Chapter III is the Archon Quest chapter set in the nation of Sumeru.
The God of Wisdom's enemy is wisdom itself, and the oasis of knowledge is a mirage in the desert of ignorance. In the city of scholars there is a push for folly, yet the God of Wisdom makes no argument against it.
List of Acts[]
- Act I - Through Mists of Smoke and Forests Dark
- Requirements: reach Adventure Rank 35 and complete Archon Quest Chapter II: Act IV - Requiem of the Echoing Depths.
- Act II - The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings
- Requirements: reach Adventure Rank 35.
- Act III - Dreams, Emptiness, Deception
- Requirements: reach Adventure Rank 35.
- Act IV - King Deshret and the Three Magi
- Requirements: reach Adventure Rank 35.
- Act V - Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises
- Requirements: reach Adventure Rank 35.
- Act VI - Caribert
- Requirements: reach Adventure Rank 35.
Summary[]
Act I - Through Mists of Smoke and Forests Dark[]
"Each Morn a thousand Roses brings, you say: Yes, but where leaves the Rose of Yesterday?"
- A Forest of Change
Arriving at the border between Liyue and Sumeru, the Traveler and Paimon decide to look for Lesser Lord Kusanali to seek answers from them. Paimon remarks that the Dendro Archon is different from the Unknown God that abducted their sibling. As they walk into the forest, they see a scholar and ask for instructions; however, she ignores them, so they decide to follow her instead.
There, they find the scholar in a cave lighting up some incense, which causes the Traveler to faint. The Traveler hallucinates a massive, glowing, white tree under a red sky and walks towards it, subsequently hearing an unknown voice say, "...World... Forget me..." The Traveler then wakes up in a hut and is greeted by Collei. She and her master, Tighnari, found them while on patrol and the latter explained to Paimon what happened to them. After dealing with a separate issue, Tighnari talks with the Traveler and upon learning what they saw, decides to have them stay at Gandharva Ville until they recover. As Tighnari leaves, the Traveler and Paimon have a private discussion, with the Traveler having withheld some of the information as they believed Tighnari was not honest with them. Therefore, they decide to speak with Collei first.
- Further Observation
The next day, they see Collei and Tighnari, the latter going out on a dangerous patrol and leaving the former behind to handle some other tasks. The Traveler and Paimon decide to help, so Tighnari asks Collei to take them. Collei checks the lamps on the route to the ville before arriving at the Statue of The Seven, where she briefly talks about Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Lesser Lord Kusanali. She then asks if they know Amber, and is delighted when they confirm they do, as Amber had helped her immensely during her time in Mondstadt and have kept in touch via letters, hence why she guessed if they did know her. Collei then asks why they want to know about the Dendro Archon and learns of their reason of visiting Sumeru before they go to clean the statue, while she goes to check the forest canopy.
After cleaning the statue, Collei treats the two to some food and drinks. Paimon then asks about Tighnari's strictness, to which Collei states that he's actually kindhearted, as he refused to accept a position at Sumeru Akademiya to stay at the forest. When Collei begins recalling how Paimon was in a panic over the Traveler, Paimon becomes angered and tries to touch Collei, only for her to suddenly snap. She abruptly apologizes before running off, much to their confusion.
Returning to the ville, the two learn from Nasrin that Collei went to her room, so they decide to wait the following day to speak with her.
- Chronic Illness
The following day, the two decide to look for Collei, only to find Tighnari who explains that Collei is not feeling well. Paimon wonders if her action yesterday caused it, but Tighnari states that she had been fighting it off for quite some time and had neglected her health after meeting the two. After moving away from her hut, Tighnari tells them he had learned of their actions across Teyvat and begins to explain Collei's story as she wanted to. Tighnari explains that Collei is afflicted by Eleazar, a disease endemic to Sumeru that causes dark and hardened scales to form on the body; eventually, the person becomes completely immobile. Collei's mother, learning that the Fatui had a cure, sent her to them, much to Paimon's shock. Tighnari then explains that Collei was treated by a Harbinger known as "The Doctor", who stabilized the disease, but her memories with the Fatui left her deeply scarred and deathly afraid of anyone touching her. Tighnari also apologizes on Collei's behalf.
After hearing her story, Tighnari sets off to find the herbs required to create Collei's medicine. The Traveler and Paimon decide to accompany him and he accepts under the condition that they follow his instructions. They acquire four Lunar Lotuses, much to Tighnari's delight as he was able to stock up on other supplies in the process. Suddenly, Amir and Nasrin arrive, informing Tighnari that a Withering Zone appeared on their patrol route; they could not get measurements as no one had a Vision.
Arriving outside the zone, Tighnari explains how to handle the phenomenon. After identifying and handling the branches, they destroy the tumor and restore the area back to normal. Tighnari expresses gratitude that they dealt with the zone quickly, but states that the amount of zones appearing have increased, damaging the ecosystem and also causing Collei's symptoms to worsen, a trait shared by others at the Akademiya. Returning to the village, Tighnari notices Haypasia's Dusk Bird and realizes something is wrong — the scholar had forgotten food and thus needs some. After realizing that the Traveler could manipulate Dendro, Tighnari does not apologize for his deception, but states that what they saw affected all of Teyvat — they had connected to the consciousness of Irminsul.
- Silent Seeker of Knowledge
Returning to Haypasia, the Traveler finds a strange fungi that flees upon seeing them. When Paimon returns, the two find themselves in a strange area but are able to navigate their way through. At the top of the area, they run into the Abyss Herald but are unable to harm it. The Herald proclaims that their sibling had forsaken them and attacks, but the Traveler then returns to the real world; however, they are unable to recall what just happened. Paimon then returns and they find Haypasia lying beside some fruits. As she comes to, they give her Tighnari's letter. She also discovers they saw the strange fungi creature, stating that she had also seen them too while meditating. After serving her the boxed lunch, the Traveler talks about Irminsul with her.
Returning to the village, they find Tighnari arguing with some Akademiya members, with Sage Khajeh trying to convince him to join the Akademiya. However, he refuses on the account of his responsibilities and that Khajeh had no definite answer as to how long he would be staying in the city. The Traveler and Paimon then ask Tighnari to help them meet Lesser Lord Kusanali through an acquaintance he knew in the city. After seeing Collei off, they head to Sumeru City.
- The Trail of the God of Wisdom
Upon arriving at the city, the two are given an Akasha Terminal and they head straight to Rohawi, Tighnari's acquaintance. However, they fail to get the answers they sought. The Traveler then remembers and visits Katheryne, who is likewise unable to procure the information but suggests they go to Asfand; The Eremites might have information on her as they work all across Sumeru. Asfand however states that the Eremites have even less information as they are not religious and have less need for it. He also tells them that the Akademiya only upholds Rukkhadevata more than Kusanali, since the former is seen as the one who made Sumeru. As the Traveler and Paimon walk around lamenting, a woman named Dunyarzad overhears them and tells them of a legend about the Archon; however, she spots two Eremites and flees. The two Eremites then ask Traveler and Paimon if they saw Dunyarzad. Wanting to find more information, Paimon misdirects them before catching up to her.
With more Eremites arriving, the trio run into the nearby tavern. While inside, Dehya rushes at the Traveler, but is ordered by Dunyarzad to stand down. Dehya is her bodyguard and the Eremites were hired to help track her down, but Dunyarzard refuses to go along. Dehya decides not to take her in as she respects her determination, but suggests that she try to make her departures less conspicuous as the latest excursion caused her father to send all the guards at the estate looking for her. They then have a meal, where Dunyarzard explains why she's a follower of Kusanali — she met Kusanali while having a fever, and thus believes the Archon saved her. As such, she had gone out to help organize the Sabzeruz Festival and also met Nilou.
