Warning: spoilers for the entire world quest An Ark That Used to Be a Soul follow.

The further we get into the story, the more obvious the importance of the Primordial Humans becomes, to the point where I’m starting to believe that the entire story of Genshin Impact revolves around them.

This is an attempt to gather all the information we have on the subject and identify all the possible Primordial Humans, who all share the same goal: to seize the authority over the entire world.

The story therefore begins with Nibelung, who is the embodiment of the world’s very soul: a being of pure light, where light is also an emanation of hope capable of saving the entire cosmos. On an allegorical level, Nibelung could be the famous Genesis Pearl.

>The Saint had come to Hyperborea in search of that light from the very genesis of the world, a fragment left behind at its inception. It is a light that is undissipated hope itself, a light that holds the potential to illuminate the entire cosmos.
[Notes by a Certain Noble Individual]

It seems that this light also carries with it freedom from any constraint imposed by fate (Heimarmene), which currently afflicts Teyvat under the control of the Heavenly Principles:

>That never-refracted light signified a boundless array of possibilities in its pure whiteness. However, man chose to confine it to a far narrower band of hues in the name of certainty.

Even before Nibelung’s death, there had already been countless attempts to recreate and seize this Genesis Pearl. They all fall under the Primordial Human Project.

Unlike Nibelung’s pure light, the Primordial Human is the result of the fusion between light and darkness.

>By the way... that heretical myth about light and darkness birthing the primordial human... Do you have any idea what it refers to?
[Temple of Space WQ]

So let’s start with the list of candidates.

Phanes

https://preview.redd.it/hbox1tuwerjh1.png?width=768&format=png&auto=webp&s=c16e5d1908b35f290f0ae94e0940266a861bd24c

The heretical myth about light and darkness birthing the primordial human is the following, as told to us by Istoria:

>It tells of the god of light who created a body in its own likeness, only for it to be stolen away by the king of darkness.

If the king of light is Nibelung and the king of darkness is the Heavenly Principles, we can theorize that Nibelung left behind a body in his own image and likeness on Teyvat, together with the moons (we don’t know whether it was “active” or not). The Heavenly Principles took possession of this body, giving rise to the first clash between light and darkness.

After seeing the creation of the Eye of Graeae, the fact that Phanes was born from the hatching of an egg, that they are androgynous in nature, and that they have a crown and wings (coming from the body created in Nibelung’s likeness) doesn’t seem quite so metaphorical anymore.

Let’s also remember that the Belyi Tsar (another Primordial Human) has two forms: a more angelic/draconic one, which is his true essence, and an avatar that takes on a human form. (The Moon Goddesses, created by Nibelung, also have human-shaped avatars.)

This also fits with the theory that the Heavenly Principles were originally an AI, meaning pure consciousness that needed a vessel in order to take on a complete form. And they found that vessel in the body created by Nibelung.

Nibelung

https://preview.redd.it/4nb6sx79frjh1.jpg?width=1210&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a02f40af2583c225eaa3514ecba9370beb977040

Here I’d like to open a small parenthesis, because I’m curious to hear your thoughts.

Aksinya explicitly says:

>Ever since his destruction, the place of Primordial Human, or Narayana, has sat vacant.

This sentence seems to imply that Nibelung was a Primordial Human, meaning that he too was born from the union of light and darkness. That seems to clash with what we know about Nibelung, namely that his greatness lies precisely in the fact that he is a being of pure light.

I’ve read that this could be a translation error, and that it should actually be translated as “Primordial Being.”

Regardless, there’s another interesting question to think about: when Nibelung returns to Teyvat and starts the War of Vengeance, he has been completely corrupted by the Abyss.

So was it only later, and deep within the universe, that Nibelung’s uncontaminated light came into conflict with the forces of the Abyss? Is it possible that this clash turned Nibelung into a Primordial Human? Was this new evolution what made him the Second Descender (if he really is the Second Descender)?

Belyi Tsar

https://preview.redd.it/l30n7zlkfrjh1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ad8d4cd88534929228f7a0dafb9a85fa6884a8a1

Monomakh was Hyperborea’s attempt to recreate Nibelung’s authority and break the chains of fate imposed by the Heavenly Principles.
Since they lacked Nibelung’s primordial light (and didn’t know that he was still alive), they used the remains of the Cryo Sovereign as a vessel, which contained that primordial light in a lesser form.

>The Hyperboreans even attempted to forge his body from the flesh and blood of the Primordial Cryo Dragon, just to give him authority equal to The One.

The experiment got out of control, and the Heavenly Principles destroyed Hyperborea before it could be completed.

Third Descender

https://preview.redd.it/2gior3r0grjh1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4fb5f6bc4d0c5187ed9f230f07e9fbe485d092d7

This is another interesting parenthesis, because we still know very little about him.

It is nevertheless very likely that he too was a Primordial Human.

We can first infer this from Rene’s notes, who develops his theories about the Primordial Human and the Descenders starting precisely from the legend of Ajax.
There is a reference to the rebirth of a new being after the encounter between light and darkness.

>"Io, Io, Pan! That which lies beneath the great sea!"
The purpose of this line in the ritual scripture is to forsake the self and sink into the abyss, and in the abyss, to welcome rebirth as a holy infant.
The origin of this is a tragedy of unknown provenance that has been passed down by persons unknown to this day. Said play is called "Ajax," or "Aias." He was the second-strongest warrior in his alliance.

>"Lies beneath the great sea" is, itself, an interesting phrase. It comes from ancient Sumeru texts, and should be read as "Narayana," which also means "primordial human."

>This, too, is my goal, for not all that comes from beyond may be as one that “descends”. That title belongs only to wills that can rival an entire world.
That is what I seek, the way to become just such a will, one that can protect the world, sustain the world, destroy the world, and create the world.

Theories have started appearing that the Belyi Tsar himself was the Third Descender, but I find this unlikely, both because the Belyi Tsar was never split into the seven gnoses and survived until the Cataclysm, and because we have clear references that the Belyi Tsar opened the gates to the Shadow Realm (probably Pohjola) together with the Third Descender.

From scattered fragments of Notes by a Certain Noble Individual, we can in fact read:

>When I foolishly opened that passage

>The "passage" stands open at last, though the price paid was heavier than I had ever imagined, and the innocent were ensnared as well

>I shall accept the remains of the innocent.

Most importantly, from the final sentence, which seems to indicate the acceptance of the Cryo Gnosis, we can deduce that the “innocent” was the Third Descender.

This brings to mind the allusion to a twin brother of the Belyi Tsar, who died because of him, as mentioned in Bloodsoaked Ruins.

>A folk tale from the northern lands tells of two brothers: the King of Midsommar Oak, who once brought warmth to the world, and his elder brother, the King of Winter Icelea, who loved him dearly.
But a sudden, tragic quarrel led to the elder accidentally slaying the younger.

[Short note: knowing that the Belyi Tsar was surprisingly born a thousand years after the destruction of Hyperborea, and knowing that he was present when the Third Descender was killed, is it possible that he is actually “The one who came after”?]

Eye of Graeae

https://preview.redd.it/68lmtpnvgrjh1.jpg?width=446&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c0921af9979f53dab9c115d455d06eb6fc790069

We now come to Hvergelmir’s attempt to create the Primordial Human in order to make up for Hyperborea’s unfinished experiment in creating the Belyi Tsar.

Here too, there is a clear reference to the encounter between light and darkness, something that has actually been right in front of our eyes all along in the description of the Disenchantment in Deep Shadow Set:

>There was a time when primordial venom and primal light clashed in a corner unseen by the heavens’ gaze.
If a love, a fervor, and an ambition just greater than the world itself were to take shape — they had to be born and kindled in a place unseen by any eye.

Deshret, Remus, Rene

A brief mention is absolutely necessary for these incredible figures, who may have attempted to become Primordial Humans, only to fail.

The Belyi Tsar himself mentions Nabu Malikata and Sybilla respectively as heirs to the missions of Koitar and the Voyager:

>Both the Goddess of Flowers in Sumeru and she who prophesied the rising of the waters in Fontaine sought to build systems that would stand independent of both the Ley Lines and Heimarmene.

Deshret

https://preview.redd.it/ezgqzi08hrjh1.jpg?width=792&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=702bc7e1c43e99fbb72aaf4ff660fe84c90a755b

Nabu Malikata offers to help him transcend, in order to challenge the heavens.

>“I will deliver you unto higher knowledge. But as I have warned, you are fated to lose much in this exchange... Nevertheless, hide my lesson in your heart. Remember the punishment that once was inflicted on the fallen envoys of the heaven. Know this: if there is to be hope in this world, it will be found kindling within mortals most ordinary."
Wreathed in darkness, she guided her dearest friend toward the path to understanding all there was to know about the skies and the abyss.
Using her body as a conduit and offering the oasis in trade, she let the dazzling radiance consume her to see his deepest desires be made manifest…
[Secret-Keeper's Magic Bottle]

Just like the Belyi Tsar, Deshret was also offered a Gnosis, which he rejected [Rejecting the gift granted by the divine throne, the red-crowned king sought a new path of his own volition]. And just like the Belyi Tsar, he too dreamed of a paradise:

>An idea that joined the wisdom of thousands, and the great attempt at binding their dreams to power.
What hides here is more than lies, but also the future of humanity, burning like the sparks of hope…
[Wilting Feast]

He then began his search for forbidden knowledge, which would eventually corrupt him along with his land.

The most interesting part is that Deshret, having become a creature of darkness, consciously allowed himself to be devoured by Apep.

>Apep: I swallowed him whole as I agreed and absorbed his elemental power.
[…]
I admit that I fell for his trap. I was like a final fail-safe in his plan.

Just like the Belyi Tsar was born from the union with the light of the Cryo Sovereign, Deshret also merged his darkness with the light of the Dendro Sovereign. Was he hoping to be reborn as a Primordial Human?

Remus

https://preview.redd.it/5k45eikuhrjh1.jpg?width=755&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=779e84718e1e1303e14bc9929f28f2637774be23

He also tried to create his own paradise, combining Primordial Water (the light part) with an immortal stone (the darkness part), creating the Golden Ichor.

