Khaenri'ah/History

OverviewCultureHistory

See also: Timeline and Cataclysm

A timeline of historical events in Khaenri'ah. References are provided as much as possible. Notes expand on the deduction and reasoning used to draw certain conclusions, which can be read either by hovering over (desktop-only) or clicking on the note. Some specific types of notes found on the page:

• Lore Discrepancy: When information provided in the game is self-contradictory, retroactively changed, or contradicts information from outside media (such as the manga), it is considered a lore discrepancy. This is different from a translation discrepancy, in which information is contradictory or misleading due to inaccuracies in localization. In the case of a lore discrepancy between in-game information and outside media, the in-game information always takes priority.
• Translation Note: Used when the original Chinese text and then official English localization do not match, or if something is clearer in Chinese. In the case of a translation discrepancy, the original Chinese text always takes priority.
• Assumptions: To make sense of the lore — which the miHoYo writers often deliberately obscure by withholding critical information until later versions, giving contradictory evidence, and scattering information across various item sets — editors will sometimes make assumptions to determine the order of events or connect pieces of lore together. However, they may be obsoleted and proven incorrect by new lore and story. These notes serve as a disclaimer, and expand on the editors' reasoning for their conclusions.

If you have any proposed changes for the timeline, please leave a comment and cite your evidence.

Funerary Year

Main article: Timeline § Funerary Year

• ~6000 years ago ― Around the time of Sal Vindagnyr's fall, the Kingdom of Khaenri'ah is established as a godless nation.
  • Although Khaenri'ah is a subterranean realm, its founders once lived aboveground.

Archon War

?–2000 years ago

• ? years ago ― Khaenri'ah is ruled by the Crimson Moon Dynasty.
  • Early in this period, the priests convinced their "muddle-minded king" that the Crimson Moon (the fusion of the Iridescent Moon's remains and the Abyss) was an all-powerful being, and encouraged its worship among the people. In truth, however, they were likely just interested in using it as a link to the Abyss.
  • In descendants of the royal bloodline, the power of the Crimson Moon begins to manifest as the 'Balemoon Bloodfire'.
• At some point, the Crimson Moon and its marrow are sealed away in a domain that can only be accessed by using the Balemoon Bloodfire.
  • Research on the Crimson Moon's marrow establishes that the its origins are related to a god's power, and that it can serve as a portal to a yet-unknown location.
• During the Crimson Moon era, Perinheri arrives in Khaenri'ah from another world and is accepted into an orphanage.
  • He eventually becomes one of the mightiest figures in the kingdom, known as "Perinheri the undefeated."
• The Crimson Moon Dynasty is eventually toppled in a coup, and the Eclipse Dynasty takes its place.
  • Arlecchino speculates that the usurpers may have opposed the discovery of a direct connection to the Abyss, or were incited by an ideological divide.
• At some point, the development of Field Tillers (Ruin Guards) and other automatons now known as Ruin Machines began, likely with the purpose of combating Celestia.
• >2000 years ago ― A diplomatic team from Khaenri'ah, including Oogura and Ooshima, travels to Enkanomiya. They attempt to steal the forbidden book Before Sun and Moon, but are thwarted by Antei, who manages to destroy their Ruin Guard at the cost of his own life.

Pre-Cataclysm

>500 years ago

• >500 years ago ― Vedrfolnir is born, followed by his younger brother Dainsleif.
• Irmin ascends to the throne, becoming the last Vinster King of the Eclipse Dynasty.
  • Eventually, Hroptatyr and Vedrfolnir become Irmin's most trusted advisors, and Rhinedottir, Surtalogi, Rerir, and Dainsleif also rise to positions of prestige.
  • At some point, Irmin approves the use of "secrets from beyond the skies" (likely forbidden knowledge), which allows Khaenri'ah to develop technology that transcends the Heavenly Principles. This knowledge also grants the "four pillars of Khaenri'ah" power and prosperity.
• Aether and Lumine fall to Teyvat while traveling between different worlds in their spaceship after their home world was destroyed. They crash-land and fall unconscious from the impact, and are separated from each other.
  • The Universitas Magistrorum is implied to have predicted their arrival in Teyvat, at Irmin's request.
  • The Traveler's sibling wakes up first and wanders through Teyvat in desperate search of the Traveler. When the sibling arrives in Khaenri'ah, King Irmin declares them his heir and "Savior", who will save their nation from all disasters and lead them to a great future. They become the (‍princessText for male Traveler‍/‍princeText for female Traveler‍) of Khaenri'ah.
  • Soon after, Irmin uses the Traveler's sibling as a vessel to absorb "unlimited Abyssal power."
    • Around the same time, Dainsleif is promoted to captain of the Royal Guard, and gains the title of "Twilight Sword."
• Irmin grows increasingly obsessed with the power of the Abyss, and his behavior becomes erratic and extreme.
  • All of the Universitas Magistrorum's staff and resources are reassigned to Abyssal Energy research, except for Tholindis, a Moon Marrow researcher.
  • At some point, Irmin decrees that all descendants of the Crimson Moon Dynasty be hunted down and eliminated. Rerir serves as one of his secret agents, but hides his grisly role from Tholindis, his lover.
• Vedrfolnir warns Irmin that continuing to pursue the Abyss will inevitably lead to the fall of his nation. Enraged, Irmin gouges out Vedrfolnir's eyes and casts him into the palace dungeons.
  • When he hears of his brother's imprisonment, Dainsleif mounts a rescue operation with Rerir, Hroptatyr, Rhinedottir, and Surtalogi. Incidentally, it also becomes a coup d'état. In response, the king activates certain "secret mechanisms," which seems to attract Abyssal monsters to the palace.
  • Rerir sees Tholindis enter a portal to escape the monsters, but cannot follow. He rushes back to the group and joins Hroptatyr, Rhinedottir, Surtalogi, and Vedrfolnir in dividing up the Abyssal energy absorbed by the Traveler's sibling. They each take one-sixth, which grants them "world-shattering" power. However, they also become known as the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah.