The four head to the Grand Bazaar to meet up with Nilou who explains about the festival's origins. While the Traveler and Paimon are looking around, they also see Katheryne on break before she leaves back to the Guild. Dehya tells the Traveler that she and Dunyarzad have a plan to get them to meet Kusanali, although she has to speak with someone first and even then, the visit might not be guaranteed. They return to Asfand, who mentions a theft. He explains that a convoy from the Akademiya went to Aaru Village to pick up some items but were robbed on the way back, with the items being connected to the Dendro Archon. Asfand warns them to be careful of the Eremites at the port, as they aren't as friendly as those in the city and some have been proclaiming about the return of King Deshret, who he believes to have died a long time ago. Asfand also tells them to act as Akademiya students, but does not disclose the reason.
- Lost in Prosperity
Arriving at Port Ormos, the Traveler overhears several Akademiya students lamenting about being unable to pay the Eremites at the tavern, so they go there. Two Eremites of the interest group, Ayn Al-Ahmar, boast about King Deshret's return. The Traveler approaches them and offers them 500,000 Mora for information, but before they leave, Alhaitham stops them as the two are being conned. Alhaitham threatens to harm the Eremites' reputation if they continue their acts, so they instead agree to have a fight to settle the matter and leave, returning the Mora to the Traveler.
The two follow Alhaitham who states that he was simply using them as a means to get close to the fringe group. The Traveler offers to help him in the upcoming battle, which he initially refuses, but accepts when they tell him they can manipulate elemental energy. Alhaitham is amused that the two didn't even know what they were looking for, but gives them the address of a merchant to try their luck and reveals the item that everyone was looking for; a Knowledge Capsule, a mini Akasha which anyone could access if they connected it to their terminal. However, possession or selling of such capsules are prohibited and thus any the Eremites get their hands on are either used for themselves or sold to the common people or students for profit. The Traveler, insistent on finding the lost capsule, decides to negotiate with Alhaitham, who takes them to a more secluded area first.
There, Alhaitham tells them that he's looking for Dori, a merchant who dabbles in high-quality goods for further collaboration, as her wares are against Akademiya regulations. Believing himself to be on her blacklist, he tells them to gain her trust and avoid any tricks she might have on her sleeve. He offers them a large amount of Mora and her informant's address and password, telling them to use as much Mora as they can to get her trust. After a brief run-down on identifying potentially useful Canned Knowledge, he warns them to be wary of the Matra, as many have been present in the port lately; they serve as the Akademiya's regulatory body.
The two head to Dori's informants and reach the warehouse, where they gain their trust before they spot the matra and run. They reach the merchant, Dori, who states that the matra sighting was just a bluff as she wants customers who could run so they wouldn't get in trouble if they actually arrived. Dori, learning why they came, showcases some Canned Knowledge; the Traveler uses Elemental Sight to pick the best three. Paimon takes Dori's extra offer, so they decide to take the knowledge regarding sword fighting.
- Ever So Close
With Dori's trust gained, the two head to the Wikala Funduq to meet up with Alhaitham, where they give him the canned knowledge. Asking why they're intent with the lost capsule, he learns that they wish to meet the Dendro Archon. He reveals that the capsule lost by the Akademiya is apparently one containing divine knowledge and that it is in the port. He had made an agreement with several Eremite brigades, wishing to forgo ownership in return for studying it; however, brigades like Ayn Al-Ahmar were unwilling to negotiate. With the Traveler's aid, he had made significant gains and asks them to meet up with Dori to buy information on the divine capsule. After informing him they bought one, Paimon asks him how to use it, so they head to the outskirts of port to test it.
Using the Canned Knowledge, Alhaitham evaluates the Traveler's combat capabilities and notes that they had a slight combat improvement, as they were so strong that it barely changed anything. After waiting two days, they return to Dori for information, who reveals that the leader of Ayn Al-Ahmar, Mizri, acquired the capsule. They then head to the docks to meet with the brigade and fight them, with Mizri soon appearing, having taken the knowledge. However, he appears to be in a dazed trance and nearly beats up Tariq, forcing Alhaitham to cut his connection to the Akasha Terminal. As the matra arrive to take Mizri away, Alhaitham secretly pilfers the capsule from Mizri, who mutters "World... forget me", the same words the Traveler heard from Irminsul when they arrived in Sumeru. Alhaitham returns to the Akademiya while Paimon remembers the Sabzeruz Festival and advises the Traveler to rest and relax for the time being.
Act II - The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings[]
- The Coming of the Sabzeruz Festival
Returning to the Grand Bazaar, Paimon greets Dunyarzad, who asks them how their trip to Port Ormos went. The Traveler tells them that they did not get any useful information about Lesser Lord Kusanali and remarks on joining them in the future, causing Dehya to appear and scold her for the thought. Dunyarzad asks Dehya to relax for the day, who agrees since she'll be on the lookout for suspicious people during the festival.
Paimon yawns, so Dunyarzad provides them with some accommodation for the night. The following day, they catch up to her, where she expresses excitement over the Sabzeruz Festival, having been unable to sleep enough for the day. They walk around the stalls to support the merchants, who had come to support the festival out of the blue and without regard to profit. After visiting a candy stall, Dunyarzad decides to return to the lodging as she forgot something, but they soon run into an Eremite brigade intent on capturing her. However, Dehya arrives and insists on taking the group alone, so the two flee to safety.
After getting some distance, Dehya returns, having routed the enemy brigade but Dunyarzad notices that she's injured, which Dehya mentions was as a result of not getting used to her new greatsword. Dunyarzad then realizes that the anonymous donation was actually from Dehya. After Dunyarzard begins to show signs of fatigue, Dehya orders the Traveler to bring her somewhere safe while she patrols the area to ensure no one else was following them.
At another area, Dunyarzad reveals to the Traveler and Paimon that she is afflicted with Eleazar and has lived with it for so long that her death seems inevitable; as such, she was doing everything to make an impact and be remembered for something. She then remembers the dance and the three race to the bazaar, only to find Nilou being scolded by Azar and Setaria. Dunyarzad is surprised to see Azar in-person and attempts to intervene, but the Traveler stops her as the Akademiya has too much power. Azar demands that the stage be dismantled before expressing an intent to decree the prohibiting of public art performances through the Akasha. With no choice, the festival ends early, although Nilou promises to make a better festival the following year. As Paimon laments how the festival ended early, a beeping sound is heard with an unknown voice stating that the project has just begun.
- The Arrival of the Sabzeruz Festival
The festival repeats again, however, the Traveler feels as if something is off. At the candy stall, the Traveler takes their leave and heads to Lambad Tavern and orders some Charcoal-Baked Ajilenakh Cakes and eats them, recalling the taste. Paimon realizes that something is off too and they attempt to try something else, only to notice Dunyarzad sitting at the bench. They then witness Azar and Setaria scolding Nilou; with nothing discovered, they sleep again and the same beep starts again. This time, the voice notices a variation in the data and orders someone or something to monitor what's causing it.
- The Continuation of the Sabzeruz Festival
As the festival loops again, the Traveler guesses all the candies in the boxes before spotting a strange girl and chases after her. After stopping at the Bimarstan hospital, the girl shows a Canned Knowledge and has both the Traveler and Paimon use it, causing them to realize that they've been stuck in a one-day samsara for several days now. The Dunyarzad that appeared on the cot is the actual one and is deathly ill. The girl introduces herself as Nahida and states that she's trying her best to save her, but they don't have a lot of time and tells them to find as much information as possible before the day ends.
The two try to ask the same people if they felt anything strange, but then decide to go to Dehya. After revealing that they knew about the kidnappers and Dehya selling her greatsword, they take her to Nahida. However, she fails to see Nahida, who tells the two that only they can see her. However, Dehya suddenly senses Dunyarzad's aura, feeling her regret and disappointment, so the Traveler begins to explain what was happening. Dehya agrees with their logic, believing that the sages were probably responsible for the samsara. Nahida then tells them that the Akasha uses the Gnosis to operate and that it gathers and compiles knowledge to the people; upon mentioning this, Dehya is confused as to what compiling meant.