>Scylla: You once promised the Usurper of Many Waters that you would use the pure water she granted you to create a world of endless prosperity, one without conflict.

>The arrogant usurper once attempted to mix insoluble Ichor with pure water, to contain wisdom and memories, allowing his subjects and servants to discard their physical bodies, and obtain independent, eternal lives.
But the pain of severing soul and body cannot be endured by any ordinary life, and the usurper's order tore apart and shattered souls...
The Ichor was dyed black by the crying and howling of so many souls, and it lost its harmony and wisdom, leaving only chaos and madness.
[Sublimation of Pure Sacred Dewdrop]

Ironically, the body created by Pavlina containing a part of the Eye of Graeae’s soul is named Ikhor.

Rene

https://preview.redd.it/qeajf506irjh1.jpg?width=360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9dab6e72206bc27917d5af74ebbc03d7c1547b11

Using the research conducted in Sumeru, the remains of Remuria’s civilization, and the legend of Ajax, he carries out his plan of “rebirth” as a holy infant (Primordial Human).

It is likely that he too was trying to become a Primordial Human, with the power to challenge the fate of the world.

He says so himself:

>This, too, is my goal, for not all that comes from beyond may be as one that “descends”. That title belongs only to wills that can rival an entire world.
That is what I seek, the way to become just such a will, one that can protect the world, sustain the world, destroy the world, and create the world

Albedo

https://preview.redd.it/42hw2rwnirjh1.jpg?width=1600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7252ce2511f06df9c8d2d872f70ac3adf380fc1

Albedo is the final result of the Primordial Human Project carried out by Rhinedottir.

Following the recipe for creating a Primordial Human, it is likely that Rhinedottir drew upon both the power of light and the power of darkness to create him.

What Nicole says about Albedo in her Voice-Over is particularly interesting:

>In another converged possibility, Albedo was the "Primordial Human" who traveled through worlds, recording and creating all. However, once that journey reached its end, no one would have been able to guarantee whether he would choose destruction or salvation. Luckily, you're the one who embarked on the journey this time. Hm? How did the alternate Albedo fare? I can no longer observe that possibility. Besides, copying someone else's answer is of little use. This journey is your own.

Traveler

https://preview.redd.it/mk6petuxirjh1.jpg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9557b301aae681f44ee78ab03e9d6773fb7a1a0e

Nicole just said, while talking about Albedo as a "Primordial Human": Luckily, you're the one who embarked on the journey this time.

It seems that we are the "Primordial Human" of this story, destined to find an answer that will either save or destroy the entire world.

Albedo himself also comments on the nature of the Traveler:

>Those born of earth are bound by their imperfections, but those born of chalk are free of impurities. You and I are alike, both composed of a substance that has yet to be fully defined.

The same reference appears when we first talk about the Third Descender with Neuvillette:

>Neuvillette: That means that the Gnoses, which are exceedingly element-compatible and can even enhance elemental abilities, do indeed come from the Third Descender. Hmm, I wonder... Does your body also possess similar properties?
Paimon: ... Uhh, like being able to use elemental powers without a Vision? That does sorta count as special compatibility, right? No, no, let's not think about this stuff right now. It just feels creepy...Comparing Traveler‍ to the dead Third Descender and all…

The figure of the Sibling takes on an interesting new meaning: what if the two of them are actually the two components of the Primordial Human? One part of light (Traveler) and one part of darkness (Sibling), destined to merge and create a single being who will be able to decide the fate of the world.

In the end, this is precisely what makes me believe that, in some way, the Traveler either is or will become a Primordial Human: the story seems to be leading us toward eventually taking on Nibelung’s role and freeing Teyvat from the grip of Heimarmene.

Paimon

https://preview.redd.it/yhbbm20fjrjh1.jpg?width=740&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2d3862b43eea229dd384b8eed391dcc2f324708b

Finally, we come to the last figure, who has always fueled some of our wildest theories.

I’m already seeing people suggesting that she could be a vessel created by Celestia to house the consciousness of the Heavenly Principles.

I’d take the theory a little further and imagine that all the Shades were created following the same philosophy as the Primordial Human. It’s strange that the Heavenly Principles simply “split” themselves into four Shades. Since they all share the same aesthetic traits, it is possible that their bodies were artificially created using a single template: the body created in Nibelung’s image and likeness, which was possessed by the Heavenly Principles when their fusion created the first Primordial Human.

Paimon could actually be this body, or a derivative of it, whose authority is inactive, as Ronova says.

It’s worth noting that there is an allusion to this in the latest World Quest:

>Paimon: "Assimilating and being changed into a form of an even higher order..." Eh, are you saying that his body and powers will all go into someone else's body?
Aksinya: That would be right.
Paimon: How is that gonna happen when his body's already gone...?
Traveler: I see now. You're thinking of using Paimon's body.
Paimon: What? No way!!! But... hmm... if it's for Goggles, Paimon supposes she could make a little room for him…
Aksinya: Hahaha! I fear that assimilating him into Paimon's body will only bring about other complications.

But perhaps the most interesting thing of all is that the same symbol on Paimon’s chest also appears on Ikhor’s chest while he is in his “inactive” state:

https://preview.redd.it/azqfnxx9krjh1.jpg?width=256&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6a580c3780e4f0f40205e0c3bb5f23debc6e8a7

Thank you so much for reading this far. The subject is absolutely massive, and I feel like I’ve only covered a fraction of it.
It would be amazing to keep adding information and discussing all of this together in the comments.

What’s your experience with the RedMagic 11?

I’m especially interested in how it handles graphics, because my potato phone can’t load a lot of environmental details, so I never really get to stop and be blown away by how beautiful the scenery is.

Especially now that Snezhnaya is here, I feel like I’m missing out on something incredible.
Whenever I see the same areas on my partner’s PS5, I realize just how huge the difference in experience actually is.

Can the new RedMagic help close that gap at least a little? Is it able to properly load all the environments in Snezhnaya? And how smooth is the gameplay overall?

Thanks so much to anyone who can share their experience!

The story of the Belyi Tsar will be at the center of this theory, but I’d like to start with the big piece of information we got during the latest livestream: all Khaenri'ahns are descendants of the Tsaritsa. All the assumptions that follow will be built around this premise.

According to the records found in Sal Vindagnyr, the founding of Khaenri’ah began shortly after the War of Vengeance — roughly 6,000 years ago. This means that, if the Tsaritsa gave birth to all Khaenri’ahns, she must have already existed before the war.

All the information we currently have seems to point to the Tsaritsa being none other than Koitar, the First Angel.

Then, just as now, she declared war on the Heavenly Principles. She created all the fae, was cursed after losing the war, and returned to the land of Hyperborea after recovering her memories thanks to the presence of Boreas.
So she disappeared from the War of Vengeance until the Archon War, shortly before Boreas joined the war against Decarabian and while the Belyi Tsar was fighting the war that would eventually lead him to become the first Cryo Archon.

The Khaenri’ahns, after all, have their distinctive star-shaped pupils, which were also a distinctive feature of the body possessed by the Voyager. Like their ancestors, they dream of a world without gods.

With no further information available, it therefore seems that the first Khaenri’ahn was the son of Koitar/Tsaritsa and the Voyager.

What I think we're seeing in the Snezhnaya trailer is this:

Koitar/the Tsaritsa, after losing her memories following the War of Vengeance, and then regaining some of them after her encounter with Boreas at Amsvartnir, is standing in her garden of ice statues, where she's tried to recreate the people she loved and lost (her partner and her son). She's trying to remember the life she had before the War of Vengeance. That's why she wonders whether everything she sees ever really existed at all.

https://preview.redd.it/oi6md1skdfih1.png?width=1782&format=png&auto=webp&s=760c3869d697cc7f13bd11f4cc6721106272c26b

Shifting our attention to the Belyi Tsar, we need to point out that all the fae of Snezhnaya are themselves “sons and daughters” of Koitar and the Voyager: the two of them created them in Hyperborea using forbidden knowledge and the bones of “giant beasts.”

The Belyi Tsar is no exception, since as far as we know, he is also a fae. But there’s more:

In A Brief History of the Pale Starborn, the Belyi Tsar says the following words:

>"They were not kings, nor born of sacred blood [140]. Never were they meant for rulership. Yet, heir to the Pale Star, and protector of all fae am I."

Note 140 says:

>[140] A sacred bloodline, the meaning of which is unknown. Emperor Monomakh laid claim to the title "lord of all fae," and as such, he should have been of the same blood as the other fairies. It would seem that he merely used phrase as a means to establish legitimacy.

Even though the text casts doubt on the truthfulness of the Tsar’s claim, if this sacred blood really existed, then the Tsar must belong to some unique kind of fae, more powerful than all the others, to the point of being the only one who, as he himself says, is worthy of ruling over them all.

He refers to himself as “heir to the Pale Star.” I believe Pale Star is a way of referring to the Voyager.

- When Koitar declares war, she personifies the Voyager's true body in the universe as the Pale Star: “A pale star burns beyond the false firmament, and its very existence proclaims our victory.” [Celestial Gift]

- Even when she regains her memories and returns to Hyperborea to await her beloved’s return, she personifies him as a star: "I will return to my own lands and wait for the star beyond the stars".

- Andrius’s wolves are also waiting for his return (Andrius had called Koitar “Mother”): "Though the Wolf King has long passed on, its descendants - the wolves of today - continue their silent watch through the cold night, until the pale morning star rises once more."
[Pale-Furred Wolf]

The sacred blood the Belyi Tsar refers to is what makes him the heir of the Voyager and Koitar, more so than the other fae.

And this is what makes me think that the Belyi Tsar is the child, the son of Koitar/Tsaritsa, shown in the trailer.

https://preview.redd.it/db652rk8efih1.png?width=1342&format=png&auto=webp&s=ac3ff27480c632ec02469e0f3310ae90f44e71ec

However, we’ve already established that this child, according to the information that all Khaenri'ahns are descendants of the Tsaritsa, must be the one who founded Khaenri’ah, and therefore cannot be the Belyi Tsar, who would later be busy unifying Snezhnaya and taking on his role as the first Cryo Archon.

