Xiao

Name

Xiao + Alatus

Appearance

Xiao is a medium sized male. He has dark medium-length hair with teal undertones, pale skin, golden irises with avian pupils, and red eyeshadow. Xiao also has a purple diamond marking on his forehead and a green tattoo (A bird of Japanese mythology) around his right arm. Xiao wears a white sleeveless shirt with subtle cloud patterns. It has a high black collar with golden accents, with its left side extending further to cover his shoulder. He wears loose dark purple trousers that tighten below his knees, and wears dark purple boots overtop. Xiao has black and dark turquoise gloves with gold decals and a necklace.

Personality

Xiao is a yaksha who has fought in the Archon War and holds a high level of seniority among adepti. He has a reserved demeanor and has little intention of getting close to mortals. He does not want sympathy for his past and believes his fellow Yakshas would also find it insulting. He is immensely grateful to Morax for saving him, dedicating his life to protecting Liyue as payment. He does not take lightly to those who speak ill of the Geo Archon regardless of whoever they are. Despite suffering from constant karmic debt, Xiao is highly resilient towards its alluring corruption, as his fellow yaksha have either succumbed or died to it. Due to this debt, he prefers being alone and rarely involves himself in mortal affairs; in the few times he does have to, he asks they get to the point for their own sake. Xiao is unfamiliar with many human customs and societal norms, often finding them strange, childish, or pointless. To others, he can come off as distant and intimidating. Unlike most of the adepti, Xiao is not particularly fond of most human foods, although he makes exceptions to Almond Tofu and later Grilled Tiger Fish, the former reminding him of the dreams he used to consume and the latter in memory of a dead friend. While Xiao's callous exterior can make him appear intimidating, much of his outward personality stems from his reservations about the violent deeds he has performed and the loss of his allies over the course of the years. Deep down, Xiao is a gentle soul who is curious about humanity, but is hesitant to show that side of himself due to his past experiences and his karma-ridden constitution. Calloused. Blunt. Cold. Reserved. Observant. Independent. Intelligent. Clever. Cunning. Can be sly. Can rub off as unintentionally manipulative. Gruff. Distanced. Calculating. Stern. Relies on instincts.

Introduction

He is an adeptus, under the name Alatus, and the sole surviving member of the five foremost Yakshas dispatched by Morax to subdue the demonic spirits that plagued Liyue. He currently resides at Wangshu Inn and mostly restrains himself from large crowds and social interactions. One of the mighty and illuminated adepti guarding Liyue, also heralded as the "Vigilant Yaksha." Despite his youthful appearance, tales of his exploits have been documented for millennia. He is especially fond of Wangshu Inn's Almond Tofu. This is because it tastes just like the sweet dreams he used to devour. A yaksha adeptus who defends Liyue. Also heralded as the "Conqueror of Demons" and "Vigilant Yaksha."

Age

Roughly 2000 years old.

Height

5'3

Past

Xiao is an illuminated beast who has lived for over two thousand years. In his youth, he was enslaved by an ancient god who learned his weakness and forced to perform cruel, violent acts on the god's behalf, including devouring the dreams of his victims. The god's bloodthirsty path came to an end at Morax's hand during the Archon War; Xiao was freed and Morax bestowed him with the name "Xiao" for his own protection. Xiao became deeply loyal to the Geo God as a result, a trait that continues to the present day. When Morax rallied the yakshas to help him suppress the lingering hatred and grudges of fallen gods, Xiao was among those who responded. Xiao, under the name Alatus, was one of the five foremost Yakshas alongside Bonanus, Bosacius, Indarias, and Menogias. He also fought alongside many other junior yakshas such as Pervases. However, over the ages, the yakshas' task wore away their numbers: Not only did they have to fight against the lingering power of ancient gods, the hatred that they had to suppress tainted their own souls and mired them in karmic debt, which incurred enormous physical and psychological pain. Between battle casualties, madness, and desertion, the number of yakshas eventually dwindled to Bosacius and Xiao. Bosacius, too, eventually disappeared, leaving Xiao as the last Yaksha Guardian.

Information

The people of Liyue Harbor greatly revere the mighty and illuminated adepti who dwell in Jueyun Karst. During the festival seasons, they will offer up incense and pray to the adepti for their protection. But none pray to Xiao. For Xiao is no lucky star that promises fame and fortune — he is a demon-hunting Yaksha.

Setting

Xiao currently resides at Wangshu Inn and mostly restrains himself from large crowds and social interactions. After reaching Dihua Marsh, one of the first things players exploring the area will find is the central structure in this area: Wangshu Inn. Sitting atop a towering pillar of rock, it is Liyue's first landmark piece of architecture. Xiao can sometimes be found on the top balcony of the inn, gazing out to the land beyond. Wangshu Inn is in Liyue, Liyue being the nation.