RELATED: Genshin Impact: Things You Didn’t Know About The Traveler
Yet, many Genshin Impactplayers aren’t aware of the web of lore surrounding these great beings of the world. Each is a god, representing their own ideal and people. From the shocking shores of Inazuma to the stony gateways of Liyue, many facts fall through the surface for fans of miHoYo’s flagship franchise.
Updated on October 5, 2021, by Scott Vengel: Just recently, Genshin Impact concluded the story of their newest region, Inazuma. In the end, the region’s arc ended with a twist that shocked audiences just as much as its beginning had back in August. That said, with the story ended, Genshin Impact fans have been given a feast of information on both Inazuma’s archon, and that of the next region in the story, Sumeru. As such, this article has been updated to include more information on these two archons, in an effort to give fans more perspective of the story to come.
7 Barbatos
“What does Freedom really mean when demanded of you by a god?”
Local Name: Venti Element: Anemo Country: Mondstadt Ideal: Freedom
For Genshin Impact players, Mondstadt was their first experience of Teyvat. It held the first character, the first adventure, and of course, the first Archon. Representing the ideal of freedom, Barbatos has taken to allowing his people to govern without divine interference.
RELATED: Genshin Impact: Things You Didn’t Know About Barbatos
That said, Barbatos is not being reckless; one of two original Archons in Genshin Impact, he has 2,600 years of wisdom on his shoulders. Watching from the shadows as a lowly bard, Barbatos currently lives as a mortal named Venti. And while he may seem lowly now, this is a facade. Barbatos helped warm tundras, level mountains, and subjugated the Four Winds. After all, it was Barbatos that help in overthrowing the previous Archon in Mondstadt, Decarabian, in the Archon War.
In addition, Barbatos often helped modern Monstadt directly, such as in the case of Vennessa. This kind of behavior can be seen in several historical events, including the main story where he helped subdue Dvalin with the Traveler. In the end, Barbatos will always help Mondstadt if it means protecting the people’s freedom, though he currently prefers to watch from the shadows as a mortal bard named Venti.
6 Morax (Rex Lapis)
“In the end, he will sign the Contract to end all Contracts.”
Local Name: Zhongli Element: Geo Country: Liyue Ideal: Contracts
While Barbatos is an old god, he is not the oldest. Liyue’s Morax, the God of Contracts, is the oldest Archon in Genshin Impact, with at least over 2,000 years under his rule. Naturally, as a god centered around order, Morax has a very different relationship with his people.
To the people of Liyue, Morax goes by the name Rex Lapis; a great diety known for guiding the people directly. He has been stated to define the economic growth of Liyue, and consequently, he is a major influence on the relations between nations. Like Barbatos, Morax also has great combat powers; during the Archon War, Morax created the Stone Forest of Guyun with his own spears.
Like many other Archons, Morax is not a human; rather, he is an adeptus that takes the form of a dragon. It is said that Morax could take any form of his choosing, often coming down to Liyue undercover to view the world among the people. That said, by Liyue’s conclusion, Morax has retired from being an Archon, choosing to live among the people as a mortal named Zhongli.
5 Baal/Beelzebul
“In the secluded land of the immortal shogun, the Bakufu rules Eternal. But, what do mortals see of the Eternity chased after by their god?”
Local Name: Raiden Shogun/Ei Element: Electro Country: Inazuma Ideal: Eternity
While the Traveler had a very welcoming experience with their first two Archons, the Inazuman Raiden Shogun gave a very different impression. Locking the islands under a fierce seclusion policy and forcibly seizing the Visions in the nation, the Electro Archon is violent, to say the least.
RELATED: Genshin Impact: Things You Didn’t Know About Electro
Beelzebul is the current God of Eternity, and so her actions have all been done in pursuit of reaching this goal. Supposedly because of her actions, there has not been an Electro vision given out in a year from the end of Liyue’s story quest (it’s currently unknown who the last Vision was given to, or whether it is truly because of Beelzebul that Vision-giving has stopped.) In addition, the Raiden Shogun is the first of Genshin Impact’s Archons to not be one of the Original Seven involved in the Archon War.
