Highlights
- Genshin Impact's lore includes the mysterious Heavenly Principles, who played a major role in The Cataclysm and the destruction of Khaen'riah.
- The Heavenly Principles, also known as the Unknown God, has the power to place irreversible curses, as seen with the citizens of Khaen'riah.
- The Fatui Harbingers, among others, fear the return of the Unknown God and the potential for another dark conflict if the Abyss Order awakens the entity.
Underneath the surface of Genshin Impact's colorful aesthetic, the action RPG contains lore that extends quite some way back in time, creating a comprehensive story that propelled the title to relevance. Just as with every good story, some pieces of its history have a cloud of mystery hanging over them, and a few elements in the realm of Teyvat require careful consideration from the title's player base. Intricate pieces of lore are starting to unravel in widely popular games like Destiny 2 with its Parting The Veil quest, and Genshin Impact is following the trend by offering players some understanding of the elusive Heavenly Principles. Looking into the paradigm-shifting events of The Cataclysm reveals tidbits of the Heavenly Principles' power, and the tragedy holds a clue into its nature.
Occurring about 500 years before the events of Genshin Impact, The Cataclysm is the latest in a long line of violence that stretches back to the days of the Archon War. The Cataclysm culminated in the destruction of Khaen'riah by the gods and the Heavenly Principles, and these beings have maintained an unassuming presence in the years since. Players encountered the Heavenly Principles - also known as the Unknown God - in Genshin Impact's opening scene, but not much else is clear about who it is or how it came to be, and characters only refer to the entity in brief dialogue, although it appears Nahida and a few Fatui Harbingers know its secrets.
The Unknown God Has a Streak of Violence
Also referred to by Nahida as the First Descender, the Heavenly Principles is a being that hails from outside Teyvat, and the only other entity currently known to belong to that group is Genshin Impact's protagonist, Traveler. The people of Khaen'riah first suspected the Principles' alien origins and subsequently planned for thousands of years to overthrow the gods, developing Ruin machines to fight the Celestia and seeking evidence of their usurper nature from Enkanomiya. Curiously, the nation went untouched until they dabbled in the Abyss' powers 500 years ago and rampaged across Teyvat.
The revolution was quelled by Celestia and the gods, and the ancient country dating back thousands of years was destroyed as a result. Through this victory over their would-be usurpers, the Heavenly Principles displayed its frightening powers, and it had one final cruel punishment for the people of Khaen'riah. The First Descender can place practically irrevocable curses, and it pronounced a curse on the living citizens according to their standing in society. Khaenri'ans born of pure blood received a curse of immortality - similar to the afflictions of the Seelie after their war against the Sovereigns. Non-purebloods suffered a worse fate and were robbed of all thought, transformed into hilichurls.
Winning this battle did not come easily to the Heavenly Principles, and it suffered losses among its ranks. Lord of Amrita - the Hydro Archon - lost her life, along with Raiden Makoto, the Electro Archon. Ei took her place as the Electro Archon and dissociated from the Heavenly Principles, while the Tsaritsa would eventually become a founding member of the Fatui Harbingers. The Heavenly Principles, perhaps jaded from the conflict like several members of The Seven, retreated into a slumber, and has been lying dormant in Genshin Impact in the years since Khaen'riah's destruction.
Teyvat's citizens have not forgotten this display of power even after so many centuries, and the Fatui Harbingers in particular seem to have a clear idea of what the Heavenly Principles is capable of. As evidenced by Nahida's dialogue with Il Dottore, the group isn't willing to risk the return of the Unknown God, despite their lofty ambitions. The power of the Unknown God is unquestionable, and there is a genuine fear the Abyss Order will rouse the entity and send the world into another dark conflict.
Genshin Impact is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and mobile devices. A Switch version is in development.
