Genshin Impact's main quest line chronicles a thrilling story, but there is even more to know about Teyvat that is relayed through the game's prequel manga and clues from subtle, in-game sources. This is especially true of the citizens of Mondstadt and the Knights of Favonius, who feature prominently in the prequel's story.
Diluc Ragnvindr, Mondstadt's broody rich playboy/secret vigilante protector, went on a dark, 3-year sojourn prior to the events of the game. During that time, he abandoned his Pyro Vision, disgusted by it's inability to protect those he held dear, and wielded a dark artifact known as a Delusion. Like Visions, these powerful artifacts bestow supernatural powers on their host, albeit by mysterious, artificial means. Why did Diluc forsake his vision in favor of a risky, probably-evil relic? And how did he come to possess it in the first case?
The answers, as is the case with many of Genshin Impact's stories, are rather sad. It all begins with the death of Diluc's father, Crepus.
A Father's Sacrifice, a Son's Inheritance
Crepus died defending his sons, Diluc (biological) and Kaeya (adoptive), from a monstrosity known as Ursa the Drake. He did this using a Delusion, which he obtained via unknown means, and intended to pass it onto Diluc on his eighteenth birthday. Unfortunately, the power of the Delusion backfired onto Crepus. According to one account, the Delusion killed him outright, but according to Kaeya, Diluc used his Pyro Vision to put him out of his misery. The manga ultimately leaves this ambiguous, as his body is seen disintegrating in Diluc's arms.
Back then, Diluc was a diligent and promising member of the Knights of Favonius, alongside Kaeya. He was also less guarded with his altruistic, and fundamentally kind personality. That changed when Inspector Eroch—a member of the Knights eventually revealed to be a traitor—deliberately sabotaged the investigation into Crepus' death. Infuriated at his own inability to protect his father, and the Knights' seeming incompetence, Diluc left his Pyro Vision behind, took up the Delusion that killed his father, and traveled Teyvat, seeking answers.
A Journey of Discovery and Vengeance
Crepus' Delusion was shaped like a gauntlet, which had the (admittedly awesome) ability to spawn black metal chains that can restrain, grapple, and fight against opponents several magnitudes larger than the user. During his travels, Diluc interrogated the Fatui using the Delusion's power, demanding to know the secrets of Delusions and how his father got his hands on one. It is unknown just how fruitful his search was, but eventually, he returned to Mondstadt.
Following the death of two Fatui diplomats in an event known as The Black Fire Incident, Diluc poses as the culprit, presenting his Delusion as the source of the conflagration. This is a ruse to get closer to Barnabas, a manga-only character who was conducting vile experiments on Collei (another manga only character). To prevent him from kidnapping Collei again, and gathering more test subjects from Mondstadt, Diluc teams up with Amber to take out the mad seer.
Rejecting the Delusion
After defeating Barnabas, the Fatui take Diluc into custody. But he escapes, leaving his original Dark Knight Hero mask and Crepus' Delusion behind. Later, Kaeya returns Diluc's Vision, and he has wielded it instead ever since.
It is also worth noting that the Knights of Favonius conducted research on Crepus' Delusion in the manga, but the document reporting on it was burned, destroying crucial information. It doesn't take a great leap of the imagination to assume Diluc may be responsible, seeing how he is well-acquainted with the potential perils and misuse of the Artifact.
Genshin Impact is available now for mobile devices, PC, and PlayStation 4, with a forthcoming release for PlayStation 5 and Switch.
