Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail

Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail is a video released by official Genshin Impact media on September 27, 2020. It teased the storyline of the Archon Quests, as well as characters that are expected to appear in each nation.
==Description==
Prologue: The Outlander Who Caught the WindI: Farewell, Archaic LordII: Omnipresence Over MortalsIII. Truth Amongst the Pages of PuranaIV. Masquerade of the GuiltyV. Incandescent Ode of ResurrectionVI. Everwinter Without Mercy
Appearing Characters:Mondstadt Chapter - DilucLiyue Chapter - NingguangInazuma Chapter - Kamisato AyakaSumeru Chapter - CynoFontaine Chapter - Lyney and LynetteNatlan Chapter - IansanSnezhnaya Chapter - Harbinger Pulcinella and followersKhaenri'ah Chapter - DainsleifThe Sea of Flowers at the End - The Traveler
==Transcript==
:Aether: We had no time to say goodbye, so let's not call it that.
;(Two shooting stars fly across the night sky)
:Dainsleif: The war has already begun. It is just a continuation of past battles.
;(A field of Inteyvat flowers glow and wave gently in the breeze, stars sparkling beneath them as if they were planted in the night sky)
:Dainsleif: The gods goad us on with the promise of their seven treasures. Rewards for the worthy. The doorway to divinity.
:Dainsleif: Yet buried in the depths of this world lies smoldering remains, a warning to those that dare trespass.
;(Aether and Lumine stand together in the field of flowers)
:Dainsleif: "That throne in the sky is not reserved for you."
:Dainsleif: But mortal arrogation never stops.
:Dainsleif: None will escape the flames.
:Dainsleif: See for yourself.
===ACT.PROLOGUE: Mondstadt===
::The Outlander Who Caught the Wind
::MEA LIBERTAS MEUS CANOR
::(Latin-Based Language: My freedom is my song)
;(Diluc is shown)
:Dainsleif: The dragon who defended Mondstadt for a millennium finally faces his perturbation.
:Dainsleif: What does freedom really mean, when demanded of you by a god?
===ACT.I: Liyue===
::Farewell, Archaic Lord
::RUAT CAELUM FIAT PACTUM
::(Latin-Based Language: Let the contract be made, though the heavens fall)
;(Ningguang is shown)
:Dainsleif: The God of Contracts, senselessly slaughtered as his people watched on in horror.
:Dainsleif: In the end, he will sign the contract to end all contracts.
===ACT.II: Inazuma===
::Omnipresence Over Mortals
::PERPETUA PERENNIS IMPERVIA
::(Latin-Based Language: Perpetual, perennial, impervious)
;(Kamisato Ayaka is shown)
:Dainsleif: In the secluded land of the immortal Shogun, the Bakufu rules eternal.
:Dainsleif: But what do mortals see of the eternity chased after by their god?
===ACT.III: Sumeru===
::Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana
::SUB FLOREIS LUMEN SAGACITATIS
::(Latin-Based Language: Light of wisdom under the flowers)
;(Cyno is shown)
:Dainsleif: The God of Wisdom's enemy is wisdom itself, and the oasis of knowledge is a mirage in the desert of ignorance.
:Dainsleif: In the city of scholars there is a push for folly, yet the God of Wisdom makes no argument against it.
===ACT.IV: Fontaine===
::Masquerade of the Guilty
::IUSTITIA OMNIA VINCIT
::(Latin-Based Language: Justice conquers all)
;(Lyney and Lynette are shown)
:Dainsleif: The God of Justice lives for the spectacle of the courtroom, seeking to judge all other gods.
:Dainsleif: But even she knows not to make an enemy of the divine.
===ACT.V: Natlan===
::Incandescent Ode of Resurrection
::SURGE VIR FORTIS I NATAM VICTORIAM
::(Latin-Based Language: Rise, O strong man, and go to your destined victory)
;(Iansan is shown)
:Dainsleif: The rules of war are woven in the womb: the victors shall burn bright, while the losers must turn to ash.
