Traveler/Lore

> The keeper is fading away; the creator has not yet come.
>
> But the world shall burn no more, for you shall ascend.
>
> —In-game character profile text

> Don't lose faith in that which you have lost. In this new world, you will never be alone. Where you leave your footprints, and where you have yet to stride — your new world will unfold before you.
>
> Welcome to a new world.
>
> —K · K, Male character card official introduction

> The world you once knew is but dust, and the wonders you knew but rubble. Though you should have your own world, and your own people — lamenting what is already lost...
>
> —K · K, Female character card official introduction

## Personality

> A traveler from another world who had their only kin taken away, forcing them to embark on a journey to find The Seven.
>
> —In-game character attributes and profile page text

The Traveler's personality is determined primarily by the player themselves through dialogue options.

Their personality can range from stoic, humble and helpful to boastful, lazy and short-tempered. Regardless of the player's in-game decisions, all of the playable characters view the Traveler in a positive light. There are instances of single speech options or similar options which give a glimpse at their personality overall. They are, for example, observed by Paimon as not believing the gods are any more worthy of unearned respect than mortal inhabitants of Teyvat. They also are pointedly uninterested in getting involved with each nation's troubles and primarily only concern themselves with finding out their sibling's whereabouts. Their response to Morax's "death" was initially to simply leave, both to avoid suspicion and seemingly a level of apathy considering the circumstances of their arrival on the world.

This trend continues into Inazuma, where the Traveler initially denies aid to the rebellion and refuses to take sides, interested only in meeting with the Raiden Shogun. The Traveler is visibly frustrated, not wanting to meddle in the country's affairs or get involved with anyone, even for a task as simple as delivering a letter. Yet despite this hesitation to get involved, they are ultimately a compassionate person, eventually choosing to aid the resistance against the Shogun's injustice after seeing the circumstances of each situation particularly at the prodding of Kamisato Ayaka and Thoma.

The Traveler does not appear to be very talkative, with several characters noting that they are not very fond of speaking or starting conversations. Shikanoin Heizou also once joked about Paimon serving as the Traveler's "voice."

Due to their experiences with the Fatui and the Abyss Order, the Traveler is immediately on guard at the mere mention of them. They also show significant concern for their sibling, as their initial goal was to find them and get answers from the Unknown God that sealed them away. Even after becoming aware of their position with the Abyss, they still ultimately resolve to follow their instructions in seeing the world for themselves.

## Appearance

See also: Rising Star
Aether uses the medium male model, and Lumine uses the medium female model. Both siblings have blonde hair, fiery-gold eyes, and pale skin. During their fight with the unknown god, both siblings had yellow wings.

Aether's hair is a more saturated color and very long, while Lumine's hair is paler and chin-length except for two locks of shoulder-length hair framing her face. Lumine also has two light-blue Inteyvat flowers pinned on the right of her head and two pale blue feathers tucked at the left.

## Story

### History

Aether and Lumine arrive in Teyvat, yet for some unknown reason the player's chosen sibling does not wake and remained asleep for an unspecified amount of time. The Traveler's sibling eventually manages to wake them up and says that they should leave, with both twins witnessing the destruction of Khaenri'ah. However, an Unknown God, describing herself to be the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, blocked their way. A fight ensued and resulted in one of the twins getting consumed by red cubes from the Unknown God, and the other trapped in a seal which caused them to lose their powers. Five hundred years later, the Traveler wakes up, separated from their sibling, and stranded. One day they accidentally fish out Paimon from a lake, saving her from drowning.

Paimon would stay with the Traveler and teach them the Teyvat Language: to her amazement, it only took them two months to become a conversational speaker. After learning of how they got stranded on Teyvat at the start of the game, Paimon suggests they get in contact with The Seven, in order to help the Traveler look for their lost sibling. Along the way, the Traveler resonates with a Statue of the Seven, resonating with the Anemo element and allowing them to wield it despite not having a Vision. The Traveler's trip starts at Mondstadt, the City of Freedom, and meet Outrider Amber. Though Amber promises to help the Traveler with looking for their sibling, they mention that they are currently preoccupied with Stormterror terrorizing the city. They help out with the incident, which they find out was orchestrated by the Abyss Order, and learn that the bard Venti is actually Barbatos, one of the Seven, and the Anemo Archon. They also first encounter the Fatui and the Harbinger Signora here, who take advantage of the situation to steal the Gnosis from Venti. They also learn that the Tsaritsa, the Cryo Archon and ruler of Snezhnaya, appears to have unknown motives. Venti apologizes as they know not the God who took their kin away, but suggests they head to Liyue to meet with Morax, the eldest of the Seven and the Geo Archon, who may be able to provide them with answers.

