak, which in turn, caused their relationship to develop into that of an “intimate bond”.

A parallel can be drawn between the bond Kaveh’s mother and father had, and the bond between Kaveh and Alhaitham. As although Alhaitham cannot understand Kaveh’s artistic struggles and his personal struggles of empathy, he supports Kaveh in trying to alleviate Kaveh’s suffering and his willingness to listen.

As Kaveh’s mother specifically highlights that it is not understanding which will help Kaveh, it is companionship, which draws strong links to the identified message in A Parade of Providence. As Alhaitham states that he knows that Kaveh will never understand Alhaitham’s way of thinking in regard to his own ideals, but that their relationship is not based upon who is right or wrong. A more in-depth analysis regarding this can be found here.

Alhaitham and Kaveh cannot understand each other in the sense that they can properly empathise and relate with each other’s way of thinking, but they can support one another in the progression of self, and ultimately be a constant source of support for the other. This is demonstrated in the elaboration of the bond between Kaveh’s mother and father, and the parallels drawn between Kaveh and his mother. Companionship is a solution for Kaveh’s mother just as it is for Kaveh.

This can be seen in Faranak’s drawing of a gathering and the picture obtained at Kaveh’s Hangout ending, ‘Leisurely Gathering’. The player is prompted to draw parallels between the people in the picture and the characters the player has met:

The photo shown parallels the ‘Leisurely Gathering’ ending route picture, as Kaveh is positioned where his father sat, and Tighnari, Alhaitham, and Cyno placed in accordance to where their fathers are placed. Rather than being turned away from Alhaitham, like Kaveh’s father is to Alhaitham’s father in the drawing, Kaveh and Alhaitham are centre frame, and their focus is on each other. Companionship then, whilst being this particular group of friends, particularly refers to that of the bond between Kaveh and Alhaitham. The dual meaning assigned to “companionship” means that both a romantic and platonic interpretation has been generated to apply here - another example of methods used to queercode Kaveh and Alhaitham's relationship.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

Alhaitham and Kaveh as each other's 'home'

(This is a reworked excerpt taken from my Haikaveh essay! If you're interested you can check it out here or as a pdf <3)

Family is an important theme, particularly in regard to Kaveh, as the reason for his guilt is based upon his belief that he destroyed his own family. For Kaveh, family – home – is a place in which “words [are] not necessary” since companionship is valued above all:

Family is also important for Alhaitham, however, as there is a particular focus on the relationship between him and his late grandmother within his character stories, as her influence over him incentivised him to pursue the “peaceful” way of life he seeks to maintain:

After the death of his grandmother, Alhaitham lived alone and attended the Akademiya, just as Kaveh did as his mother left for Fontaine after his enrolment. Kaveh’s loss of family leads directly into him meeting Alhaitham. This establishes a direct correlation between Alhaitham and family, indicating that Alhaitham filled a role recently lacking in Kaveh’s life. This is relevant to Alhaitham, as he had enrolled in the Akademiya after the passing of his grandmother, meaning that, similar to Kaveh, he, too, had no family.

The idea of found family, as in, a tightly knit support network built with mutual sentiment between unrelated people, is introduced in Sumeru as the joint-thesis. Academic family is highly valued amongst scholars and comes into fruition through the working together on projects. This can be observed within the dynamic between Tighnari, Cyno, and Collei, as during the Windblume event, they describe themselves as a family formed outside of academia, even assigning themselves titles akin to a real biological family.

Alhaitham and Kaveh then established this found family in each other upon working together on a joint thesis, although additional scholars initially worked with them before dropping out. Their argument culminated in Kaveh ripping up their thesis, which effectively ended their friendship, and familial bond, made mutual by Alhaitham removing his name from the project. Kaveh, however,  is described to have pieced the thesis cover back together with “deep regret”, and placed it in his old sketchbook.

In this, Kaveh regrets the loss of his connection with Alhaitham, and the family that their joint thesis established. Although he has pieced together the thesis cover, their family remains severed as reconciliation is perceived as implausible due to their differences:

Most notably, it is the building which serves as Alhaitham’s house which is crucial to the motif of home. Due to their combined efforts in their joint thesis, the Akademiya gifted the two a research centre, as the results of their thesis had significant impact despite not being completed. When Alhaitham took up the property after graduation, he heard through a third-party, sent by Kaveh, that Kaveh was relinquishing rights of the property due to him not being in need of a house. It was after this that Alhaitham invested in the property, converting it into a house, where he took up residence, and then invited Kaveh to live with him, after the two met in the tavern. Although it is understood to be Alhaitham’s property, since Kaveh relinquished his right to it, Alhaitham considers Kaveh to be his “roommate” rather than a tenant, despite Kaveh paying rent.

