Cataclysm

The , also referred to by a myriad of other descriptions including the catastrophe, the disaster, the fall of Khaenri'ah (or the "ancient kingdom"), the Dark Calamity or the Calamity of Darkness, and the pitch-black calamity,There is no single proper name for this time period; "cataclysm," one of the earliest terms used for it, is used by the wiki for standardization purposes. refers to a period of widespread chaos and destruction which occurred five hundred years ago.
The conflicts surrounding the cataclysm primarily revolve around the encroachment of the Abyss — an otherworldly power at odds with Celestia's power — and the destruction of Khaenri'ah, a nation that lived without the influence of the gods. While the exact order of events is unknown, monsters carrying Abyssal power spewed forth from Khaenri'ah and wreaked havoc throughout Teyvat. Khaenri'ah's attempt to rebel against the gods ended with its destruction at the hands of the gods and the Heavenly Principles. This led survivors from the fallen nation to bear grudges against Celestia and the Seven Archons, while The Seven themselves grew embittered towards Celestia. Two of the Teyvat Chapter's main antagonistic groups, the Abyss Order and the Fatui, were established as a direct response to Celestia's actions.
The exact circumstances surrounding the cataclysm remain a mystery, but it is linked to the "truth of this world." The Traveler's journey is to uncover said truth, during which they will learn more about the cataclysm.
----
Note: Because the Genshin Impact story has deliberately left information surrounding the cataclysm vague, this page contains information that is confirmed to be about the cataclysm as well as information that is suggested, but not confirmed, to be about the cataclysm.
==Khaenri'ah's Destruction==
The order of events and the motivations of those involved in the cataclysm are not fully known, although a few perspectives have been presented throughout the game.
===Khaenri'ah's Ambition===
Several thousand years ago, around the time the ancient civilization Sal Vindagnyr fell,Currently, Khaenri'ah is the only known nation that was established with the intention of living without gods. the kingdom of Khaenri'ah was established as a nation without gods and its inhabitants considered their nation to be the "pride of humankind." Khaenri'ah's existence and its goal of living independently from the gods were not secrets in Teyvat, and people from the Seven Nations have joined the original founders of Khaenri'ah over the millennia.
People of Khaenri'ah suspected that the so-called "gods" — and in particular the entity known as the Heavenly Principles — were in fact alien to this world and had usurped it from its original denizens. They knew the rumor that "the [starry] skies of Teyvat are fake"Compare the Chinese versions of Dottore's line in Where the Boat of Consciousness Lies with Scaramouche's line in Where Ancient Stars Align: — which was completely unknown to the second God of Wisdom Lesser Lord Kusanali before she learned of it from Il Dottore during the events of . Khaenri'ah began plotting to rebel against and overthrow the gods. They developed Automatons now known as Ruin Machines as a means to fight against Celestia, and originally knew "Ruin Guards" as "Field Tillers," as they believed that "The land is not to be tilled with farming tools, but rather to be fought for with steel and blood."
Few Khaenri'ahn statements have emerged regarding their perspective on the Archon War, which led to the establishment of The Seven. However, they had some notable activities during that time period. Ruin Machines appeared in Teyvat as early as 3,700 years ago and some were collected by Guizhong during her research into mechanics.Because Ruin Machines were developed by the people of Khaenri'ah, the fact that Guizhong was able to collect some before she died 3,700 years ago indicates that Khaenri'ah already existed by then. Shortly before the last people in Enkanomiya emigrated to Watatsumi Island, diplomats from Khaenri'ah traveled to Enkanomiya to find evidence that the gods were usurpers. They attempted to steal the forbidden book Before Sun and Moon, which held an account of the ancient world ruled by the Heavenly Principles up until its clash with the Second Who Came, but failed to make away with it due to Antei's intervention.
It is unclear why the gods never made a move against Khaenri'ah over its long history, but it is heavily implied that Celestia finally took action 500 years ago due to Khaenri'ah's increasing involvement with the Abyss and forbidden knowledge, which are inherently corruptive towards Teyvat.
===The Abyss and Forbidden Knowledge===
The Abyss' power is described as "alien" to the world of Teyvat and is the only power capable of tainting the power of the gods. Forbidden knowledge, which stems from the depths of the Abyss, cannot be understood by even the Gods of Wisdom themselves, and its effects on mortals are both dangerous and maddening — capable of driving them insane and manifesting as deadly diseases such as Eleazar. The world itself appears to decay and die under its influence as evidenced by the Withering. If forbidden knowledge is not eradicated completely, even traces of it would continue to forever plague the world.
The first presumed emergence of Abyssal power in Teyvat occurred during the war between the Heavenly Principles and the Second Who Came. Nabu Malikata, a survivor of the Seelie race — which had once been heavenly envoys tasked with guiding humanity — recounted to King Deshret how "'invaders descended from beyond the firmament, bringing with them destruction, overturning rivers, spreading plagues,'" and that these invaders not only brought war to the Seelie but also vainly attempted to break the "shackles" to the land.The English localization's "'they also brought about illusions that could break through shackles to the land'" in Amethyst Crown's description is poorly worded, as it can be misconstrued to mean that the invaders had a power of illusions that was capable of breaking through shackles. The original Chinese text is clear that the invaders' attempt to break the shackles was doomed to fail. Afterwards, the Heavenly Principles cast down the divine nails to mend the earth, which also laid waste to the mortal realm. This roughly aligns with the timeline of Sal Vindagnyr's destruction, which in turn indicates that the kingdom of Khaenri'ah formed around this time period.
