Patch 2.5 updates

[tanithryudo]

The official release info for the next patch is starting to come in. Today was the livestream, and in the next few days we should be getting PVs for Feixiao. (Will update this post as they show up.)

Currently relevant are the upcoming banners:
- First half is Feixiao + the trio of Kafka, Black Swan, Robin
- Second half is Lingsha + Topaz

Poor Ratio got skipped. Fingers crossed that he comes up together with Aventurine in 2.6 patch.

Kafka is the first character to have a 2nd rerun, skipping Seele, Jing Yuan, Luocha who came before her. Topaz is the fastest character to have a 2nd rerun... she just had her first rerun two patches ago. -_-

My current plans are to pull for Feixiao and Robin. Then Feixiao's LC. We'll see if I am lucky enough to get all of these with the pulls I have saved up. *fingers crossed*

Not much info in the short trailer we got. But it does seem like we've got Vidyadhara preceptors showing up as villains and taking credit for Hoolay's jailbreak. (BTW, huge difference between the CN and EN livestream, since I guess the EN VA for Feixiao couldn't make it, so her character was replaced by Guinaifen in the EN version.)

New map is a refurbished Xianzhou battleship now serving as the martial arts tournament set.

Ooh, fans pointed out that the villainous Preceptor Taoran is the same dude that talked to the journalist in the previous Dragons PV. Hm. He looks and sounds younger in the current trailer than in the PV (different VA too)...but if he had rebirthed in between, he shouldn't be using the same name still. Also, what's up with the horns?
vs
Found another lore fragment mentioning Taoran. He definitely seems to be a contemporary of Dan Feng. Doesn't seem to be a proponent of the Preceptor council seizing power permanently from the High Elder position though. At least at the time.

Comments

[cashew]

Re: 涛然

Seems like he must have been reborn seeing as it's been 700+ years since the sedition, well past even the higher end of Vidyadhara cycle length. But also, if the old voice is 涛然, then we have confirmation that Vidyadhara age, unlike the other long-lived species.

The other thing I noticed is fanfic assumes only 龙尊 can manifest dragon traits as a result of being the one closest to the originating dragon lineage. Not sure if this is backed by lore or if this is speculation. But looking at these designs, the current stuff points to the horns being more a signifier of status (fuller the horn, more highly ranked the lineage). Also, the Vidyadhara seem to run on an imperial political system, with 龙尊 being the equivalent of the emperor (without having to worry about inheritance issues) and 龙师 as the ministers, and the two forces essentially fight for political authority over the Vidyadhara tribe.

[tanithryudo]

> he must have been reborn seeing as it's been 700+ years since the sedition

That's what I thought, but it's weird that he's using the same name, since usually when Vidyadhara are reborn they change names, since to them they're a different person now. It's weird he's still using the same name. Though, there is also a serum which supposedly induces past life memories in the form of dreams. I assume the Preceptors probably use that stuff on the high elder (but even then, the high elders have always used different names). But maybe they also use it on themselves too? Dunno. Something feels fishy.

> only 龙尊 can manifest dragon traits

Hm, well, that's explicitly not true since we see the pic from the old PV of Taoran which has horns. Also, Lingsha has scales on her hands/feet. I would assume the high elder has the *most* dragonic traits due to having the most inherited power from The Permanence. But other Vidyadhara seems to have some traits too. Maybe that's what determine's one's position as Preceptor? Unfortunately, we don't have enough info on that.

[cashew]

It's weird he's still using the same name.

Two potential explanations:

1. MiHoyo is bad at keeping their own lore straight, or just don't care and making clear who is whom is more important to them than working around complicated lore.

2. 涛然 might be a lineage name rather than person name. Much like 饮月.

I'm working too hard trying to help miHoyo fix their stupid lore.

other Vidyadhara seems to have some traits too. Maybe that's what determine's one's position as Preceptor?

I'm inclined to think the draconic features reflect the power/lineage. Aka, 龙尊 can turn full dragon, other powerful lineages manifest varying aspects of dragon features, and the nobodies have pointy ears. But probably the most likely explanation is it looks cool and miHoyo is leaving the lore building up to fan imagination.