Kaveh and Alhaitham split the chores according to Alhaitham’s Character Story, although they mostly fall to Kaveh; they both make attempts to decorate the house; presumably they eat dinner together, according to Alhaitham’s Story Quest where he excuses himself in order to have dinner, only to talk to Kaveh; the two can be seen to share a study; when ordering out, Kaveh orders extra for Alhaitham – a common enough occurrence for Alhaitham to be confident in relying on this. Rather than “cold” and “lonely” this conjures the image of warmth and familiarity. In this, it can be inferred that the two have created a home together.

Referring back to Kaveh’s understanding of “home”, as in a place in which words are not necessary, and linking it to the idea of companionship being more important than understanding introduced in his hangout. The latter idea consists of supporting a person, regardless of the ability to empathise with and relate to their particular struggles, should be valued over attempting to be wholly understood by people who are not willing to listen.

In this, Alhaitham is offered as a companion to Kaveh, where he cannot empathise with Kaveh’s artistic and idealistic struggles, but he is willing to listen to him, rather than offering words which cannot solve Kaveh’s particular problems.

By Kaveh’s understanding of “home” as a place in which people are at ease with each other and support another regardless, this can be seen within his relationship with Alhaitham. As Kaveh has pieced together their ripped up thesis cover with “deep regret” of what it symbolises, the severance of his and Alhaitham’s relationship, Alhaitham inviting Kaveh to live with him serves as mirroring actions of reconciliation.

Kaveh's idea of 'home' in encapsulated in both the building and the company Alhaitham provides. The building that had initially served as a physical representation of their severed harmony of ideals, aborted friendship and dissolved found family, has been transformed into a house, and now a home for the two to share.

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

An analysis of Kaveh and Alhaitham's argument - Alhaitham's omitted POV

(This is a reworked excerpt taken from my Haikaveh essay! If you're interested you can check it out here or as a pdf <3)

The only time Alhaitham and Kaveh's argument is mentioned in-game dialogue is during Kaveh’s Hangout. Due to Kaveh’s reluctance to discuss it with the Traveler at risk of tarnishing his junior's reputation, Alhaitham asserts that the argument is nothing to be embarrassed about, and that their differences in personality resulted in them being unable to work together. This rendition of the argument, too, is devoid of the detail which Kaveh provides in his character stories.

Due to this, Alhaitham’s perspective of the argument has been omitted to the player, and thus Kaveh’s perspective is the only fully developed account provided. In this, Kaveh’s perspective, and his interpretation, of the argument can be easily sided with as the player. In this case, it is clear how Kaveh was hurt by Alhaitham’s words, but not so clear that Alhaitham was, in turn, hurt by Kaveh. Additionally, the intention in Alhaitham’s words is omitted, and therefore is seen purely as weaponizing Kaveh’s guilt.

Since Alhaitham’s perspective of the argument has been omitted, what is included in his Character Stories in reference to his thoughts on the consequences of collectivism will be used here in order to establish the intentions behind the weaponisation of Kaveh’s guilt.

Alhaitham’s Character Stories pre-date Kaveh’s, but were written to establish his perspective of individualism in reference to those with natural talent and those without. These discussions are inextricably tied with Kaveh’s Character Stories and serve as Alhaitham’s explanation for the root issue of their argument.

Whilst Alhaitham’s Character Stories retain the positives of individualism, as in living apart from a general majority, they particularly highlight the detriment of those with talent forsaking themselves to “blend in,” and compromise their own development for the sake of the majority: “to leave the right of judgment in others' hands is equal to denying oneself”.

According to Alhaitham, letting one’s talents be dictated and judged by society can only serve as detriment to oneself – this is a direct reference to Kaveh, paralleling his Character Story in which he fears separation from the majority.

In this sense, Alhaitham’s usage of Kaveh’s “inescapable” guilt as the reason for his altruism serves as the grounding for Kaveh’s escapism, so as for Kaveh to reflect on the blame he places on himself and for him to alter his methods of self-sacrifice for the sake of others. This would then allow Kaveh to prioritise himself, in order to fully realise himself, since, as of now, Alhaitham considers the altruist as self-denying (which is discussed further here).

The concern in Alhaitham’s words can be pinpointed in the potential consequences of Kaveh exerting himself for others: “Kaveh's impractical idealism… would come to be a burden on his existence someday”. However, due to the stated “explosive” magnitude of the argument and his phrasing, this intention is missed by Kaveh, and is instead interpreted as a malicious critique of Kaveh’s character.

The core reason for the rift in Alhaitham and Kaveh’s relationship is not their opposing viewpoints, as actually, these conflicting perspectives are the cause for the solidification of their friendship, as seen in Kaveh’s Old Sketchbook.

Rather, it is the belief that their held respective viewpoint is correct, therefore proving the other’s perspective incorrect. It is the disrupted unity of differing ideals by asserting a supposed ‘correct’ viewpoint onto the other.