The "shackles" may include one or all of the "cycle of seven;" "sun, moon, and weight;" "barrier between life and death;" and/or the "original principles of rules, verdicts, and grace." King Deshret mentions that the "dark poison penetrated the earth," wherein the "dark poison" refers to Abyssal power, and goes on to state "The beastly trail from the poison should be cut off, for taking poison is a sin running deeper than the sky. But how sweet the whispers can be, and how clear the wisdom of which they speak..." Hoping to overthrow the Heavenly Principles himself, King Deshret later inadvertently spread forbidden knowledge, bringing his kingdom to ruin.
In Sumeru, which Khaenri'ah was located underneath, another four notable incidents involving the Abyss and/or forbidden knowledge have occurred. While the first two incidents have no direct relation to Khaenri'ah or the cataclysm, they illustrate the destructiveness of Abyssal power to Teyvat:
# Thousands of years ago, as the final part of her vengeance against Ormazd, Liloupar ultimately utilized the power of the Abyss to wreak havoc in the oasis kingdom. Parvezravan and many of the city's inhabitants turned into monsters, while the capital city fell into a deep chasm within the earth. A plague also overran the city and devastated the population.
# Before Liloupar's incident, Nabu Malikata sacrificed herself to help King Deshret learn the secrets of the skies and the Abyss to further his ambition of making humanity into the "god of gods." This caused the land to be engulfed by a sandstorm and while King Deshret survived, his continued attempts to turn humanity into the "god of gods" eventually brought forbidden knowledge to his people sometime after Liloupar's incident. This knowledge brought forth the demise of his once-glorious desert civilization, filling the minds of his people with "crazed whispers" and causing dark necrotic scales to manifest on their bodies. It is implied that the land itself would have withered away were it not for the timely intervention of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, who built temples infused with the divine power of life to slow down the spread of the blight. This threat was only completely eradicated after King Deshret chose to sacrifice himself, purging forbidden knowledge from the world for good.
# During the cataclysm, another resurgence of Abyssal power and forbidden knowledge occurred. This time, the disaster was so severe that it brought ruin to the rainforest and infected Irminsul itself — and by extension, the consciousness of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, who was the avatar of Irminsul. While the Dendro Archon gave her life trying to combat the knowledge pollution, she could only stall its progression as traces of it yet remained in her corrupted conscious in Irminsul, creating Withering Zones, causing Eleazar, and even triggering earthquakes and sandstorms in the desert for the next 500 years. During , Lesser Lord Kusanali erases the remnant memory of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata in Irminsul, which successfully eradicates the knowledge pollution — but comes at the cost of the entire world of Teyvat forgetting that Rukkhadevata ever existed. The only known person known to remember Rukkhadevata afterwards is the Traveler, who lies outside of Teyvat's laws.
# During the cataclysm, the area known as the Girdle of the Sands was greatly affected by the Abyss, with the Pari, a sprite-like race, having to fight against the corruption alongside the Nagarjunites. While a great tree sprouted in Vourukasha Oasis unleashing pure energy, at Tunigi Hollow, a current of Abyssal energy flowed through it, resulting in both sides being in a deadlock in past 500 years. The tree was nearing the verge of collapse until the Traveler intervened, removing the abyssal power and cleansing the tree with the help of the Pari.
====The Art of Khemia====
The Art of Khemia, a form of alchemy developed in Khaenri'ah that allows for the creation of life itself, has also been hinted as a cause for Khaenri'ah's destruction. Because Khaenri'ah was established underground and therefore had few natural fauna, the Art of Khemia was developed as a means to create life for the sake of survivability. It is unclear whether the Art of Khemia was originally developed with the Abyss' power, but it certainly was by the time of the cataclysm.
After Khaenri'ah fell, the alchemist "Gold" Rhinedottir became a "sinner" and created an "army of shadowy monsters" that included the dark dragon Durin. These creations, empowered by an "all-consuming darkness" capable of tainting even the powers of The Seven, destroyed all in their path once they were unleashed on Teyvat. Rhinedottir's motivations for unleashing her creations and causing widespread destruction is unknown and some of them, such as the Rifthounds, appear to have run free on their own. Durin was under the impression that she sent him aboveground to display his "beauty," and was unconscious of his actions and the destruction he caused once he reached Mondstadt up until the moment of his death.
===The Arrival of Outlanders===
As part of their ambition to overthrow the Heavenly Principles, the sages of Khaenri'ah took an interest in the Abyss, believing that so long as they could control the Abyss, they could control "everything."In the original Chinese text, Chlothar specifies The English localization can be misconstrued to mean they thought the Traveler's sibling could control the Abyss, so this clarification has been added. Sometime around 500 years ago, the Traveler's sibling descended on this world after the "heavens [Sky] responded to the summoning,"In the original Chinese version, Scaramouche says . Notably, is treated as a special term, which is not conveyed in the English localization. and traveled to Khaenri'ah first.
The Khaenri'ahns placed their hopes in the Traveler's sibling, seeing them as someone who represented the Abyss and would bring "new strength and hope" to them. They were named as heir by the last King of Khaenri'ah, Irmin, becoming the "Prince"/"Princess" of Khaenri'ah and Pierro is said to have lived with them for a time. However, the sibling's involvement became a catalyst for the cataclysm instead, something Chlothar Alberich berated them for when they met after Khaenri'ah fell. How exactly this happened is unknown, but it is implied that the Sibling took part in a ritual initiated by King Irmin which allowed them to become a "vessel for unlimited abyssal power," following which the Cataclysm occured.