At Liyue, the Traveler and Paimon attempt to meet with Morax at the Rite of Descension, only for him to inexplicably die and are subsequently made a suspect due to being foreigners. They are able to escape with the aid of another Harbinger, Childe, who suggests they meet with the adepti to resolve the issue. He introduces them to Zhongli, a consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor who can bring them to Morax's Exuvia, or the corpse. Childe's assistance is later revealed to be a ruse as he attempts to steal the Gnosis from the Exuvia but finds that it's already gone. He then breaks the ancient god Osial out of Morax's binds, but with the help of the Liyue Qixing and adepti, they manage to repel the ancient god. Only after resolving the issue do they learn that Zhongli is the actually the Geo Archon, that he was retiring from his position and thus orchestrated his fake death with La Signora, whom he made a contract with. He hands over his Gnosis to her as per their agreement. As the Fatui leave, Zhongli tells the Traveler to head to Inazuma.

While waiting for the chance to do so, they are recalled to Mondstadt where they meet with Dainsleif, who wishes to stop the Abyss Order. Dainsleif warns them against siding with the Archons, mentioning how the gods were the reason why Khaenri'ah was destroyed. During this time, they stop a plot in which the Order was attempting to "mechanise" Osial to do their bidding. Unexpectedly, they manage to run into their sibling, but are shocked to learn that they lead the Order. They attempt to convince their sibling to leave Teyvat with them, but the sibling refuses, mentioning that they still have a war to fight in. The sibling instructs them to continue traveling Teyvat so they can experience the truth first-hand before leaving, with Dainsleif chasing after them. The Traveler attempts to follow but is shut out.

Back in Liyue, the Traveler tries to meet with Zhongli to get answers regarding the truth about what happened in Khaenri'ah, however he says he is bound by contract to not speak of it. With help from the Crux crew, the Traveler is able to bypass the storm and arrives in Inazuma, where they witness the land in chaos due to the Vision Hunt Decree, the Sakoku Decree, and a civil war between the Shogunate and the Resistance. Hearing of their feats in the other nations, Kamisato Ayaka and Thoma attempt to persuade the Traveler to help but are shut down, saying that they are only here to meet with the Electro Archon and nothing else. Ayaka agrees to help them meet with the Shogun but instructs them to first see victims of the Vision Hunt Decree, after which they agree to help with the war. They soon join the Resistance based on Watatsumi Island after meeting the Shogun and nearly being killed by her in the process. In their journey, they meet with the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine Yae Miko, who reveals that the Shogun is actually just a robotic puppet and that Ei, the Archon they are looking for, resides inside it. They soon learn that the chaos in Inazuma was caused by the Fatui and confront Signora, defeating her in a duel before the throne and witnesses her death at the Shogun's hands. The Shogun then tries to cut them down as they leave Tenshukaku, but the timely arrival of the resistance allows the Traveler to confront Ei once more and defeat her with the aspirations of the seized Visions, prompting her to abolish the Vision Hunt Decree. With the chaos resolved, Yae thanks them for their assistance, however mentions that they have no idea about the Traveler's sibling nor the Unknown God, and advises them to make their way to Sumeru.

## Character Mentions

The Traveler is not mentioned by any other character.