Unless we’re actually talking about two twin brothers. And, as it happens, several legends concerning the Belyi Tsar mention that he had a twin brother.

In the description of Bloodsoaked Ruins, we read:

>A folk tale from the northern lands tells of two brothers: the King of Midsommar Oak, who once brought warmth to the world, and his elder brother, the King of Winter Icelea, who loved him dearly.
But a sudden, tragic quarrel led to the elder accidentally slaying the younger, and ever since, the world has been ruled by unrelenting winter.

I’ve actually just finished reading the essay “The Golden Bough” by James Frazer, which mainly deals with this very subject: the King of Midsommar Oak and the King of Winter Icelea are two sides of the same coin, because they both embody the same kind of solar deity who protects the fertility of the world and represents the continuous cycle of death and rebirth. His associated tree was the oak, and his celebrations coincided with the most important dates in the sun’s cycle: the winter solstice and the summer solstice. During these celebrations, the ruler or priest who embodied this deity had to be killed so that someone else could take on his identity, thus ensuring the continuation of the cycle of rebirth.

This is the piece of information that matters to us, because the same description quoted above also says that the battle between the two brothers could not have happened:

>But only the long-lived fae know that the unmelting permafrost has endured far longer than the reign of the Tsar.

Another allusion to the Tsar’s twin brother appears in the description of Wings of the Silent Moon:

>According to legend, the king of the Fae of the Snowlands — a hero born from the bones of a great beast — sought to unite the entire continent. To do so, he had to slay his final enemy.
Yet that enemy could neither age nor die, for his life was hidden far from his body. No matter how many times the king of the snowy realms struck him down, he would rise again from the shadows.
[…]
To kill the enemy, the Snow-King would need to find a fissure buried deep in the earth's darkest strata. Within that crack lay a tree that grew downward. Upon the tree's tower-like branches perched a raven. Within the raven's belly lay a snow-white hare. In the hare's eyes was a door. And if he opened that door, a world as black as spilled ink would pour forth, swallowing both heaven and earth. In that world, everything was still. There was no light, and no sound. The Snow-King would have to cross that silent realm alone and, at its lightless heart, find an egg.
This egg held the essence of his enemy's life. Shatter it, and the immortal enemy would be reduced to dust.

This kind of legend also appears in the book “The Golden Bough,” which makes me think more and more that it was the source of a large part of Snezhnaya’s lore. Among several legends involving the transfer of one’s soul into an external object, Frazer talks about a Russian fairy tale that has exactly the same structure as the text above: a wizard who has hidden his soul far away from his body says:

“My death is far from here and hard to find, in the great sea. There is an island there, and on it grows an oak tree. Beneath the oak is an iron chest, inside the chest is a basket, inside the basket is a hare, inside the hare is a duck, inside the duck is an egg; whoever finds the egg and breaks it will kill me at the same time.”

But the most important part of the description of Wings of the Silent Moon comes at the end:

>And how did the snow-realm king meet his end, you ask?
Some say that when he shattered the egg, he finally saw the truth: His greatest enemy bore his face.

Once again, an allusion to a twin. In this case, his greatest enemy.

So we have to ask: who is the Tsar’s greatest enemy? It cannot be King Miscislav, the only major rival of the Belyi Tsar we know of, because Miscilav had the head of a bear and was killed by the Tsar’s spear.

I believe his greatest enemy is Chernobog, the one who, according to the bards’ songs, killed the Tsar.

Tolfin tells us:

>Hear me sing of The Belyi Tsar's Expedition, and of the sacrifice of princes and heroes alike.
… Day by day they battled the hounds of the God of Darkness [Chernobog]. The valiant warriors of Kitezh, their shouts held back the desolate plains, their golden shields spanned the open wilds…
The earth did roar like rolling thunder, while arrows rained from storm-dark skies asunder. The children of the God of Darkness pressed near, seeking to encircle the forces of Snezhnaya with fear…"

Chernobog is the abyssal force that comes from Khaenri’ah.

The two twins are reunited: the first, from Khaenri’ah, and the second, from Snezhnaya. They both have the same face. Their personalities are perfect opposites:

The first is Chernobog — literally “the black god.”

The second is Belobog — literally “the white god,” which shares the root bel- with the Belyi Tsar (the white ruler).

Also in Wings of the Silent Moon, the Tsar is described as “a hero born from the bones of a great beast,” reinforcing the fact that he is a fae.

We have to wonder which beast this refers to, considering that the Tsar believes himself to belong to a superior species of fae, one capable of ruling over all the others.

I believe that the beast in question is none other than the remains of Nibelung, immediately after the War of Vengeance.
In other words: before the curse of the Heavenly Principles falls upon Koitar and the Voyager, the two lovers take the remains of Nibelung and use them as the basis for their ultimate creation: the two twins.

The first twin, whom we’ll call Chernobog, is the King of Midsommar Oak: he has the Voyager’s eyes, Koitar’s ears, and contains Nibelung’s “abyssal part.”
He will be the one who founds Khaenri’ah. 
[Honestly, I just can’t believe Nibelung has nothing to do with the founding of Khaenri’ah, considering that all of Khaenri’ah’s lore revolves around Norse mythology and the Ring of the Nibelung.]

The second twin, Monomakh, is the King of Winter Icelea: he also has the Voyager’s eyes and Koitar’s ears, and contains Nibelung’s “celestial part.”
He will be the one who becomes the first Cryo Archon.

The Belyi Tsar has always been obsessed with discovering his origins: during his exploration of Hyperborea, he finally uncovers a truth that will change his destiny forever and place an immense responsibility on his shoulders.

>He still remembered wandering in that world of shadows.
There, he recalled, lay the shattered golden homeland, the mother he had never met.
It was there that he discovered the secrets of the Hyperboreans that had been buried in the deepest reaches, finding the answers about himself that he had pursued for thousands of years.
[Pendulum That Ceased Amidst a Great Fall]

>The White Emperor, who ruled the fae from the lofty throne of the Pale Star, had been silent since returning from the ruins of the far north.
He lingered in the birch forest, deep in thought, before finally opening the door to the humans he had once turned away.
[Bloodsoaked Ruins]

The truth probably concerns the discovery that he is the true heir of Koitar and the Voyager, and from that moment on he will pursue the same goal as them (while unknowingly waiting for the return of the mother he has never met).

Finally, Wings of the Silent Moon explicitly talks about the Tsar’s death:

>And how did the snow-realm king meet his end, you ask?
Some say that when he shattered the egg, he finally saw the truth: His greatest enemy bore his face.
Others claim the egg never existed, and that the world beyond the door was nothing more than a trap meant to keep him in the void.

We know from Tolfin’s story that the Belyi Tsar died in his confrontation with the God of Darkness: this is proof that the one who shared the Tsar’s face was his greatest enemy, the one he ultimately met his end fighting: Chernobog.

The death of the first twin probably caused the death of the second as well (because otherwise, if Chernobog defeated the Tsar, who would have defeated Chernobog afterward?)

Of course, we don’t know anything about what awaits us once we enter Snezhnaya in just a few days, so this theory should be taken as a series of ideas that cannot be based on concrete evidence. Still, I hope you found it an interesting analysis.

As always, thanks for reading all the way to the end, and I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

During the latest World Quest on the moon, we learned that the dragon Ungien left aboard the Moongazer, heading into deep space in search of the distant entity that has been sending its message across the universe.
After that, all traces of Ungien disappear until, some time later, the Moongazer returns, crashing into the space station.
Maages investigates the Moongazer and discovers that Ungien willingly merged with the unknown entity in order to deliver its message.

The fusion between Ungien and the "Stellar Blackbody" gave birth to a "round, black, spiky creature" which became the subject of various experiments because it secretes a substance called "Blackbody Matter," which possesses a unique "reflective" property.
This substance was also found on the surface of the Moongazer, and it was thanks to it that the spacecraft had remained hidden.

Blackbody Matter became the main focus of Lusalim's experiments for its greatest project: the Lunar Veil.
The goal was to create a barrier using the reflective properties of Blackbody Matter to hide and protect areas of different sizes from dangerous observers.
The project was eventually handed over to the Heavenly Principles and later became Teyvat's fake sky.

During these experiments, researchers also discovered that Blackbody Matter could merge with other living organisms, including plants and animals that were sufficiently compatible, causing them to emit the "courtain."

The clearest example is the tree we find inside the Courtain-Form Blackbody Containment, which the Ancient Terminal describes in detail:

>The ecological research team has cultivated thousands of Moonshade Trees. From among them, Professor Maagees's team selected compatible specimens with a high compatibility for integration with the "Blackbody Matter."
After being stimulated by a certain intensity of Archaeolune Energy, this individual released diffusive waves with reflective properties.
By increasing the intensity of stimulation, the specimens will continue emitting diffusive waves until a stable curtain-form containment is formed, with a radius extending beyond the entire laboratory.

The filament-like secretions coming out of that tree immediately reminded me of the strange branches we saw in the Snezhnaya trailers, stretching across the sky around Snezhnograd.

They almost seem to be made of the same substance, since their twisting shape doesn't resemble the branching pattern of a normal tree.
The only real difference is that the ones in Snezhnaya look more rigid, probably because they're frozen.

https://preview.redd.it/ial3bab29fbh1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=30fd448c5d0f3ee73dbfb4ad1dd1b1e957384742

https://preview.redd.it/fqefmtv39fbh1.png?width=2880&format=png&auto=webp&s=25422cd4849cd53b82e59046a7c15b64e0609534

Looking at the first teaser trailer in particular, it seems like these branches originate from the structure left behind by the Beliy Tsar.
The Tsaritsa says: "A tomb and birch trees, the Tsar final tokens of affection."

https://preview.redd.it/b5f230ea9fbh1.png?width=2880&format=png&auto=webp&s=4513578b8c9f01a098ffaab998023863cc5b2f9b

I believe the Tsar's final gift was a curtain designed to prevent the gods of Celestia (the Shades and the Heavenly Principles) from seeing or understanding what is happening in Snezhnaya.

