#hsr agate

Analyse of each design

Amber

"Amber prefers to remain neutral"

English Voice Actor : ?

With which path we might see them : ?

Amber is one of the most unknown stoneheart since they aren't voiced, yet they could be more important than what they seem.

We have a lack of design for Amber yet we could see them as a woman which would like like an operator. We could theorize that she is at the head of "Eidor", the IPC's computer operating system. This would explain her rank : she has a very special job so her rank isn't solid per say.

Speaking of solid, her "stone" is amber which is the second organic member of the ten stonehearts. Amber is solidfied resine which has been used since prehistory. Resine has been used to help trees to help treat its wounds but also stray away any predators. Amber solidifed can "preserve" beings such as insects. Speaking of which, who has major insect themes inside HSR ? Propagation and we know that the Propagation is sealed within amber(Readdable: Glimpses into the Beyond, "Inquiry Into The Gods: The Authors of Calamity"). So maybe, Amber is defending or protecting the seal with its Aeon at bay.

As such, she is putting up walls and following Qlipoth's wish and such a true follower of the Preservation.

Agate

"There's also Agate. They might be dead. I even have to convey their opinions for them."

English Voice Actor : ?

With which path we might see them : Nihility (seen lower)

Another mysterious stoneheart with pratically no face except for that mysterious shadow. The design reminds me of ancient chinese buddhist altar. When searching more about them, the depiction of an old man with a smile had been related to Tchong lieou, an ancient god of the familial soil which was reverred in Ancient China. He was revered because he could bring fortune. (The gods of the soil - Edouard Chavannes).

South Red Agate is known to bring vitality and prosperity and is also used to hold auspicious messages.

We already have a paradox between South Red Agate bringing vitality yet the character being possibly dead, according to Obsidian. So we have a character with the imagery of Death and Wealth. It reminds me of Hades/Pluto. The silhouette could also remind of Caishan, a god of wealth in chinese mythology.

Sugilite

"Death... This kind of unnecesssary extravagance was just for yourself, wasn't it ?"

English Voice Actor : AJ Beckles (some additional voices according to his IMDB)

With which path we might see them : Erudition (seen below)

Sugilite gives us a lot to work with : the stone gives the supposed power of cleavoyance, on the self. Yet the power of the stone is used here in reverse : allowing him to see through others.So the sharp tongue could come with a sharp mind, Sugilite might be a perceptive individual. Its also shown through the fact that they expected a 4v4 on Aventurine's vote. His environment could be some sort of illusion or just showing off to Aventurine what he isn't born in : wealth beyond measure. He could also just flex his wealth to Aventurine

If we focus out of this and take out the "extravagance", we can take out the various egyptian designs. While bringing out the hope for some character with melanin, the imagery is mainly of two cats/jackals and Ankha's cross. If we are going into egyptian mythology, it could associate Sugilite with Isis and Anubis. This imagery could either link to the Hunt/Abundance with the care for the dead or resurrection. Though we might see him sooner than we think...

Pearl

"But as an intellitron,I think there should be more 'justice' in your life"

English Voice Actor : Cat Protano (Misha, Skirk in Genshin)

With which path we might see them : ?

Pearl is an interesting one since she is an intellitron yet with the second organic "stone". With her design we get that she probably originates from Lushaka or Thalassa with all the fish designs. Though if we associate them with chinese mythology, Pearl could go with Long since pearls are associated with dragons in some chinese myths.

Since we are on the gem, Pearl could have a ton of story with the use of her stone :

pearls can be faked easily or appear uneven (the baroque movement was afterall named after the word "barocco" which designates a malformed pearl). So she could be one precious pearl, a model of intellitron super evolved.

pearls, in ancient asia, was a symbol of the soul's path towards perfection. Here we had a very important quality from pearl : Kindness and a form of Justice*(will comment on that later).

Sapphire

"But some value their oaths more, Sapphire is in favor of punishment"

English Voice Actor : ?

With which path we might see them : Abundance (a path all about kindness needs some sort of antagonist, and he could be with the Xianzhou)

Another stoneheart without a face, their design though is pretty interesting. First of all, it is the only stoneheart purely facing away from the "camera". This denial to show himself could be an outright refusal to join the stoneheart, since they aren't really following Qlipoth. The use of the mythical animal is very much interesting because it goes well with the whole theme of Sapphir's design : chivalry.

We have the towers, the swords and shields. The creature is hippogriff. It would join the theme of chivalry because in Orlando furioso, the hippogriff is a symbol of Orlando's pulsions (Orlando could be his real name). If we assimiliate the Pearl's word with this, we have a painting : Sapphir separates from his chivalourous self to become a extremist regarding Qlipoth. This also goes well with some symbology of Sapphir being a gem for loyalty but also truth. It gives a whole picture of Sapphir without words : he is a one of Qlipoth's zealot that joined the stoneheart.

