Come, gather ‘round and I’ll spin you a tale One of tyranny, of humble dreams and those who prevail
Semi-selective Indie Venti Please read rules before interacting Oc’s welcomed
Rules II Permanent Starter Call II Memes
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Xuebing Du
Not today Justin
i don't do bad sauce passes
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$LAYYYTER

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Cosimo Galluzzi
noise dept.
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
Misplaced Lens Cap
DEAR READER

ellievsbear

Love Begins
Cosmic Funnies
Three Goblin Art

Discoholic 🪩

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@freedomwisp
Come, gather ‘round and I’ll spin you a tale One of tyranny, of humble dreams and those who prevail
Semi-selective Indie Venti Please read rules before interacting Oc’s welcomed
Rules II Permanent Starter Call II Memes
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Not so much as a rise out of the bard. The Wanderer's lips twitched in disappointment, but he glanced away to hide it. So noble... So pure of heart. People who could spout answers like that sickened him a little — not as much as they used to, but it stung his pride to see another blather about friendships and bonds like the Kabikumono used to. He could only admit that to himself now, after years of allowing his bitterness to fester. The puppet stirred a little at Venti's question. "My... Favorite place?" He'd never really given it much thought. Every land he visited was little more than dust added to the soles of his feet. Certainly, he had seen many stunning sights along the way: roaring waterfalls, towering trees, hollowed-out valleys and endless sands as far as the eye could see. But what he reveled in most was the journey itself, the feeling of his footsteps in sonorous cadence as he left the entrapments of an old life behind. Yes; arriving in a new locale was always exciting, but what was most wonderful — and gut-wrenching — was leaving it all behind. All he could trust was his own body, and his feet, carrying him ever further from home. ...He'd spaced out again. The Wanderer didn't even want to check if the bard was staring at him with those wide, bright eyes. What should he say? "...I've seen a lot of stuff. Inazuma was a closed nation, but that was my home. Liyue Harbor, the Chasm... Even snowy Snezhnaya. Sumeru's where I live right now. I guess I've been to all seven nations and back. But the best sight of them all..." He closed his eyes and thought back. Long, long, ago, further back than any human he met could recall. "The... —furnace." The puppet's voice broke, even as the words tumbled from his lips. Ah, he couldn't say that, it was hundreds of years ago. What to do...? "Human hubris, right...? They should have known better than to toy with the divine. It's quite the sight now, that miasma hanging over the land... The water itself even turned vile." In his mind, he could still see Katsuragi laughing and dancing with him while the others cheered and sang, their shadows cast long and wild by the roaring bonfire nearby. Tatarasuna had been beautiful... but not even the sacrifice of a divine puppet could restore it. The Wanderer's face twisted into a grim smile. "How pathetic."
“Unfortunately, humans tend to have a curiosity to match the divines,” Venti said with a small shake of his head. That curiosity burned in a very different way— where divines often seeked power, not caring whether they wiped nations or people out of the way, humans tended to be driven by the wish for knowledge.
Be it for the good or the bad.
Some used that knowledge to guide and teach others, and some... were driven insane by it.
“There’s an underlying instinct buried somewhere deep inside, something that’s closely related to fear of the unknown,” the bard added, glancing briefly at the Wanderer when the other seemed lost in thought. It really was peculiar to see the man like this; the shadows that had once hung around him like venomous snakes had more or less disappeared, and while he wouldn’t go as far as claiming that the former Harbringer was a completely changed person, he had still grown a lot in a remarkably short time.
In a way, it brought him joy to know that his gift— wanted or not— had given the Wanderer an opportunity to search the world for his own place.
“Sumeru, huh? It’s been a while since I last visited that place,” he mused almost absently, making a face at the reminder of the heat.
“The warmth is almost unbearable though, but then again—”
The bard grinned widely, tapping at his own temple.
“With a hat like that, you must have it quite easy, carrying a personal shadow everywhere you go.”
"I believe I spoke CLEARLY what I wanted to know. Are you deaf?" Reave grunted with narrowed eyes and a disgruntled expression.
He didn't find it odd at all that someone would want to know about the flowers in the land. To him, anyone should have an interest in floral of a world.
However.. it was probably jarring when a behemoth of a hulking shadow that seemed so hostile, demanded about flowers of all things...