Rather, the Raiden Shogun’s story is a tragedy, as explained in the end of Inazuma’s arc. The original Electro Archon was not Beelzebul, but rather her twin, Baal. However, in the catastrophic events that occurred 500 years before Genshin Impact’s start, Baal fell in battle. It is only because of this loss that Beelzebul has taken her sister’s place as the Raiden Shogun.
4 Sumeru
“The God of Wisdom’s enemy is Wisdom itself. And the oasis of knowledge is a mirage in the desert of ignorance. In the city of scholars, there is a push for folly. Yet, the God of Wisdom makes no argument against it.”
Local Name: Kusanali Element: Dendro Country: Sumeru Ideal: Wisdom
Unusually enough, despite being the next god in line for release, the God of Wisdom is one of the characters fans know the least about. Nonetheless, miHoYo is a clever company, placing hints in its trailers to be paired with already-known information, as well as information given upon Inazuma’s conclusion.
So far, players are aware Sumeru’s Dendro Archon is the youngest of the Seven, having only 500 years of rule. The rest of the narrative is purely theory for fans to piece together. However, given that the Calamity of Khaenri’ah occurred 500 years ago, it is likely that the two events are connected.
On the other hand, Genshin Impact fans were also given a little bit more information at the conclusion of Inazuma’s arc in the main story by Yae Miko. At the shrine maiden’s suggestion, it appears that Sumeru’s Archon will use a female human form that goes by the name Lesser Lord Kusanali. Unlike the case with Inazuma’s Archon, it appears that Kusanali will be a beloved goddess, adored by her people.
3 Fontaine
“The God of Justice lives for the spectacle of the courtroom, seeking to Judge all other gods. But, even she knows not to an enemy of the divine.”
Local Name: TBD Element: Hydro Country: Fontaine Ideal: Justice
Like Sumeru, Fontaine’s Hydro Archon has very little information released. In fact, the God of Justice has the least information available among the Seven as of Inazuma’s release.
RELATED: Genshin Impact: Things You Didn’t Know About Hydro
That said, not all is lost, as some information about the Hydro Archon has come to light. Based on her description in the Travail trailer, Fontaine is to be the skeptic among gods. Judging them in her own country, it is likely that the events in Fontaine will paint the gods in a different color, the Archon telling of their downsides and crimes.
2 Murata
“The rules of War are woven in the womb. The victor shall burn bright, while the losers must turn to ash. When the God of War shares this secret with the Traveler, it is because she has her reasons.”
Local Name: TBD Element: Pyro Country: Natlan Ideal: War
Funnily enough, it’s with Natlan’s Archon that players start to have a lot of information. For one, the Pyro Archon is the God of War, and her personality is best described as “survival of the fittest” based on the Travail preview trailer’s description of her.
Of course, so far in the future of miHoYo’s release schedule, a lot of what is believed about the Pyro Archon is unconfirmed. For example, fans cannot even be sure that Murata is the name of the Pyro Archon, even though the time frame of Vennessa’s story in the manga would lead fans to conclude that it is. Nonetheless, players all around the community should be excited about the release of more information about her.
1 The Tsaritsa
“She is a god with no Love left for her people, nor do they have any left for her. Her followers hope only to be on her side when the day of her rebellion against the divine comes at last.”
Local Name: The Tsaritsa Element: Cryo Country: Snezhnaya Ideal: TBD
Unlike Sumeru, Fontaine, and Natlan, there exists a lot of information about Snezhnaya due to player interactions with the Fatui. Though she is surrounded in mystery, players should be aware that the Tsaritsa is the Cryo Archon and head of the Fatui. It can be concluded that most citizens of Snezhnaya are not fans of the Tsaritsa, rather being drawn to her side by power.
That said, one of the biggest mysteries about the Tsaritsa is her true ideal. There have been many theories: the God of War, Calamity, Power, the list goes on. One of the biggest fan theories states that she is the God of Love, based on her description in the Travail preview trailer. Nonetheless, it is clear that the Tsaritsa is now a cruel goddess, with little respect for her people.
MORE: Genshin Impact: Hidden Locations You Missed In The Inazuma Region