Cataclysm

The Traveler's Sibling (depicted: Lumine) witnesses Khaenri'ah's destruction

Main article: Cataclysm

500 years ago

• Monsters from the Abyss invade the aboveground world of Teyvat, causing widespread devastation.
  • The people of Teyvat attribute the creation of these monsters to one of the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah, "Gold" Rhinedottir. Her creations, the Alfisol, were the advance guard for the monsters from the Abyss.
• The Kingdom of Khaenri'ah is destroyed by the Heavenly Principles, causing the fall of the Eclipse Dynasty and the entire civilization. Khaenri'ah's destruction causes a devastating ripple effect.
  • The Seven become involved in Khaenri'ah after the Abyss' invasion of Teyvat.
• Despite their tremendous power, the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah do nothing to defend their homeland.
• Ronova, the Ruler of Death, places a curse on all Khaenri'ahns. Those of pure-blooded descent are deemed "the greater sinners" and punished with the curse of immortality.
  • Dainsleif is also cursed with immortality, but is gifted a ring by his brother, Vedrfolnir, that continuously resets his body's condition. However, his mind is still affected by erosion.
• The Traveler's sibling witnesses Khaenri'ah's destruction. They return to where the Traveler still lay unconscious from their crash-landing in Teyvat, wakes them up, and briefly takes them to Khaenri'ah before attempting to leave this world for another. They are intercepted by Asmoday, the Ruler of Space, who traps and separates them.
• At some point, King Irmin becomes "indisposed" and Knight Marshal Anfortas of the Alberich Clan steps in as Regent, taking Irmin's place at the Regnum Concilium Ultimum.
  • Sometime later, Anfortas leads the Schwanenritter to evacuate Khaenri'ahn survivors aboveground to Sumeru. The Schwanenritter and their Ruin Golems aid the locals in their battle against the Abyss, earning them the title "heroes of Dahri."

Post-Cataclysm

500-100 years ago

• At some point after the cataclysm, the Traveler's sibling wakes up first (again) and travels the world of Teyvat with Dainsleif.
• Both the Crimson Moon Dynasty and Alberich Clan survive the cataclysm and continue to produce descendants (such as Arlecchino and Kaeya).
• Pierro, having become embittered by the "foundational principles" of the world, meets with the Cryo Archon, the Tsaritsa, and decides to support her cause. They co-found the Fatui.
  • Later on, Thrain joins him as the First of the Fatui Harbingers, taking the name "Il Capitano."
• >100 years ago — Sometime after the events of Archon Quest Chapter III: Act VI - Caribert, the Abyss Order is founded by Chlothar Alberich with the intent of taking revenge on Celestia and The Seven.
  • Near the end of their journey, the Traveler's sibling realizes the "truth of this world" and parts ways with Dainsleif. Eventually, the sibling aligns themselves with the Abyss Order and declares Dainsleif to be their enemy.
  • After Chlothar is driven fully insane by the effects of the curse of immortality, he disappears and is presumed to have died in Avidya Forest after finally finding a way to break the curse. The Abyss Order continues operation, now under the control of the Traveler's sibling.

Recent Past

<100 years ago

• >20 years ago, Peruere, a descendant of the Crimson Moon Dynasty, is taken in by the House of the Hearth. She later becomes Arlecchino, the Fourth of the Fatui Harbingers.
• ~10 years ago ― Kaeya's father takes him from Khaenri'ah to Mondstadt and abandons him near Dawn Winery for the sake of an "ancient plot," calling him their "last hope."
• During the events of Requiem of the Echoing Depths, the Traveler and Dainsleif encounter Halfdan, a Black Serpent Knight of Khaenri'ah who was cursed and transformed into a Shadowy Husk. Despite being severely eroded, he has remembered his captain Dainsleif's face and orders, and has been leading a group of fellow Black Serpents to protect hilichurls entering The Chasm for an unknown amount of time, recognizing them as Khaenri'ahn residents. Halfdan finally passes on after gaining Dainsleif's acknowledgement.