Notably, even though both the Traveler and their sibling descended to this world after having traveled to countless worlds following the destruction of their home world, the sibling's activities in this world were recorded in Irminsul, which only contains records of those native to this world. This has led the Fatui not to consider the sibling as a Descender when the Traveler is, and Lesser Lord Kusanali suggests that the sibling is actually native to this world despite the Traveler's memories indicating that this is not possible. Scaramouche later posits that Khaenri'ah has something to do with this discrepancy, and his speculation is informed by the information given to him by the former Khaenri'ahn royal mage Pierro.
The Fatui have recorded at least four Descenders, the first of which Lesser Lord Kusanali presumes is the Heavenly Principles, who aligns with the Primordial One (or the "eternal throne of the heavens") mentioned in Before Sun and Moon, and the fourth of which is the Traveler. It can be assumed from Before Sun and Moon and from Nabu Malikata's account that the second Descender is likely the entity known as the Second Who Came (or "second throne of the heavens"), who may also be the outlander whom a Seelie ancestor fell in love with — which led to the destruction of heaven and earth merely thirty days after their union.
Also noteworthy is that when the traveling twins attempted to leave Teyvat, the Unknown God who introduced herself as the "sustainer of Heavenly Principles" calls the twins "outlanders" when she confronts them, indicating that she knew they both were not from this world. She also seemed to be specifically targeting the sibling; after capturing the sibling, she merely gazes at the sibling's cube in her hand and pays no heed to the Traveler up until they attempt to attack her. How or why the sibling gained the freedom to wander Teyvat after their presumed capture, when the Traveler was not freed for another 500 years, has yet to be seen.
===Celestia's Punishment===
Two concepts closely associated with Celestia have been brought up regarding Khaenri'ah's destruction: sin and the Heavenly Principles (also referred to as "destiny"). Based on lore surrounding Orobashi and the people of Enkanomiya, "sin" consists of both knowledge and actions deemed subversive in Celestia's eyes. The exact nature of the Heavenly Principles is a mystery, but it seems to be linked to the concepts of the relentless flow of time and the impermanence of the mortal realm.
Pierro, who co-founded the Fatui with the Cryo Archon after the cataclysm, mentions that the "sages" from his home country — Khaenri'ah — tore away the "veil of sin," thereby "ushering in a tide of divine wrath, destruction, and foolishness." People of Khaenri'ah have been referred to as "sinners," both by Khaenri'ahns in reference to themselves and in other sources. Kaeya remarks that all that is left in Khaenri'ah are sinners who "aren't worth talking about, Rhinedottir (as Gold) is described as a "sinner"In the original Chinese version of Breeze Amidst the Forest, Vol. I, where the English localization says "The alchemist known as Gold was corrupted by their own greed and ambition," it instead says and "great sinner."
While Khaenri'ah's sins have not been explicitly stated, Enkanomiya may provide enough information to make some hypotheses. For holding an account of the ancient world in Before Sun and Moon, which was written by a scribe of Istaroth and later inadvertently read by Orobashi, all of Watatsumi was pronounced guilty with "four counts of the sin of profanity, and a further eight counts for the sin of deceiving living souls." To prevent its people from being collectively punished, Orobashi agreed to take their sins on itself and go to its death to pay the price, and banned the book. Shortly before revealing himself to be an Abyss Lector and attacking the Traveler, Enjou tells them that he is "one such sinner — one who has committed the sins of deception and betrayal."
The Heavenly Principles, meanwhile, are something both The Seven and the Abyss Order view in a negative light. While recounting the events of the cataclysm and how they led to her current obsession with Eternity, Ei says she saw "a nation stride forward and lose everything to the Heavenly Principles."YouTube: Story Teaser: Promise of a People's Dream After the remains of Makoto's power is used to plant the Sacred Sakura in the past, Makoto says: Eternity extends time into infinity, dreams illuminate each moment within. When both shine in unison, the Sacred Sakura blooms from the darkness, finally free from the clutches of the Heavenly Principles. Furthermore, Ei's dialogue afterward suggests that Istaroth had a hand in Makoto's ability too.
Several other figures have voiced their opinion that Celestia's punishment of Khaenri'ah was cruel and unjust. It is the reason why the Traveler's Sibling seeks to wage endless war against "destiny" until the "thrones" are toppled, and why the Tsaritsa seeks to rebel against the divine and create a new world.YouTube: Teyvat Chapter Interlude Teaser: A Winter Night's Lazzo To oppose both the Abyss Order and Celestia, the Tsaritsa established the Fatui, with Pierro as its first member.
At the same time, Celestia's attack may have been triggered by Khaenri'ah's actions. Dainsleif warns the Traveler against "trying to overthrow them [the gods], or hunt[ing] them down," despite previously voicing his disdain towards them. When the Traveler questions his contradictory statements, he explains that he wants to avoid repeating the "failings of my forebears." Pierro's statement about how the sages of his nation "ushered in" the destruction wrought on them suggests he believes they had some culpability in causing their own destruction. While musing to himself before La Signora's funeral, he alludes to these same sages, saying "The sages think themselves to be all-knowing, but we [the Fatui] alone are wise to the virtue in those acts of folly."This same quote was used in a Chinese-only official teaser for the Eleven Fatui Harbingers before Tartaglia's playable release.