The Traveler concludes that the Akasha is causing mental fatigue, in which Dehya notes that her head feels heavier than usual and wonders if the Akasha is harvesting information from them. Everyone takes their terminals off, but the beeping sound is heard again and the next day begins. The Traveler and Paimon remember everything this time and are met by Nahida. After running the entire day again, the Traveler and Paimon notice that Dehya wasn't injured fighting the kidnappers. When asking her if something felt off, she felt as if she knew how to use her greatsword despite not remembering it, making the two hopeful that something might have changed.
Returning to Nahida, she tells them to wait the next day.
- The Causality of the Sabzeruz Festival
The following day, they return to Dehya, who finds their theory of having their memories erased absurd. As proof of her own evidence, she shows them a training dummy, stating that the sages would have no way to reproduce her swordsmanship for each loop. They then realize that they haven't left the city and decide to do so, reporting back to Nahida, who told them that they already did it twice, so they wait the next day.
- The Empty Illusions of the Sabzeruz Festival
Carrying out the plan, Paimon tells them what happened in the two days they left; they seemingly never returned and the Traveler reported that they couldn't go back and that the festival was one of many spaces. Realizing they need more information, they ask Nahida to create a device, who does so and such records the messages. The Traveler then realizes the truth of the Akasha and the sages are actually stealing dreams from the people of Sumeru. They also realize that Nahida is actually Lesser Lord Kusanali, the Dendro Archon they're looking for. After finishing up questions regarding the dreamscape, the beep rings and they wait the next day.
- The End of the Sabzeruz Festival
The next day, Nahida disappointingly informs them that Dunyarzad's consciousness disappeared, as it could no longer handle the Akasha harvesting. The Traveler and Paimon are also saddened by her apparent demise, but Nahida tells them how to break the samsara; by making the host of the samsara realize they're dreaming. They first decide to go to Vihar, but discover that he isn't the host. After hearing Dehya yelling in the distance, the Traveler goes to her to help against the Eremites, even though Dehya handled them herself in the previous cycles.
Ordering Dehya to leave, the Traveler takes their anger over Dunyarzad's fate on the Eremites before deciding to investigate what Dunyarzad had forgotten. However, feeling it would be rude to just enter without permission, Paimon notices an open window and flies inside, returning with a diary containing her thoughts on the two. Running off to the puppet Dunyarzad, they thank it before sitting down on the nearby bench. They then decide to watch the Dance of Sabzeruz and find Azar and Setaria scolding Nilou. However, the Traveler bumps in, causing them to freeze, confirming their suspicions that they were actually puppets.
Nilou is surprised by the Traveler's intervention before realizing the flowers at the back are actual Padisarahs, causing them to realize that Nilou is actually the host of the dream, since genuine Padisarahs have been long extinct. As Paimon wonders how to break her out of the dream, Nilou realizes that she's dreaming and explains about the tale of the First Sage. Now realizing she's in a dream, Nilou decides to perform the dance as the dreamscape dissolves, during which the two also see Dunyarzad's spirit. Waking up, they run back to where they met Nahida, finding Dunyarzad back in-person and Katheryne next to her.
- Dawn
Talking to "Katheryne", they realize that it is just Nahida possessing her. She suggests speaking elsewhere and they stop by the same bench, where Nahida reveals she left the city in the last cycle and found a fragment of Dunyarzhad's consciousness, which she was barely able to sustain until the samsara broke. However, she is significantly tired from doing so, but tells the two that the Akasha would be unable to host an event of such size for some time. She plans to investigate what caused the sages to step out of line before leaving to rest. As she leaves, Katheryne comes back to her own senses and asks the two what happened.
Act III - Dreams, Emptiness, Deception[]
The Sabzeruz Festival samsara finally comes to an end.
The path to saving the god lies within the desert stars.
"I am the lord of the scarlet soil. My deeds are world-renowned, and even the strong kneel before me!"
- Like a Triumphant Hero
Paimon suddenly thinks about Katheryne and thus asks the Traveler to check up on her. When they arrive, she gives them strange commissions, causing them to realize that they're actually talking to Nahida instead. Nahida has a plan to try to figure out what the sages are learning but suggests speaking elsewhere. Paimon asks about Dunyarzad's health, to which Nahida states that she's recovering, but to fully remove Eleazar, they need to fix Irminsul's withering.
At the arranged spot, Nahida asks the Traveler for their suggestions, all of which she declines due to the immense risks. She instead reveals that they should find someone who has ties with them but hasn't fully dedicated their cause. The Traveler initially believes this to be Alhaitham, but Nahida had already decided on Setaria, Azar's subordinate. She explains that Setaria actually hails from the desert, but is plagued by her guilt over the sages' questionable work and inability to help the desert people. As such, she believes that if they can make Setaria confront her guilt, they'll have a mole on the inside.
Nahida takes them to the marketplace where they talk with Nabiya, Akim and Qishan, where the Traveler learns how they speak and how to act. The following day, as Setaria prepares her to shop, Nahida tells the Traveler that because she still has trouble with human behavior, they'll be the ones to do the job. Using her powers, the Traveler remotely possesses them and passes off the impression that they're believers of King Deshret. During her conversation with Nabiya, they learn that King Deshret's resurrection is actually a misinformation campaign by the Akademiya. After talking to the three, Setaria panics and flags down Rima to warn the matra of the heretics, but Rima becomes possessed and forces Setaria to admit her guilt and promise to help. Setaria also reveals that an expelled outcast returned to the city, causing the sages to be wary.
Worried that the Akademiya might be keeping tabs on her, Setaria advises to pick the documents up at the entrance the following night. When the time comes, the Traveler and Nahida note that there's far fewer people out on the streets, causing them some worry. Nonetheless, they head to the Akademiya entrance, where they find many people in a trance. Suddenly, a man appears and introduces himself as Il Dottore, the second of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. Dottore reveals that he manipulated the peoples' Akasha Terminals to believe that the Traveler is a hero, causing them to approach them. However, Nahida uses her powers to put them all to sleep and urges them to run.
After gaining enough distance, Paimon is shocked to discover a high-ranking Harbinger in Sumeru and that the Fatui were also involved in the sages' plot. With no other leads to go on, the Traveler decides to visit Tighnari.
- The Gaze from a Certain God
Making their way to Gandharva Ville, the Traveler and Paimon are ambushed by an Eremite group led by Tashfin, although they manage to repel the mercenaries. Arriving into the ville, they find Collei, who's glad to see them. She remarks that her Eleazar condition has gotten worse recently and as such, Tighnari ordered her to stay at the ville. She also reveals that he went to Pardis Dhyai for reasons unknown.
Arriving at Pardis Dhyai, the pair run into Nahida, who had escaped Dottore's grasp by mind-jumping at the last second. However, she believes he might trap her in the Akasha system, forcing them to double their efforts. The Traveler explains that they're looking for Tighnari and she assists them in the search. When they arrive at the greenhouse, they run into Haypasia, who believes that she had reached Paripurna Life and offers to show them what she saw, which the Traveler accepts.
The vision that Haypasia saw was actually that of Scaramouche's memory, much to the Traveler and Paimon's shock as they realize that she went mad, only for her to realize the same too as she walks off. Nahida then senses that something's wrong and they run out, only to find Corps of Thirty members arriving to attack. While the Traveler tries their best to repel the assassins, Nahida is stabbed in the chest by a spear, although the two manage to connect a finger.
