🌸 [Elise | Genshin Oc] 🌸
📖 Basics
• Full name: Elise Marx
• Age: 20
• Gender: Female (cis)
• Pronouns: She/her
• Sexuality: Heterosexual, Heteroromantic
• Species: Human
• Birthday: January 14
• Region: Mondstadt
• Vision: Anemo
• Weapon: Catalyst
• Model: Tall Female
• Affiliation: Cathedral of Favonius - Church of Favonius Orphanage (formerly)
• Occupation: Nun
• Love Interest: Joel Luftner
• VA(s): Lauren Landa (ENG)
🌌 Background / Lore
She has never met her biological parents and has been an orphan since she was a baby.
She grew up in the Favonius Church's orphanage, where she befriended two other orphans, the Äverl sisters, Bella and Elissa.
Over time, Elise decided to become a nun in the Favonius Cathedral and be completely devoted to her beloved god, the Anemo Archon, God of Freedom and Wind: Barbatos.
Ever since she was young she dedicated her life to preserve, protect and to teach everything Barbatos was about.
Barbatos is the weakest Archon according to those who do not live in Mondstadt. It doesn't matter what people say, to Elise he is all she needs, to believe in, to love, to feel protected.
Elise barely speaks to Joel unless he speaks first, which surprisingly happens often.
The bard often runs right up to Elise whenever the Traveler or Venti enters the church (he likes pestering the poor nun). Elise, of course, speaks to him, after all even with her reserved nature, it would be rather rude and ungodly to ignore him.
The bard often talks about anything that comes on his mind it seems, things such as if she tried wine or if she really lived in the church all day and night. Yes, she tried wine, only communal wine, nothing compared to what the bard had drank in his nights at the taverns.
How does she know? He often came to the church doors late at night crying out for shelter in his drunken state. Elise always open the doors as it is her job to help those in need and even with his constant self destructive habits, he's still someone who needs help.
It's unknown rather the bard had a home or family so he usually slept in a pew on those nights, and on the other times he isn't drunk, she isn't sure where he goes, though the Traveler assured her he's fine.
💠 Personality
Elise is a responsible, polite and dedicated person who is always willing to help others regardless of who they are.
Overall reserved, she tends to keep her personal life to herself but doesn't mind conversation.
Somewhat serious and stern, she will reprimand someone if necessary although she generally tries to scold people in a more gentle way.
She has a calm demeanor but can lose her temper if provoked too much.
But despite that, she is a benevolent soul with a compassionate and kind heart.
❤️ Relationships
Joel Luftner (growing affection)
A wandering soul Elise cannot quite bring herself to turn away. Joel is troublesome, irreverent, and far too comfortable appearing at the Cathedral at unreasonable hours, often smelling faintly of wine. And yet, despite his teasing nature, Elise has never sensed cruelty in him. Beneath the jokes and dramatics lies someone observant, lonely, and far more thoughtful than he pretends to be. She finds his presence both exhausting and strangely comforting. She worries about his self-destructive habits more than she'd ever openly admit, and though his presence often unsettles the Cathedral's quiet rhythm, she has grown strangely accustomed to it. She disapproves of many of his habits, but she cannot deny that the Cathedral feels a little less quiet once he leaves. His visits leave the halls louder, but somehow less empty. His constant returns have begun to unsettle her heart in ways she does not fully understand.
Elissa Äverl (childhood friend)
Elise admires Elissa's dedication and composure, there is a gentle reliability about her that Elise finds reassuring. They do not speak constantly in person, but when they do, the conversation feels familiar. Elise is glad to count Elissa among those she can rely on without fuss. They keep in touch weekly through letters.
Bella Äverl (childhood friend)
Elise sees the gravity beneath Bella's jokes and often offers a steady shoulder when the teasing end and the quiet comes. Their bond is practical and kind, Bella's liveliness and Elise's steadiness complement each other in ways that make both feel cared for.