===Other Potential Causes===
While his exact deeds are a mystery, the kitsune Urakusai is believed to have had some involvement in the Abyss' attack during the cataclysm. After discovering what he had done, the Kitsune Saiguu angrily banished him to parts unknown, then moved to Tenshukaku in preparation for the Abyss' attack.
==The Cataclysm in Teyvat==
===Mondstadt===
After monsters began emerging from Khaenri'ah, the Knights of Favonius, led by Grand Master Arundolyn and his anticipated successor Rostam, went on an expedition to Khaenri'ah to fight the monsters. Rostam died during the expedition, leaving Arundolyn and Rosalyne-Kruzchka Lohefalter, who was studying at Sumeru Akademiya when he died, greatly bereaved. Arundolyn gave up fighting and retired from the Knights of Favonius out of grief, while Rosalyne used her knowledge to transform her body into that of living flame and enact her vengeance against the monsters, becoming known as the "Crimson Witch of Flames."
Meanwhile, Mondstadt was attacked by a corrupted Durin, who was created and sent to Teyvat by Rhinedottir. As Arundolyn had given up fighting after Rostam's death, there was no Lionfang Knight to lead in battle and no one strong enough to take on Durin. The people of Mondstadt cried out for help and were heard by the Anemo Archon, who called upon Dvalin. The two engaged Durin in battle and eventually defeated him.
Dvalin ingested Durin's poisonous blood in the process and went to Old Mondstadt to recover while Durin fell down on Dragonspine, whose extreme, unnatural cold allowed the power inside Durin to seep into the land of Dragonspine. Even today, Durin's heart in Wyrmrest Valley appears to still beat.
===Liyue===
In Liyue, The Chasm and Dunyu Ruins are two known locations majorly impacted by the cataclysm. Monsters poured out of the Chasm and in response, Morax sent the Millelith to defend and evacuate the miners. The yaksha Bosacius, who had once abandoned his duty to defend Liyue after going mad from karma, was drawn to the bloodshed and fought alongside the Millelith. Bosacius, the exorcist Boyang, and some of the Millelith who chose to lead the vanguard ultimately perished in The Chasm after luring the monsters into a mysterious underground palace with the power to negate the power of the Abyss and using the Fantastic Compass to seal them in the Chasm's Bed. Liyue eventually won the battle, but at the cost of many lives.
What occurred in Dunyu Ruins is unknown, but its people decided to abandon the city and move to Liyue Harbor; none of the refugees nor adepti have spoken about what happened there.
===Inazuma===
Shortly before the Abyss invaded Teyvat, the kitsune Urakusai apparently did something linked to it, which greatly angered the Kitsune Saiguu and led to his banishment. The Kitsune Saiguu, aware of the impending threat, moved from the Grand Narukami Shrine to Tenshukaku to stay close to the Electro Archon, then Makoto. Makoto was also aware that something was going to happen in Khaenri'ah, saying that it "was not somewhere that any archon could afford to ignore" after Ei asks her about it long after her death.
When the Abyss attacked, Makoto and her close allies, Ei, Mikoshi Chiyo, the Kitsune Saiguu, Reizenbou, and Takamine the Mistsplitter fought back the otherworldly threat but eventually perished or disappeared. Chiyo was consumed by a "beast of sin" and, while she slew the monster from within, was corrupted — she turned against Ei and fought her, which ended after Ei cut her horns and sword arm off and forced her to flee. The Kitsune Saiguu disappeared and was "consumed" by the Abyss for reasons that are unclear but likely related to the Thunder Sakuras, which were nearly overwhelmed trying to purify the land during the cataclysm. Reizenbou, enraged by her inability to protect the Kitsune Saiguu, left on a self-imposed exile. Takamine disappeared in a battle against the dark forces, only to be killed by his former lover Asase Hibiki when he finally resurfaced many years later. Makoto was slain in battle in what is suggested to be Khaenri'ah, dying in her sister's arms.
===Sumeru===
Sumeru was apparently affected by the cataclysm later than other countries such as Mondstadt, and it occurred simultaneously with the contamination of Irminsul by the forbidden knowledge. It's not known if the two events are connected, however, the Dendro Archon, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, was slain during the cataclysm, which caused Viridescent to no longer be able to hear the grass and trees speak.
Old Vanarana was one of the places attacked in Sumeru by hordes of ruin machines and riftwolves. While the Aranara fought fiercely against the invaders, presumably with some humans, the land itself was heavily scarred from the fighting. A strange entity known as Marana's Avatar quickly formed at some point during or after the battle. While the Aranara managed to seal it away, it eventually managed to bypass the seal and began to spread an anomaly later known as The Withering across Sumeru's forests.
In the Girdle of the Sands, monsters also emerged from the Abyss to attack the area, with the Pari and Nagarjunites working together to repel the threat; the previous Hydro Archon, Egeria, was slain in battle, but Greater Lord Rukkhadevata grew the Harvisptokhm to tether her consciousness to the mortal realm and contain the Abyssal defilement in the area. Several monsters were also encased in a strange gray crystal that resulted from the powers of the Abyss, leaving them in a state of torpor for the next few centuries. As centuries passed, the Harvisptokhm began to degrade and without anyone to maintain it, it was nearly overwhelmed by the defilement until the Traveler and a Pari named Sorush discovered the remaining Great Songs of Khvarena to purify the crystallized trees at Tunigi Hollow.