Upon the question, the white empty gaze of the feline closed in thought. Tilting his head to the side. "I have seen a few that pique my interest," Reave rumbled in thought.
"One that I have seen in my travels, was a purple that had its petals facing downwards.. I saw it on the cliff sides.. I was curious to know of the care it needs to survive.."
The flower in question that Reave was describing, was violetgrass.
"That would be the violetgrass," Venti replied without hesitation, the mental image of the flower conjuring in his mind with ease. "They're native to the nation of Liyue, and are often searched for because of their healing qualities.”
The bard paused, his shoulders relaxing a fraction as he noted that the creature was, indeed, showing genuine curiosity towards the flowers and wasn’t using the opportunity to pounce on him. The situation he found himself in was quite peculiar to say the least, but if harmless knowledge anyone had a chance to learn was all they wanted, then he’d be more than happy to provide the tales behind the flowers.
“Of course, considering they only grow from the cliffsides, obtaining them can be quite dangerous if you’re not properly prepared. Some say that its downright position is to store their fragrance within the petals.”
Ash had his back against the tree, just taking time to enjoy the peace Mondstadt had to offer with its Archon, as they often did together. It didn't matter if Venti was helping him improve his poetry (with varied results), showing him sites of Mondstadt only he had known about and telling him their history, or just relaxing; spending time with him was enough. His ear twitched as he heard Venti speak and he looked down at him. He furrowed his brow slightly.
“…Hm. Now that you mention it, no, we haven't. Never really crossed my mind, to be honest.”
“No?”
That was a surprise, as he had thought that at least Ash would have considered it at times.
“You’ve never been curious about how it would go?”
Naturally, he would be more than happy to tone his powers down and not use them in a friendly spar; it would take one flick of his fingers to send Ash flying otherwise, and where would be the fun in that? Then again, considering the hybrid’s life so far, he could understand the unwillingness to lift his blade again.
//sorry for the lack of activity, my friend tried to... leave this world, so I've been dealing with that. I'll be back sometime next week, probably
@freedomwisp
"I suppose it was foolish of me to think I’d be able to hide from a shadow in the middle of a night,” Venti replied calmly, the only thing betraying his uneasiness the slight clench of his jaw. He had encountered a lot of creatures during his time, but never someone quite like this.
There were too many unknown factors for him to make any sort of defensive or offensive move, the stranger hovering tall next to him, partly obscured by the tree Venti had used as a shelter to cut the line of sight in an effort to escape.
Much good that had done for him.
“Do I have a reason to try again?”
The beast loomed over the stranger, but made no attempts at striking first. Though, the cat like shadow was in a defensive stance, ready to defend if this one should be the one to strike.
But it seemed neither of them wanted to throw the first punch... At least that's what Reave could gather. The beast was more BARK than bite...
"If you were to try again... I would capture you and force the answers I seek from your mouth," a growl bubbled in his throat as he lowered his stance to be on more eye level with the stranger.
"I do not hail from this land, and I wish to learn about it while I am here. Specifically the flowers I have seen sprout on this land..."
The sense of dread that the threat had pulled forth was quickly turned into sheer confusion at the words that followed, his mind struggling a moment to make sense of the whiplash he had just experienced. The stranger was closer to him now, the words growled in a way that he knew spelled danger, but...
“You want to know... about the flowers?” Venti repeated, as if making sure that what he’d just heard had been correct.
It was definitely not what he had expected, and a quick glance around told him that no, he wasn’t being pranked. A creature that was created from shadows themselves wanted to learn about... flowers.
“Uhm... did you find a flower you liked in particular or?”
What is your favorite thing about my portrayal, writing, and blog?
starter for @theashen-fox (x)
"You know what I just realized?"
The bard tipped his head back a bit where it rested on the hybrid's lap, squinting slightly in the sunlight. The mood was peaceful, one that could be found described in a book with the leaves rustling in the wind and birds singing above them, but Venti was growing a tad restless... and curious.
"We've done and experienced a lot together, but we've never sparred yet."
starter for @ripplesofreverie (x)
The iridescent flowers brushed gently against his legs as the bard wandered across the darkened field, the otherworldly light casting soft shadows on the round face.
“It’s been a while, Columbina. Although I think this is the first time you've seen me in this form,” Venti greeted the woman seated on the giant sphere of the moon, his gaze drifting around curiously before he smiled.
"Do I need to re-introduce myself?"