The Traveler suddenly finds themselves in Nahida's own body at the Sanctuary of Surasthana, where they witness Scaramouche in the process of being made a god. When they come to back in their own body, they find themselves fleeing Pardis Dhyai with Tighnari escorting them, where Paimon reveals that he heard the commotion and helped them defeat the assassins. While the Traveler's consciousness was displaced into Nahida's body, Nahida had been swapped into theirs to help them escape — unfortunately, Nahida was captured by the Doctor upon swapping back, leaving her trapped in the Sanctuary with no means of controlling bodies remotely anymore.
Tighnari advises the Traveler to not give up, relaying the last message Nahida could leave behind: "Even in a moonless night, a shower of starlight can still drown out illusions and lies." Recognizing that she once used "Starlight" to refer to The Eremites like Setaria, the Traveler realizes that Nahida must want them to seek help from the desert folk of the Great Red Sand. The Traveler then tells the two what they saw from Nahida's vision; with two Harbingers in Sumeru, trouble is bound to happen. Tighnari also reveals that he went to Pardis Dhyai to monitor Haypasia's condition, as it was unusual compared to other scholars and that the matra would have dragged her to Aaru Village otherwise. He suggests they head to Caravan Ribat to reach the desert while he stays behind to help Haypasia.
- The Four at Loggerheads
Arriving at Caravan Ribat, the Traveler and Paimon remark about the Wall of Samiel when Alhaitham appears and tells them to follow him, narrowly escaping a group of Eremites who were hunting them down. Alhaitham tells them that he's still studying the capsule and believes the Traveler might be hiding something from him before offering to go to Aaru Village with them, which they accept.
When they arrive at the village, the Traveler senses someone waiting to attack and parries the first strike before they clash with Alhaitham to a standstill. Alhaitham recognizes the man as Cyno, the General Mahamatra. Cyno demands he reveal the Divine Knowledge Capsule before Alhaitham questions him being alone in the desert, as the other matra were wondering where he went. Suddenly, Dehya arrives and tries to mediate, although the two men are still insistent on fighting. A sandstorm then kicks up, forcing the group into the village chief's hut when another woman calls out to them.
Inside, the woman introduces herself as Candace and warns them not to cause a fight in the village again before asking them to explain what happened. Cyno goes first, stating that he put himself in exile after noticing missing data that Azar submitted himself. When he tried to investigate, Azar denied his request, stating that he had no right to judge them. Cyno then reveals that Alhaitham had been tasked with tracking the Traveler, who doesn't deny the accusation, but reveals that he did not accept it, as the sages had promised him divine knowledge, which he found extremely suspicious. Dehya then explains that she was just bored and wanted to return to the village, just as they hear growling outside. Candace leaves the house to handle the monsters.
After some time passes, the Traveler and Dehya worry about her condition, so they head out and find her fighting some riftwolves and join in, repelling the enemy attack. The village chief, Uncle Anpu, then arrives, explaining that the Village Keepers have gone missing recently with no trace. Cyno explains that they're actually the exiled scholars of the Akademiya, as they believe that their crazed ramblings would give a negative psyche to others. Cyno then asks the Traveler to meet him elsewhere for a conversation.
At the arranged spot, Cyno explains the history of the Village Keepers; they were initially shunned by the village due to not being useful, but when an earthquake struck one day a mad scholar crouched to the ground with a green light radiating from him, protecting the entire village from any damage. The Traveler believes this to be the Dendro Archon's work, which Cyno believes and is surprised to learn that the Archon walks among the people. Just then, a boy named Isak appears and asks them to help find his grandpa.
Returning to the chief's house, Cyno confirms with Candace about Isak, who explains his past to them. Isak is delighted to learn that they'll be searching for his grandpa, so they begin to look for leads.
Act IV - King Deshret and the Three Magi[]
- The Missing Village Keepers
The Traveler and Cyno begin their investigation on the missing Village Keepers by talking to some of the locals. After talking to them, Cyno overhears two others talking about King Deshret's resurrection and confronts them. The two people, Sharkan and Makan, are terrified of Cyno's presence and quickly spill everything they know, including their hatred for the Dendro Archon and that a "radical" was responsible for the missing cases. Cyno warns them not to warn the radicals before Isak brings them to his grandpa's house, where the Traveler nearly faints from the aftermath of some incense.
Cyno then catches a whiff of the incense after concentrating and upon hearing Paimon mention Tighnari, tells them that he's a friend of his. After some further investigation around the hut, he discovers that someone else had come in and lured Isak's grandpa away with the incense. Returning to the village chief's house, Dehya suggests visiting her drinking friends at Caravan Ribat, but stops Cyno from coming along as she's worried he might intimidate them. Cyno and Candace remain behind while the Traveler accompanies Dehya.
As the two travel back to Caravan Ribat, Dehya expresses her hatred for the Wall of Samiel, explaining that its purpose of protecting the rainforest from sandstorms has been co-opted by the sages to also keep the Eremites out of Sumeru, as the sages simply take advantage of them, regarding the desertfolk as little more than tools or livestock to be exploited and discarded, "undeserving" of the Akasha's wisdom. At the local tavern, Dehya meets with Zaki and tells him to let Delavar that she has a spice deal for him. When Zaki takes them to the arranged spot, it is revealed to be an ambush, with both Delavar and Engur also appearing. Believing Dehya to be an incompetent fighter, they are quickly surprised when she and the Traveler defeats them with ease before taking them back to Aaru Village.
The following night, Candace interrogates the radicals for information and they reveal that the Eremite band had met with a masked man claiming to be King Deshret's envoy, who gave them incense to lure the Village Keepers out. They would then meet at a junction where the man would take them away to an unknown location. Uncle Anpu then chimes in, but to ensure the radicals wouldn't learn anything, Cyno knocks them out. Uncle Anpu states that he believes the mystery man might be related to the Akademiya, as they approached him before to take the Village Keepers back, which he refused.
The group prepares to set out for the desert to find more information, while Candace stays behind to handle the radicals.
- Cry from the Eleazar Hospital
Before the group leaves, Paimon spots Alhaitham, believing he had done nothing useful. Alhaitham tells them he had stayed in the village to continue his investigation and reveals that one of the villagers they spoke to had not been completely truthful to them. He explains that if the person had become too friendly to the Village Keepers, they could make themselves a target for the radicals. The group quickly realizes that Shani had lied and return to her home to demand an explanation. Shani explains that she could hear screaming in the night, which Alhaitham confirmed with one of the village guards. After asking what was around the village, Shani tells them that there was an abandoned Eleazar hospital nearby and they go there to investigate.
Arriving at Dar al-Shifa, the Traveler eliminates the monsters camping outside. After Alhaitham unlocks the entrance, they wait for nightfall, upon which they hear the crying that Shani had heard. Alhaitham discovers a hidden entrance and after unlocking a few more mechanisms, they enter the hospital and discover a person inside, who Alhaitham recognizes as Razak. Alhaitham realizes that they might be too late, since there were traces that indicated a hasty withdrawal. He explains that the Akademiya's misinformation campaign made the radicals spring into action to unknowingly help in their plans while ensuring that no liability could be traced to them, reminding them of their encounter with Mizri at Port Ormos as an example.
They take Razak back to the village, where they brief the others on what they found at the hospital. Cyno wonders how the Akademiya is aware of their plans before Alhaitham tells him that he's the mole, much to his anger. He explains that the sages knew of his conviction and that it posed a threat to them, so they needed to monitor him at all times. While he was idling about, Alhaitham found a book detailing his activities and movements which were uploaded to the Akasha on Jnagarbha Day. Cyno fails to see the reasoning behind it until Alhaitham tells him that the Akasha is capable of computation, thus it could predict his activities for the day. Cyno is initially dismayed at this, but realizes that if they were trying to avoid him, the perpetrators would go in the direction opposite of him; the desert.