The secret almost certainly involves Project Stuzha and whatever the Tsaritsa plans to do with the Gnosis, but I also think it has to do with the massive suspended structure left behind by the Belyi Tsar.
It looks very much like a new path into the heavens, one meant to reach Celestia.

After all, that was also the goal of Koitar and the Voyager when they declared war on Celestia:

>"Let us build a city and a tower that soars up to the clouds, that the people of the earth need weep bitter tears no longer" 
[Deep Gallery's Lost Crown]

I think the branches above Snezhnaya are made of Blackbody Matter.
After all, the barrier's power comes directly from the tree itself.
In the description of the Conceailng Veil, we read:

>A Moonshade Tree, shaped through selective gene tuning, spreads its branches wide. The blackbody matter it emits can form a vast screen, shielding this place from prying eyes and hostile observation.

By hiding beneath its curtain, it's possible that the Shades never realized that first the Tsar, and then the Tsaritsa, have spent years secretly building a way to reach Celestia.

Thanks so much for reading. I'd love to hear what you all think.

This is going to be a bit of a crack theory, but I’ve been trying for a while to trace a pattern between the Voyager, the First Angel, the Third Descender and the Tsaritsa.
I went looking for the mysterious Alynas, the Second Angel mentioned by Nicole, and there are a lot of things I’d like to share with you.

I’ll go in order, starting with the Voyager:

First of all, I believe their true name was Boreas.

I’ve always wondered how it was possible that the First Angel recovered her memories while being with Andrius. Re-reading the Ancient Handwritings, I think I found that Koitar may have unconsciously given the wolf the name of her beloved.
She manages to remember him precisely while repeatedly saying the name Boreas:

>I called its name one last time, bidding it farewell.
...Boreas... Boreas... Borea...
...I remember…

And later she adds:

>Had it not been for the wild wolf that intruded upon my dwelling, your name too would've faded entirely from my recollection.

Leaving this aside, I want to focus on how the symbol of Boreas/Voyager is the Pale Star.

- To begin with, their pupils are shaped like a star.

- When Koitar declares war, she personifies the Voyager’s true form in the universe as the Pale Star:

>A pale star burns beyond the false firmament, and its very existence proclaims our victory. [Celestial Gift]

- Even when she recovers her memories and returns to Hyperborea to wait for her beloved, she still personifies them as a star:

>I will return to my own lands and wait for the star beyond the stars.

- The wolves of Andrius’ pack also await their return (Andrius had called Koitar “Mother”):

>Though the Wolf King has long passed on, its descendants - the wolves of today - continue their silent watch through the cold night, until the pale morning star rises once more. [Pale-Furred Wolf]

What I find very interesting is that the Pale Star, and therefore the Voyager, has become the emblematic symbol of the Fatui and of the Tsaritsa’s rebellion.

In this theory I mentioned how the Tsaritsa herself might be possessed by the First Angel, or how their fates might simply be the same.

After the reveal of the Tsaritsa’s child, the conclusion everyone reached is that the child’s father must have had star-shaped pupils, like the Voyager and like the inhabitants of Khaenri'ah.

However, the Tsaritsa seems to be closely connected to the Third Descender, as various theories suggest and as I’ve tried to gather in this latest analysis.

A natural question arises: what do the Voyager and the Third Descender have in common?
The reincarnation of the Primordial Human, as Rene describes in their research:

>"Io, Io, Pan! That which lies beneath the great sea!"
The purpose of this line in the ritual scripture is to forsake the self and sink into the abyss, and in the abyss, to welcome rebirth as a holy infant.
The origin of this is a tragedy of unknown provenance that has been passed down by persons unknown to this day. Said play is called "Ajax," or "Aias." He was the second-strongest warrior in his alliance.
"Lies beneath the great sea" is, itself, an interesting phrase. It comes from ancient Sumeru texts, and should be read as "Narayana," which also means "primordial human."

The theory is this: the Voyager enters the body of a primordial human with their consciousness - the boy from Hyperborea.
They fall in love with the First Angel, start a rebellion against the heavens and, at the moment of their death, their memories are erased by the curse of the Heavenly Principles.
The Voyager’s consciousness is reincarnated into a new vessel: Ajax, who also bears their distinctive star-shaped pupils.
On their new journey in Teyvat, they fulfill all the requirements to become a Descender and officially become the Third Descender.
They meet the Tsaritsa (a mirror figure of Koitar, or Koitar’s own incarnation), they have a child, and the cycle repeats: Ajax is divided into the seven Gnoses and his memories are erased from the world.

Here another emblematic figure comes into play: Alynas, first mentioned by Nicole, who asks us to remember this story, but of whom there are no other references anywhere.

Nicole metaphorically reenacts the story of the angelic rebellion, assigning us the role of the Voyager, herself (Nicole Coco) the role of the First Angel, and introducing a new character: Alynas, the second daughter of the king of the heavens (and therefore a Second Angel), who supports her sister’s rebellion but only with the aim of usurping her throne.

I went looking for more information about Alynas, and I believe I found her in the book Perinheri:

At the orphanage of Khaenri'ah, during the Crimson Dynasty, a beautiful girl arrives, claiming to be a princess who fled from Liyue because she refused to acknowledge Morax’s rule.

>She called herself Angelica (Note 1), meaning "one who is as a divine emissary."

The note tells us that Angelica is not a Liyue name and that she is likely lying about her identity.

>Now that I consider it, her name may have been "Lady Miaoyin" (Lady of Wondrous Sound) or "Tianwang Nu" (Servant of Tianwang).

Tianwang means Celestial Sovereign. Once again, her connection to the heavens is emphasized.

But what is an angel doing in Khaenri'ah? Angelica’s behavior is always suspicious: the only thing she cares about is finding the most valorous warriors of Khaenri'ah, whom she identifies as Hleobrant, Njord, Alf, Alberich, and Perinheri, subjecting them to various trials of strength.
Of these, Hleobrant is the one who falls hopelessly in love with her.
In the end, Hleobrant, Perinheri, and Angelica leave Khaenri'ah, but Hleobrant is struck by the curse of wilderness and turns into a hilichurl.
Angelica explains: Perinheri was not affected by the curse because he comes from beyond Teyvat, even though he does not have the qualities to be a Descender.

>"As for you, Perinheri, you are one who drifted there. Thus, you bear no such curse. You may not have the nobility to shoulder a world, but you too have your own destiny."

>"And as for me? I betrayed no one, not for a moment, until my god died, so I too bear this curse not. But you now see who I truly am, yes?"

What does she mean by this? We know that all angels were cursed after the rebellion.
If there is an angel, of whom we know little or nothing, who remained faithful to the Heavenly Principles, that would be Alynas, who played a double game with Koitar.

>When he glanced back at Angelica, he saw that she was neither a beautiful woman from Liyue nor a wicked witch.
"I am freedom, that which has broken free of fate. This is what Hleobrant sought in agony, but that which is now yours for the taking."

This is where the crack theory really begins:

I’m struck by how much Rene emphasizes that Ajax (the Third Descender) is "the second-strongest warrior in his alliance."

Which alliance is this referring to?

In Greek mythology as well, Ajax is described as the second-best warrior in the Achaean army. The first is undoubtedly Achilles.
I looked for traces of Achilles in the lore, but found none - except… in Perinheri.

Among the trials Angelica subjects Hleobrant to, there is this one:

>He would win all these bouts, and turn to Angelica to show off his prowess. Yet all she ever gave him was a cool smile, for what great feat was it for a great runner if they raced a tortoise and triumphed?

The reference is clearly to the famous race between Achilles and the tortoise, known as Zeno’s paradox.

Why was Alynas searching for her Achilles, the most valorous warrior?

There is a precedent: if the Tsaritsa and Ajax are the second chapter of Koitar and the Voyager’s story, then their child is the result of the union between the First Angel and the second-strongest warrior.

The only other character we know who actively plays the role of a mother is Alice.

https://preview.redd.it/77trwasm1aah1.png?width=1864&format=png&auto=webp&s=87d651e67bc13fa827326aaed0bddcc66a316820

It is not the first time people have speculated that Alice is Alynas.
u/AudieMurphy135 has discussed this extensively, finding multiple connections across different theories, such as this and this.

Following this line of thought, a divine child was born from the union between the First Angel and the second-strongest warrior, and another divine child was born from the union between the Second Angel and the first-strongest warrior. (In this case Perinheri "the undefeated", instead of Hleobrant, who turned into a hilichurl.

https://preview.redd.it/qh3sa65w1aah1.png?width=1342&format=png&auto=webp&s=63b18585dcc18aa753eafc249ee29f993e5daee3

https://preview.redd.it/g2u6loww1aah1.png?width=1654&format=png&auto=webp&s=7e4dbc2741d04f5b52fe727162a6c3b02401f33b

Angelica and Perinheri would therefore be Alice and Kleiner.

Kleiner, after all, fights beyond the borders of Teyvat (from where Perinheri originates), while Alice casually holds a role that once belonged to a Shade.

Divine children like the Tsaritsa’s child and Klee are known in the Bible as Nephilim, meaning children of angels and humans.
The term appears precisely in the book The Little Witch and the Undying Fire, written among others by Alice.

>They were the children of gods and humans, and so their blood, too, was the conflux between the red blood of humanity and golden, divine blood.

>Nephilim, a hybrid of humans and gods? Right! So, the race of great demon king is actually the demon king class, and so demon kings were thus a type of Nephilim. And of course, since they were the dominant race, this meant that Nephilim were on the whole much stronger than normal humans - and since this setting for this world has hybrids of humans and gods, this meant that it has gods too.

I still don’t know what the function of these celestial children might be, but I’m certain that the importance of the Tsaritsa’s child and the whole reincarnation process of the Primordial Humans will play a major role in the story of Snezhnaya.