===Fontaine===
It is implied that Elynas appeared at some point during the cataclysm, and began to cause severe pollution to the land and sea. The Director of the Narzissenkreuz Institute and other Oceanid went to confront the disaster, while vice-director Basil Elton was recalled by the Fontaine Armada to hunt Elynas. The armada was nearly destroyed while hunting Elynas down, as they attracted many abyssal sea creatures during their pursuit, with the Sponsian being destroyed in battle against Elynas. Elynas eventually bled out and died.
===Natlan===
During the Cataclysm, Natlan was particularly vulnerable to the threat of the Abyss as they had the most unstable and shallow-rooted Ley Lines on Teyvat. This corruption caused immense damage and its people initially resigned themselves to their fate, believing victory was impossible. However, with the Pyro Archon leading the way and uniting the tribes, they were able to repel the Abyss from their nation, albeit at a high cost, forcing the Abyss to retreat underground where they remain a threat to the nation until this day.
Under the Pyro Archon's order, Tenoch, along with the six heroes from the six major tribes, headed first into the hotspot of Abyss emergence, at the place later known as Mare Jivari at the west of Natlan.
When the Abyss invaded the Children of Echoes, the hero Traore and the tribesfolk, with the help of the two Khaenri'ahn soldiers Zephaniah and Irizar, managed to lure it to the Sulfurous Veins and sealed it with numerous Shadow Pins.
==The Cataclysm in Khaenri'ah==
The clash between Celestia and The Seven versus Khaenri'ah ended with the gods' victory. As punishment for losing, the Eclipse Dynasty was wiped out. Dainsleif, a knight of the royal family, as well as all pure-blooded Khaenri'ahns were cursed with immortality, while citizens of Khaenri'ah who were half-blood or belonging to other nations entirely were instead inflicted with a curse that transformed them into monsters and hilichurls. Some people appear to have avoided the curse, such as Kaeya, and ostensibly Rhinedottir, but their exact circumstances are unknown. Kaeya's circumstances are of particular note because several of his ancestors, Chlothar and Caribert, were afflicted with the curse, perhaps suggesting that it was broken at some point, allowing the remainder of Kaeya's lineage to escape its effects. Some, like Dainsleif, have some unknown means of retaining their sanity, although it merely mitigates the effects of their curses.
During the disaster, Dainsleif orders Halfdan, an elite of the Royal Guards to protect the people of Khaenri'ah at all costs. However, Halfdan and the other royal guards ended up transforming into Shadowy Husks. Despite this, Halfdan was able to retain part of his consciousness despite lacking whatever Dainsleif used to mitigate his own curse. 
Capitano and his men initially fought during the cataclysm, but when he realized that the situation was unsalvageable, he ordered a retreat to Natlan.
Paimon also concludes from the account given by the Traveler's Sibling that the monsters of the Abyss Order were originally the people of Khaenri'ah, which appears to be supported by the Pyro Abyss Lector Enjou's search for Before Sun and Moon, mirroring the Khaenri'ah delegation's search from at least 2,000 years ago. As a result of the curse, Dainsleif no longer views hilichurls or Abyss monsters as human. It is still unclear what the suggested link between the hilichurls' Eclipse Tribe and Khaenri'ah's Eclipse Dynasty means.
After the Traveling Twins arrived in Teyvat, Traveler's Sibling awoke first and eventually bore witness to Khaenri'ah's destruction.Story Teaser: We Will Be Reunited After the cataclysm, they journeyed through the seven nations of Teyvat alongside Dainsleif.
==Aftermath==
Across the world, there was a sudden surge in hilichurl population following the cataclysm.
===Khaenri'ah===
With Khaenri'ah in ruins, the Traveler's Sibling rushed back to where the Traveler still lay unconscious and woke them up, hoping to leave Teyvat as quickly as possible. The Traveler briefly witnessed the destroyed nation themselves before the two eventually set foot in Celestia as they attempted to leave.It can be assumed that the location of the opening cutscene is Celestia, based on the "Celestial motif" found on the architecture in the cutscene, on the architecture in the game's title screen (which, based on their appearance, is the same location as the opening cutscene), on the Skyfrost Nail and Chasm Nail, and on fully-upgraded Statues of The Seven. There, they were confronted by the Unknown God, who easily overpowered them and separated them, sealing the Sibling away first before dealing with the Traveler.
Without their masters, Khaenri'ah's automatons spread all over Teyvat, becoming particularly drawn to ruins and thereby becoming known as Ruin Machines. The Abyss Order was formed with the intent of overthrowing Celestia and laying waste to the surface world under their dominion. Meanwhile, despite his anger towards The Seven, Dainsleif viewed the Abyss Order as the greater threat and became their vehement opponent. Pierro, who had opposed the sages' plan from the start, sided with the Tsaritsa and her objective of creating a "new world," becoming the Director of the Fatui Harbingers. Capitano would later follow suit, becoming the first of the Fatui Harbingers. The Alberich Clan stepped up as regents after the King Irmin's strength failed, although they were unable to revive Khaenri'ah.Event Hidden Strife Optional Letter: The Brick
Not only did Rhinedottir emerge from the cataclysm alive, she went on to create her second masterpiece, the synthetic human Albedo. When questioned about his link to the fallen nation, Albedo reassures the Traveler that he was created long after its destruction and that, as a "pure alchemist" like Rhinedottir who lives for academic knowledge, he has no particular attachment to it. Whether this reflects Rhinedottir's opinion on Khaenri'ah has yet to be seen.
===Mondstadt===
Rosalyne continued fighting against monsters, but her indiscriminate destruction caused many to become fearful of her. Before her flames could consume her heart and kill her, she was discovered by Pierro, who gave her a Delusion to suppress the flames and a psychological "delusion" that swayed her to join the Fatui's cause.
