Changes: Albedo/Lore

Albedo — an alchemist based in Mondstadt, in the service of the Knights of Favonius.
"Genius," "Kreideprinz," or "Captain of the Investigation Team"... Such titles and honors are of no consequence to him when there is so much more research to conduct.
The pursuit of fortune and connections cannot hold a candle to his heart's desire — acquiring the limitless, obscure knowledge left behind by previous generations of scholars.

—Description from the Official Website^[1]

Personality

A genius known as the Kreideprinz, he is the Chief Alchemist and Captain of the Investigation Team of the Knights of Favonius.

—In-game character attributes and profile page text

Having gained fame for his alchemical talents, Albedo is a reclusive person, spending most of his time in Dragonspine and has a high cold tolerance. He dislikes most social interactions, finding it stressful, and thus rarely travels to the city of Mondstadt unless it is to meet up with his fellow alchemists or other acquaintances. He prefers being around children, especially Klee, seeing her as a younger sister. Klee in turn sees him as an older brother figure.^[2]

Fueled by the feeling of enlightenment, he researches about the things that pique his interest, and once the feeling is gone, either by uncovering its truth or otherwise, he loses all interest, left with a bittersweet sensation in his mind. Along with his alchemical genius, Albedo is also a respectable artist. Having initially learned the talent as a way to help with his experiments, it is now a form of relaxation for him.^[1] He is Xingqiu's illustrator, regarding him as a good author.^[3]

As much of a positive demeanor he gives off, the people of Mondstadt do not know anything about his personal life and he is particularly secretive about it towards them. To the Traveler, he does not mind sharing most of his secrets with them due to feeling a kinship of sorts as they are both not of Teyvat, him being an artificial lifeform and the Traveler a visitor from afar. He considers himself to be dangerous due to his knowledge on the Art of Khemia, something which Venti and Dainsleif are well too aware of.

Appearance

Albedo is a young man with bright teal eyes with three dots in his iris and pale skin. He has ashy light brown hair reaching below his shoulders, partially pulled back in a braided half ponytail. A gold diamond marking can be found on his neck.

Albedo wears a long white coat with short sleeves and a black hood. Under this, he wears an indigo shirt and a pair of black shorts, embellished thigh-high black boots with silver accents, and long black gloves. He wears his Vision right below the collar of his shirt. His outfit, Newmoon Starlight, is described to be the Knights of Favonius alchemist's uniform.

The diamond marking on his neck is a result of his creation as a synthetic human; as natural life flows outwards form the source, artificial life requires an external source that drips and spreads out in all directions; when the source is sealed, it leaves behind a marking of sorts. Most people do not pay particular attention to this marking, something which his imposters — Primordial Albedo and Fellflower — lack.

Official Introduction

Albedo is so smart and gentle. He's super nice to me too! He always plays with the weirdest things, so I love following him around~!

—Klee

Despite his great achievements in the field of alchemy, he does not speak of the nature of things too hastily.

Wandering among ordinary folk oblivious to various truths of this world, he treats them with nothing but sincerity and kindness.

Polite and graceful, he seems withdrawn on the surface, but never hesitates to lend a helping hand. No matter if you go way back, or he has just befriended you, he can always find time to draw an exquisite portrait for a friend.

The Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius, Albedo, is a truly remarkable young man. All admire his scholarly attainments — citizens of Mondstadt and members of the Knights of Favonius alike.

"Genius," "Kreideprinz," or "Captain of the Investigation Team"... Such titles and honors are of no consequence to him when there is so much more research to conduct.

The pursuit of fortune and connections cannot hold a candle to his heart's desire — acquiring the limitless, obscure knowledge left behind by previous generations of scholars.

Character Stories

Character Details

Alchemy is an ancient art, and many of its secrets have been lost to history. The few commonly known alchemy techniques of today are but enough to put some broken odds and ends together, saving you the money you would have otherwise spent on glue.

"Nay, alchemy is not so ignoble an art!" Or so most alchemists would protest.

But as far as the average citizen of Mondstadt was concerned, that was alchemy.

At least until the day Albedo suddenly appeared and decided to stay in Mondstadt.

This young man displayed the true prowess of alchemy to all, bringing with him a massive corpus of wisdom that even the Sumeru Academia did not possess. "The universe is heaven reversed, and the earth is a dream lost to time. This is dust, the most basic form of complex life."

As if to provide evidence for this claim, Albedo lifted the burnt ash of the flower that once grew atop a Dendro Slime's head.

Seconds later, a Cecilia sprouted forth from the ash in his hand.