As always, thanks for reading! Hope this was an interesting read for you.

or: a new, fresher and more updated reading of The Pale Princess and the Six Pygmies.

In this theory we will see how the Tsaritsa could be:

• Snegurochka
• the daughter of Pakkaisukko
• the Pale Princess

and how, respectively, the Third Descender could be:

• Ajax
• Saarelainen
• the Light Prince

In addition, we will go deeper into the origins of Khaenri'ah and see how the Third Descender may have created the Curse of Wilderness.

[Warning: this theory will contain spoilers for all chapters of The Pale Princess and the Six Pigmies.]

I’d like to start this rereading of The Pale Princess by focusing on a detail that may have been overlooked in the new Snezhnaya trailer: the Tsaritsa is officially a Snegurochka.

Pale skin, grey hair, pointed ears, blue eyes: her design fully matches the characteristics of the Snegovik fae.
We’ve already had an example of their appearance with the character Viliana:

https://preview.redd.it/i2pmr09pu2ah1.jpg?width=650&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=be3b2e446aafb14c83a88d8219f59694963a93fd

https://preview.redd.it/x3si467qu2ah1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a449af84795d55f44cb425be38695d43e143048c

It follows that the Tsaritsa may not be related at all to the Belyi Tsar, but instead be simply the Princess of the Snegovik, the highest representative of one of the many fae clans, who appears in the Disenchantment in Deep Shadow set:

>These days, few visitors seek out the mountain manor held by the most preeminent of the Snegovik.

>It was not until the master of the banquet, the princess of the Snegurochka, appeared behind her, that she realized the mistress of all frost and ice had also long since grown tired of her guests' clichés and banalities.

This confirmation makes the already existing theory even more plausible: the Snegurochka who had a love story with Ajax, mentioned in Ballad of Fjords, is in fact the Tsaritsa.

If we also assume that Ajax’s identity is that of the Third Descender, as we have extensively discussed in many theories, we are inevitably led back to the official story of Saarelainen and the daughter of Pakkaisukko.

Based on the Tsaritsa’s patronymic, Feodorovna, we can hypothesize that Pakkaisukko’s name was Feodor.
This also distances us from the idea that Anastasya is related to the Belyi Tsar, whose name is Monomakh.
Therefore, Feodor was none other than the King of the Snegovik before being succeeded by Anastasya.

In Ballad of Fjords, Ajax and the Snegurochka “lost each other due to the wicked tricks of the changelings.”

This detail immediately reminds me of the story of the Pale Princess and the Prince of Light, separated by the evil actions of the Six Pygmies.

Let’s try rereading the book as if it were about the story of the Tsaritsa and the Third Descender.

>In the distant past, the Night Mother ruled over the faraway Land of Night.

In this theory, the Land of Night is Teyvat (or more precisely, the territory of Nod-Krai and Snezhnaya) after the fall of Hyperborea, contaminated by the Abyss and the destructive intervention of the Heavenly Principles, who had already unleashed their full wrath and were no longer loved and worshipped, but feared.

>O supreme Lord of the Sky, merciless and indomitable, Father of All and Mother of the Gods,
[...]
O god of gender unknowable, we plead that you turn from the mortal realm and the children of the farthest north.
You have shattered the order of the old laws and offered shelter to mortals, and yet ███ them.
You have shaken the ancient dwellings of the eternals, ███ed their wings, and laid waste to their ███.
You are the god of retribution, the vengeful deity. Your will is absolute beneath the moon, never to be disobeyed.
In heaven and on earth your blade ██, drinking dry the ██ of the wicked and the innocent.
O ██ and ██ king: before you, the gods are as mere mortals, and mortals, naught more than insects.
No one dares to speak your name, for you shall ██ all who know it.[Hymns of the Far North]

We will later see who may take on the role of the Night Mother.

>The cruel Night Mother, who had neither heart nor mouth, was always watching the Land of Night, and her punishments were always unexpected.
[…] The Moonlight Forest was the only place free from the rule of the Night Mother.

The Moonlight Forest is the territory where the surviving fae took refuge after the disaster of Hyperborea.
Specifically, the Snegovik clan led by Feodor and his daughter Anastasya.
The inhabitants of the Moonlight Forest are described as follows:

>Everyone in the Kingdom of the Moonlight Forest was born with fair skin, light-colored hair, and bright blue eyes.

Even today, the Snegurochka Pavlina, mentioned by Viliana, lives in the Garden of the Hesperides, which in Greek mythology is a sacred, immortal grove hidden at the edge of the world, inhabited only by protective nymphs.

>The monarch of this kingdom was a beautiful princess with skin as white as snow. Just like the moon, she had the brightest skin, the purest eyes, and the kindest soul.

The princess, who spends her days in her small paradise and dreams of one day bringing her people into the kingdom beyond the moonlight, suddenly meets a young outsider: the Prince of Light.

>"I am the Prince of the Kingdom of Light from the other side of the world," the prince said to the shocked Princess.
The Prince shone with an extraordinary light.
The people of the Moonlight Forest had never seen such vitality. For as the Prince strolled through the forest, life flourished around him: new leaves sprouted and the Princess and her people grew stronger.

The prince, who seems straight out of a fairy tale, reflects the kindness of Saarelainen, described as “cheerful, fair, kind-hearted lad, noble-born and nobly raised, a gentle and valiant son.”
It is interesting to note the light radiating from his body, which has the power to generate life and strengthen those around him - another trait of Saarelainen, described as “the healer of the world's sorrows and misfortunes”.
Prayers addressed to him were believed to have healing powers.

The Prince and the Princess leave the forest and venture into the darkness. In the story they go there willingly, but it is likely that Pakkaisukko, the Princess’s father, intervenes here, even though he does not appear in The Pale Princess.
We do know, however, that he is the one who sends Saarelainen to open the gates of dark and foggy Pohjola. A task he was said to have originally intended for his own daughter.

During their journey in the Land of Night, the Prince and Princess find themselves in the Kingdom of Pygmies.
This realm has sparked many theories that threaten to distort the timeline of the story:

• many see in the underground kingdom of Khaenri'ah and the Six Pygmies the same traits as the Five Sinners + Dainsleif. But setting the story 500 years ago, just before the Cataclysm, only creates more confusion about the events and identities.
• others see in the Six Pygmies the traits of the Archons. This also does not help, since Gnoses existed before the Archon War even began.

I believe the Kingdom of Pygmies is indeed Khaenri'ah, but many years before the Sinners and the Cataclysm (the Six could be the Sinners, but only if they somehow travelled back in time, but that is another story).

This is what I believe happened at the origin of Khaenri'ah:

we know the nation was founded after the destruction of Hyperborea: the Scribe of Sal Vindagnyr writes "I've heard of people who are building a new nation without gods. Perhaps they'll have the power to stand against this world.”
Its foundation therefore dates roughly to the same period as the great migration of fae and Hyperborea survivors: some of these even reached Mondstadt and founded Sal Vindagnyr.
We know that in Hyperborea the Voyager and Koitar created all fae using forbidden knowledge.
After Hyperborea’s fall, just as the Snegovik settled in the Moonlight Forest, another fae clan settled in the underground land of Khaenri'ah.
These fae were the ones most closely connected to the Voyager: they shared the same star-shaped pupils and, like their creator, most of all desired a free world.
The reason they are called “Pygmies” is because I believe they are a branch of the Domovoy family, which are effectively pygmies themselves.
In Chinese, the character 矮灵 is used, meaning “dwarf spirit”.

https://preview.redd.it/r2phb5qrv2ah1.png?width=914&format=png&auto=webp&s=e788d78964d9e4699c7215296d79c9ca13e9ff3b

In the Ring of the Nibelung, on which all Khaenri'ah lore is based, the Nibelungs (including Alberich) were dwarves living underground. In Norse mythology as well, dwarves live underground and possess almost magical qualities.

This connects further to the love between Ajax and the Snegurochka being destroyed by "the wicked tricks of the changelings".
Like many fae, the Domovoy are also believed to be changelings.

I found it quite interesting that they are promoting the character Pulcinella, a Domovoy, using only an image of his eye.

https://preview.redd.it/tp4au8ivv2ah1.jpg?width=596&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=128e21dd2ddff1f88488db2c20484178ba58db24

Even if he does not share the same pupil as the inhabitants of Khaenri'ah, he does share a similar shape, perhaps due to the millennia of evolution his branch of the Domovoy experienced in Snezhnaya rather than Khaenri'ah.

But the strongest proof of the connection between the Kingdom of Pygmies and Khaenri'ah comes now:

In the story, the Pygmies betray the Prince and the Princess: while the two are separated (the Princess was “in deep slumber”), the Pygmies attack the Prince.
The moment of the Prince’s death appears in the Princess’s dream:

>In her sleep, the Princess had no idea how the Prince was being tortured. In her dream, her lover's body glowed with luminous colors and light scattered gently like satin.

Once again, the Prince’s light is mentioned, and here, at the moment of death, it breaks into different colors.
I believe this is a metaphor for the division of his soul into the seven Gnoses.

>The Prince's broken soul used up all its remaining power to curse the pygmies. For the rest of their lives, they were tormented by a curse that made them feel as if they were being cooked in a huge cooking pot, unable to ever see the light of day again.

The curse cast by the Prince’s soul is the Curse of Wilderness of Khaenri'ah: the fact that they can no longer go to the surface without being turned into hilichurls.
This would explain why the curse already existed in the time of Perinheri, during the Crimson Dynasty, long before Ronova arrived and cast the curse of immortality instead.

In this story, it is therefore the Pygmies who divide the Prince into the Seven Gnoses. In Hymns of the Far North it is instead only the Heavenly Principles. According to Neuvillette, it was the Heavenly Principles in collaboration with “one who came after” (probably Feodor, or the sixth pygmy, whom the Night Mother calls: “As for you, the treacherous slave that poisoned his master... fate shall see that you get what you deserve.”).
We still need to discover who was actually involved in this act.

Only one of the Pygmies, therefore, out of fear of the curse or out of loyalty to the Princess, betrays his companions and carries the Prince’s body away, hoping to bring him back to life.