The White Knight Rostam mentored survived the expedition and continued fighting against monsters. However, he became engrossed with the physical sensation of slaughter and became known as the Bloodstained Knight. Realizing he no longer had a place amongst humanity, he ventured into the Abyss intending to die in battle, only to learn about their origins: the "ultimate injustice" that cursed the people of Khaenri'ah into transforming into monsters. The Bloodstained Knight then pledged his allegiance to the Abyss, and his fate thereafter is unknown.
At some point in Mondstadt's history, the first Field Tiller — a prototype for the automatons now known as Ruin Guards — somehow ended up in Mondstadt and wandered into Boreas' proving ground. Initially mistaking the war machine for a challenger, Boreas fought against it and eventually greatly damaged it. It then fled to Decarabian's tower, where it proceeded to fire missiles at anyone who approached the area. The people of Mondstadt, who did not know about Khaenri'ah's advanced technology, mistook these attacks as the vestiges of Decarabian's wrath and entitled the phenomenon "The Tyrant's Final Fury." However, around a year after the attacks began, they suddenly ceased as the Field Tiller lost functionality. People thereafter determined it was likely not Decarabian's doing, as he was the God of Storms and was unlikely to use fire-based attacks, but did not investigate the issue further.
===Liyue===
In Liyue, the battle against monsters led to a renaissance in weaponsmithing and catalyst creation after people discovered the weapons up until the cataclysm were not suitable for combat against such creatures. This renaissance continued even after the end of the monster onslaught and led to the development of the Prototype Series and Blackcliff Series weapons.
===Inazuma===
With Makoto's death, Ei became the new Electro Archon. Having lost many of her close allies over the course of the conflict, and fearful after witnessing her sister's death and "that thing," Ei became fixated on Eternity and hoped to preserve the current Inazuma forever. Disillusioned with Celestia after witnessing Khaenri'ah's fate, she severed ties with Celestia and ultimately gave her Gnosis to Yae Miko for safekeeping.
Afraid that she was susceptible to erosion, Ei conducted experiments into creating an automaton in her likeness, which would rule Inazuma in her stead while Ei would isolate herself in her personal world, the Plane of Euthymia, meditating to stave off erosion. In the process of creating the Shogun, Ei also created the puppet now known as Scaramouche.
===Sumeru===
Following Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's death, Lesser Lord Kusanali was born and became the new Dendro Archon. The Akasha System, which is powered by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's Gnosis, is currently used by the people of Sumeru to manage knowledge as a resource.YouTube: Sumeru Preview Teaser 03: Prelude to Wisdom While the Akasha System is described as Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's legacy, using knowledge as a resource is apparently not something they thought of themselves, as Yae Miko ponders whether it was Lesser Lord Kusanali or the sages at Sumeru Akademiya who came up with the idea.
===Fontaine===
Egeria's death favored the rise of Focalors, who would henceforth become the new Hydro Archon. The abandonment of Fontaine by the Oceanids can therefore be considered as an indirect consequence of the cataclysm, since they did not want to accept Focalors as the new Hydro Archon.
Furthermore, the Melusines were born from the remains of Elynas' body, and they mixed with the Fontanians thanks to the help of Neuvillette, with Elynas' consciousness continuing to remain on the mortal plane as their guide. In any case, the coming and death of Elynas contaminated the lands and waters of Fontaine, and although Fontaine's researchers promised that the pollution had been cleansed, this factor may contribute to the current status of Fontaine's waters.
===Natlan===
To prevent the Abyss from returning, the Pyro Archon periodically held the Pilgrimage of Sacred Flames, inviting the tribespeople of Natlan to participate in a tournament to determine who would be eligible to participate in the Night Warden Wars. The winners would be allowed to participate in a raid against the Abyss, provided they were bearers of an Ancient Name granted to them by the Wayobs. According to legend, as long as the Sacred Flame was not extinguished, the majority of the Abyss would not be able to befall the nation. The Pyro Archon also granted the representatives of the Night Warden Wars with the "Ode to Resurrection," which would allow them to resurrect the fallen name bearers during the incursion as long as one member of the team made it out victorious.
Despite this, the threat of the Abyss continued to loom over Natlan, causing disasters seemingly designed for each tribe: the waters of the People of the Springs were contaminated, the Children of Echoes' territory was invaded by dangerous sludge surging from underground and unrelenting black winds tore across the lands of the Flower-Feather Clan. It was then suspected that the Abyss has invaded the Night Kingdom itself and therefore had the ability to read Natlan's memories at any time.
In order to stop its threat for good, Mavuika concocted a plan that would span over the course of 500 years to reunite the tribes and fight the Abyss with recognized and acknowledged Ancient Name bearers. However, corruption in the Night Kingdom prevented the information from being sent to the tribes, resulting in Mavuika having to wait for the tribes to be restored to their proper strength. By the time the Traveler had arrived in Natlan, three of the six Ancient Name bearers were prepared; Xilonen, Kinich and Iansan. After entering the Night Kingdom to save Kachina, Mualani was also acknowledged, resulting in Mavuika waiting for the Flower-Feather Clan and Masters of the Night-Wind to prepare their Ancient Name bearer.