The Wanderer's gaze naturally returned to the sky, long before the bard ever gestured to it. How beautiful it was, unconsciously softening his expression every time he looked upon it. Oh, it was fake; he knew that. But as he'd discovered, even illusions could be as enthralling as reality. "...I see. You're trapped in your own status quo... How sad." He thought of the divine puppet charading as Shogun of Inazuma, dutifully fulfilling her obligations as her creator single-mindedly sought out eternity. At times, he envied her. Other times... he found her laughable. It seemed the God of Freedom was not the only one shackled by his duties, but he had no body double to play the part for him.
At the bard's question, the puppet merely laughed. A storm? Oh, he had been a storm once — the Balladeer, full of wrath and turmoil, lashing out at others as wildly as lightning over Inazuma. "...No, I've hardly any concerns weighing me down — the only storm I faced was the one I've left behind. My peers are always yammering in my ears about their theses and deadlines. The sound of silence is music to my ears."
The Wanderer gave Venti a sidelong glance, a sudden mischief twisting his face into a startlingly sharp grin. If one missed the change, the transformation from his resting face would seem impossible. "Have you ever thought about running away? Why not abandon your adoring fans and take to wandering the land, like me?" A ridiculous question to ask an Archon, considering that half of them had abdicated their heavenly thrones to live among their people. Still, he hoped the disguised Barbatos would at least squirm a little explaining himself!
“Hm, that certainly would be a rash choice to make, although not an impossible one,” Venti replied honestly, fingers twitching against the cool grass as he shifted into a more comfortable position. “Who doesn’t dream about their freedom, their choice to walk the path they want without being pressured by others,” he mused, a small smile gracing his lips.
“I wouldn’t mind taking a vacation now and then, perhaps visit a friend in another nation, but my home is here.”
Where the winds were born, he would always return.
“The thought of children wondering where their storyteller has disappeared to doesn’t sit right with me. My music eases the weight on people's shoulders, bringing them a bit of calm to their minds that might be in turmoil. My purpose within Mondstadt may not be what one would think of as glorious, but it brings me happiness. They give me a purpose.”
The bard hummed softly under his breath, the beginnings of a melody drifting away with the breeze. One bad day would not be enough to make him fly away from his home, even if the grasp of loneliness felt tighter on some days than others.
But in some cases, surprises like this shook him out of that dark mood quicker.
“You’ve probably seen a lot, then,” he voiced curiously, glancing at the Wanderer. “What would you say has been your favorite place so far?”
“ did you really think you could hide from me? ” (Decided to send meme for a starter. uwu)
@monolithic-shadow
"I suppose it was foolish of me to think I’d be able to hide from a shadow in the middle of a night,” Venti replied calmly, the only thing betraying his uneasiness the slight clench of his jaw. He had encountered a lot of creatures during his time, but never someone quite like this.
There were too many unknown factors for him to make any sort of defensive or offensive move, the stranger hovering tall next to him, partly obscured by the tree Venti had used as a shelter to cut the line of sight in an effort to escape.
Much good that had done for him.
“Do I have a reason to try again?”
//working on replies tomorrow, I've been a bit sick so sorry about the wait!
I have time for more threads, so like for a starter~ Multi-muses, please specify the muse.
OPEN RP
Having a body was an ordeal to get used to.
In too short a time, he had arrived in Mondstadt just to watch the person he cared for fall under the arrows, had watched the wicked king perish, and the people rejoice, and had suddenly been granted the power of the winds following the fall of the current Anemo Archon.
It had taken him quite some time to get used to walking, to use his limbs– aside from his wings, of course; flying came to him naturally, after all, and thus he preferred to fly from one place to another.
When he thought back to how fast things had changed, his head began to pound.
His form was that of his dear friend’s, guilt heavy in his heart whenever he caught the reflection of himself from the surface of water. And with his sudden new power, he knew of his new duty; making sure to keep the people of Mondstadt safe as they began to rebuild their homes far away from the lair, wishing for a new beginning.
All of a sudden, there were people looking up to him for guidance and blessing, and he was forced to patrol his lands as the war between the Archons was still going on strong, and he knew the risks of someone challenging him for a place with the Seven were enormous.
Which is exactly the reason he’s on high alert when, unexpectedly, he came across a stranger in his lands, sensing their power from far away. Prepared for a fight, the winds rose behind him in several twisters as his gaze pierced through them.