Meanwhile, the Princess was resting at “the Fountain of Purity”.
A detail not to overlook, because I believe this is the Inverted Fountain, which connects both Khaenri'ah and the Descenders.

It is the fountain we find at the bottom of the Chasm, in the Inverted City, which has the power to soothe the effects of the curse and towards which hilichurls go seeking peace.
It is the same fountain we see through a hole in the wall while meditating in front of the Book of Revealing in Fontaine. This means it was of great importance to the Narzissenkreutz Ordo and may be linked to René’s research on the reincarnation of the Primordial Human, once again tied to Ajax and therefore the Third Descender.

>"Io, Io, Pan! That which lies beneath the great sea!"
The purpose of this line in the ritual scripture is to forsake the self and sink into the abyss, and in the abyss, to welcome rebirth as a holy infant.
The origin of this is a tragedy of unknown provenance that has been passed down by persons unknown to this day. Said play is called "Ajax," or "Aias."

https://preview.redd.it/cpq9i54sw2ah1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e82344a39adfaff17f0a4193dcc769e4d97341c

Processing img 8xa8pn4tw2ah1...

The Prince’s body is brought by the Pygmy directly to this fountain (perhaps the same fountain that frees him from the Prince’s curse, allowing him to live outside Khaenri'ah’s boundaries).
But the Princess is not there: she has been kidnapped by the Night Mother.

She tells the Pygmy:

>“That foolish princess is now in chains. I destroyed the Moonlight Kingdom and cursed her people before her eyes. They will be in an undead state, lingering at the point between life and death forevermore. No soul and no moonlight."

It is interesting that we are faced with yet another curse cast upon a people whose identity we do not fully know.
The identity of the Night Mother is hard to pin down: it could be the Abyss, it could be the Heavenly Principles, but from this interaction I also find myself thinking… of Ronova.

https://preview.redd.it/pn3ou3a0x2ah1.png?width=1416&format=png&auto=webp&s=963619981a9fa81b4e7b61a67e0a323619b301cc

She is the Shade who, on behalf of the Heavenly Principles, casts curses.
The curse she casts on the Princess’s people is no different from Khaenri'ah’s curse of immortality.
In the new trailer, the Tsaritsa is explicitly shown confronting Ronova.
She says: “Death is not the enemy of love. The real enemy is the blessing given by deluded gods”.

It is already stated in the book that “the Night Mother’s punishments were always unexpected”.
And that “The Moonlight Forest was the only place free from the rule of the Night Mother”.
In ancient Greece, the Garden of the Hesperides is a place of immortal beings. Probably, as in Arcadia, Ronova had no power of death there.

Is it possible that the curse was to completely freeze the Princess’s people, leaving them in a state of immortal apparent death? Are the Snegovik therefore the people we are talking about?
On this matter, it is interesting what Snegurochka Viliana says about Pavlina:

>the Grand Duchess Pavlina of the House of Hesperides, has completely sealed off her territory, refusing to let a single one of her subjects venture out into the world…
Though... I suppose she has her reasons.

A fate very similar to that of Khaenri'ah.
I still believe there's another people connected to the Tsaritsa who were cursed by Ronova in a way similar to Khaenri'ah. The Cataclysm brought back both her memories and her trauma.

The Night Mother bids farewell by giving the Pygmy a prophecy of hope:

>In thousands of years time, my greatest foe will descend. He wields a sword that heralds the dawn and wears armor that can reflect the shining sunlight. He shall destroy my kingdom and bring the Prince back to life. The Princess will then be free from her eternal torment. Until then, I fear not a single soul in the Land of Night, for nothing will bring an end to my kingdom except for the catastrophe foretold by the prophecy.

I believe this clearly refers to the arrival of the Traveler and how they will bring the Third Descender back to life, freeing the Tsaritsa from her torment.

And as for the Princess?
I believe she was left free after having any memory of the Prince erased.
Even the Doctor says that Saarelainen has been “erased”.
Ronova tearing out the part of the photo where he should be seems to point to a memory wipe.
The Tsaritsa’s confusion suggests exactly that:

https://preview.redd.it/qpiky7vdx2ah1.png?width=1782&format=png&auto=webp&s=7718cf357b0c9553a9c8e7d85a52fe9fef99934b

The Tsaritsa likely recovered her memories during the Cataclysm.
It is somewhat the same fate as Koitar and the Voyager: she too regained her memories after a long time.

After allying with Pierro, with whom she shares the same fate and thirst for revenge, the war against the Night begins.

https://preview.redd.it/js5opqdhx2ah1.png?width=1868&format=png&auto=webp&s=1a8e669b4d0be4fd03342cdeb956648426fdeef4

https://preview.redd.it/acomg67jx2ah1.png?width=1440&format=png&auto=webp&s=27d6245ab9c37532570a8d1c249f23bf4eaa268f

Thank you very much, as always, for reading this far. I hope to read your thoughts soon.

We're only a short time away from the Snezhnaya character reveal video and, most likely, our first look at the Tsaritsa.
It could happen anytime between tomorrow and Wednesday.

Please remember that we all live in different time zones and that we don't know exactly when the trailer will be released.
Some people will be lucky enough to watch it right away, but others might be at work or asleep. They could wake up, open Reddit, and immediately see the Tsaritsa's face posted on this sub.

A lot of us have been waiting for this moment for six years, and it would be a shame to have it spoiled.
I'm asking everyone to work together and remember how important it is to use spoiler tags for anything related to the trailer, especially if you're posting right away because of the hype and excitement.

Please be considerate.

Thank you so much.
I hope it ends up being an unforgettable video for all of us.

Hi everyone! I wanted to start this little theory after the events of 4.3, so there will be heavy spoilers for the story from this point onward.

After reading Asat Pramad's story, his personal journey, and his various identities, I couldn't help but draw parallels between him and Sunday.

Let's start with Enroute, Asat Pramad's first identity.
We learn more about him through his former companion Bragi, who writes:

>I doubt the youngsters even remember my old friend Enroute, once the most joyful Fool of us all. Legend has it he even managed to prank an Aeon. Some say he stopped laughing after hearing all thirty trillion jokes in the universe, but the truth is, the tavern crowd just wasn't funny enough for him anymore. Before he went off the grid, he gave me a solemn farewell, claiming he was going to the real edge of the world for a brand-new adventure.

Enroute immersed himself so deeply in the philosophy of Elation, searching for a deeper meaning, that he eventually realized the answers he was looking for weren't there.

As Old Lamp's testimony suggests:

>Personally, I think Enroute took his aesthetics of Elation a bit too seriously.

This marks the beginning of his period of disillusionment.

The same thing happens to Sunday through his complete identification with the philosophy of Order.

You could say that both Sunday and Enroute "woke up from their dream."

What they both do after that awakening is continue their existential journey aboard the Astral Express.

"The world's end" for Asat Pramad and "paradise" for Sunday are essentially the same thing: a utopian destination driven by a single need: hope.

In Asat Pramad's Data Bank entry, it says:

>Some say Asat Pramad is the most human of the Overlords, while others argue he's the least.

I believe the first statement is the correct one, and we can see proof of it in his journey aboard the Astral Express, where Asat Pramad takes on the identity of Isee.

Like Sunday, Isee is someone desperately trying to find hope in existence.

He manages to become friends with every member of the Astral Express:

>They shared strong drinks on the frozen plains of Pagaseka, sang at the top of their lungs in the meteor belts of the Celestial Comet System. They raced, they roamed; the silver rails became threads of longitude and latitude, connecting civilizations once isolated from one another.
[Navigator's Astral Chart Uniform]

More than anyone else, he grows close to Akivili himself, sharing his doubts and his search for answers:

>He can still recall Akivili's silhouette, a figure that seemed naturally capable of pooling the trust of all the Nameless.
"Why is it that I seek answers, yet all I find is a life full of questions?"
He asked Akivili, for the confusion in his heart grew with each passing day.

For a time, Asat Pramad seems to have found the place he had been searching for all along.

>He charted every world on those astral charts with his own hands. He remembered the story of each world.
Time and again he set out with hope, joining his fellow Nameless to aid worlds in crisis.

But just as happened with Elation, the path of Trailblaze also leads him to disillusionment. More than anything else, it is Akivili's sudden death that destroys the hope he had rediscovered.

>There he witnessed the fall of the God of Trailblaze...
That being who yearned to transcend the universe's end, to venture beyond the Paths themselves, vanished from sight, leaving behind nothing but a small speck of light.
"What was it all for?" He wiped the tears from his eyes and laughed into the endless void, bile rising in his throat. "Turns out They didn't have the answer either. Turns out this path leads to a dead end. What a sick joke. Absolutely sick!"

What could be more human than that?

As for Sunday, we're only at the beginning of his journey aboard the Astral Express. Hope is still what drives him.
Right now, he's even looking for new answers through the path of Elation.

This is where his story diverges from Asat Pramad's: the Astral Express is still alive. Sunday hasn't experienced a new disillusionment.

But I'm convinced that if he were to witness the death of the Trailblazer and his new companions, just as Asat Pramad witnessed Akivili's death, Sunday's reaction would be the same.
"Turns out this path leads to a dead end."

I find the parallels between these two characters fascinating, and I wonder whether they'll lead to further growth for Sunday and an even more central role in the story.

What will it be like for Asat Pramad to confront Sunday, someone who represents his former self during his happier days as Isee?

I can't wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds.

But there's something else I'd like to reflect on, something that might hint at Sunday's future.

After his second disillusionment, we still don't fully know how Asat Pramad ultimately chose to become a Lord Ravager.

However, there's a missing piece between the "death" of Isee and the "birth" of Asat Pramad: his encounter with the Finality.

>Isee left the Astral Express after stepping down from the Navigator position. During the same period, the Omen Vanguards began to appear in the universe.
[Cosmodissey/Report]

It's heavily implied that Isee continued his journey toward the "world's end" by beginning research into Finality and founding the Omen Vanguards: followers of Terminus dedicated to deciphering their prophecies.