Heading out into the desert, they find some headsets buried in the sand and continue following them, surmising that they were left there recently. Cyno then hears arguing and they spot Dehya and a group of Eremites led by Rahman. Isak, believing Dehya to have betrayed them, confronts her, causing the others to follow up, much to Dehya's annoyance as she was trying to convince Rahman to aid them. Rahman refuses to accept Dehya's reasoning, so Alhaitham offers himself as a hostage, although he still refuses to accept the deal. Dehya asks Alhaitham if he'd uphold his promises, which he does. Dehya then asks Rahman if he trusts her, which he does. She then offers her right arm as payment for her friends' words, which Rahman accepts and orders one of his men to chop her arm off.
At the last moment, Rahman changes his mind, believing that cutting her arm off would be akin to cutting his own fingers and sees no point in hurting his own kin. He allows the group to leave, but demands a fight the next day to settle the score, which she accepts.
- Secret of the Scorching Desert
The next day, the group heads out to meet up with Rahman's group. However, they only find one of the Village Keepers, which Rahman states that it was a one-on-one exchange since he had reluctantly accepted the honesty of Dehya's friends. This angers her, who immediately charges and easily overwhelms him. One of Rahman's men then threatens Isak's grandpa, but when his hands start shaking, another scolds him for cowardice. The man then loosens his grip before realizing that it's an earthquake, but Isak's grandpa suddenly glows and protects the entire group with a barrier as the sands swallow them.
When the group comes to, they find themselves in some mysterious ruins which excites Rahman as the ruins belong to King Deshret. Rahman leaves his group to let them recover as he joins the others in investigating, where they find the Dendro Archon's power imbued in the ruins, which gets the group's attention due to the harmony between the Dendro Archon and King Deshret. After running into some runes, Alhaitham deciphers them, revealing the transcript to be from Kasala, the last priest of King Deshret. The transcript tells how King Deshret introduced forbidden knowledge to his people, causing them to go mad; to save them, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata used her own powers to give the people life. This was not without a cost, as King Deshret chose to sacrifice himself to prevent the knowledge from returning, while Rukkhadevata reverted to a small child.
Rahman is shocked by the transcript before realizing that he and his people made an enemy of their savior and accepts the truth. He apologizes to the group for his actions and promises to return the Village Keepers and share what supplies his people have after explaining to them what he saw. Upon arriving at his stronghold, Rahman brings the group to the perpetrators, Morghi and Judar. Upon seeing both Alhaitham and Cyno, they become terrified. The Traveler asks them if the sages were planning to create a new god, which they confirm, much to the group's surprise. They explain that since Rukkhadevata's death, scientific breakthroughs had been rare and on the decline. After Il Dottore approached them with the notion to create a new god, they accepted and began to set the plan in motion, with the dream samsara and harvesting Divine Canned Knowledge from the mad scholars being part of the process to create their new god.
Returning to the village with the Village Keepers and the suspects, everyone agrees that what the sages are doing is completely unacceptable and begin to concoct a plan to crush the sages and rescue their true god.
Act V - Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises[]
- Through the Predawn Night
As the day starts, the Traveler and Paimon find Candace, who tells them that everyone is waiting. She asks has them promise that they wouldn't get too reckless before entering the village chief's home, where they catch up with Alhaitham, Cyno and Dehya. They formulate a plan before going off to finish up some last minute preparations. Alhaitham's plan involves taking action on the next Jnagarbha Day. Candace could tell that the meeting went along well and while she would remain behind to protect the village, she prays for their success.
Catching up to Alhaitham, he had just finished speaking with Rahman. Alhaitham reminds them that they need to commit to the plan due to the serious circumstances involved. He then states that as a scholar, he could advise the mercenaries from behind rather than having to fight at the front. He also points out that he had not known of forbidden knowledge while working at the Akademiya and suspects that the scholars and mercenaries who used it fell victim to its corruption; however, the Akademiya treated it as something else, and he suspects that what is happening now happened in the past. Paimon tells him that Tighnari had told them that Irminsul was connected to Sumeru's ailments and that they should inform Nahida, although Alhaitham fails to see the reason why until the Traveler explains it to him. This makes him conclude that saving Lesser Lord Kusanali much more important, but before they could start, he needs finish his preparations and they head off to Rahman's base.
Arriving at Rahman's base, they find Morghi and Judar working, as Alhaitham had given them something to do. Paimon spots the headset from before alongside some Canned Knowledge capsules, causing her to become nervous. Alhaitham explains that they wouldn't be using them yet, but asks the Traveler to remind themselves of their conviction. As they wear the headset, Alhaitham asks them to simulate the successful rescue of Kusanali and that Sumeru's political landscape has changed. Paimon is still unsure as to his intentions before he explains that people have relied too much on the Akasha and thus they're slaves to orders. With his preparation done, he sends them off to Cyno at Caravan Ribat while he finishes up some other small tasks with the Akademiya scholars.
Making their way to Cyno, the Traveler finds him arguing with Rahman over the plan, as Cyno could not accept a plan with immense casualties. Rahman states that they don't have a choice and that it's their best option, but Cyno is still unconvinced, as he had gone to Alhaitham for advice. Rahman admits that he knows the ways of the desert before he explains the plan; using his capacities as a Matra, Cyno would work with the guards at the outpost to arrest Rahman's men, as they were unregistered and that the outpost would never accept so much Eremites at once, being their best bet to infiltrate Sumeru City. Cyno states that Alhaitham gave him that suggestion and while he would ensure his men would not be hurt, the other guards wouldn't be as considerate and he is against meaningless loss. The Traveler offers to help, which both accept. Cyno, seeing Rahman's determination, decides to go with the plan.
Heading to the outpost, Cyno informs the guards that he's about to make a large arrest and needs their assistance in apprehending them. The guards go off to inform their superiors; as they do so, Paimon is worried that they might have been feigning support. However, Cyno reminds them of their discussion, in which Alhaitham believed that the guards at Caravan Ribat should be unaware that Cyno had stepped down due to his fellow Matra not knowing his current status and that if something happened to him, it would attract unwanted attention and potentially expose their master plan. Alhaitham also reminds the group of the Akasha's computation capabilities, although confident that it would be unable to discover their plan yet as they were all working together. Paimon is relieved before Cyno reminds her to pay attention next time as they hear footsteps.
The guards returned with their superior, Luxembarbo, who Cyno briefs on his mission and introduces the Traveler and Paimon as his assistant and their construct respectively. Cyno requests an elite platoon to set out in two days to apprehend Rahman's men. After two days pass, they meet up with Cyno at the outskirts of the village, where they find Luxembarbo and his men there already. Cyno reminds them that they need Rahman's men alive before they conveniently arrive on scene. After a brief struggle, Rahman and his men are arrested and taken away.
With no one to hear them, Cyno promises to get Rahman and his men into Sumeru City before asking them to proceed with the next part of the plan; assisting Dehya in convincing Tighnari to support them. While Paimon is concerned that he would not help due to not telling him the full plan, Cyno is confident that his relationship with Tighnari would get the message through.
- As by a God's Side
Returning to Caravan Ribat, Dehya jokingly scolds them for being late. Due to the threat posed by Il Dottore, Dehya states that they'll need information on him before proceeding with their plan. The current plan involves heading to Pardis Dhyai to find Tighnari, who Alhaitham and Cyno believe still have the Akademiya's trust, and thus use him to get as much information as possible to adjust their plan if needed.
Arriving at Pardis Dhyai, they find Tighnari and ask to speak with him privately. Learning that Cyno was working with them, he agrees to help out in any way possible while not asking for the finer details. When they ask him about Dottore, he tells them that the Harbinger had just left, having arrived to ask him to give Haypasia to him for reasons unknown outside of working on her treatment. Tighnari refused, as he sensed an aura similar to that of other scholars. Dottore admitted that he would have dealt with him, but with the Tsaritsa calling for his return, he had no time but remarked that he could finish up some loose ends before leaving.