## Trivia

* No default name is given for the Traveler at the start of the game. Their real name, Aether (male) or Lumine (female), was first determined through the name the Traveler calls their sibling by in the opening cutscene. Later, during *We Will Be Reunited*, their sibling calls the Traveler by their real name regardless of the name the player chose.
* Both Aether and Lumine are shown wielding the ascended version of the Silver Sword in their character cards and portraits, and the Dull Blade in their cutscenes. In the opening cutscene with the Unknown God, the siblings are shown wielding white-and-gold swords. Aether's sword had a cruciform guard and Lumine's sword had a crescent guard.
* The Traveler is currently the only playable character who:
	+ Does not have a Utility Passive.
	+ Has no affiliation listed on their Profile.
	+ Has their Vision listed as "None" on their profile.
	+ Has no Friendship Level listed in Attributes — their Story passages are unlocked by completing certain Archon Quests.
	+ Does not appear in the Character Archive at all.
	+ Uses different means from other characters to obtain materials used for Ascension and Constellations.
		- Ascensions require Brilliant Diamonds, which are only obtainable through Adventure Rank rewards.
		- Constellations, which are maintained separately for each element, require Memories, which are obtained through various means, including Adventure Rank rewards, Quest Rewards, and the Souvenir Shop or similar of the respective city, as opposed to Stella Fortuna obtained for other characters from wishing. As a result, neither the male nor female Traveler have Wish artworks.
			* The Traveler was initially the only playable character who was completely unavailable through wishing. As of Version 2.1, Aloy is also unavailable through wishing. However, unlike the Traveler, Aloy does have Wish artwork viewable from the Character Archive.
* Though the Traveler does not possess a Vision, they are still able to use the power of the seven elements by resonating with Statues of The Seven, and do not require the respective Archon's permission to do so.
	+ The Traveler's clothing will glow with the color of the element they are resonating with: teal for Anemo, yellow for Geo, purple for Electro, and green for Dendro. When unaffiliated with an element, those parts won't glow. In the opening cutscene with the Unknown God, both siblings' clothing will glow white. The Traveler's Sibling's clothing glows white in their present-day appearances, but the Traveler's will match their resonated element.
		- During the mid-battle cutscene in *Heart of Glaze*, the Traveler manages to use both Anemo and Geo regardless of their resonated element.
		- Starting in Version 2.0, pre-rendered cutscenes and Hangout Memories usually have the Traveler match the region's element instead of the player's preference.
* The Traveler is one of the characters with ornaments that glow. Rising Star
* Rising Star
* In the Traveler's Chinese official introduction, as well as the first official artbook, their profile's Constellation parameter reads 命之座 (伪) "Constellation of Life (Pseudo)", which is not found on any other character's profile. In-game, the Traveler's Constellation parameter is named the same as everyone else's.
* Despite their youthful appearance, the Traveler descended on Teyvat five hundred years ago and has been traveling between different worlds for an unknown amount of time before that, making them older than they look. In a developer video regarding Azhdaha's design, one developer mentions that "the Traveler's life span is by no means short." A running gag in the game features the Traveler hoping to drink alcohol only to be rebuffed, probably on account of their youthful appearance. On other occasions, the Traveler voluntarily rejects alcohol. Voiceover lines with Paimon indicate, however, that the traveler thinks and acts in a manner befitting a mature adult.
	+ As such, a select few characters are aware the Traveler comes from outside Teyvat:
		- Barbatos, Morax, Ei and Lesser Lord Kusanali are aware of the Traveler's origins, likely due to their status as one of The Seven - the other Archons are likely aware of this too.
		- Fischl is somehow able to determine this without any logic.
		- Like Fischl, Kamisato Ayato also determines this without any reasoning behind it.
		- Mona determines this through her astrology.
		- Albedo compares himself similarly to the Traveler while also discerning this through their ability to use multiple elements without a Vision.
		- Similarly to Albedo, Kaedehara Kazuha also notes that the Traveler is capable of using multiple elements without a Vision, while also commenting to them that they have an "incredibly complex" smell that he compares to a mysterious being.
		- Xinyan also knew that the traveler is not from this world, based on the conversation The Traveler deliberately tell her about their origin.
		- Ganyu has at least been able to clue in that the Traveler is different from other people of Teyvat, viewing them as something not exactly human similarly to herself.
* The Chinese version of the opening cutscene trailer is titled 空中荧火 "Luminescent Lights in the Aether", which incorporates both Aether and Lumine's default names.
* Diluc's voice-overs suggest that the Traveler is skilled in playing chess.
* According to the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean pronouns the twins use to address each other in the opening cutscene and in later interactions, Aether is the older twin and Lumine is the younger. The English translation does not make distinction on which is the older/younger twin.
* As children, both the Traveler and their sibling had imaginary friends.
* The Steambird's Teyvat Food Notes columnist, Long'er, is a rendition of Aether. (See Teyvat Food Notes § Trivia for details.)
* The Traveler likes Rock and Roll, according to Yun Jin's voice-overs.
* The commission quest *Archery Demonstration* reveals that the Traveler is proficient in archery. However, because the Traveler only wields a Sword in-game, they must rely on ranged Talents such as Starfell Sword to complete the commission.
* The Traveler has been granted the following titles:
	+ Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius
	+ In the Watatsumi Army:
		- Captain of the Watatsumi Island Special Operations Unit
		- Swordfish II Captain
	+ The First Sage of Buer
* The Traveler is referred to by a few nicknames:
	+ Their blonde hair has been the basis of a few nicknames, such as Kayabuki Ikkei's "blond-haired outlander" and "Golden Whirlwind," Taliesin's "golden-haired (Traveler)", and Kichiboushi's "Yellow Fur" (shortened from "(Uncle/Aunt) Yellow Fur"). In Sumeru, the Aranara give the Traveler the nickname "Golden Nara" presumably also in reference to their blonde hair.
		- The Traveler not fond of such nicknames, going as far as to call Taliesin's (and Paimon's "Blondie") "terrible-sounding, non-consensual appellations." They also disapproved of Kichiboushi's nickname, but tolerated it for the duration of *Eight Locales Over Mountains and Seas*.
	+ Teucer addresses them as "(Mr. Nice Guy/Ms. Nice Lady) throughout *Mighty Cyclops' Adventure!*, because despite having known the Traveler's identity the entire time, he forgot their name.
	+ The Traveler and Paimon are sometimes called "the Guests of Tenshukaku" by Inazuman characters, such as Souka in the Fabulous Fungus Frenzy event.
	+ Souka also referred to the Traveler as "Her Excellency's Hanamizaka tour confidante."
	+ The fourth "Descender"
* The voice-over line About Jugemu references the famous Rakugo story about a child named a very long name due to his parents' indecision.
* The voice-over line About Tanuki has the traveller humming "Shojo Temple Tanuki" in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. In English, the traveller hums randomly.