“Who are you and why are you trespassing on my lands?”
"...Hmph." The Wanderer took a step forth from the trees — not to get closer, mind; just to see the stars better. They twinkled overhead like a million myriad jewels, mesmerizing. It nearly felt like he was losing himself within Irminsul again if he allowed himself to stare at their gentle flow across the sky for too long. He caught the bard's half-smile over his shoulder, brow furrowing a little as he glanced away. He sighed, the wind's caress bringing him back. "...The stars remind me of a distant memory. Open sky before me, a gentle breeze behind me... There's nothing to do but take the first step. One step after another, a journey unfolds. Whether it's the stars above or the abyss below, I feel as though I could wander to the ends of the earth." He looked down at Venti — his feet had unwittingly brought him a few steps closer. "...I didn't know a carefree bard like you could feel small. Aren't you quite the celebrity here?" The Wanderer leaned down to study him, hands on his hips, his hat briefly eclipsing the starry vista. "Hm... I thought you sounded a little too dull to be the merrymaker everyone claims. Why the long face?" He knew even Archons got sad. Sometimes Buer got like this, despondently fiddling with a new toy as she mumbled about the dreams of children. Still, wasn't this the God of Freedom, the most carefree of them all? The gods are not humans — even less so than I. He told himself that all the time. Yet when the gods showed emotion, he found himself fascinated... What could drive those immortal thrones of Celestia to despair?
“Fame does not equal happiness,” Venti replied simply, making no visible notion of the way the Wanderer had sneaked closer; like staying still for a wild animal to tell them that he wasn’t a threat. That plan, however, fell through as soon as the Wanderer himself leaned closer, as if attempting to get a better read of the bard, who chuckled and leaned back on his arms, staring back at the man with a wry smile.
“The people claim for me to be that joyful, giddy bard, that’s not a lie— but that’s simply because this is a side that they do not see. That I don’t wish for them to see, as my burdens are not theirs to carry.”
That applied to many things in his life, and sometimes he performed for himself as well.
Letting himself get pulled into the charade people expect him to play was an escape for the Archon, but even then, he could not truly escape who he was, nor what he struggled with deep in his mind. At some point, the glass would overflow, and he’d be forced to retire somewhere to sort his feelings out, to gather enough energy to pull back the smile, the mask that people loved him for.
“I bring joy and laughter to them, I ease their minds, and help them forget, if even for a day. The last thing they need is for that same bard to suddenly switch up on them,” he explained, motioning idly towards the sky again.
“Hence, why I take nights off to just... think.”
It was quite ironic, truly.
The God of Freedom, locked away in a prison of his own making.
"What about you? Are you merely here to enjoy the stars, or is your mind also brewing a storm of its own?"
"Nah. But the guests would enjoy a good old song from their favorite [and only ] bad in the bar."
"but here, on the house another dandelion wine for one song." well he's going to pay for it but...
“Oh? You, my friend, are exactly the type of person I like,” Venti laughed, surprised at the generous gesture, because he knew that normally he’d have to whine and plead for minutes before Diluc would hand him a drink— and even then, he’d constantly remind the bard of his tab.
Gratefully, he picked up the glass of wine, the familiar, crisp taste tingling on his tongue, before he gave the man a deep bow, turning around with a flourish to take his place and entertain the patrons.
And if most of his tales revolved around Fontaine, well...
Maybe it was his way to pay back the bartender.
Arms lift to portray a shrug, amused smile gracing the deacon's features.
''Pfftt, by then i'll be brewing with more than one surprise'', and prank the unsuspecting citizen, rope some of the children into a little bit of chaos, harmless of course. He's never really endangered any of them and he's not about to start now, much to the entity that lies beneath such disguise.
''Come on, what kind of friend would i be, if i didn't check up on you once and a while'', that very much include when the latter is off drinking, which reminds him...
''How about we whisk away to the Tavern before the Sisters decide to have me back on the office'', even this late, unfortunately.
“Ah, now you’re speaking my language,” Venti grinned, standing up slowly to lean against the pillar of the tower, peering down at the empty square. Even if the chances of being found were slim, they were never zero; at times, it almost felt like the Sisters had a sixth sense when it came to their Cathedral being climbed by the two of them.
“Want to glide to the town square?” The bard challenged, a gust of wind tugging at their clothes. “Maybe you’ll win this time~”