Barbara Pegg (colleague)
Elise respects Barbara's devotion and gentle leadership; she sees in Barbara a model of compassionate service that she quietly aspires to. They work closely, and Elise values Barbara's patience and example, not as rivalry but as a measured standard to emulate in her own quiet way.
Rosaria Eisblüte (fellow sister)
Elise respects Rosaria deeply, even if their approaches to faith could not be more different. Where Elise serves through devotion and gentleness, Rosaria protects Mondstadt in harsher, quieter ways. Rosaria's bluntness and absence from formal duties can be frustrating at times, but Elise long ago realized that Rosaria protects Mondstadt in her own manner. Though their conversations are usually brief, Elise trusts her reliability more than Rosaria probably realizes. There is an unspoken understanding between them: neither expects the other to change, yet both acknowledge the sincerity behind the other's actions.
Sister Victoria (mentor figure)
One of the people Elise admires most within the Church. Sister Victoria's calm guidance and quiet wisdom helped shape Elise into the woman she is today. Elise often turns to her when uncertainty weighs too heavily on her mind, though she rarely admits how much those conversations steady her. Victoria has a way of seeing through her worries without forcing them into the open, and Elise is deeply grateful for that gentleness.
Adelina Lichtner (senior colleague & guiding presence)
Adelina is one of the people Elise trusts most within the Church. Though only a year older, Adelina often feels like an older sister figure to Elise, someone who guides without ever demanding to be followed. Elise deeply admires her devotion, not because it is loud or unquestioning, but because it is thoughtful. Adelina has a gentle habit of encouraging her to look beyond simple answers, asking questions Elise sometimes struggles to ask herself. At first, those conversations left her uncertain, even uncomfortable. Over time, however, Elise came to understand that faith strengthened by reflection is not faith weakened. Adelina's kindness never feels naive, nor does her wisdom feel distant. She embodies a balance Elise hopes to achieve one day: unwavering belief paired with a clear understanding of the people she serves.
Michel Zöllner (Elissa's admirer)
Though they have never met directly, Elise feels as though she already knows Michel through Elissa's letters. From everything she has heard (more like read), he seems dependable, courteous, and quietly thoughtful, perhaps a little too hard on himself at times. Elise finds it strangely endearing how often Elissa writes about his visits to the library without fully realizing how obvious his affection sounds. She quietly hopes the two of them will find the courage to stop circling around each other eventually. More than anything, Elise hopes he proves worthy of the trust Elissa slowly places in him.
Nelio Wächter (Elissa's friend)
Elise found Nelio pleasant company almost immediately. She met Nelio during one of Elissa's visits and immediately understood why the two get along so naturally. His quiet demeanor blends easily with Elissa's, and though quiet, he carries himself with a calm attentiveness that made conversation surprisingly easy whenever Elissa brought him along during visits. Elise appreciates how gently he treats Elissa and how naturally he seems to understand her silences without forcing conversation from her. There is something comforting about his presence, like stepping into a peaceful library alcove away from the noise of the world. Their interactions are sparse, but always pleasant.
Venti Windfeld (peculiar bard)
A bard and endlessly perplexing presence in Elise's life she can never quite decide how seriously she is supposed to take. Venti drifts in and out of the Cathedral as unpredictably as the wind itself, sometimes playful, usually bringing either songs, nonsense, or Joel along with him. His carefree attitude often leaves her exasperated, Elise often finds his behavior irresponsible, especially when he arrives drunk or encourages Joel's worse habits, yet she cannot deny that his songs carries comfort.
Traveler (friend)
Elise has always found the Traveler easy to welcome into the Cathedral. Though their reputation is extraordinary, they have never seemed interested in being treated differently because of it. Time and again, she has watched them offer help without hesitation and kindness without expectation of reward, qualities she admires deeply. She considers them a dear friend and often includes them in her prayers, asking that the winds guide them safely wherever their path may lead.
🎨 Visuals
Elise soft light pink hair that reaches just above her waist, she keeps her hair tied in a braid that hangs over her shoulder. he has amber eyes, and fair skin. She is 170 tall.