"And this... is new birth."

Character Story 1

Friendship Lv. 2

Albedo has a very important job within the Knights of Favonius but does not often appear in public.

Still, he does not have the strange and eccentric temper that people tend to assume of academics. In fact, he is earnest in all his dealings.

He is, however, of the persuasion that it requires more energy to maintain relationships established on excessive enthusiasm.

As a result, Albedo's equivalent of friendship involves maintaining an appropriate degree of distance.

Whether shutting himself away to work or traveling and gathering materials, no one in Mondstadt knows how to find him.

Albedo's tendency to avoid social interactions does not make him a cold-hearted person.

He is sincere and contented when instructing his assistants, Timaeus and Sucrose.

He finds pleasure in giving his sketches to the citizens of Mondstadt.

Yet he cannot help but feel sincere disappointment that Lisa, for all her great talents, has chosen to remain a mere Librarian.

Character Story 2

Friendship Lv. 3

"Albedo only got into Mondstadt because of his master's recommendation letter."

On some level, this statement is true. Nevertheless, Mondstadt's gates are ever open to all, and a recommendation letter is not strictly necessary.

Indeed, it could be argued that Albedo's life would have been far more comfortable without the letter.

This is because the recipient of the letter was the famed travel writer Alice, an old friend of Albedo's master, Rhinedottir.

After receiving the letter, Alice considered its requests.

"So Rhine said that you'll need a laboratory... And not one of a size that a civilian could build, either. Hmm... I know!"

And just like that, she threw him into the Knights of Favonius.

The work of the Knights is actually quite easy for Albedo — requiring only five percent of his energy.

Albedo had imagined that the rest of his energy could be spent on experiments, with the Knights' full range of apparatus at his disposal.

And yet...

Alice had a daughter, named Klee.

Yes, "that" Klee.

"We'll be a family from now on, treat her like a real younger sister!"

From that day forth, remedying Klee's disasters would come to take up most of Albedo's remaining energy...

Character Story 3

Friendship Lv. 4

Albedo has no memory of any blood relations. From birth, he was already adventuring deep within domains with his master.

Of course, Miss Alice, the Knights of Favonius, and that traveler who had a sense of the stellar depths about them... They are all important. And yet his master is unquestionably the most special to him.

For Albedo, she is his only kin.

She was a cold and strict woman who raised him and taught him the secrets of alchemy.

"The universe is the dark essence of the true starry sky, and the earth is the accumulated memories of time and lives.

The chalk: that is you. The earth is where alchemy gets its name, and is the basis of all life. And this..."

She demonstrated her technique before him as a huge life form burst from its culture tank in a shower of shattered fragments.

"...This is new birth."

Character Story 4

Friendship Lv. 5

Albedo once led a simple and content existence.

There was no need for him to contemplate anything. Life was uneventful, its meaning consisted of nothing more than accompanying his teacher, doing what she asked of him, and meeting her expectations.

But one day, deep in the heart of a dungeon, master and apprentice discovered an artifact known as The Heart of Naberius.

And with that, his master disappeared, leaving naught but a note, a recommendation letter, and a classical text behind.

Upon the note was written: "Albedo, go to Mondstadt. Find my old friend, Alice, and give her the recommendation letter. Then, complete your final assignment."

The classical text was one of the last extant manuscripts of the Opus Magnum from his master's collection.

If one were to push the definition a little, she had left him another gift — the title of Kreideprinz, and with it, a written acknowledgment that she had nothing further to teach him.

In the past, Albedo's assignments had always been very difficult.

He had always believed wholeheartedly that his master would make good on her threat to leave him, should he fail.

But this assignment she had left to him was far too hard, far beyond the limit of his abilities.

Did this mean, then, that he was fated to never complete it, and thus never see his master again?

"Your final assignment: show me the truth and the meaning of this world.

Character Story 5

Friendship Lv. 6

The alchemy that Albedo commands is wholly different from any of the arts practiced in the Seven Nations of Teyvat.

Its lineage can be traced back to the nation of Khaenri'ah.

Khaenri'ah was an underground realm, with precious few natural fauna. As such, its alchemy focused more heavily on the creation of life.

This art of creation was known as "The Art of Khemia."

Albedo had learned of this in his youth from reading his master's notes.

The next stage after "soil" is "chalk," which was also something his master had mentioned.

"Chalk is the spotless soil, and was used to make primordial man."

Now, Albedo understands alchemy in far greater depth than he did in the beginning, and his knowledge on the subject is far more comprehensive.