:Dainsleif: When the God of War shares this secret with the Traveler, it is because she has her reasons.
===ACT.VI: Snezhnaya===
::Everwinter Without Mercy
::DUCAM REGINA MEA GLORIA HAUD PLURIBUS IMPAR
::(Latin-Based Language: I, nigh unmatched Queen by my glory, shall be guide)
;(Pulcinella and followers are shown)
:Dainsleif: She is a god with no love left for her people, nor do they have any left for her.
:Dainsleif: Her followers hope only to be on her side when the day of her rebellion against the divine comes at last.
===ACT.??: Khaenri'ah===
::The Dream Yet to Be Dreamed
;(Dainsleif is shown)
:Dainsleif: In the perpetual meantime of a sheltered eternity, most are content to live, and not to dream.
:Dainsleif: But in the hidden corners where the gods' gaze does not fall, there are those who dream of dreaming.
:Dainsleif: Some say a few are chosen and the rest are dregs, but I say we humans have our humanity.
:Dainsleif: We will defy this world with a power from beyond.
:Dainsleif: Now, you who has set foot in this world.
;(A figure in silhouette stands in the glowing field of Inteyvat flowers)
:Dainsleif: Your journey has reached its end, but one final doorway remains.
;(Aether stands alone at sunset in the field)
:Dainsleif: Step forth, if you have understood the meaning of your journey.
:Dainsleif: Defeat me, command me to step aside, show me that you are worthier than I to rescue her.
:Dainsleif: Then, the threads of all fate will be yours to re-weave.
:Dainsleif: My memory has all but faded completely... But I will always remember how much she too, loved these flowers.
==Chinese Transcript==
Much like the manga, Travail was translated early in Genshin Impacts development. As a result, some terms which are consistent between the original Chinese version of Travail and the Chinese text in the game, are inconsistent in their English equivalents. Due to the significance Travail plays in hinting the plot of the Teyvat Chapter, a transcript of the original Chinese version and an unofficial English translation has been provided.
Some translations may still be inaccurate or open to interpretation due to a lack of plot details at the time of the translation of the trailer, and complications in conveying concepts across multiple languages.
Chinese transcript and official English localization	Unofficial English translation
:Aether: 
:Aether: 
:Aether: We had no time to say goodbye, so let's not call it that.	
:Aether: We had no time to say goodbye...
:Aether: So I will not treat it as a parting.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: The war has already begun. It is just a continuation of past battles.	
:Dainsleif: The war has already begun — a continuation of the previous war.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: The gods goad us on with the promise of their seven treasures. Rewards for the worthy. The doorway to divinity.	
:Dainsleif: The gods encase the outlines of "desire" in seven types of brilliant light,
:Dainsleif: With this, they demonstrate that their authority can be exceeded. means "to hope for, hope to reach a higher standards." Here, it implies that humans can attain godhood.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: Yet buried in the depths of this world lies smoldering remains, a warning to those that dare trespass.	
:Dainsleif: Yet smoldering remains lie buried underneath the foundations of reality
:Dainsleif: As a warning to those who overstep their bounds: is localized as "arrogation" in Dainsleif's seventh line Travail and in the Unknown God's line in the opening cutscene, and as "dare trespass" in Dainsleif's fifth line in Travail. This unofficial translation has translated it as "overstep" to preserve the idea of "crossing over," or movement in general, which is indicated by the second character .
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: "That throne in the sky is not reserved for you."	
:Dainsleif: "That divine throne in the high heavens was never a seat reserved for you from the start."
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: But mortal arrogation never stops.
:Dainsleif: None will escape the flames.
:Dainsleif: See for yourself.	
:Dainsleif: But oh, you who oversteps your bounds, do not stop treading here,
:Dainsleif: For none can watch the fire burn from the other side of the river. is a Chinese idiom for waiting to enter a conflict until everyone else has exhausted themselves from fighting each other.
:Dainsleif: Watch...