Among the prophecies spread by the Omen Vanguards is the famous one about the four Paths that will lead the universe toward the end of Finality.

Could it be that this investigation is what ultimately led Asat Pramad to embrace Destruction, as the prophecy foretold?

Given all the similarities between these two characters, I now wonder whether Finality will also become part of Sunday's existential journey.

Part of me hopes he'll spend the rest of his life aboard the Astral Express (that's my SundayMain bias talking), but I also wonder if, at some point, without having to experience the same disillusionment as Asat Pramad, Sunday might come to realize that the path of Trailblaze cannot answer all of his questions.

In that search, Finality is the perfect candidate. It represents not only the literal "world's end," but also a more mature conception of "paradise": a place of endings, rather than the idyllic and perfect paradise falsely promised by Order.

And I don't know about you, but I can absolutely picture Sunday as an Omen Vanguard: buried in stacks of papers (a researcher's paradise), trying to decipher Terminus's prophecies in order to prevent future calamities and continue helping his companions.

The raven, his symbolic animal, has long been associated with wisdom and foresight. In the ancient Brittonic languages, its name was Bran. In Welsh mythology, Bran is an enlightened ruler connected to prophetic wisdom. Even after his death, he continues to protect his people by speaking through his severed head.

Not to mention that Sunday could arrive at Finality simply by following his journey with Trailblaze, considering there's a possibility that it is the last of the four Paths that will lead to Finality (we still don't know everything that connects the Trailblazer to Terminus, but we do know that connection exists).

[Oh my God, just the thought of Sunday SP: Finality drives me insane.]

Thank you all for reading this far, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Hi everyone! I wanted to start this little theory after the events of 4.3, so there will be heavy spoilers for the story from this point onward.

After reading Asat Pramad's story, his personal journey, and his various identities, I couldn't help but draw parallels between him and Sunday.

Let's start with Enroute, Asat Pramad's first identity.
We learn more about him through his former companion Bragi, who writes:

>I doubt the youngsters even remember my old friend Enroute, once the most joyful Fool of us all. Legend has it he even managed to prank an Aeon. Some say he stopped laughing after hearing all thirty trillion jokes in the universe, but the truth is, the tavern crowd just wasn't funny enough for him anymore. Before he went off the grid, he gave me a solemn farewell, claiming he was going to the real edge of the world for a brand-new adventure.

Enroute immersed himself so deeply in the philosophy of Elation, searching for a deeper meaning, that he eventually realized the answers he was looking for weren't there.

As Old Lamp's testimony suggests:

>Personally, I think Enroute took his aesthetics of Elation a bit too seriously.

This marks the beginning of his period of disillusionment.

The same thing happens to Sunday through his complete identification with the philosophy of Order.

You could say that both Sunday and Enroute "woke up from their dream."

What they both do after that awakening is continue their existential journey aboard the Astral Express.

"The world's end" for Asat Pramad and "paradise" for Sunday are essentially the same thing: a utopian destination driven by a single need: hope.

In Asat Pramad's Data Bank entry, it says:

>Some say Asat Pramad is the most human of the Overlords, while others argue he's the least.

I believe the first statement is the correct one, and we can see proof of it in his journey aboard the Astral Express, where Asat Pramad takes on the identity of Isee.

Like Sunday, Isee is someone desperately trying to find hope in existence.

He manages to become friends with every member of the Astral Express:

>They shared strong drinks on the frozen plains of Pagaseka, sang at the top of their lungs in the meteor belts of the Celestial Comet System. They raced, they roamed; the silver rails became threads of longitude and latitude, connecting civilizations once isolated from one another.
[Navigator's Astral Chart Uniform]

More than anyone else, he grows close to Akivili himself, sharing his doubts and his search for answers:

>He can still recall Akivili's silhouette, a figure that seemed naturally capable of pooling the trust of all the Nameless.
"Why is it that I seek answers, yet all I find is a life full of questions?"
He asked Akivili, for the confusion in his heart grew with each passing day.

For a time, Asat Pramad seems to have found the place he had been searching for all along.

>He charted every world on those astral charts with his own hands. He remembered the story of each world.
Time and again he set out with hope, joining his fellow Nameless to aid worlds in crisis.

But just as happened with Elation, the path of Trailblaze also leads him to disillusionment. More than anything else, it is Akivili's sudden death that destroys the hope he had rediscovered.

>There he witnessed the fall of the God of Trailblaze...
That being who yearned to transcend the universe's end, to venture beyond the Paths themselves, vanished from sight, leaving behind nothing but a small speck of light.
"What was it all for?" He wiped the tears from his eyes and laughed into the endless void, bile rising in his throat. "Turns out They didn't have the answer either. Turns out this path leads to a dead end. What a sick joke. Absolutely sick!"

What could be more human than that?

As for Sunday, we're only at the beginning of his journey aboard the Astral Express. Hope is still what drives him.
Right now, he's even looking for new answers through the path of Elation.

This is where his story diverges from Asat Pramad's: the Astral Express is still alive. Sunday hasn't experienced a new disillusionment.

But I'm convinced that if he were to witness the death of the Trailblazer and his new companions, just as Asat Pramad witnessed Akivili's death, Sunday's reaction would be the same.
"Turns out this path leads to a dead end."

I find the parallels between these two characters fascinating, and I wonder whether they'll lead to further growth for Sunday and an even more central role in the story.

What will it be like for Asat Pramad to confront Sunday, someone who represents his former self during his happier days as Isee?

I can't wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds.

But there's something else I'd like to reflect on, something that might hint at Sunday's future.

After his second disillusionment, we still don't fully know how Asat Pramad ultimately chose to become a Lord Ravager.

However, there's a missing piece between the "death" of Isee and the "birth" of Asat Pramad: his encounter with the Finality.

>Isee left the Astral Express after stepping down from the Navigator position. During the same period, the Omen Vanguards began to appear in the universe.
[Cosmodissey/Report]

It's heavily implied that Isee continued his journey toward the "world's end" by beginning research into Finality and founding the Omen Vanguards: followers of Terminus dedicated to deciphering their prophecies.

Among the prophecies spread by the Omen Vanguards is the famous one about the four Paths that will lead the universe toward the end of Finality.

Could it be that this investigation is what ultimately led Asat Pramad to embrace Destruction, as the prophecy foretold?

Given all the similarities between these two characters, I now wonder whether Finality will also become part of Sunday's existential journey.

Part of me hopes he'll spend the rest of his life aboard the Astral Express (that's my SundayMain bias talking), but I also wonder if, at some point, without having to experience the same disillusionment as Asat Pramad, Sunday might come to realize that the path of Trailblaze cannot answer all of his questions.

In that search, Finality is the perfect candidate. It represents not only the literal "world's end," but also a more mature conception of "paradise": a place of endings, rather than the idyllic and perfect paradise falsely promised by Order.

And I don't know about you, but I can absolutely picture Sunday as an Omen Vanguard: buried in stacks of papers (a researcher's paradise), trying to decipher Terminus's prophecies in order to prevent future calamities and continue helping his companions.

The raven, his symbolic animal, has long been associated with wisdom and foresight. In the ancient Brittonic languages, its name was Bran. In Welsh mythology, Bran is an enlightened ruler connected to prophetic wisdom. Even after his death, he continues to protect his people by speaking through his severed head.

Not to mention that Sunday could arrive at Finality simply by following his journey with Trailblaze, considering there's a possibility that it is the last of the four Paths that will lead to Finality (we still don't know everything that connects the Trailblazer to Terminus, but we do know that connection exists).

[Oh my God, just the thought of Sunday SP: Finality drives me insane.]

Thank you all for reading this far, and I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

Last year I didn't pull on the Fate banners, so I couldn't reach 200 pulls to get Archer's free lightcone.
I think it’s very likely they’ll do the same promo for Gilgamesh’s lightcone this year.
I was wondering: just like with the free character, where we can choose between Archer and Gilgamesh, do you think it's possible for the lightcone too?
Do you guys think that’s likely? If so, when will we know something? Do we have to wait for the Livestream?
Thanks a lot!

A lot of people have already noticed its mysterious appearances throughout the story.
My intention is to officially address this elephant in the room, gather all the information we have about it, and open a discussion about its identity and role in the plot.

I’m absolutely convinced that this lizard has a major role, especially regarding the disappearance of the Gnosis.

Let’s go in order, talking about its appearances and the theories that come from them.

First appearance:

the Blue Horned Lizard first appears during patch 6.3, on the table inside the Curatorium of Secrets. It witnesses the meeting where they discuss how to bring Columbina back.

https://preview.redd.it/59d6dccio33h1.png?width=1858&format=png&auto=webp&s=dd5533c28cd679c700d05f0500a0cebf2bd7c42d

Second appearance:

we are inside the Mausoleum of King Deshret. It witnesses the discussion about Aaru’s technology and the plans to modify it.

https://preview.redd.it/wm6uqi3po33h1.png?width=1858&format=png&auto=webp&s=339ea412ab2ffe17561defaaf6b009bc2033ef45

Third appearance:

at the border between Sumeru and Natlan. It witnesses the transfer of the Gnosis from Mavuika to Nahida.

https://preview.redd.it/jnztm5hso33h1.png?width=1852&format=png&auto=webp&s=17a642f9afb908dc4c1fcfa7d28c3a0b15419cc1

The first detail that stands out is how the lizard always appears in situations of absolute secrecy, especially during the last two appearances.
In the first case, Aaru’s technology had already been used to completely isolate Deshret’s Mausoleum in order to prevent any outside interference.

https://preview.redd.it/1x4mg3kvo33h1.png?width=1858&format=png&auto=webp&s=9ce1e9b74ce6e4d1290b468d005885c5e2d46a48

In the last case, there was an elaborate plan underway to allow the Gnosis to be transferred without anyone noticing (keeping Mavuika outside the border and using the Traveler as a Descender).

https://preview.redd.it/kbp3ur2xo33h1.png?width=1852&format=png&auto=webp&s=2bf2325e1078cb3e479ab5207d339c063e4371c2

It seems pretty obvious to me just how important the information gathered by the Blue Horned Lizard is, especially the information regarding the Gnosis.

About the Lizard’s Identity

I think it’s pretty obvious that someone’s soul resides inside the lizard.

We’ve had proof of this since patch 6.3, when we discovered that Dottore was conducting experiments on humans by transferring their souls into animal bodies.

https://preview.redd.it/pa90r6p1p33h1.png?width=1856&format=png&auto=webp&s=494b189b0a7921cdf05445f548b7cb2e8a926f62

Dottore himself explains it better in Anomalous Tree Marrow III:

>Splitting the soul is not the most formidable obstacle. The next issue I must address is the mechanism of transfer, to ensure that the soul reaches its designated location.
First, we conquer the living world. Then, we head to the world beyond death.
I expect to begin with animal experiments. We can use the souls of others as the subjects of our experiments.

When theorizing about the identity of the soul inside the lizard, I’m basing myself on a narrative necessity: eventually the Gnosis will have to end up in the Tsaritsa’s hands, and the only person who knows Nahida has it is the lizard itself. So it’s likely that whoever witnessed the transfer of the Gnosis and later went to retrieve it is a follower of the Tsaritsa.

• Dottore himself. He’s the first person that comes to mind: he’s the one who possesses the ability to transmigrate souls and who intends to follow his enemies’ movements. However, this theory falls apart because in Anomalous Tree Marrow III it’s clear that Dottore conducted the experiments on others and not on himself, eventually arriving at the solution of digitizing himself:

>Phase Two of the soul experiment is concluded, with losses staying below projections. Evidently, the channel of transfer is more critical than the total volume.
Digitization... That's a splendid idea.

It’s also repeatedly stated that Dottore split his soul into two:

>I perceive a truly magnificent scene: one half of my soul enters the Ley Lines through death, while the remaining half is injected as pure data. My two halves would then navigate those pathways to converge with the information of the past.

I find the idea of a secret third fragment of his soul pretty unlikely, especially because his arc found a perfect closure in the latest AQ, and it would feel strange to see him appear once again.

• Pantalone. I had started developing a crack theory where Pantalone was actually a blue horned lizard that Dottore had acquired from animal traffickers, experimenting on him and eventually giving him an unstable human body that required the elixir to stay alive. The real “Pantalone” would therefore have been the lizard itself. I was getting really invested in this theory after noticing the purple pattern and the design similarities between Pantalone and Baizhu, who is also closely tied to a reptile (Changsheng). But this theory also falls apart, because in Anomalous Tree Marrow we discover that Pantalone is a 400-year-old human being.

• Pulcinella. I also started a theory about him, based on the fact that many fae are shapeshifters. Still, I find it highly unlikely that Pulcinella would personally step into the field, going all the way to Nod-Krai and Sumeru considering all the responsibilities he has in Snezhnaya as mayor.

• Another Fatuus. I find it strange that such an important task as recovering the Gnosis would be entrusted to someone who isn’t a Harbinger, but the lizard could be the result of one of Dottore’s human experiments, tasked with secretly spying on our protagonists.

If instead we move away from narrative necessity, the possibilities widen, and the blue horned lizard could be:

• One of Dottore’s test subjects. A human being who became the victim of the experiment and wants to get close to us but doesn’t know how to communicate. But in that case, why have it witness the most secret and important plot developments?

• The Voyager. This theory is based on the power used by Dottore when he created the energy fields to conduct his soul transmigration experiments: the power of the Light Realm.

https://preview.redd.it/nvytpcyvp33h1.png?width=1856&format=png&auto=webp&s=16bcc71751359b84940326c97e187a88381ae215

The “digitized” pattern of Dottore’s field is extremely similar to the power used by the Heavenly Principles. It’s the same pattern we find on the fake sky barrier, on the field generated by Irminsul (modified by the HP) to protect Sumeru, and in the “control center” of Naberius.
So it’s possible that Dottore, in his attempt to emulate the Heavenly Principles, used the power of the Light Realm just like they did.
Aaru also uses the same technology, and we know that the power used by Deshret was brought to him directly from Celestia by Nabu Malikata.

https://preview.redd.it/jvb5ur0zp33h1.png?width=1858&format=png&auto=webp&s=c63bd4abb4f5726f6db81b6749f813822bd60181

In light of this information, we can theorize that the Heavenly Principles were aware of the power to transmigrate souls through the power of the Light Realm and used it on someone. My thoughts go to the punishment inflicted on the Voyager, whose consciousness may have been transferred into the body of an animal.
Even with this theory, I realize how complicated the plot could become if the Gnosis ended up in the Voyager’s hands when sooner or later it has to reach the Tsaritsa. Unless we imagine them as allies, considering that both are at war with the Heavenly Principles.
Could the blue horned lizard actually be the missing Tenth Harbinger?

Having established the importance of this new “character,” I think I’ve listed all the information we currently have and all the theories I could come up with for now.
Do you know of any other appearances? Do you have any other theories about its identity, or is there one in particular that resonates with you?
It would be amazing to expand this discussion even further.

As always, thanks everyone for reading.

The new artifact set: Celestial Gift goes deeper into the Voyager’s past.

We learn that she comes from an ancient people who, over the course of millions of years, developed technology advanced enough to conquer space and time.
As they witnessed the gradual death of the universe, this civilization sent countless chroniclers to the edges of time, tasked to observe, calculate, record and inscribe every world, in a futile search for hope.

>The first people who had mastered leptons sent forth chroniclers toward the limits of baryonic matter in the hope of finding answers at the very last particle of existence.

After focusing on this sentence, I started researching leptons and baryonic matter, and I discovered the existence of a famous sci-fi novel series built on the same physical concepts, which probably inspired the Voyager’s story.

I’m talking about Xeelee Sequence, written by Stephen Baxter starting in 1991.

The Xeelee are considered the most advanced of all Baryonic life-forms, and over the course of countless millennia they expanded their technology until they became masters of time and space. [source]
They are capable of creating Closed Timelike Curves in order to travel through time.

In the same way,

>The descendants of the ancients rose in defiance, and over the millions of years that followed, conquered time and space in turn.
[Celestial Gift]

In the book series as well, the universe is heading toward extinction, and the Xeelee are searching for hope.
While worlds around them die, The Xeelee use primordial black holes as habitats, construction tools, and computing devices.

Similarly, the Voyager’s people

>retreated to Giant Voids amidst the numerous galaxies, to the lightless edges of perception, as they clutched the last faint trace of hope.

The Xeelee’s greatest enemies are the Photino Birds, entities made of dark matter that contribute to the extinction of the universe.
Since dark matter interacts only weakly with baryonic matter, the Photino Birds respond solely to their own survival instinct and show no concern for the other life forms in the universe (perhaps they are not even aware those life forms exist).

This behavior strongly resembles that of the Abyss.

More specifically, the Photino Birds interrupt the nuclear fusion in the cores of stars, thereby prematurely aging them into white dwarves.
This immediately reminded me of the theory that Teyvat’s sun is actually a white dwarf, as seemingly hinted in As Heaven and Earth Are Made Anew:

>For several weeks or months, intense heat and light had marked the star's final brilliance. After that, it had been reduced to a cold, dim dwarf.

The destinies of the two civilizations are also very similar, because by the end of the novels the Xeelee realize they can do nothing against the advance of the Photino Birds and that the universe is doomed.
Likewise, the chroniclers are left abandoned in the void as the universe around them continues to fade away:

>Perhaps this so-called race that had transcended time was, in the end, nothing more than prisoners keeping vigil over a graveyard of stars.
[…]
The farther they pushed into the unknown, the more they understood the futility and sorrow of their struggle.

These new details, together with the story of the chroniclers, led me to think that the Voyager’s design has actually already been shown before, specifically in Lunar Arcanum X: The Wheel of Fortune.

“Every world within the reach of wisdom is being engraved into the eyes of the void”

Until now we always assumed the Arcanum represented Istaroth, but I now believe it actually depicts the Voyager instead.

Several details seem to point in that direction: the imagery tied to time (represented by the many clocks, since the chroniclers travel through time), the solitude, the worlds fading into darkness, the tears of despair, and the sense of floating endlessly through the void.

>As starlight wheeled on and the beacons upon the star charts went dark one by one, they at last extended their probes to the very end of time.
There, all light had vanished, and all possibility was spent.

Even the ring surrounding the female figure could match the Voyager’s first description in Finale of the Deep Galleries:

>As her undying body slumbered away within a distant celestial disk-construct, her mind had drifted through an empty expanse spanning many light years.

There’s more: the Xeelee used Closed Timelike Curves to travel through time, but they could only go back as far as 13.5 billion years.
That same timescale, corresponding to the birth of the universe, also appears in the Arcanum’s description:

>In 14 billion "years" of darkness,
it is the sum of all that is destined to happen and all that never will.
Partings, encounters, and partings once more,
birth, destruction, and birth yet again...

From this point onward, I’m moving into pure speculation regarding the future of Teyvat and the universe itself.

The Photino Birds (which, in this theory, would correspond to the Abyss) exist outside the laws of space and time.
When the Xeelee travel 13.5 billion years into the past, they discover that the Photino Birds are already there.
This revelation makes them realize they have no hope of victory, so they devote themselves to creating their greatest work, the only hope they have left: the Ring.

The Ring is described as a gigantic loop of cosmic string, millions of light-years across and spinning at close to light speed.
Its immense gravity and rotation are powerful enough to tear open the universe at its center, creating a breach that allows them to escape the universe itself and open a path toward another universe.

The Voyager’s only hope, the thing that awakens her from her long slumber, is that faint glimmer she senses in the darkness, coming from the primeval dragon born alongside Teyvat: Nibelung.

I can’t help but connect these two concepts through the great archetype of the Ring of the Nibelung.

I wonder if, at the end of the story, the only hope of escaping the Abyss is to flee into another universe.
It’s not a concept unfamiliar to Hoyoverse’s narrative logic, especially if we think about the Imaginary Tree.

As always, thank you so much for reading all the way through, and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.