Heavenly Principles: Misconception
I have seen alot of posts and memes that the heavenly principles is sleeping through everything like they emptied and entire bottlenof sleeping pills.
But memes aside it's not exactly "sleeping" then it is more of a comatos like state similar to how Venti slept through most of Mondstadt's history and only appeared when things got really (to the extreme) bad. We know that the war of Funerary flames was difficult for them since even if they won they lost part of their "functions". To that of we take the God's limits teaser atbface value it's likely that it was Renova who took charge duringbthe khaenriah Cataclysm and summoned the 7 Archons instead of the heavenly principles which would mean they have been in power saving mode for atleast 4-5 thousand years atleast.
According to Yohaultechtin (aka the lord of the night) she did it to extend her lifespan beyond what it would've been if she hadn't slept. This is likely the case for Venti too as we know from the recent FES stream that Venti using Istharoth's power cuts short his lifespan in return. He likely used quite a bit of it to blow up Mare Javeri (as if he didn't have enough death flags already). It's also likely that although things are changing like the dragon sovereign of hydro taking his throne back it's all according to plan, that or its not important enough for them. From how the shades act and move it seems that they're not allowed to interfere and have been ordered to let things play out as they will without outside interference. The only time they should act is when it's an abyssal disaster.
Tdlr: heavenly principles is not asleep but in power saving mode waiting for the point in time they have to act. Characters and factions have sensed that they're soon to awakened not because the effect of their pills is about to run out but that something big is about to happen to teyvat. As even the Hexenzirkel seems that swamped with constant skirmishes at "the border"
But memes aside it's not exactly "sleeping" then it is more of a comatos like state similar to how Venti slept through most of Mondstadt's history and only appeared when things got really (to the extreme) bad. We know that the war of Funerary flames was difficult for them since even if they won they lost part of their "functions". To that of we take the God's limits teaser atbface value it's likely that it was Renova who took charge duringbthe khaenriah Cataclysm and summoned the 7 Archons instead of the heavenly principles which would mean they have been in power saving mode for atleast 4-5 thousand years atleast.
According to Yohaultechtin (aka the lord of the night) she did it to extend her lifespan beyond what it would've been if she hadn't slept. This is likely the case for Venti too as we know from the recent FES stream that Venti using Istharoth's power cuts short his lifespan in return. He likely used quite a bit of it to blow up Mare Javeri (as if he didn't have enough death flags already). It's also likely that although things are changing like the dragon sovereign of hydro taking his throne back it's all according to plan, that or its not important enough for them. From how the shades act and move it seems that they're not allowed to interfere and have been ordered to let things play out as they will without outside interference. The only time they should act is when it's an abyssal disaster.
Tdlr: heavenly principles is not asleep but in power saving mode waiting for the point in time they have to act. Characters and factions have sensed that they're soon to awakened not because the effect of their pills is about to run out but that something big is about to happen to teyvat. As even the Hexenzirkel seems that swamped with constant skirmishes at "the border"
Commentaires
Whenever I think about the matter, I get some feeling that it could be similar to what Zhongli did during the Liyue Archon Quest. The Shades are letting the denizens of Teyvat deal with the situation that arise and, as long as they seem to be able to manage them (albeit with heavy casualties sometimes), they do not intervene. Even when dramatic events occur or when there are important changes into the power structure of the world (e.g. Neuvillette reclaiming lost authority), as long as, in the long term, Teyvat remains globally in order, the Shades will tolerate that the world equilibrium sometimes staggers. I also think it could be related to Skirk's voiceline about Alice: "*She said, many ecologists find it emotionally overwhelming when they observe the animal kingdom and see the predators hunting and the prey fleeing — but they'll never interfere in the process. Instead, they allow the laws of nature to take precedence over their own emotions. In her own words, "some call this being a callous observer, but I think it's merciful at the same time."*"