;ACT.PROLOGUE / 
;
;ACT.PROLOGUE / Mondstadt
;The Outlander Who Caught the Wind	
;ACT.PROLOGUE / Mondstadt
;The Outlander who Catches the Wind
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: The dragon who defended Mondstadt for a millennium finally faces his perturbation.
:Dainsleif: What does freedom really mean, when demanded of you by a god?	
:Dainsleif: For the giant dragon who guarded the city of freedom for thousands of years
:Dainsleif: Doubts about [the concept of] "freedom" have begun to surface
:Dainsleif: "Freedom" that’s been ordered upon you by a god — can it still be called freedom?
;ACT.I / 
;
;ACT.I / Liyue
;Farewell, Archaic Lord	
;ACT.I / Liyue
;Farewell to the Archaic Body
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: The God of Contracts, senselessly slaughtered as his people watched on in horror.
:Dainsleif: In the end, he will sign the contract to end all contracts.	
:Dainsleif: In an audience of many, the God of Contracts was assassinated.
:Dainsleif: In the very end, he shall sign a contract to end all contracts.
;ACT.II / 
;
;ACT.II / Inazuma
;Omnipresence Over Mortals	
;ACT.II / Inazuma
;Thousand-Armed Hundred-Eyed, is a reference to the Buddhist bodhisattva , known as Kannon in Japanese. The English localization consistently translates this phrase as "omnipresent god" in-game (see also Statue of the Omnipresent God). The Realm of Mortals Beneath the Heavens
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: In the secluded land of the immortal Shogun, the Bakufu rules eternal.
:Dainsleif: But what do mortals see of the eternity chased after by their god?	
:Dainsleif: Under the immortal Shogun, the era of the Sakoku Decree ordered by the Shogunate sees no end.
:Dainsleif: The god who pursues "Eternity"—
:Dainsleif: In the eyes of ordinary mortals, what kind of eternity does she see? The meaning of the Chinese text here is ambiguous: it can either mean that "in mortals' eyes, what kind of eternity did she see?", or "what kind of eternity does the god saw within mortals' eyes?". Though the first interpretation is used here, as it is consistent with word ordering in the original Chinese text, the second interpretation could also be a subtle allusion to the Vision Hunt Decree, as "Vision" is given as "God's Eye" in Chinese.
;ACT.III / 
;
;ACT.III / Sumeru
;Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana	
;ACT.III / Sumeru
;The Puranas of Akasha Calamity AshSee the Trivia section for a more thorough breakdown of this Act title.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: The God of Wisdom's enemy is wisdom itself, and the oasis of knowledge is a mirage in the desert of ignorance.	
:Dainsleif: Wisdom is the enemy of the God of Wisdom.
:Dainsleif: Knowledge is like a bait floating on the surface of the sea of ignorance.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: In the city of scholars there is a push for folly, yet the God of Wisdom makes no argument against it.	
:Dainsleif: In the city of learning, the scholars are pushing for foolishness,
:Dainsleif: And the god's wisdom"God's wisdom" or "wisdom of god" is a more direct translation of than the English localization's "God of Wisdom," which is normally a translation of . The phrase "god's wisdom" may be a reference to gnosis, a term in Gnosticism which means "divine wisdom." In Genshin, a Gnosis is an item held by The Seven which grants them a connection to Celestia. has raised no objections to this.
;ACT.IV / 
;
;ACT.IV / Fontaine
;Masquerade of the Guilty	
;ACT.IV / Fontaine
;The Sinner's can translate as "guilty person" or "sinner." The localization of Travail went with the former interpretation (Masquerade of the Guilty) whereas in-game and in promotional material released after the game's global launch, the latter translation is used more often. Revolving Dance StepsThe English localization's choice of "Masquerade" alludes to the , which typically involves dancing; the most well-known ballroom dance is the , a dance which has its dancers rhythmically turn in a circle.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: The God of Justice lives for the spectacle of the courtroom, seeking to judge all other gods.
:Dainsleif: But even she knows not to make an enemy of the divine.	