As established in discussion of Alhaitham’s view on talent, a label has been placed on Alhaitham and therefore others set themselves apart from him. Unlike Kaveh, however, Alhaitham does nothing to disprove the conceptions formed of his character, as they ultimately do not inconvenience him, as he desires to live apart from those who would place certain expectations upon him.

Kaveh instigates a friendship between them by overlooking these assumptions, initially approaching Alhaitham due to a belief that he was being bullied, due to sitting apart from people in his darshan. It is stated in Kaveh’s Character Stories that Alhaitham was his “best friend”, insinuating that Kaveh did not solely consider Alhaitham as such, but that it was an understandably mutual sentiment. As observed, whilst Alhaitham does not necessarily seek out social contact or actively form deep connections, his friendship with Kaveh shows that he is not averse to doing so, so long as preconceptions are overlooked and a true understanding is developed.

Therefore, Kaveh’s words that instigated the split of their friendship that: “[Alhaitham] could be much better welcomed amongst people if he would just care…” revokes and criticises Alhaitham’s core principles; those same principles which Kaveh had previously interpreted as a positive opposition to his altruism, as seen within Kaveh's Old Sketchbook.

Rather than respecting Alhaitham’s outlook on life, Kaveh asserts his own over Alhaitham, which Alhaitham responds to in kind, by asserting his egoism over Kaveh. When Kaveh then states that Alhaitham is “too” intelligent, he uses the preconceptions that other scholars had used against Alhaitham. This not only reinforces that others were correct in their avoidance of Alhaitham, but also diminishes their friendship entirely, as he dons these misconceptions as a way to strike back against Alhaitham.

Along with stating his regret that he ever befriended Alhaitham, it is Kaveh’s weaponizing the general majority’s perspective of Alhaitham that effectively ends their friendship. By forsaking his own intimate understanding of Alhaitham, Kaveh alienates himself from Alhaitham. He does so by reinterpreting Alhaitham through the view of the general majority -  the collective which Alhaitham believes denies Kaveh from finding his true self.

In this, the two are now disparate, as Kaveh holds Alhaitham in the same position as the general majority; in a position of distrust and wariness, despite recognising his talents. Whereas Alhaitham sees through the “front” that Kaveh dons for the majority and as such, has been denied trust on Kaveh’s end.

[passions-and-pupils]

I love the idea of Mobei Jun and Luo Binghe teaming up to find out what cumplane is saying when they go to have tea in private (yes they are both insecure enough to do this) by sabotaging their silencing talismans except the only information they get is completely out of context and only vaugely worrying

So like Mobei Jun and Luo Binghe sit outside the room, listening intently as Shang Qinghua and Shen Qingqiu discuss what sounds like the worst book ever written. Shen Qingqiu keeps comparing it to a book Shang Qinghua apparently wrote while Shang Qinghua keeps defending it for its "campy charm". Then Shang Qinghua drops "You have to admit, They did describe death with surprising accuracy," and Shen Qingqiu responds, "How would you know? You only died once. If anyone knows death, it's me. That being said, I will admit. They were pretty much correct. BUT-" he then contenues to rant about the prose without skipping a beat. Mobei Jun and Luo Binghe are left flabbergasted and instantly agree to keep doing this.

here are some ideas for other things I think wouuld be funny for them to hear out of context

An entire session is spent making a "tier list" of foods neither demon had ever heard of and they drop the fact noodles somehow killed both of them

Shang Qinghua calls Luo Binghe his "protagonist son" and Shen Qingqiu argues that by that logic Mobei Jun would also be his son. Shang Qinghua says that it's different because Luo Binghe was partially a "self insert" while Mobei Jun was his idea of his ideal man. Shen Qingqiu demands he take that back and yells, "Luo Binghe is nothing like you!" only for Shang Qinghua to list a shocking amount of very personal similarities

Shang Qinghua says Shen Qingqiu should "respect his elders" and that he is "technically a senior citizen if you think about it"

Shen Qingqiu used to be a rich second-gen and Shang Qinghua "basically wrote straight porn and power fantasies for a living"

might reblog with more ideas later

[familyranda]

💔 I’m still suffering to this day🚨🇵🇸

There’s no gas to cook with — I still prepare food over firewood, surrounded by smoke, cold, and exhaustion Each day feels heavier than the one before, and prices keep rising like flames around us The donation link is our only lifeline — it’s what keeps us alive When your donations stop, we stop eating, drinking, and breathing in peace We can’t afford water or food; nothing feeds my children except the kindness that comes from your hearts We live day by day because of you — every donation is a meal, a medicine, a whole life for a family that lost everything You are our last hope after God, and without you, we have only hunger and patience left 💔

🤍 Please, help us survive… don’t let us break from hunger.😭🫂🇵🇸🚨

https://gofund.me/e043273c