Eventually, Ororon was accepted as one of six Ancient Name, causing the Abyss to launch an invasion across the nation. During the invasion, Chasca was also recognised, allowing Mavuika and Natlanese to counterattack Abyssal force and drive them deep into the depths of the Night Kingdom. After obtaining the Traveler's Ancient Name, Mavuika and the Traveler fought the final battle against Gosoythoth, eventually emerging victorious, destroying the Abyss for good.
===Snezhnaya===
The Tsaritsa, embittered by what transpired, cut ties with Venti (and potentially the other Archons) and established the Fatui to combat the Abyss Order and to one day overthrow Celestia, with Pierro as the Director of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. Pierro took the initiative in recruiting powerful individuals, including La Signora and Scaramouche, granting them Delusions to bolster their abilities. The Tsaritsa also granted her Harbingers god-like executive authority, although it is unclear whether this refers to Delusions or if it is a separate power.
==Known Casualties==
Name 	Nation of Origin	Cause of Death
Rostam 	Mondstadt 	Slain by monsters
Bosacius 	Liyue 	Died in The Chasm's Bed after sealing it
Boyang 	Liyue 	Died in The Chasm's Bed after sealing it
Kitsune Saiguu 	Inazuma 	Unknown
Makoto 	Inazuma 	Killed in Khaenri'ah
Mikoshi Chiyo 	Inazuma 	Killed by Ei after succumbing to abyssal corruption
Takamine the Mistsplitter	Inazuma 	Killed by Asase Hibiki after returning from Khaenri'ah
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata	Sumeru 	Unknown
Viridescent 	Sumeru 	Killed by the Bloodstained Knight after she was corrupted by Abyssal pollution
Egeria 	Fontaine 	Unknown
Basil Elton 	Fontaine 	Killed by Elynas
Ayizu 	Natlan 	Killed by monsters
Burkina 	Natlan 	Killed by his companion Kongamato, who was infested by the Abyss
Menilek 	Natlan 	Perished in final battle against the AbyssYouTube: "Sunset" Animated Short
Sundjatta 	Natlan 	Perished in final battle against the AbyssYouTube: "Sunset" Animated Short
Wanjiru 	Natlan 	Perished in final battle against the AbyssYouTube: "Sunset" Animated Short
Sanhaj 	Natlan 	Sacrificed his life to defeat Abyss during the Battle of Mare Jivari
Tenoch 	Natlan 	Exploded by miniature Night Kingdom summoned by Sanhaj during the Battle of Mare Jivari and cannot be revived due to his lack of Ancient Name
Tupac 	Natlan 	Succumbed to his wounds after surviving the battle against the Abyss
Durin 	Khaenri'ah 	Killed by Barbatos and Dvalin over Dragonspine
Guthred 	Khaenri'ah 	Succumbed from Draught of Lucidity which he invented and tested on himself
Zephaniah 	Khaenri'ah 	Perished while fighting the Abyss at Sulfurous Veins
Irizar 	Khaenri'ah 	Perished while fighting the Abyss at Sulfurous Veins
Elynas 	Unknown 	Bled to death at some point in the conflict
The Blind Youth 	Unknown 	Perished in Sumeru at the hands of monsters while pursing his brother's path
==Present Day==
Despite the cataclysm's large impact on the continent, knowledge about it is scarcely encountered in-game and much of its events have been dismissed as outlandish legend by modern-day people. Merely two books mention the cataclysm, while only a handful of NPCs talk about it. Even some Fatui members, despite knowing about the threat of the Abyss and fighting it firsthand, do not believe that their conflict has lasted over 500 years. Jean mentions Khaenri'ah, but her knowledge of the cataclysm seems to be limited to the tale of Dvalin and Durin, which she learned from Diluc after Venti revealed it to him. Paimon also states the Traveler has rummaged through old books searching for information about Khaenri'ah and the cataclysm, with little success. (It may be notable, however, that five-sixths of the Mondstadt Library's collection, which was once the largest in northern Teyvat, was lost following a large fire at an unknown point in time.)
Information about the cataclysm primarily comes from books; artifact, weapon, and item descriptions; or first-hand sources like the Archons or Khaenri'ah survivors. Venti recounts the story of Durin and Dvalin to an audience but does not say when it occurred. After he plays the same song to Diluc, Diluc asks what he "witnessed" — implying Venti may have given him a vision of the battle — then states "This is confidential information." Meanwhile, Zhongli has a contract that prevents him from speaking about the events of the cataclysm, while the adepti refused to speak about the events that led Dunyu Ruins to be abandoned. Ei admits that she still feels fear over what happened during the cataclysm, citing in particular, "...Her demise and that thing," though does not offer much more information as she only arrived after the worst of the fighting and was not herself the Electro Archon at the time.
While their numbers had dwindled since the cataclysm, Riftwolves (creations of Gold that have the ability to erode the world's boundaries) began appearing on the abandoned Tsurumi Island of Inazuma. More recently, they have appeared as far away as Mondstadt, where they have begun encroaching on Wolvendom, the territory of Boreas' wolfpack. Following the repeal of the Vision Hunt Decree, Riftwolves began appearing and making coordinated attacks against the roots of the Sacred Sakura on Narukami Island, something which greatly troubled Ei as Riftwolves historically served as harbingers of worse terrors during the cataclysm.
===The Traveler's Journey===
It has been heavily suggested that the Traveler's journey will be intricately linked to the events of the cataclysm. The most obvious indication is the Gnostic Chorus trailer, in which Venti's narration suggests that the second heir — "your story to be told" — is the player and by extension, the Traveler.
