Diluc Ragnvindr

★ Character Information ★

Character Name: Diluc Ragnvindr
Character Age: 24
Character Species: Human
Current Health: chronic stick up his ass Healthy
Outfit: Pants, boots, coat, short sleeve shirt (for the gun show), gloves, several unnecessary belts, hair ribbon. (Basically this ensemble here)

Character Canon: Genshin Impact
Link to History: wiki
Canon Point: Summer island
Canon Iteration: Original canon
Canon Iteration Explanation: n/a

★ Folkmore Roles & Attributes ★

Skills:
- Diluc is a skilled swordsman who wields a claymore
- As former cavalry captain, presumably he's got significant horseback riding experience
- Diluc's family is the biggest name in the Mondstadt wine industry. Even though he himself does not like alcohol, he's well versed in wine making as well as business
- After spending the last few years on a vengeance spree, he's good at tracking and gathering information, infiltration and the like
- He's also a masked vigilante. Sword and sorcery style Batman, basically
- Also, inexplicably, falconry

Canon Abilities:

Diluc holds a pyro vision, which means that he can call upon the element of fire. He often uses this in conjunction with his sword fighting, but can also create flame with his hands. There's a list of some of his attacks here.

Role: Legend

Role Qualities/Attributes: Diluc will have wings and a glowing aura -- both of which he will learn to hide. The wings are large and colored similarly to a falcon's. The aura is less like a halo and more like a full body glow, reminiscent of the way the horizon glows just before the sun actually rises. That Ragnvindr dawn theme is strong.

Role Reasoning:
Diluc is -- let's call it -- obsessed with the triumph of right over wrong and of the dawn breaking through the darkness. In his canon, he essentially ragequit the knights after his father died because they wanted to cover up the truth of his death. He refuses to put up with corruption and even acts as a masked vigilante to take on those who would do harm to the citizens of Mondstadt.

He's far from a perfect man and certainly has his dark sides, but so much of his goals and life are dedicated to bringing about justice and peace that it seems to fit him. He's also a bit obsessive in this, and has turned himself into something of a lone wolf in his pursuit of this in many ways. I think that isolation makes for an interesting match for Legend as well.

★ Personality ★

Option 2.

What was the most traumatic experience your character endured? How did this change them?

By far the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to Diluc is losing his father. Part of that is understandable. Diluc was just eighteen, and losing a parent -- and in Diluc's case his only living parent since his mother died before he can remember -- is a traumatic experience. However, the circumstances of Crepus Ragnvindr's death and the aftermath only compounded the trauma of the moment.

First realizing that his father was using a Delusion, a dangerous and treacherous weapon, was a shock to Diluc. He'd never known his father to have such a thing. In many ways, Diluc had grown up idolizing his father, wanting to make Crepus happy and proud and follow in the footsteps of the path that his father had laid out for him. Then at the end, he sees Crepus choosing a dangerous and evil power, even if he used it to defeat a monster. The Delusion also backfired and fatally wounded. Diluc watched his father die, and a lot of his trust and innocence died in that moment. Shortly thereafter the Knights Favonius' leader orders that the nature of Crepus' death be covered up, which is further betrayal. The final blow that night was Kaeya, who he'd considered a sworn brother, confessing the truth of who he was and why he'd come to Mondstadt.

All this betrayal at once pulled the rug out from Diluc's feet. He lashed out at Kaeya violently. He left the Knights and then left Mondstadt, launching vengeance crusade that lasted for years. This day and these events changed the bright, optimistic, cheerful and idealistic young Knight into a quieter, darker, more stoic and somber man who no longer trusts easily.

What experience challenged your character's core beliefs? How did they handle this or change from it?

The most traumatic event in Diluc's life also changed his beliefs. He'd grown up believing whole heartedly in the black and white of the world. Good was good. Evil was evil. He worked extremely hard training his entire life to fulfill his father's goals for him. He believed that the Knights of Favonius were a force of good that protected the city and its people.

Having these core beliefs shaken definitely broke something in Diluc. He abandoned the previous trajectory of his life to go off on a quest for information and vengeance.

Despite all this, however, Diluc still retains the belief in doing the right thing, but he's come to understand that the world is more full of shades of gray than he expected them to be. He still fights for his city, but now he does so from the shadows as the dark knight hero. It also makes his relationship with Kaeya especially, but all the Knighs of Favonius, more fraught.

What is the most important and defining relationship(s) in your character's life and why?

1. Crepus Ragnvindr - Diluc's late father was a defining force in his life. He set Diluc on a path to become an esteemed member of the Knights of Favonius, and Diluc poured his heart and soul into achieving that dream. When Crepus died the way he did, that also defines Diluc, breaking a great deal of his trust.

2. Kaeya Alberich - Growing up, Kaeya and Diluc were exceptionally close. Finding out that Kaeya had been harboring such deep dark secrets about who he was and where he came from also broke Diluc's ability to trust. It also thrust a wedge between them, though since Diluc has returned to Mondstadt, the two do seem to interact often. Despite the mistrust and the pain of feeling betrayed, Diluc can't forget the Kaeya he grew up with. Kaeya also returned his Vision to him, and they have worked together in several important instances. It's complicated.

3. The Traveler - The Traveler, being the game's protagonist, has been able to bring Diluc out of his shell. He sees the effort and sacrifice the Traveler has put in with helping to protect Mondstadt, and he admires that. He takes a certain inspiration from it, and even cooperates with the Knights more easily when the Traveler is involved.

What is your character's moral code? Do they have one? Why or why not?

Diluc has a very strong moral code. His entire drive in life is working to bringing about the coming dawn, spilling light into the darkness, good triumphing over evil. He takes this very seriously. As a young man, he expected to carry out this mission as one of the Knights of Favonius, but he no longer believes that the Knights can achieve this due to corruption of individual members (most of whom are gone) and the general inefficiency of politics and bureaucracy that the Knights operate in.

He is quick to act and fight against those he perceives as evil -- monsters, Abyss creatures, Treasure Hoarders, and doesn't hesitate to risk life and limb. However, he generally fights alone these days, not trusting anyone else to do. He does not tolerate those who bring harm to the innocent or defenseless, and he believes that justice should be swiftly and definitively dealt.

Diluc also has a grudge against the Fatui, who he seems to consider to be the epitome of evil. For him, this is a very black and white without any room for the shades of gray he seems to be able to allow at times elsehwere.

Is your character capable of forgiveness or will they hold a grudge until they die? Would anything ever make them change their mind?

Oh, Diluc can and will hold a grudge for years. There is likely not much that could change his mind about the Fatui or what they are doing and what they stand for. That said, he is a rational man and does believe evidence that is presented to him.

He has the capacity for forgiveness, however, and time does seem to soften some of the harshness in him, but it is a slow process. He's still figuring out how to interact with Kaeya, but he no longer raises a weapon against him or freezes him out entirely. In a way, it almost seems like he genuinely doesn't know how to approach his former best friend any longer.

Additionally, though Diluc rants about the Knights Favonius and their inefficiencies, he also clearly has a lot of respect for Jean, the acting Grandmaster, and Lisa, the Knight's librarian. So his grudge against all the Knights has also mellowed slightly over the years.