Regarding the stone and Sapphire's personanity, I think that he would be double faced : he would be honest, loyal, truthful and a calm individual but if provoked, can go berserk. It would be the stone's symbolism but also the paradox of his sword's design : they are crossed and downwards meaning that a battle is over, yet earlier he was pretty much fervent in Aventurine's punishment.

Obsidian

"Just my two cents, I think we're being overly timid. If it were me I'd like everything become more of a bloodbath."

English Voice Actor : Erin Yvette (Arlechino in Genshin ; they really like her to play black, white and red characters)

With which path we might see them : Nihility

Let's talk about the two elephants in the room :

She has obviously some vampiric imagery with the colourpalette, the bats, gothic architecture, night and so on. I'm not going to refuse those because Hoyo isn't being very subtle. But there might be more than we think...

Though I am going to be a little more nuanced on the blood/pomegranate bath. The imagery is supposed to evoke Erzsébet Bathory (falsely accused of killing virgins to bath in their blood and stay young, though it was false since she was rescuing sick women to cure them - this comment section for more info). (Her real name could be Elizabeth) The pomegranate will be more adressed in the "Groups encountered in the Stonehearts" section.

The stone for Obsidian is relevant for her personnality : Obsidian is cooled lava and it could either suggest the undead idea or someone appearing calm but can be ruthless (shown also with the text). Obsidian is a protective stone that is known to be very strong and very fast so it would also go with the ruthless personnality trait. Obsidian is used to stop instabilities : in the character's case, it could be some kind of inquisitor.

Opal

"We band together... Merely to obtain what we want"

English Voice Actor : Paul Castro Jr. (Freminet in Genshin)

With which path we might see them : None (Pier point)

From his design, we know that he is most likely a pepeshi. This choice is probably to echo his stone but also contrats it : opal is a symbol of Hope and Purity. Purity associated naturally with children so pepeshi it is. Though it is very well contrasted with his ruthless personnality : Aventurine was chosen over him for a more peaceful outcome, he comments on a planet getting destroyed, encourages Silerwolf to hack the Interastral Peace Entertainment server (source : [WARNING: SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE] Send it all out!) and last, but not least, he is the only one seen with a weapon on Jade's image of the Ten stonehart '(2.2). Though the cleavoyance from his stone comes also at provoking Aventurine (Aventurine - Character Story: Part IV).

Hades & Persephone - Agate & Obsidian

related path : Nihility

As seen by the previous analysis, Agate is associated with health and some kind of death. While Obsidian with the vampire is associated with Death but also the pomegranate. With this, we could also add that Obsidian is wearing a crown and has roses in the side of her design. It could be some more gothic inspiration but also, Persephone was in love with Adonis (whose blood created red roses). It goes well, again with the obsessed with blood.

Greek mythology has already been mentioned with Acheron being 'Charon' (the boatman guiding the souls to the Underword) but also the river. With 2.1, Acheron seems to be hinting at IX being some kind of land of the damned but also leading somewhere.

The important point is that Agate "might" be dead. They are currently MIA with only being capable of communicating through Obsidian.

Obsidian which has the pomegranate but also has a black, white and red. Who also has this colour palette ? Acheron in her ult form. We also know that the symptomes of Self-Annihilator are varied : "These phenomena can hardly be explained by the laws of nature" (Databank : Self-Annihilator)

My theory is the following : Obsidian has become a Self-Annihilator and her symptom is being a "vampire". Her only true self in the bloodlust. Taht's why she's able to communicate with Agate, stuck in Nihility/the land of the Dead.

Following this, we know that IX doesn't choose Emanators, you just become one by going through it. So my theory is that TB will go through Nihility, aided or not by Obsidian, to see Agate and maybe someone precious to TB. And it goes the Orpheus way and the person won't be able to come out.

Our next encounter :

Opal

The most hinted stoneheart other than Jade, Topaz and Aventurine. It goes well with also the fact that the Greeks had opals and symbology about it (seeing it as purity). Though I do not subscribe to this theory since he is seen at Pier Point by Silver Wolf, the most important stoneheart (beside Diamond) so would stay at Pier point and the environment in which he is seen looks very much industrial.

Sugilite

Sugilite has been the one with the most chat and directly speaking to Aventurine. HSR has established the tradition of stonehearts going one then another with a phonecall or some sort of contact (Topaz called by Aventurine, Aventurine called by Jade but also teased by Sugilite here).

My theory of Erudition becoming TB's next path would also go with Sugilite's stone according to clearvoyance. It would go well with the topic of knowledge and knowing where to purposely hit to destroy someone.

The egyptian theme would also go well with this theory since the greek were in Egypt for a long period of time. Afterall Cleopatra was greek. Speaking of which, we could assist with a new Cleopatra, Antony vs Octavian.

If we follow my theory : Sugilite would try to help one of the paths to obtain the stellaron/ressources at play, if there is one, and would fail (since we know that the planet is already destroyed).