Asking where he went, Tighnari points them in the direction he left in. Although Paimon is unsure as to how they could track him, Dehya uses her mercenary skills and determines he's leaving via Port Ormos. There, they find a large Fatui entourage before they hide in Wikala Funduq. However, Dottore spots and waves at them, causing them to realize that he had misled them and that they're going after Haypasia instead. Rushing back to Pardis Dhyai, they help Tighnari drive the Fatui off before checking on Haypasia. However, touching her caused a manifestation of Scaramouche to appear, who tells them that their mission is futile as neither they nor Nahida could defeat him.
The Traveler asks why he's talking to them, in which he replies that he's just in a good mood. They ask some questions, stating that the Akademiya only sees him as a new Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and that the process to ascend him is risky. While Scaramouche notes their genuine concern, he states that he was always meant to be a god. He expresses his disgust for humanity, but when the Traveler points out that he could have cut his connection to Haypasia, he admits that he does have some affection for her, in that he saw her worthy to be his first follower due to seeing his past. The Traveler informs him of Dottore's intentions, but he believes it as an attempt to sow discord and showcases his newfound power by causing lightning around Pardis Dhyai.
Worried about Dehya and Tighnari, they head out and find that Tighnari had been struck by lightning. Dehya states that the weather took a change and tore most of the Fatui. Tighnari states that he'll be fine, but notices that the Traveler looks concerned. Heading in the greenhouse, the Traveler informs them of their encounter with Scaramouche. Dehya takes this as their plan being successful, as Dottore had left. She tells them to meet up with the group at the Grand Bazaar at the appointed time.
- Jnagarbha Day
The next day, the Traveler meets up with Alhaitham outside the Akademiya and asks for a rundown of the plan again. Alhaitham states that they'll be infiltrating Azar's office to access his console, as there should be a way to free Kusanali from the Sanctuary of Surasthana. As Jnagarbha Day is important for the Akademiya, Alhaitham states that they'll just head straight in through the front door, much to Paimon's astonishment. Once they enter, they're met by Viraf, who questions the Traveler's arrival, only for Alhaitham to tell him the reason should be obvious as he walks off.
Further inside, they head into the House of Daena, where they lay low to ensure they wouldn't run into Azar in the process. However, Azar intercepts them, having been informed by an eyewitness. He takes them to their office, stating that due to Jnagarbha Day, he has little time for small talk and asks why they came before detaining them. The Traveler warns him of the Fatui's motives, but he pays no attention to it, being interested only in their new god. Alhaitham gives him information on the Traveler, leading the two to believe he had betrayed them. However, Azar calls Alhaitham out on his own plan. In an apparent fit of rage, Alhaitham drops the Divine Knowledge Capsule and lunges at Azar, but misses, although he knocks something over before the guards apprehend him. Azar orders him to be exiled to Aaru Village before locking the Traveler and Paimon up, confident that with the Traveler out of the way, the sages' plan would be set for good. As Alhaitham is dragged away, his Akasha reverts to green, revealing that his "insanity" was just a ploy as Nilou watches and smiles.
In the confinement room, the Traveler and Paimon go over the plan again, as the Traveler had also been tasked to wake Nahida from the Akasha. They manage to find a spot with stable connection and connect to Nahida's consciousness. They initially have trouble connecting to Nahida, as she has self-doubt over her capabilities as an Archon, but after hearing an unknown voice, is convinced to do her best. The Traveler breaks a barrier surrounding her and manages to wake her up. With Nahida's consciousness awoken, the next part of the plan begins.
Outside, Sheikh Zubayr asks Nilou if she really intends to go with the plan, which she affirms. Zubayr concedes, but warns her to be careful, as the few people of the Bazaar might be unable to help her. Nilou makes her way to the Akademiya, where she performs at the entrance. Azar orders the guards to detain her, but when the order is uploaded to the guards, they're told that Kusanali escaped into the city and are ordered to apprehend her. Alhaitham had planned for this possibility, thus leaving the Akademiya without guards, allowing Dehya and the Eremites to go into action. Dressing Isak as Kusanali, they lure the guards into the Bazaar and defeat them.
Back at the Akademiya, Azar wonders where the guards are when Uday arrives, having done what he was told. Azar checks the Akasha himself, discovering the order but wonders how it got there in the first place. When Uday questions the Akasha, he unintentionally angers Azar, who goes to the Sanctuary of Surasthana to investigate. When he arrives to confirm the information himself, he runs into Cyno, who demands that he plead guilty to the archon herself. Meanwhile, Dehya frees the Traveler from the confinement room and tells them that the plan was a success.
Heading into the Sanctuary, the Traveler and Paimon meet Nahida in-person for the first time. Nahida apologizes for putting through situations she caused, but they decline the apology as she wasn't at fault. Now knowing the full extent of the damage, Nahida reverts the Akasha to be used by herself only and revoke all of the sages' access, make them pay for their crimes and also to stop the false god. She advises them to prepare themselves.
- Where the Boat of Consciousness Lies
Inside, Nahida remarks on the intricacy of the Akasha before giving the Traveler an "upgraded" version which she made just recently and would help them in their travels. She also reveals that she discovered the false god's location. She also intends to support them, as she doesn't have enough power to fight yet. Needing to connect to Scaramouche's consciousness, they enter the facility, which had been made by the Fatui. As they head deeper into the facility, Nahida could sense that Scaramouche was either nearing or already became a god. When they finally reach him, they find him in a large mechanical suit and that he sees himself as a god, although Nahida notes that the sages weren't able to infuse the Divine Knowledge Capsules into him and that he lacks the spiritual height of one. Nahida awakens him in order to get his attention before he challenges them to a fight as to reenact a scene of the Archon War despite Nahida's pleas otherwise.
Despite the Traveler's initial attempts, Scaramouche plunges his arm into Nahida's chest to grab her Gnosis, but Nahida reveals that he had been in a repeating samsara. Due to the samsaras, she proceeds to impart the combat knowledge to the Traveler to put them on better fighting terms, alongside compiling the knowledge of Sumeru's people with the Akasha to the "upgraded" terminal, allowing them to defeat Scaramouche. Nahida proceeds to grab the Electro Gnosis from the mechanical chest, causing Scaramouche to fall out as he begs for Nahida not to take it from him.
Using the Electro Gnosis alongside her own, Nahida and the Traveler enter Rukkhadevata's final memory, although she was surprised to see it severely contaminated. The Traveler explains the concept of forbidden knowledge to her, which she connects to King Deshret's time and also the cataclysm. Nahida clutches in pain as the corroded consciousness is affecting everyone, so set out and find a boat to take them to Rukkhadevata's lucid consciousness to find the answers they seek. When they arrive, the Traveler recalls seeing the same place when they first arrived in Sumeru before they meet a replica of Nahida, although it is Rukkhadevata's consciousness.
Nahida has many questions for Rukkhadevata, who reveals that she created Nahida from the purest Irminsul branch to serve as her incarnation in the next samsara. Rukkhadevata states that to save Irminsul, Nahida would have to erase her from it, which would remove all traces of her having ever existed on Teyvat. Nahida is upset at this, but regretfully complies. As Rukkhadevata is removed, Irminsul is restored, which in turn allows the people of Sumeru to dream again and removes the forbidden knowledge completely. Returning to the real world, Nahida and Paimon have forgotten about Rukkhadevata, but the Traveler has not; as the Traveler contemplates telling the truth, they suddenly fall asleep.
Dottore then walks in, having waited too long to speak with Nahida in person and that he simply used a sound wave to put the Traveler and Paimon to sleep. He reveals he came to negotiate, but also reminds her that she can't fight him. Nahida admits this, but threatens to destroy the Electro Gnosis, which in turn could potentially awaken Celestia. Dottore falls for the threat, but Nahida, knowing that Ei's Gnosis would bring disaster to Sumeru, agrees to give it to him as long as he destroys the other segments. Dottore states that he spent many rare resources making them, but agrees and eliminates them all. With the deal made, Dottore inquires about her own Dendro Gnosis, as it has no use now that the Akasha is going to be shut down. Dottore offers her information about "the skies of Teyvat being fake" in exchange for her own Gnosis.
