ASTROLOGY OF// HONKAI: STAR RAIL// PTII

ASTROLOGY OF// HONKAI: STAR RAIL// PT II

If you’re coming from PT I, I appreciate the dedication. If you’re just skimming through that’s also nice lol

In PTI I left off making connections between the Aries placements of HSR’s natal chart, going over Aries, The Sun, Rahu, and Ashwini Nakshatra. We are now going to look at the Ascendant, The Moon, and Mars all snuggled together in the sign of Gemini.

THE ANALYSIS

GEMINI/ASCENDANT/MOON/PUNARVASU

Everyone’s favorite part of the natal chart will always start with the Ascendant^{Rising Sign}. It’s the world’s first impression! The constellation that’s rising over the horizon at the time of one’s birth. It also sets the tone for how one comes into the world, grows into it, is shaped by it.

We have GEMINI in the Ascendant as well as a MOON and MARS conjunction to the Ascendant. The Ascendant, Moon, and Mars all fall within the Nakshatra PUNARVASU. Gemini is governed by the planet Mercury while Punarvasu is ruled by the sign Jupiter.

GEMINI

Is the sign of curiosity, and movement. Gemini is governed by the planet MERCURY. It is always gathering more knowledge, more information to continue the cycle of restoration, and preservation of oneself. But to gain knowledge one must leave their home, and so they do.

ASCENDANT

MOON

The moon in astrology is a representation of who we are when we’re alone. It is how we react, our mind, it’s the mother, it’s the blood. Overall it rules over our emotions. The moon is one of the most important objects in our charts. So much so that even the phase can determine our sociability. The moon is also a significator of the home, can show us our roots and how we came to be.

PUNARVASU + ARDRA

is located at 20^o 00’ Gemini until 3^o20’ Cancer in Sidereal Astrology

But before we can talk about the significance of Punarvasu we have to look back to 6^o 40' Gemini to 20^o 00’ Gemini in the Nakshatra of Ardra, ruled by Ketu.

Here ARDRA is highly destructive and it’s through this destruction that it allows for transformation to manifest.

Ardra is what destroys everything in order for things to grow. If we can recall the Honaki: Star Rail storyline, we learn from the beginning that Nanook^{Aeon of Destruction} is the most recent Aeon to have ascended.

But in order for transformation to occur, we must start from the ashes. Luckily for the story and the chart, that’s exactly where we start!

This is where the Ascendant, The Moon and Mars, come into play. Punarvasu means “the return of light” and is governed by the planet Jupiter.

Jupiter is seen as the guru/teacher/sage, they carry with them an abundance of philosophical insights, it’s often known as the planet of luck, good fortune, and of course jolliness. It’s because of these positive traits associated with Jupiter that it is able to make the best out of any situation thrown at them. That knowledge doesn’t come from sulking and letting opportunities pass by. It is done by finding the untapped energies and working with what one has. Even if it comes from nothing but dirt, dirt and soil are still necessary to grow crops.

It is also why we find often Punarvasu natives often have to start their lives all over again at least once.

The ruling deity over Punarvasu is Aditi. The mother of all 12 gods she is the nurturer and the protector.

The symbol associated with Punarvasu is The Bow. A symbol on its own associated with preparation, awareness, foresight. The arrow is ready to hit its target. It is movement and once it’s unleashed, it moves and keeps moving until it reaches its destination. This cannot be done blindly as stated earlier it requires awareness for one to present within the world. Although it isn’t inherently violent an arrow is used for both protection and to kill. No matter where it hits, restoration and renewal come forward. In order for renewal to occur, nurture is necessary. Just as one plants a seed in the soil, the seed needs to be nurtured with nutrients in order to grow from the dirt, and must be protected in the environment it is grown in to truly flourish.

However, Punarvasu if you recall, falls in the sign of Gemini and Cancer so even with all the travel in the world, even with all the freedom it seeks and finds, it will always return home.

It is no wonder that the totem animal of Punarvasu is the cat. Curious, reilient, and indpendent.

MANIFESTATIONS

I know it’s a lot, but if you play the game I’m certain you can see the connections already.

From the very beginning, we know that Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction is the most recent Aeon to have ascended.

Ardra brings transformation through destruction. From the breaking, from the unraveling, something unseen begins to breathe; and in that quiet aftermath, something new blooms.

This brings us back to Punarvasu and how that reflects within the story.

THE ASTRAL EXPRESS // AKIVILI

"Countless shooting stars streak across the night sky... If you can pick the right one, it will carry your wish to thousands of distant worlds." — Fables About the Stars by Adrian Spencer Smith There are three directions on the compass of destiny — the Unknown, the Known, and the Unknowable. THEY can tolerate the Unknown, but will never bow to the Unknowable. Akivili left the isolated world of Pegana and continued to expand the unknown edges of the universe, trying to find an endpoint of the Tree of Existence. Unfortunately, Akivili's destiny was abruptly ended due to an accident.

We wake up with hardly any memory of who we are and what our past means to us. As we progress through the beginning of the story we are brought right after destruction (both path and literal) has occurred.

Shortly after, our story continues aboard The Astral Express, a train that travels throughout the cosmos. Travelers come and go aboard the train and those who choose to do so can become a part of the crew known as The Nameless

As mentioned earlier Punarvasu and Mercury is all about movement and us as the Trailblazer must traverse the world. To expand on what Akivili has set in motion for us as the Nameless.

Akivili Themself even carries the epithet of Cloudstrider another astrological parallel to how Punarvasu and Mercury seek to find connections through travel.

JARILO VI// THE ARCHITECTS

Once boarding the Express in the 1.x update we arrive upon JARILO VI A civilization that’s hunkered down to one congested area of land that hasn't frozen over. This happens to be done by followers of Qlipoth ^{The Aeon of Preservation} known as The Architects. Known for building up walls to protect various home planets they constructed walls to keep out what is known as the Eternal Freeze that is responsible for keeping Belobog within such restricted areas.

We learn of the world that exists beneath Belobog known as the Underworld. Within the story we quite literally dig deeper past the surface to gain more information. After all, we must start from the bottom to understand where cleansing and revitalization can begin. Similarly, this is reflected in a plant, where the roots form the essential connection. Belobog, the link between the Underworld and the Overworld functions in a similar way, with the Furnace Core acting as the connection. It serves as a passage through which their most valuable and vital mineral, Geomarrow, is transferred.

If we fast forward to the end of this first mission before we leave for the Xianzhou Luofu, we help restore what Jarilo VI has already done, we take part in the renewal of their civilization, and even help in maintaining order when it comes to the Engine of Creation. The very thing that aided us in our battle with Cocolia.

As the story goes, we have to travel. In the midst of traveling, we help others, and try to piece together who we are, while also striking deals with stronger factions whose intentions are sketchy at best. But business is business, knowledge is shared, money and trade still exist even in the vastness of an always expanding universe. All of this happens at a rapid pace especially once the Interastral Peace Corporation^IPC is introduced. reflecting back to the characteristics of Jupiter, who loves to expand, and Mercury who is tactile and symbolizes travel, and merchants, as well as Mars who takes action and does so passionately.

LAN AEON OF THE HUNT // DEVILISH ARCHER AUTHOUR

Touching on the more literal symbolism of the bow, we can find it within Lan, The Aeon of The Hunt. Lan’s role was previously explained in PTI but I wanted to make note of Their epithets:

Archer Lord of Fate
Devilish Archer Author
God of The Skybow
Reignbow Arbiter

CYRENE// LOOK! WE'RE FLYING~

Cyrene is more of a literal manifestation with Aditi being the nurturer, the protector, and the Mother of all 12 Gods. She also uses the arrow as her weapon of choice.

Like a Punarvasu native, she comes back to us after restarting her life.

PLANT SYMBOLISM// WHEAT, WHEAT, WHEAT

Lastly, we cannot forget the significant presence of wheat throughout, which further reinforces this idea of growth and renewal. Like a plant that begins at its roots, drawing from the soil before it can rise, sprout, and flourish.

TERMINUS// BLACK CATS

TERMINUS^{The Aeon of Finality} had split Their divine corpus in a pack of black cats, each carrying Their divine power. They appear at every moment of Finality, bringing prophecies of the future.

The Astral Express is all about movement, expansion, merchant, connection, and death and rebirth. As we take on the role of the Trailblazer but no matter where the journey takes us we will always return back home aboard The Astral Express.