Elise's main fit: Instead of the usual habit front, Elise's is shaped into a gentle sweetheart curve, in pure white, with a subtle open cleavage that accentuates the bust while remaining modest. A slim gold-embroidered band wraps around her waist, marking the transition to her skirt. A crisp white collar rises up behind her neck, edged in tiny scallops that give it a delicate, lace-like appearance. Around the throat sits a personalized choker of white satin, set at center with an oval, sky-blue gem inset in gold. Below it, a trio of petite scalloped ruffles echoes the collar's shape. Her sleeves are full-length but flare dramatically from just above the elbow into wide bell-shapes. The hems are finished in the same gold embroidery as her waist. She wears snug white gloves that end halfway up her forearm. The glove cuffs are pierced with tiny gold dots, almost like dewdrops, mirroring the detailing elsewhere. From that empire waist falls a soft, powder-blue skirt, lightly pleated. It's calf-length, long enough to feel traditional, but cropped just short enough to reveal her dainty shoes when she walks, with vertical seams, edged in barely-there gold piping. She wears glossy, pale blue Mary Jane-style heels with short, practical heels. A strap crosses the top of her foot with a small gold buckle, and soft blue bows decorate the front. She wears her Vision on a delicate pin tucked discreetly into her waist.
✨ Fun Facts / Trivia
• She holds her Vision very dearly, treats it almost like a blessing instead of a power.
• Deliberately chose not to become a deaconess, though she never explained the reason.
• She never tried to find her parents. She respects their decision of leaving her in the orphanage no matter the reason; be it because they couldn't afford raising her or just didn't want children. She believes parenthood is a choice not everyone should make.
• Sees the Äverl sisters as her found family.
• Is always overjoyed when Elissa visits her, but keeps her composure intact.
• She's never strayed far from the Cathedral, but she often helps with healing injured Knights.
• Elise enjoys early morning air and reading quiet devotionals.
• Her favorite flower is the Windwheel Aster.
• She has a quiet fondness for Bella's protective nature and Elissa's gentle soul; she considers them sisters in all but blood.
• While she tries to ignore Joel's more chaotic antics, his visits confuse and touch her in equal measure. She assumes he's a wandering soul in need of grace.
• She has a beautiful singing voice but rarely uses it in public.
• Her room in the church is filled with pressed flowers and journals written in elegant calligraphy.
• Elise is often seen tending to altars and cleaning the cathedral pews in silence.
• She has memorized many of Mondstadt's oldest hymns and sometimes sings them softly while working.
• She has a fondness for dandelions and is often found releasing their seeds into the wind.
🧩 Thought Process
Used Barbara as main inspiration here, but as a more mature and less idol version of her.
Read some Venti x Nun Reader as inspiration too, though I never wanted to make her his love interest. I don't really see her having any romantic feelings for him.
Also, her feelings towards being a orphan is something more personal to me. Although I'm not orphan (unless never having a dad categorizes as orphan, to me it doesn't), one of my closest friends is. So, every time I see orphans being depicted as miserable or unfulfilled until they meet or learn about their bio parents makes feel kinda icky. Neither my friend or her siblings (who are also adopted) never cared about that. And like, they're 5 people, I think that's more than enough different people to say that trope is kinda icky. I asked my friend about never meeting her bio parents and she just, in summarization, said "couldn't care less" 😅 I also asked her siblings about and they all agreed that was better being orphan and then adopted into a loving family than being raised by someone who didn't want them or couldn't take care of them, and that they ultimately don't mind the fact. So, I wanted to give rep to orphans like them through Elise :)
🌟 Ending
I do have other church staff (nuns, deacons/deaconesses, priests, etc) she interacts with daily, I just decided to focus on the relationships I deemed "more important," otherwise I'd be here all day listing every single person she interacts with 😮💨
Btw, Rosaria's and Venti's surnames are my hcs.
Ocs related to Elise: Joel, Elissa, Bella, Adelina, Michel, Nelio.