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If you’re not satisfied with the lore Genshin Impact gives you in Archon Quests, you can learn more about the story from these details in the game.
In the midst of a lull in plot-expanding patches, many Genshin Impact players find themselves starving for main story quests, or “Archon Quests” as they’re officially named. Developer miHoYo has recently prioritized cooperative events that shed light on adjacent plot lines while focusing more on diversifying the combat experience rather than strictly advancing the main story.
Fortunately for Genshin’s lore hounds, the game does an excellent job at hiding hints in plain sight — hints that contextualize the events of the plot so far within Teyvat’s history. Previous lists highlighted side quests that broadened your narrative experience, but you can also learn about Teyvat by simply walking through it — here’s where you can start your Easter egg hunt.
Location: Yaksha’s Grave Site (Jueyun Karst)
The main story eventually guides you to Eastern Liyue and the Jueyun Karst, untamed wilds where adepti (see: demigods) reign, but there’s nothing stopping you from simply walking there before you need to leave Mondstadt.
The yaksha’s grave stone triggers a side quest once you interact with it, but the placement of the grave itself is also significant. Yakshas were exceptionally fierce adepti that Rex Lapis rallied to help defend Liyue during the Archon War. The withered spirit of Yaksha Bosacius lingers at the tombstone, and fades peacefully once you complete the quest. Though Bosacius chose death, the stone’s placement in Jueyun Karst suggests that they wanted to rest in the land defended by their adepti kin.
Connection: The Five Yakshas And Xaio
With Bosacius’ passing only one living yaksha remains, Alatus, or Xaio, as he is called now in his human form. These two were among a team of five Great Yakshas, the rest of which already succumbed to the weight of the guilt they carried for their roles in the Archon War. Indarius, Menogius, and Bonanus are the other fallen yakshas. In later years the yakshas weren’t shy about regretting having harmed innocents during the war.
One such victim was a small girl named Qiqi, whom the yakshas accidentally mortally wounded. Alatus summoned the other yakshas and adepti to pray for Qiqi to return to life, which is how the playable character Qiqi came into her zombified state. This is also why Qiqi’s talents are called “adeptus arts,” despite not belonging to the adepti her powers are the direct result of their blessings.
Location: Stormterror’s Lair
The location of the game’s first major boss fight is important for obvious reasons, but those who are yet to delve into the ancient history of Teyvat probably don’t realize that Dvalin’s palace wasn’t built for or by the mighty dragon.
The gods of Teyvat aren’t immortal, infallible, or omniscient. In fact, Zhong Li explicitly states that he and Venti are the only gods who fought in the Archon War and still survive today, with the remaining five of The Seven having been succeeded by now. The ruined kingdom that Dvalin/Stormterror now calls home once belonged to another toppled archon named Decarabian.
Connection: Decarabian And Barbatos
Decarabian was an affectionate but naïve ruler. He and the Northern Wolf Andrius were locked in a stalemate for years. Andrius summoned bitter cold and snowstorms to prevent humans from sullying his domain. To protect his people, Decarabian conjured a vortex — which partially remains around Stormterror’s Lair today — that shielded his followers from Andrius’ wrath, but the perpetual gales lashed the people too and they suffered under Decarabian.
The foolish archon saw his people huddled on their knees and mistook their anguish for thankful prayer. Led by Barbatos, aka Venti, the people overthrew Decarabian, crowning a new archon. Seeing Barbatos’ strength Andrius retreated into Wolvendom, choosing not to challenge him, thereby freeing the people of Mondstadt.
Location: The Moonlit Tree (Nantianmen)
Nantianmen is a bizarre region at the fringes of Genshin’s map that’s received no mention in the game’s story so far. Tucked between the megalithic ruins of Tianqiu Valley and the towering Mt. Hulao, Qingyun Peak and Mt. Aozang — the abodes of the adepti — lies the lonesome Nantianmen valley. Home to little more than a hilichurl yurt, the looming Moonlit Tree, and a strange child with an ominous message.
Connection: Rex Lapis
The little girl at the base of the tree, Jiu, murmurs to herself “the awakening is coming” repeatedly until you speak to her. She’ll tell you that you’re early if you’ve come to witness the awakening. If you ask her if she means the awakening of Rex Lapis she scoffs and says “the usurper” is of little importance, and that human kind is insignificant and will soon be reminded of their meaninglessness by the ancient one sealed beneath the tree.
Stories of ancient gods, such as Osial and the Chi, defeated by Rex Lapis are abundant in Liyue. Those conflicts happened thousands of years ago, but were nonetheless witnessed by Rex Lapis’ followers. But Jiu speaks of a stirring beast born before humans existed. One who hasn’t quite buried the hatchet with Rex Lapis. The appearance of the tree itself is apparently a sign that the beast has merged with the roots below and is absorbing moonlight via the branches and leaves… probably best not to wait around and see.
Connection: The Qixing And Crux Fleet
Pirate-Queen Beidou is described as the most famous woman outside of the Qixing in Liyue. Adored by children and adults alike, the captain of the Crux Fleet is revered as a symbol of hope among the lower class who feel neglected by the Qixing and rely on Beidou’s charitable acts for survival.
What’s less clear is what the Qixing, specifically Ningguang, thinks about folk hero Beidou. Both characters deride each other in their friendship lines, with Ningguang sounding especially venomous. In spite of this, sunken treasures gifted from the Crux to the Qixing can be found in Ningguang’s palace. Suggesting that their rivalry is more for show than substantive. It’s hard to ignore Beidou’s combat prowess and influence, perhaps the Qixing occasionally employs the Crux in secret. As a paramilitary when they don’t want to get their hands dirty. It’s also noteworthy that Beidou is the only person to defeat Ningguang in her custom game of chess. So the rivalry seems real but also friendly.
Location: Celestia (Various Regions)
By far the most enigmatic island in all of Teyvat’s lore — nicknamed the Island of the Gods. Celestia can be found on days with clear skies floating high above Teyvat. Which part of Teyvat? All of it. It’s not that Celestia is bigger than the continent below, but rather that it appears to have no fixed position. It always appears in the sky to the west. It can be seen from Dragonspine, Luhua Pool, even as far east as the Falcon Coast.
Connection: Vennessa And The Unknown God
So far glimpses of Celestia have been painfully brief. Though it isn’t explicitly named in the opening cut scene. Fans assume that the heavenly realm from which you are cast by the Unknown God is Celestia. If this is the case then it seems that the login screen also depicts Celestia.
The only other place where the divine island is vaguely illustrated is in the Genshin manga. When Venti’s champion Vennessa is rewarded with ascension for her heroism after enduring slavery in Mondstadt. It seems that the gods residing in Celestia wield more power than those in Teyvat. Strangely, it also appears that Teyvat’s archons can nominate vision-holding, human champions to ascend to Celestia, but cannot be ascended themselves.
Conclusion
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