:Dainsleif: The God of Justice is an ardent admirer of all the farces that take place in the courtroom,
:Dainsleif: Even yearning to judge her fellow gods.
:Dainsleif: But one thing is very clear to her: the Heavenly Principles are the only thing she cannot make her enemy.
;ACT.V / 
;
;ACT.V / NATLAN
;Incandescent Ode of Resurrection	
;ACT.V / Natlan
;Blazing Poem of Soul-Returning
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: The rules of war are woven in the womb: the victors shall burn bright, while the losers must turn to ash.	
:Dainsleif: The rules of war are carved into the bodies of all living things:
:Dainsleif: The defeated become embers of the fires of war, can translate to either "ashes" or "embers." See the Trivia section for details. while the victors will be reignited [by the embers].
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: When the God of War shares this secret with the Traveler, it is because she has her reasons.	
:Dainsleif: The God of War shares this secret with the Traveler,
:Dainsleif: because she has her reasons for doing so.
;ACT.VI / 
;
;ACT.VI / Snezhnaya
;Everwinter Without Mercy	
;ACT.VI / Snezhnaya
;The Country of Snow that No Gods Love
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: She is a god with no love left for her people, nor do they have any left for her.	
:Dainsleif: She is a god whom no one will love ever again;
:Dainsleif: She is a god who will never love anyone again.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: Her followers hope only to be on her side when the day of her rebellion against the divine comes at last.	
:Dainsleif: The reason why people follow her
:Dainsleif: Is because they believe that one day, she will finally be able to raise a flag of rebellion against the Heavenly Principles.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: In the perpetual meantime of a sheltered eternity, most are content to live, and not to dream.	
:Dainsleif: In an eternity with neither beginning nor end, humans shall live a peaceful life without dreams.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: But in the hidden corners where the gods' gaze does not fall, there are those who dream of dreaming.	
:Dainsleif: But in the blind spots of the gods' gazes, there are still people who yearn to dream.
;ACT.?? / 
;
;ACT.?? / Khaenri'ah
;The Dream Yet to Be Dreamed	
;ACT.?? / Khaenri'ah
;The Dream Yet to Come
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: Some say a few are chosen and the rest are dregs, but I say we humans have our humanity.	
:Dainsleif: All humans have that innate quality which makes them human; is difficult to translate. It can mean "a foundational knowledge hidden in the heart," or a "reality beneath the surface."
:Dainsleif: We are not the dirt left behind from filtering in those who were "chosen by the gods."
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: We will defy this world with a power from beyond.	
:Dainsleif: From beyond this world, we will obtain the power to reject this world.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: Now, you who has set foot in this world.	
:Dainsleif: Now, you who have traversed heaven and earth—
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: Your journey has reached its end, but one final doorway remains.	
:Dainsleif: Your travels and journey have ended,
:Dainsleif: But you have yet to cross the final doorway.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: Step forth, if you have understood the meaning of your journey.	
:Dainsleif: If you have understood the purpose of your travels, then come forward.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: Defeat me, command me to step aside, show me that you are worthier than I to rescue her.	
:Dainsleif: Defeat me,
:Dainsleif: Command me to give way,
:Dainsleif: And prove to me that you are more suitable than I to rescue her.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: Then, the threads of all fate will be yours to re-weave.	
:Dainsleif: After that, go forth and spin all the threads of fate anew.
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: 
:Dainsleif: My memory has all but faded completely... But I will always remember how much she too, loved these flowers.	
:Dainsleif: My memory has already suffered too much erosion,
:Dainsleif: But I will always remember, that she also loved these flowers.
===Translation Notes===
==Trivia==
* The line "That throne in the sky is not reserved for you" contains some untranslatable wordplay: In Chinese, both in-game and in the real world constellations, the word is used in the names of constellations.
** In Genshin, Constellations are normally labeled the However, the Traveler's Chinese official introduction labeled it , where means "false" or "pseudo." (In-game, their Constellation is labeled normally.)
* Sumeru's Act title, is an extremely tricky title to translate due to the relative obscurity of Vedic religions in the English vernacular compared to Chinese, and the relative lack of information about the Sumeru Chapter's plot at the time of translation.