### Etymology

* The English name "Aether" is the name of the fifth element in ancient and medieval science, which fills the universe beyond the terrestrial sphere.
	+ In Greek mythology, the god Aether was the personification and god of the clear upper sky which embodies the air that the gods breathe. The Greek word Aether, both modern and ancient Greek, also means sky.
	+ In Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, his name is Template:Wt "Sky, Air, Void." In Buddhism, this word is used to denote the concept of Śūnyatā, which has multiple meanings but generally relates to the lack of intrinsic, permanent existence or nature.
		- In the Japanese Godai philosophy of the five elements, which is based on both Buddhism and the Chinese Wuxing elements, Void is the highest of them.
* In English, Lumine is of Latin origin and means "light."
	+ In the Chinese version, 荧 *Yíng* means "luminous" or "bright."
	+ In Japanese, her name is 蛍 *Hotaru* means "firefly".
* Their Constellation, Template:Wt or Template:Wt, are both Latin for "traveler." The terms are the masculine and feminine forms of the word.
	+ The Chinese name for their Constellation, 旅人 *lǚrén*, also means "traveler."

## Notes

1. ↑ For aesthetic purposes, the English version differs from the Chinese text.
The original CN text: 维系者正在死去，创造者尚未到来。但世界不会再度灼烧，因为你将登上「神」之座。
Literal translation: **The sustainer is passing away;** the creator has not yet come. But the world shall burn no more, for you shall ascend **to the seat of "the god."**
2. ↑ For aesthetic purposes, the English version differs from the Chinese text.
The original CN text: 「…只要你拥有的高洁与善良不会改变，在新的天地，依然会有最好的伙伴与你同行。此处前方，此刻未来，皆是你的天地。」「欢迎来到世界。」
Literal translation: "...**As long as your attitude of nobleness and kindness does not change,** in the new world, there will always be **best companions to travel with you**. Where you are going ahead, and where your future lies — your new world will unfold before you." "Welcome to the world."
3. ↑ For aesthetic purposes, the English version differs from the Chinese text.
The original CN text: 「你的故国已经覆灭，宫城万顷也化作尘沙。你是本应该拥有世界，拥抱天地之人。但亡国的末裔啊，请不要悲叹这些逝去的时刻…」
Literal translation: "**Your homeland has been destroyed, all of the architectures have reduced to dust.** You are originally the one that should own your world and embrace the people within. **But the last descendant of the subjugated civilization,** please do not lament the lost moments..."

## References

1. ↑ Quest: We Will Be Reunited
2. ↑ Chinese HoYoverse: 主角角色卡解禁！提瓦特冒险之旅即将展开
3. ↑ Design Notes, Azhdaha: The Birth of a Dragon § Core: Azhdaha's Initial Design
4. ↑ Template:Ref/VO
5. ↑ Quest: Zhongli's Treat
6. ↑ Quest: Qingce Village Treasure Hunt
7. ↑ Template:Ref/NPC
8. ↑ Template:Ref/NPC
9. ↑ Quest: The Crux Clash (Quest)
10. ↑ Template:Ref/VO
11. ↑ Template:Ref/VO
12. ↑ Bilibili: 《原神》全新开场动画-「空中荧火」
13. ↑ Quest: A Child's Secret
14. ↑ Template:Ref/NPC

## Navigation

fr:Voyageur/Histoire
ja:旅人/ストーリー
pt-br:Viajante/Perfil
ru:Путешественник/История
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tr:Gezgin/Hikaye
zh:旅行者/故事