The description for Mondstadt Statues of The Seven says that the statue "anticipates the arrival of a noble soul [...] while thousand winds of time will soon unfold a new story." This "noble soul" is likely the Traveler, and it might not be a coincidence that both the Traveler and Venti woke up a few months before the start of the game. In the Gnostic Chorus trailer, both heirs start their journey in Mondstadt based on the background in the corresponding scene, which is also where the Traveler begins theirs.
When the Traveler confronts Zhongli about the destruction of Khaenri'ah and their sibling's relation to it, Zhongli refuses to divulge any information on account of his contract but appears to acknowledge the sibling: "If you take the same road as that person, there may be more difficulties ahead. But as long as you firmly believe that you are on the right path... everything has meaning."
==Related Material==
===Gnostic Chorus===
thumb
The Gnostic Chorus story teaser that plays at the start of every new Battle Pass period may contain a link to the story of Celestia, Teyvat, Khaenri'ah, and by extension, the cataclysm.It is difficult to identify a unified theme between the Gnostic Hymn Series weapons' descriptions, even though they supposedly comprise the Battle Pass story. The Black Sword and The Viridescent Hunt's stories are set during the cataclysm; Deathmatch and Serpent Spine both record stories of people who lived 1000 years ago, while Solar Pearl's era is unknown. Because there is no overt commonality between them, they may be linked to the overall narrative of the Hymn of the Pearl, the real-life work that the Gnostic Chorus is based on. (See Trivia for details.) It is narrated by Venti in such a way that suggests that he is speaking to the player (and thus, the Traveler), while the background in the scene where either heir sets off on their journey has Mondstadt's visual cues — a forest, dandelions, and a mountain that strongly resembles Dragonspine.
The story teaser includes two heirs. Venti narrates that the story of the second heir is the story of the player (and thus, the Traveler). However, the first heir became the queen of the Kingdom of Darkness. The first heir's identity and her relationship to the Traveler — if any exists — are unknown.
Furthermore, the Gnostic Chorus teaser mentions a "Genesis Pearl," while Breeze Amidst the Forest mentions "a luminous pearl." The significance of this pearl and the reason why the "kingdom among the heavens" in the Gnostic Chorus teaser is seeking it out are unknown.
=== The Pale Princess and the Six Pygmies ===
The Abyss Order holds a vested interest in the fairytale The Pale Princess and the Six Pygmies due to a "secret" allegedly contained within it. However, their attempt to steal the book indicates that even they don't fully understand the contents of this series, so the exact nature of its secret is unknown.
One theory holds that this story may be allegorical for Khaenri'ah from the perspective of the people of Teyvat. Like the perpetually-dark Land of Night, Khaenri'ah was inhospitable and lifeless as a result of being an underground kingdom where light doesn't reach, which was why they turned to alchemy for plant life. The Night Mother may be based on "Gold" Rhinedottir, who was the origin of the monsters and described as a "great sinner," just as the Night Mother is called "the source of all sins."
==Trivia==
* During the earlier Closed Beta Tests, the cataclysm occurred 100 years before the start of the game's story. It was changed to 500 by the time of the game's official release, but some in-game text has not been changed accordingly, whether in Chinese or English. The most notable cases where the timeframe has not been updated are Breeze Amidst the Forest (Vol. 2) and some Skyward Series weapon descriptions.
* In Collected Miscellany - "Venti: Skyward Sonnet," Dainsleif, the narrator, says, "A thousand years have passed since the God of Anemo left this land — But to me, it has only been half that time." Aside from almost certainly being related to certain events in the cataclysm due to the timeframe (500 years ago), it is currently unclear exactly what Dainsleif meant by this line.
* The Gnostic Chorus story teaser is a retelling of the , a passage in the . The Hymn of the Pearl has been interpreted as a Gnostic allegory for their view of the : We are lost amidst the material world and consumed by worldly desires, which prevents us from achieving (divine wisdom) and transcending the mortal world.
** Major differences between the Gnostic Chorus and the Hymn of the Pearl:
*** The protagonist of Hymn of the Pearl comes from an unspecified kingdom, while the land he seeks to take the pearl from is Egypt. In the Gnostic Chorus, those seeking the pearl hail from a "kingdom established among the heavens," while the pearl is located in the "Kingdom of Darkness."
*** In the Hymn of the Pearl, the protagonist is the second son of the "king of kings;" his older brother is mentioned as the "second in command" and the "viceroy" of their parents' kingdom, and the protagonist would join him if he succeeds in his task of retrieving the pearl. In the Gnostic Chorus, the one who seeks the pearl first is the first crowned heir, while the second crowned heir's story is yet unfinished.
*** Nobody else is assigned the task of retrieving the pearl in the Hymn of the Pearl: the protagonist's parents, realizing his plight, write him a letter (a metaphor for gnosis) that reminds him of his true heritage and his original task.
** A common theme between the Gnostic Hymn Series weapons is that each weapon's original wielder either lost sight of, gave up, or was otherwise led astray from their original path or goal — typically as a result of someone else's influence, much like the protagonist of the Hymn of the Pearl forgot his origins and duty and believed himself to be an Egyptian.
==Notes==
===Lore Discrepancies===
===Translation Notes===
=== Editor's Assumptions===
==Gallery==
Genshin Impact Story Teaser We Will Be Reunited (Contains spoilers)
Story Teaser- Promise of a People's Dream - Genshin Impact
==References==
==Navigation==
es:Cataclismo
fr:Cataclysme
id:Cataclysm
ja:大災害
pl:Kataklizm
vi:Tai ương thời cổ đại