Golden Apple Archipelago

The Golden Apple Archipelago is a limited time summer event area located east of Mondstadt that first appeared in Version 1.6 and appeared again in Version 2.8 in the Summertime Odyssey event with a different look. It was historically known as the Haar Islands before the events of Midsummer Island Adventure. This area contains a set of islands that the Dodo-King invited Klee to in the quest Mysterious Islands: Journey to the Unknown.
The archipelago is the first location released where the player can be introduced to the Waverider system.
Many of the archipelago's elements have later reappeared at Inazuma.
==History==
According to Venti, the archipelago used to be called the Haar Islands. The islands were created during the terraforming of Mondstadt; as Barbatos reshaped the region, he split off the tops from mountains which then landed upside-down in the sea, becoming the archipelago.Event Echoing Tales Conch Retrospection, VI: Familiar Voices - An Archon's Deeds Lisa also mentions it "belonging to no nation", likely meaning it is located in neutral waters.
The area appears to be operated by an unusually large mechanism that has not yet been revealed. Initially, the islands were covered in dense fog, which made travel to the islands extremely dangerous and inaccessible to most. This, along with the changing tides and winds, also made it difficult to escape once anyone made it to the islands. While hilichurls can be found on the archipelago both before and after the islands' rising, it is unknown if the hilichurls had been there first or somehow sailed to it.
Civilization began on the Haar Islands with one shipwrecked group that lived on the archipelago for many generations. Many people tried escaping; it remains unknown if any of them were successful. Around 500 years later, Ako Domeki and his pirate fleet were shipwrecked on the island after Asase Hibiki unleashed a Thunder Manifestation during a battle between his and the Shogunate's forces on Seirai Island. Domeki's fleet also included a stolen samurai puppet that protected the islanders until it was damaged and rendered inactive. Then, with the help of the pirates, an escape route was devised that took advantage of the archipelago's unusual features. As it seemed likely that the escape route would work, everyone left the islands.Event Echoing Tales: Conch Retrospection It is not known what happened to the local inhabitants. However, Domeki and his fleet returned to Seirai Island, which was now in ruins.
Some years after the archipelago became abandoned, the events of Midsummer Island Adventure occurred in the present day. Klee received a letter from "Dodo-King" threatening to take Dodoco away from her unless she could prove herself. With the assistance of the Traveler and Paimon, Klee was able to find the location of the archipelago as well as the means to get there, with Acting Grand Master Jean and Deaconess Barbara also deciding to come with her for her safety. The five were taken to the archipelago by Dvalin, summoned by Venti. There they would begin looking for "Dodo-King" and learn about the archipelago's mysterious history in the process.
The group is eventually joined by Kaeya, Diluc, Albedo, and Razor, who were also flown to the archipelago by Dvalin but became separated when Razor jumped off mid-flight. Each also received a letter from Dodo-King with varying, personal messages catered to their concerns, causing everyone to become wary of the true identity of Dodo-King.
After solving the mystery, it is revealed that Alice, Klee's mother, had brought the group to the archipelago so she could ensure that her daughter had a memorable summer vacation. She had visited the area before and found the scenery and history beautiful and spent some time dressing up the islands for her daughter's enjoyment.
==Soundtracks==
==Trivia==
* "Haar" (cognate with the English "hoar"), which was used in the archipelago's older name, refers to a type of cold, thick sea fog that is brought rolling in by the winds.
* After completing Dodo-King of the Sea: Lying in Wait, the NPCs seen during the quest remained in different islands of the map until the end of Midsummer Island Adventure.
* The archipelago is one of the only areas in-game which contains Local Specialties of multiple regions:
** Dandelions from Mondstadt
*** As well as Philanemo Mushrooms and Valberries during the Version 2.8 rerun
** Starconches from Liyue
*** As well as Cor Lapis, Jueyun Chilis, Qingxin and Violetgrass during the Version 2.8 rerun
** Sea Ganoderma from Inazuma (labeled as "Regional Specialty" before Version 2.0)
*** As well as Naku Weed during the Version 2.8 rerun.
* Celestia cannot be seen in the sky from the Golden Apple Archipelago, unlike in the Teyvat map.
* During Version 1.6 (after the Midsummer Island Adventure event), any players that reached Adventure Rank 21 can reach the Golden Apple Archipelago.
** The Golden Apple Archipelago could also have been reached even before completing any Archon Quests.
* The large Pyro Slime and Cryo Slime that can be found south of the Teleport Waypoint in Minacious Isle during the Version 2.8 rerun is a callback to how Diluc kept accidentally burning Kaeya's ice bridge after the brothers tried to trek their way to one of the islands after jumping off of Dvalin's back during the Midsummer Island Adventure event in Version 1.6.
* In the Twinning Isle during the Version 2.8 rerun, the Raven Squire Night Raven Statue wondering how to knock out three training dummies at once is a reference to the Ellin, the Wannabe Knight Daily Commission.
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
==References==
==Navigation==
de:Goldapfelarchipel
es:Archipiélago Manzana Dorada
fr:Archipel de la pomme dorée
ja:金リンゴ群島
pt-br:Arquipélago de Maçã Dourada
ru:Архипелаг Золотого Яблока
th:Golden Apple Archipelago
vi:Quần Đảo Táo Vàng
zh:金蘋果群島