The Traveler regains consciousness at Gandharva Ville, with Paimon waking them up.
- A Toast to Victory
Catching up with Collei, the three have breakfast before finding that Nilou had left them a letter. Opening it, they discover that she's invited them to a celebratory feast as Cyno had returned to his original position as General Mahamatra. As they meet up with Tighnari, the Traveler learns that Cyno had brought them to Gandharva Ville to recover, although he was unaware that a feast was being held in his name. The Traveler invites the two along, but they refuse, as the Forest Rangers have been much busier as of late. Tighnari also reveals that Azar and the other sages would be spending the rest of their lives in Avidya Forest to cultivate wisdom after hearing that Nahida had defeated Scaramouche and restored Irminsul.
Returning to the Grand Bazaar, Nilou tells the Traveler that she had also sent invitations to Alhaitham, Dehya, Dunyarzad, Rahman and Cyno and asks them to look for them to confirm that they got the invitations. Heading into the House of Daena, they find Alhaitham arguing with Kaveh, who had just returned from the desert to discover that the sages had been overthrown. As Kaveh leaves to confirm it with others, Alhaitham notices the Traveler. He remarks on the absurdity of the situation they had just navigated and that he had rejected an offer to become the Grand Sage, as he did not like being a leader. The Traveler informs him of the feast and he agrees to come.
Heading to Port Ormos, they find Dehya and Dunyarzard, the latter relieved and delighted that all the Eleazar cases were dealt with. Dehya states that she intends to quit serving as her bodyguard, as she wanted to return to her mercenary life. She asks them if Alhaitham told them about considering working for the Akademiya, which they were unaware of. Paimon asks about the invitation, although the two had not been aware of it but thank her and agree to join. Asking where Cyno and Rahman were, Dehya tells them that they were likely at Aaru Village.
Arriving at Aaru Village, the pair catch up with Cyno just as Rahman and Setaria arrive. Setaria reveals that she intends to leave the Akademiya, but continue her studies so she could enrich the well-being of her people, who had been neglected by the Akademiya. Due to Nahida's manipulation earlier, Setaria resolved to return to the desert and was going to confront Azar when she found that he wasn't there, only for Cyno to inform her that he was gone. Nahida, wanting to put the people of the desert on par with the rainforest, devoted many supplies to help out, but Cyno had to contact Rahman's men to get them distributed. Cyno then learns about the feast in his name and agrees to come, while Rahman and Setaria decline as they're too busy.
With all the people on board, the Traveler returns to the Grand Bazaar as the feast goes underway. Noting that everyone had forgotten about Rukkhadevata, and now believed Nahida to have been the Dendro Archon all along, the Traveler decides to keep her memory a secret to honor Rukkhadevata's last wish. After talking to a few people, Nahida connects to the Traveler and uses them as a channel to speak with the rest of the group, thanking them for saving her and all of Sumeru. The group is humbled by her presence before she arrives in-person, bringing the feast to its climax.
The following day, the Traveler returns to the Sanctuary to speak with Nahida, who answers their questions about their next stop, Fontaine, and its Archon, Focalors. Nahida also reveals that their sibling, despite not originating from Teyvat, was recorded in Irminsul as suddenly appearing in Khaenri'ah. According to the information in Irminsul, the sibling began traveling across Teyvat after the cataclysm. However, the records surrounding the climax of their journey are fuzzy, leading Nahida to suspect that someone was intentionally withholding information about their fate. Nahida also reveals that the Fatui had classified them as Teyvat's fourth "Descender," a visitor from outside Teyvat. She suspects the first "Descender" to be the Heavenly Principles, but is unsure as to who the other two were, leaving both with many questions. Nonetheless, she promises to help them with their inquiries, hinting that she may appear in their dreams.
Act VI - Caribert[]
If the one who weaves fate may be born here, then let the one who witnesses fate see it all.
- Destined Encounter
Wandering around Port Ormos, the Traveler and Paimon run into Masrur, who hands them a letter from a "crafty fellow" who used a loophole to get the letter delivered. They read it and find that the letter was from Kaeya, who was stopping at Sumeru and asks to meet up with them at Djafar Tavern in the afternoon. When they arrive, they find that Kaeya had his fill of all the drinks. Paimon wonders as to what he might be doing in Sumeru, believing that as a Captain of the Knights of Favonius, he should be back in Mondstadt and that Jean would be upset. Kaeya states that he had come to scout out Sumeru's alcohol industry, as the tavern itself was home to a special concoction made with spices.
After the Traveler points out that he's alone, Kaeya admits that he had been to Sumeru before but it brings up bad memories. The Traveler tells him that he doesn't have to go into detail, so Kaeya tells them that in his youth, he had heard Crepus discussing sending merchants to Sumeru, knowing that Khaenri'ah was situated under Sumeru and yearning to learn more about his roots, Kaeya stowed away amid the merchants cargo, only to be brought back to Mondstadt by the ear when he was caught. They ask him how much he knows about the nation, and he admits that he only knows a little from reading books, and as he spent less time in Khaenri'ah, he began to care less about it and wondered if his father wanted him to live happily in Mondstadt. As Kaeya remarks that his last name, Alberich, is the last thing tying him to Khaen'riah, Dainsleif inexplicably appears and asks him what he knew about the name.
The Traveler and Paimon are surprised by Dainsleif's appearance while Kaeya greets him, having sensed him listening in onto their conversation. Dainsleif then states that Kaeya's ancestors, the Alberichs, are the founders of the Abyss Order, leaving everyone surprised. Kaeya expresses surprise at the revelation before recognizing Dainsleif as a pure-blooded inhabitant due to his primogem-shaped eyes. Paimon wonders if Kaeya was working for the Abyss Order, but he does not answer that, saying the conversation steered into too serious a topic. Kaeya then takes his leave, since he had a spice merchant to talk business with.
As Kaeya leaves, Paimon remarks that the relationship between Kaeya and Dainsleif appears to be tense, comparing it to oil and water. Dainsleif tells her that he doesn't know him well and wonders if Kaeya is being honest about his relationship to the Abyss Order. The Traveler inquires as to the founding of the Order before Paimon asks what he's doing in Sumeru. Dainsleif states that while recovering, he remembered something related to the "Loom of Fate" operation, which the Traveler's Sibling had mentioned when he was traveling with them in Sumeru and thus is trying to find the place they had gone to together in Avidya Forest. Paimon decides to go, but Dainsleif waits for his drink before they do so.
Arriving at a small farming field, Dainsleif finds the area familiar and they investigate. Paimon worries about rudely intruding, but Dainsleif senses that no one had been around for years. With few leads in the field, they check the hut and find no leads inside either. Dainsleif then hears something outside, where they discover a group of Slimes. After eliminating them, Dainsleif decides to investigate the nearby Ley Lines alone, concerned that something had attracted the monsters. Paimon is worried, but Dainsleif states that the hut is the main investigation and thus the Traveler and Paimon set up a campfire for the night. Paimon asks about the Traveler's sibling, and the Traveler responds that they had frequently looked together at the stars, pointing out planets they wanted to visit, and shares that their stop at Teyvat marked the first time they had been separated. Paimon volunteers to take watch, so the Traveler falls asleep and dreams of their sibling.
The following morning, the Traveler wakes up to find Dainsleif greeting them. Reminding them of their task, he then notices that they must have dreamed of their sibling due to their tears and lets them be.