"From soil was birthed chalk."

The profundity of this statement is well understood by Albedo now.

Such ineffable secrets are bound up with his fond memories of his master.

She was not his birth mother, but there is no doubt that his life stems from her.

"I hope this isn't just wishful thinking, but... when parents speak to their children about 'the meaning of this world'... surely they just mean the pursuit of a happy life?"

From time to time, Albedo finds himself musing on this sentiment.

Albedo's Artwork

Friendship Lv. 4

Albedo's interest in drawing and painting began back in the days of traveling with his master.

At first, he would simply illustrate his notes with basic sketches. But he soon noticed that the process of rendering things in great detail helped him to intimately understand their physical makeup, which was of great utility to his alchemical studies.

Additionally, it also allowed him to enter into a pleasant state of clarity, in which he needed only to focus on observation and creating his artwork, and nothing else.

Eventually, Albedo became a master artist without ever having received formal tuition.

When strolling through Mondstadt, he enjoys sketching and painting all manner of living things, but particularly people in moments of joy.

Sometimes, he even gifts his artwork to his unsuspecting models, believing that when a work of art captures a transient moment of enjoyment, it is something worth treasuring.

Albedo continued to refine his skills in this manner, going from strength to strength — until one day, when he was taken aback by illustrations from Inazuma.

How was it that drawings of such generality could possess such narrative power?

Amazed, he decided to give it a go himself.

...Eventually, after collaborating with a certain novelist by the name of Xingqiu, "A Legend of Sword" was printed and published.

Unfortunately, it received lukewarm reviews, being lambasted as "a dictionary with divine illustrations."

Vision

Friendship Lv. 6

Gaining a Vision came as no great surprise to Albedo.

When he received it, he gave it a single glance before continuing to engross himself in his work.

He barely felt any wave of emotion at all, as if this was something to be taken for granted.

As far as he is concerned, his Vision is merely a tool with which he can more conveniently conduct his research.

What truly sparks joy within him is turning the unknown into the known.

One day, he will understand all there is to know about this world — and Visions are no exception.

Namecard

Albedo: Sun Blossom
	Obtain: Reward for reaching Friendship Level 10 with Albedo Description: Allow me to bear witness to this miracle.

Constellation

Quests and Events

A list of quests Albedo appears in.

Story Quests

• Princeps Cretaceus Chapter (Albedo's Story Quest)
  • Act I: Traveler Observation Report
    • The Genius Researcher and the Seed of Another World
    • The First Experiment: Elements
    • The Second Experiment: The World
    • The Third Experiment: Life
    • The Final Experiment: Withering Glory

Events

• The Chalk Prince and the Dragon
  • All parts
• Invitation of Windblume
  • Act III: Realm of Fog and Wind
• Midsummer Island Adventure
  • Part III: Dodo-King of the Sea: Lying in Wait
  • Part IV: The Final Riddle: A Secret Uncovered
• Shadows Amidst Snowstorms
  • All parts
• Hues of the Violet Garden
  • Act I: The Strange Tale of Suikou's Tipsy Tincture
    • The Strange Tale of Suikou's Tipsy Tincture (Quest)
  • Act II: What the Blue Flowers Left Behind
    • What the Blue Flowers Left Behind (Quest)
  • Act III: A New Painting in Pale Scarlet
    • A New Painting in Pale Scarlet (Quest)
  • Act IV: The Palace, Dyed in Black
    • The Palace, Dyed in Black (Quest)
    • The Five Colors' True Form
  • Festival Deeds
    • Act I: A Story for You

Web Events

• Side by Side We Venture
• An Unforgettable Journey
• Journey With a Gentle Breeze

Character Interactions

The following characters mention Albedo in their character stories or voice-overs:

Template:Mention

Mail

• Birthday/Albedo

Trivia

• Albedo is a synthetic human created from alchemy by his master, Rhinedottir (also known as "Gold"). While he debates whether he considers her his "mother" in Character Story 5, by the events of Shadows Amidst Snowstorms, he openly calls her his mother to the Traveler. On Rhinedottir's part, the description for Concealed Talon implies that she considers him her greatest creation.
• As of Version 2.3, Albedo is currently the only character who is unplayable at any point during his Story Quest series.
• Albedo is the illustrator for Xingqiu's novel, A Legend of Sword.^[4] He enjoys reading the novels himself and rejected the Yae Publishing House's offers to have him change series for greater royalties.^[5]
• The fact that Albedo was an artificial human who came from Khaenri'ah was heavily suggested before it was directly confirmed in Shadows Amidst Snowstorms:
  • In his Character Stories, Albedo deduced the circumstances surrounding his creation through Rhinedottir's notes. Albedo's Constellation takes the shape of a fetus in a bottle, further hinting at the artificial nature of his creation.
  • One of Albedo's Talents is named Homuncular Nature. In some branches of alchemy, the creation of homunculi is seen as an alchemist's end goal.^[6] During Shadows Amidst Snowstorms, Albedo is revealed to be the successful product of Rhinedottir's Primordial Human Project.^[7]
  • Albedo practices the Art of Khemia, a form of alchemy that was developed and practiced Khaenri'ah, and also played a major role in causing Khaenri'ah's downfall during the cataclysm 500 years ago. The Art of Khemia was unheard of in Teyvat before his arrival, while Venti — the Archon Barbatos who was present for the cataclysm — states it has "unmistakeable properties."^[8] It could thus be deduced that Rhinedottir was from Khaenri'ah and created Albedo there.
  • The Khaenri'ah Chapter's featured character, Dainsleif, has the following line from a "self-proclaimed prophet" in his Official Introduction: "Chalk pursues gold, in this time inopportune, the eclipse is swallowed by the crimson moon."^[9] "Chalk pursues gold" is a reference to the four stages in creating the Opus Magnum, and may also be an allusion to Albedo's pursuit of Rhinedottir.
    • Albedo's name is derived from the second step in creating the Opus Magnum and he is known as the Kreideprinz (Chalk Prince). Rhinedottir is better known by her infamous alias "Gold," the alchemist from Khaenri'ah attributed with creating the monsters that wreaked havoc on Teyvat during the cataclysm.
    • Rhinedottir's final assignment for Albedo, to discover the "truth and meaning of this world," is similar to the Traveler's Sibling's remark to the Traveler that they will discover the "true nature of this world" after they finish their journey.^[10] Albedo seeks to reunite with Rhinedottir by completing his assignment, much like how the Traveler hopes to reunite with their sibling at the end of their journey.
  • Albedo has a four-pointed star on his neck. Having a four-pointed star as a birthmark is currently a trait only shared by other people from Khaenri'ah: Kaeya and Dainsleif's pupils take that shape. It was later revealed that Albedo's star is a "birthmark" left where Rhinedottir infused him with his life force.^[7]
• Albedo is one of the few currently playable characters who acknowledges (or even seems aware) that the Traveler is from another world. He deduced this based on the Traveler's ability to control multiple elements without a Vision.
• In Version 1.2, players noticed that Albedo didn't breathe like all the other characters did in Dragonspine. This turned out to be an error and was fixed in Version 1.3.
• The Version 1.4 event Invitation of Windblume reveals that Albedo plays the lyre by ear and is apparently very good at it despite a lack of formal education in playing instruments.^[11]
• Albedo refers to Alice as "Aunt Alice," and considers her daughter Klee to be his younger sister.
• Albedo is known by these aliases or titles:
  • The Chalk Prince
  • Captain of the Investigation Team
  • Cretaceus
  • Subject One
  • Calx (pen name in Inazuma)
• In his original character introduction illustration, Albedo is seen armed with a Sacrificial Sword. In game, as of Shadows Amidst Snowstorms, he is seen wielding his signature Cinnabar Spindle in all cutscenes.

Etymology

• The word albēdō means "whiteness" in Latin. The term is used in alchemy to refer to the second phase in the creation of a Philosopher's Stone (the Opus Magnum) from prima materia.
• His title, Kreideprinz, means "Chalk Prince" in German.
• His constellation, Princeps Cretaceus, is Latin for "Chalk Prince."
• Albedo at times mentions the Hadean (Chinese: 冥古 Mínggǔ, lit. "Dark Ancient") and the Phanerozoic (Chinese: 显生 Xiǎnshēng, lit. "Visible Life"). The terms are used in Tide of Hadean and Opening of Phanerozoic, as well as the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean voice-overs of his Elemental Burst.
  • They are a reference to the geologic time scale of the real world. The Hadean refers to the eon from 4.6 billion years ago to 4 billion years ago, while the Phanerozoic spans from 541 million years ago to the present time. The latter eon includes the period of the Cretaceous (from Latin creta, "chalk"), which lasted from around 145 to 66 million years ago.
  • They may be used here as their literal senses. Namely, Albedo is perhaps saying "the primordial dark ancient era was followed by the era in which life has emerged, including me, the Chalk Prince, an artificial life created by alchemy."

References

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