** are a genre of Indian literature that covers a wide array of subjects, typically relating to legends and other traditional myths. It is also a Hindi word meaning "old" in a nostalgic or memorable context.
** The term may be short for , a Sanskrit loanword from . In Hindu and Buddhist cosmology, a is an immense period of time, generally between the creation and recreation of a world or universe. Therefore, an alternate translation for the phrase can also be "kalpa ash," referring to the ashes left behind at the destruction of a world at the end of a kalpa.Chinese Wikisource: 
* In the line , the word is a play on words. Dainsleif is both denouncing the scholars' actions and alluding to their connection to the 
** In the manga, a seer from Sumeru was Il Dottore's subordinate, suggesting that the Fatui have had supporters from Sumeru Akademiya for a while.
* , translated as "Resurrection" in Natlan's Incandescent Ode of Resurrection, is typically defined by Chinese-English dictionaries as "return from the dead" or "revival after death." However, this definition does not fully encompass its cultural context and erroneously suggests that the deceased in question is being resurrected back to life. The concepts revolving around this term have undergone many variations with exposure to different belief systems, and thus, it is not easily defined. A brief explanation is provided below:
** In s, each person is believed to have : the spiritual, yang ; and the corporeal, yin . The exact number of souls a person has varies according to different beliefs, but Daoist beliefs typically claim that there are three hun and seven po.
** When a person dies, the hun ascends to heaven, while the po stay with the body. For a period of time afterwards, the po will periodically return to the mortal world (/) to visit their family during their journey to the underworld. Many variations in this period of time exist, but they usually involve groups of seven po.
*** Qiqi's name, which literally translates to "Seven-Seven," is a reference to an performed every seven days for seven weeks (for a total of 49 days) following a person's death, which is based on this Chinese belief.
* In the phrase can translate as either "ashes" or "embers." It was translated as "ashes" in Travail, but in-game, it is usually translated as "embers" while is translated as "ashes." Embers still contain fuel, so they can be reignited and restored back to a full flame. Ashes have burnt through all their fuel and cannot reignite without an external fuel source. Juxtaposed with the second half of the sentence — where literally translates to "burn again" and has an ambiguous subject — an alternate interpretation of this line could be "The defeated become the embers of the fires of war, while the victors reignite them [the embers]." In this interpretation, the "defeated" is a metaphor for Khaenri'ah, while some of The Seven — who were the "victors" of the cataclysm — are "reigniting" the conflict against the Heavenly Principles which Khaenri'ah presumably started.
** is also used as a metaphor for the scattered remnants of a defeated military force. While the context makes it unlikely as a direct translation, it may lend to the idea of Khaenri'ah survivors as the "defeated."
** After completing the Hidden Strife event, an optional interactable on top of the Knights of Favonius' headquarters contains a paper Kaeya salvaged during his childhood. On it is written: .
** During the second phase of the Narukami Island: Tenshukaku trounce domain, La Signora's original Chinese boss title is which fits closer to the concept of ashes; one of the Talent Level-Up Materials from the domain, , uses the typical term for "ashes." However, the English localization opted to translate her boss title as "Crimson Witch of Embers."
* The first three playable characters featured in the video — Diluc, Ningguang, and Kamisato Ayaka — all have places of residence that can be entered: the Dawn Winery, the Jade Chamber, and the Yashiro Commission Headquarters respectively. The Traveler even compares the three during .
** While Cyno's current place of residence is unknown, he grew up within the Sumeru Akademiya and thus somewhat continues the trend.
** Lyney and Lynette break the trend, as although they are known to live in the Hotel Bouffes d'ete, which can be found in the open world, their home cannot be entered.
==Other Languages==
==References==
==Navigation==
ja:『テイワット』メインストーリーチャプターPV-「足跡」
th:บท Teyvat ตัวอย่างเควสต์หลัก - "รอยเท้า"
vi:Trailer chương chính: Dấu Chân