- Fortune-Mocking Pedigree
When the Traveler fully wakes up, they hear noise coming from the house and investigate, only to find an intimidating man scolding them for intruding into his business. They inquire about Paimon, who tells them that she had left for the forest too. When the man tells them to leave, the Traveler refuses, believing he's hiding something and that they have no chance of finding Paimon in the forest. The man admits that he was worried about them being related to the Forest Rangers or Akademiya and allows them to do as they please. When he decides to go inside, the Traveler insists on following, where they find him with a hilichurl with a bandaged wound.
The man explains that "he" was too young to suffer such a fate before the Traveler realizes the man is from Khaenri'ah. He demands an explanation and the Traveler explains that they knew based on his features. He then asks them if they believe in a god, which they don't. The man then introduces himself as "Eide." He explains that there are few humans who follow no gods and considers those who do to be his enemies. As he rants about the gods and their "gift" that ruined Khaenri'ah, the Traveler asks why some were turned into hilichurls and others were not. Eide explains while only one bloodline founded Khaenri'ah, they welcomed all humans who did not follow the gods. Those considered pure-blooded Khaenri'ahns were deemed the "greater sinners" and given the curse of immortality, while the others were given the curse of the wilderness and transformed into hilichurls.
The Traveler asks about the hilichurl, and the man introduces him as Caribert, his illegitimate son that he had with a woman from Mondstadt while he was unsatisfied with his life as a noble. The Traveler asks him about Caribert's mother, but the man does not disclose anything as he finds it too painful before he remembers what he was going to do and goes out. The Traveler catches up with him and finds him at a crafting bench, where he reveals that he was creating a potion with materials only found in Sumeru to make a temporary cure. Eide asks for some Sumeru Roses and Kalpalata Lotus, with the Traveler assisting and making the medicine. However, it has one more step; to get the blessing of one of the Seven, which Eide finds hard to do but eventually goes with it.
With the medicine fully prepared, they administer it to Caribert, but it has no effect, leaving Eide angered. The Traveler believes that it wasn't enough so they decide to make more. Eide has them fetch some water to grow the strange mushrooms used in the remedy. He then states that he has to leave and asks the Traveler to not let the Forest Rangers discover the place as he makes the fertilizer. Instead, Fungi appear, which the Traveler repels. As they prepare another dose of the medicine at the Statue of The Seven, Eide notices Caribert leaving and they chase after him.
- A Lamenter at Fate's End
Following the hilichurl, Eide realizes that it is not Caribert as it lacks the scarf which he gave him as a gift. Nonetheless, the hilichurl's behavior was unusual and the two decide to follow it to an unknown sanctuary, discovering hilichurls praying to something. Investigating further, the two are greeted by a strange being. The Traveler recognizes it as a being of the Abyss, but is not a member of the Abyss Order. The Traveler defeats it, after which Eide expresses awe at the being's power and how the Traveler easily defeated it. When they reach the end, they find a strange object hung midair and realize that it was the same as the Defiled Statue they encountered before. The Traveler warns Eide to leave, but turns to see Eide suddenly bowing as a mysterious voice that calls itself a "sinner" begins to speak. As the voice leaves, Eide regains consciousness, awed by the experience. Disturbed, the Traveler insists that they leave and they return to his house. After receiving a second dose of the medicine, Caribert regains consciousness, but is somewhat horrified at what he became. Eide tells him that they're in a fairy tale and under no circumstances he is to take off his mask.
Believing that the voice from the strange sanctuary saved his son, Eide returns to it pray, not believing the Traveler's claims that the god was actually a "sinner."
- Portended Fate
Worried for his safety, the Traveler returns to the sanctuary to help clear any monsters on the way. When they return to the spot where they'd heard the voice, the statue is nowhere to be seen, and neither are any hilichurls. Eide decides to return his house, believing they would meet the strange deity again. When they arrive, they discover Caribert missing and the mirror broken on the floor. Worried that he took off his mask and saw himself in the mirror, the two try frantically to track him, running into some Forest Rangers on the way. After being sent in the right direction, they find Caribert imbued with the power of the Abyss as he takes his mask off, rendering the Traveler unconscious.
Once they regain consciousness, Eide reveals himself as Chlothar Alberich and addresses the Traveler as his "Prince" or "Princess," causing the Traveler to pick up the mirror and see themselves as their sibling before falling unconscious again as Chlothar declares his intention to use the power of the Abyss to fight the gods. When they come to, they find Dainsleif and Paimon over them. Dainsleif states that the Abyss had messed with the Ley Lines in the area and he fixed it before the Traveler explains what they saw to the two. Upon digging the field, they find the remains of a man — which they believe is Chlothar, as he had disappeared 100 years after founding the Abyss Order — and a woman. Dainsleif then states that they have to part ways for now, as "he" may have seen the Traveler, referring to the "sinner" they had seen in the vision. He has his suspicions as to who this sinner is, but needs time to confirm their identity and he'll know who he is for sure in their next meeting as he leaves. The Traveler then hugs Paimon.
Characters[]
101 Characters appear in this Chapter:
- Aftab
- Akim
- Alhaitham
- Amal
- Amir
- Asfand
- Azar
- Azmi
- Badis
- Bandi
- Candace
- Caribert
- Collei
- Cyno
- Dainsleif
- Dehya
- Delavar
- Dori
- Dunyarzad
- Ei
- Eide
- Elham
- Engur
- Eymen
- Farhad
- Fateh
- Gaete
- Geoff
- Ghulam
- Greater Lord Rukkhadevata
- Guard
- Habi
- Hajjan
- Hamasa
- Harut
- Haypasia
- Hushang
- Idder
- Isak
- Jabari
- Jayant
- Judar
- Kaeya
- Kasala
- Katheryne
- Kaveh
- Kazan
- Khajeh
- Khalil
- Kimiya
- Kudari
- Kumari
- Lambad
- Latish
- Luxembarbo
- Makan
- Maqrin
- Marut
- Masrur
- Mir
- Mizri
- Morghi
- Muruwa
- Nabiya
- Nahida
- Nasrin
- Nilou
- Nima
- Paimon
- Panah
- Phaki
- Pooria
- Qishan
- Rahman
- Rama
- Raunak
- Razak
- Rima
- Rohawi
- Setaria
- Shani
- Sharaf
- Sharkan
- Sheikh Zubayr
- Shrimati
- Sidhu
- Tanina
- Tariq
- Tashfin
- The Balladeer
- The Doctor
- Tighnari
- Traveler
- Traveler's Sibling
- Tumart
- Uday
- Uncle Anpu
- Vihar
- Viraf
- Voice Inside the Head
- Zaki
Total Rewards[]
21,800 Adventure EXP
360 Primogem
874,625 Mora
74 Hero's Wit
Trivia[]
- The description for the announcement of Acts I and II references quatrains 32 and 9 of Omar Khayyam's Rubaiyat.
- Chapter III is the first and only Archon Quest chapter to not have an act using the name shown in the Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail.
- Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana (Chinese: 虚空劫灰往世书 "The Puranas of Akasha Calamity Ash") may have been originally meant for Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises (Chinese: 虚空鼓动，劫火高扬).
Gallery[]
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name |
|---|---|
| English | Chapter III |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 第三章 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 第三章 |
| Japanese | 第三章 Dai-sanshou |
| Korean | 제3장 Je-3-Jang |
| Spanish | Capítulo III |
| French | Chapitre III |
| Russian | Том III Tom III |
| Thai | บทที่ 3 |
| Vietnamese | Chương 3 |
| German | Kapitel III |
| Indonesian | Chapter III |
| Portuguese | Capítulo III |
| Turkish | Bölüm III |
| Italian | Capitolo III |
Change History[]
- Added:
- Act VI - Caribert
- Added:
- Added:
- Act III - Dreams, Emptiness, Deception
- Act IV - King Deshret and the Three Magi
- Chapter III was released with:
- Act I - Through Mists of Smoke and Forests Dark
- Act II - The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings
References[]
- ↑ YouTube: Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview
