On the road bound to our exile, I watched my father sigh with grief; at the betrayal of the people, at the end of a glorious era, at the final chapter of history. [...] Only years later did I realize: it was we, the Lawrence clan, who had betrayed, who had ended a glorious era, and who had closed the history books. Only now was Mondstadt as it always should have been.
—An exiled Lawrence Clan noble[1]
The Lawrence Clan, also called House Lawrence,[2] was one of the prominent clans in Mondstadt after Barbatos took over, alongside the Gunnhildr Clan and the Imunlaukr Clan.[3] Another clan, the Ragnvindr Family, later joined them as one of the most prominent families in Mondstadt's history.[4]
The Lawrence Clan was the foremost clan during the Mondstadt Aristocracy era and, by the time the aristocracy grew corrupt, were effectively the rulers of the City of Mondstadt until they were deposed by Vennessa's rebellion. Now, the clan holds a poor reputation amongst Mondstadt's citizens, with many growing aggressive on the mere mention of them.
The Glacial Seal is the symbol of the Lawrence Clan.[5] This symbol can be seen among a few of the weapons and artifacts of the Royal Series and Noblesse Oblige, as well as in Eula's namecard.
History[]
During Decarabian's Rule[]
The Lawrence clan apparently lived outside of Decarabian's city and survived in the frozen wilderness as pioneers. Their survival under such harsh conditions made them view themselves as "conquerors."[6]
Early Aristocratic Period[]
Venerare was the leader of the Lawrence clan when new Mondstadt was founded and she guided the people to build a statue in the plaza commemorating Barbatos' descent, upon which an oath was inscribed by the leader of all the clans.[7]
During the time that the people of Mondstadt worshipped the gods of Anemo and Time together, the Lawrence clan would reenact their victory over the frozen wilderness.[6]
The nobles would hunt as a way of showing their strength in the natural world, sharing the spoils with the people out of benevolence.[1] This tradition is likely based on the Lawrence clan's history and culture. They were tutored by the royal mages, who kept track of history and were responsible for instilling virtue in the nobles.[7]
Late Aristocratic Period[]
Gradually, the Lawrence Clan's view of themselves shifted from conquerors to overlords to kings, causing them to go down the path to depravity and beginning the Late Aristocratic Period.[6]
They tore down the statue of Barbatos that they put up in the plaza long ago to get rid of the oath written there, and the royal mages abandoned their duties to the nobles, no longer speaking of history or of the oath.[7] They believed that nobles should only use swords, abandoning their heritage of using bows and not using spears either, considering both weapons for commoners and gladiators.[8]
The Lawrence Clan also changed how the gladiatorial games functioned, changing them from religious ceremonies to bloodsport for their enjoyment.[9]
When the land cried out for Barbatos, he saw the damage dealt by those he had left in charge and returned to Mondstadt once more to bring back freedom. Assisting a slave named Vennessa, the pair managed to bring the people into open revolt, of which the disavowed clan member known as Kreuzlied joined. However, Barbatos went a step further by drafting a false document in which the Lawrence Clan would sell Mondstadt to Morax. The soldiers that served the clan, fearing that they would be treated like slaves themselves, began supporting Vennessa's rebellion, leaving the clan with very few soldiers who were loyal to their cause.[10]
The Lawrence Clan were eventually overthrown by Vennessa's rebellion, and they were forced by the people of Mondstadt to leave the city and never return. Eventually some members of the clan realized that they had betrayed the people, not the other way around.[1]
Current Period[]
The clan relocated to another area in Mondstadt, but this current location remains unknown. They would often get into conflict with the locals, which result in the Knights of Favonius arriving to mediate, but to very little effect.
Descendants of the Lawrence Clan in the present day often face stigmas and are deemed a social threat; prior to joining the Knights of Favonius, Eula was forced to hunt and cook for herself as almost every shop refused her money.[11]
Near the current time, Eula applied to the Knights, causing an uproar in both the common folk and the Lawrence Clan. Members of the clan confronted Eula over her decision to join outside the Knights' headquarters. Grand Master Varka and Acting Grand Master Jean allowed her to join, as she was talented in combat and both saw it as a waste to refuse someone skilled like her. The clan proceeded to denounce Eula as a traitor.
Sometime after Eula joined, her uncle, Schubert, conspired with the Fatui to reclaim Mondstadt and bring it back under "proper" rule. This plot was foiled by the Traveler and Eula herself, with Schubert taken into custody.
Another member of the clan, Lessig, decided to head to Sumeru after hearing of a way to restore the clan's honor. However, when he traveled through both Liyue and Sumeru, he was shocked to hear that no one cared or knew about him or their clan, realizing that he was taught to stick with the old ways and unable to see the truth until now, something which Eula had done long ago.
Clan Traditions[]
The Lawrence clan was known to have put a large emphasis on appearing noble, many of their practices coming from the idea that their perception in the eyes of "commoners" must befit nobility. Their extreme regimen is considered abusive in most regards, and they only hire the best of the best to tutor the younger generation.
The curriculum focuses mainly on combat, dance, cooking and etiquette. They also place high emphasis on art, calling it "the second soul".
In battle, Eula states that members of the clan always had to appear refined and steadfast no matter the circumstances. They also had to quickly think on the spot in the heat of battle. Being knocked over or frozen is considered unsightly and embarrassing.[12]
Dancing and art are extremely important part of the clan's traditions. Eula's Character Stories mention "The Dance of Sacrifice", a noble ritual, is believed to be the crystallized form of this second soul. The third act of this dance belongs to the Lawrence Clan, known as "Flickering Candlelight". It is a solo dance that has been passed down through generations, performed by the eldest daughter. Bleeding toes are seen as a point of honor when learning the difficult steps. While the segment used to hold great meaning, the clan was forced to drop it from the curriculum due to a lack of dancers to teach it, and has since been relegated as an artistic pastime; simply put, a graceful dance.[13]
Due to the clan's insistence on retaking Mondstadt and returning to their former glory, they knew that they could not trust the commoners to make food for them. Emphasis was thus placed on cooking for themselves to avoid steeping to their levels of vulgarity, with particularly harsh rules — even the slightest of missteps would result in a harsh scolding or disciplinary action from the tutor. However, adherence to such rules ensured that the dishes made were of extremely high quality, such as Eula's signature dish, Stormcrest Pie. Even when modified, it was still noted to be extremely tasty and is now a local favorite.[14][15] Apart from fine cooking, members of the clan are particularly fond of Gebratenes Fleisch mit Sauerkraut, an extremely sour dish.
Great emphasis was also placed on how members should speak to other nobles of similar, lower or higher standing and commoners. Eula explains that the term "dear friend" should only used to address those the speaker were acquainted with and not particularly close. Trying to apply it to one particularly close would imply that the speaker was trying to estrange the recipient. Likewise, saying "good friend" is considered offensive. Commoners had to treat them with utmost respect; for those who had offended a noble, the commoner had to kneel and quickly apologize while not staring at them too long, lest the noble end up comparing the differences in status. In the clan itself, passing this knowledge to outsiders is strictly forbidden.[16]
The Lawrence Clan's seal is known as the "Glacial Seal", and it is currently carried by Eula. It represents the Clan's disposition, all the way from the early days of Mondstadt, newly freed from Decarabian's tyrannical rule: cold and unsullied, undaunted by any flame, composed and unshaken in all circumstances.
Known Members[]
Early days of Mondstadt[]
1000 Years Ago[]
- Lord Lawrence
- Barca Lawrence (son of Lord Lawrence)
- Kreuzlied (disowned, true name unknown)[17]
Present Day[]
Trivia[]
- The main character of Hex & Hound, Dietrich, is stated to be from the Lawrence Clan.[18] However, it is unclear whether Dietrich was an actual person or if he was invented for the story.
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Lawrence Clan | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 劳伦斯家族 Láolúnsī-jiāzú | Lawrence Family |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 勞倫斯家族 Láolúnsī-jiāzú | |
| Japanese | ローレンス家 Roorensu-ke[19] | House Lawrence |
| Korean | 로렌스 가문가문 Rorenseu Gamun | Lawrence Family |
| Spanish | Familia Lawrence | Lawrence Family |
| French | Clan Lawrence | Lawrence Clan |
| Russian | Клан Лоуренс Klan Lourens | Lawrence Clan |
| Thai | ตระกูล Lawrence Trakun Lawrence | Lawrence Clan |
| Vietnamese | Gia TộcGia Tộc Lawrence | Lawrence Clan |
| German | Lawrence-Klan | Lawrence Clan |
| Indonesian | Klan Lawrence | Lawrence Clan |
| Portuguese | Clã Lawrence | Lawrence Clan |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Weapon: Royal Bow
- ↑ Manga, Prologue: Songs of the Wind
- ↑ Weapon Series: Sacrificial Series
- ↑ YouTube: Character Teaser - "Eula: Midnight Encounter at the Tavern"
- ↑ YouTube: New Character Demo - "Eula: Flickering Candlelight"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Weapon: Sacrificial Bow
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Weapon Lore: Royal Grimoire
- ↑ Weapon: Royal Spear
- ↑ Weapon: Royal Greatsword
- ↑ Venti's Character Story: Where The Wind Doth Not Blow
- ↑ Eula's Voice-Over: More About Eula: I
- ↑ Story Quest, Eula, Aphros Delos Chapter: Act I - The Spindrift Shall Never Return to the Sea, Part 2: Speech and Etiquette
- ↑ Eula's Character Story: Character Story 5
- ↑ Eula's Character Story: Character Story 4
- ↑ Food: Moon Pie
- ↑ Story Quest, Eula, Aphros Delos Chapter: Act I - The Spindrift Shall Never Return to the Sea, Part 3: Through the Motions, to the Heart
- ↑ Weapon Lore: The Bell
- ↑ Book: Hex & Hound, Vol. 1
- ↑ Venti's Japanese Voice-Over: About Eula
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