Homecoming is the second act of Nahida's Story Quest, the Sapientia Oromasdis Chapter. In order to unlock this quest line, the player needs a Story Key, must have completed Chapter III: Act V - Akasha Pulses, the Kalpa Flame Rises, and reached Adventure Rank 40.
During the quest, the Traveler and Paimon help Nahida investigate the origins of the Dendro Dragon, whom she was supposed to take care of.
List of Quests[]
The World Quest Another Home There May Yet Be is a continuation of this act and is unlocked on the next Daily Reset after completing What Shape Does the Self Hold, but it is not considered to be a part of the act in-game.
Summary[]
- Where Lies the Path Home
Arriving at Sumeru City, the Traveler and Paimon run into Nahida, who is happy to see them. She shares with them that she has been gathering information about her hazy memories from Irminsul and that she believes she has an important task to fulfill, but she cannot remember what it is. The Traveler offers to assist her in any way possible, and Nahida pulls out a mysterious object imbued with Dendro that she found in the Sanctuary of Surasthana. She is uncertain about what it is, but she can sense that the power within it is similar to her own.
While they are conversing, a Floating Hydro Fungus appears, and Layth attempts to shoo it away. Nahida stops him and senses that the creature requires her assistance. The fungus leads her to the bridge that leads to the city, where they come across two more fungi, one of which is unconscious. Upon examining it, Nahida realizes that the unconscious fungus is an elemental lifeform and not from a spore. She explains that while fungi use elemental attacks, they draw power from nature, not from themselves. She senses that the "fungi" had a void and by filling it, it would recover. Nahida revives the fungi, who thanks her in the common tongue.
After a brief chat, the fungi requests to speak in a more discreet location and sends its fellow kin away. Nahida, not knowing what the lifeform was, asks what it is. The creature informs her that they are from an ancient race that lived in peace until the "apocalypse" came, twisting and warping them to be part of it too. This particular fungus was able to escape and sought help to restore its homeland. It learned that the apocalypse came as "forbidden knowledge" which the Traveler recognizes. The fungus tells them that it does not remember its home, which Nahida realizes that the forbidden knowledge was purged from it. The fungus is surprised to learn that Nahida had purged the forbidden knowledge, thus allowing it to return home once more.
Nahida uses her powers to contact the Aranara and children to help out in her task. The fungus thanks her for remembering their "agreement," which she does not recall, so it explains to her that it was a promise that the Lord of Dendro would bring its people back home when the apocalypse ended. While waiting, the fungus requests to help find as many of its people as possible to bring them back home, bringing them to where they met their "end."
As they venture towards the location, Nahida discusses the strange object, stating that its energy source matches that of the fungus they were conversing with. As they walk around, the Traveler eliminates some Eremites in their path, causing the fungus to remark on their skill. Paimon inquires if they always looked like fungi, but it informs her that their appearance changes according to the environment. It also reveals that the two fungi they saw earlier were its companions; one was a friend, and another was its child, though it could not remember its name.
Finally, they reach their destination; a Withering Zone. It tells them that it is where they met their "end," which Nahida explains to Paimon as what they turn into at the end of their life. The fungus reveals that during the apocalypse, its kind met that type of fate. It would head to the zones and after someone had cleared it, would absorb any elemental energy from its kind in the hopes of bringing them back home.
After eliminating the Withering, the fungus absorbs the remaining energy, regretful that it did not survive. Suddenly, Nahida's eyes glow as her helpers communicate with her, having found another unconscious fungus near Mawtiyima Forest. The large amount of fungus worries Paimon, but the fungus tells them that it is that fungus's "family." To simplify matters, Nahida requests the fungus to teach her how to transform into one of them. The fungus agrees, but warns her that gods could not easily bend time. Distracting some of the group, Nahida makes her way inside and the Traveler helps identify the correct fungus, allowing Nahida to revive it.
The fungus comes to and the Hydro fungus asks if it knew where home was, which the other one confirms; the Dendro Dragon. Paimon draws similarities to Dvalin, which Nahida confirms and states that the dragon they were talking about is Apep, who was older than Dvalin. She then asks why Apep was their home, and the Hydro fungus explains that Apep's body contains an entire world. Nahida realizes that Apep was also corrupted by the forbidden knowledge, and thus when she removed it from Irminsul, Apep now has a huge void inside it much like the fungus. She then realizes that her important task was to tend to Apep, as she realizes that if it was not tended to in time, it would release its energy and destroy Sumeru in the process.
The Traveler and Paimon soothe her, so she shows the strange object to the two fungi, who don't seem to recognize it.
At that moment, two of the Anemo Fungi's family, a normal Floating Anemo Fungus, and a Stretchy Anemo Fungus arrive with fruit in tow. The Anemo fungus is worried about leaving its new family alone, as they were not strong enough to fend for themselves. Nahida contacts her helpers again to see if they could find any more of the fungi.
The Anemo fungi then request the Traveler's aid in planting some seeds and driving out the "invading flowers." Paimon then inquires about Apep, as they have no information on it. Nahida explains that Apep was the ruler of Sumeru, which was once covered in dense forests until a giant spike fell from the sky and turned part of it into a desert. Apep adapted to the new environment by changing its carapace accordingly. She believes that Apep was still hostile to the gods, as it did not accept the new order following the end of the Archon War, but couldn't do anything. As far as she could remember, Apep was still in slumber, but King Deshret had taken an interest in it.
Returning to the fungus, the Anemo fungi expresses gratitude for their help. Nahida's helpers inform her that they did not find any new leads, but the Hydro fungi believes that one of its kind may have gone east of Sumeru, which Paimon recognizes as The Chasm. Nahida, on the other hand, believes that the fungi might have stored the forbidden knowledge in another form.
- What Shape Does the Self Hold
They head deep underground, where Nahida believes that the strange fungi did not transform into the Withering. Instead, the effects of the Divine Nail caused it to manifest into another form - Oozing Concretion. After looking around, they find a strange concentration and clear it, revealing a Grounded Geoshroom. However, the first attempt to cleanse it with the Lumenstone Adjuvant fails. So, Nahida decides to use her powers, but the Traveler stops her from doing so since it may harm her. Wondering what to do next, Nahida decides to let the Traveler use the strange crystal since they seem resistant to forbidden knowledge. Using the crystal, they manage to cleanse the fungi, who is surprised to see Nahida and believes that the apocalypse is over.
The Geoshroom tells Nahida that she had made an agreement with it to protect it. However, when it went into the Chasm, she could no longer do so. Nahida asks it what the crystal is, and it tells her that it is a Fire Seed - an item required to save Apep, and it was in good condition. The crystal was made in cooperation with Nahida and its kind, and it could sense that Apep was nearing its end. However, if they could restore its Heart of Oasis, it would recover. After Paimon remarks that the seed saved it, the Geoshroom is surprised that they used it for it. It advises them not to use it again as it was not stabilized. The seed could also be used to track Apep and advises them to hurry. The other two fungi insist it will also come along, but the Geoshroom reminds them that it is nearing its end before reverting into Oozing Filth. The Hydro fungi asks the Traveler to use the Lumenstone Adjuvant on it, which they do, allowing it to absorb its energy before the group makes their way home.
Arriving at the Desert of Hadramaveth, the group makes their way towards the sandstorm. Apep takes immediate notice of them and emerges, warning the group to leave and dismisses Nahida's claim of them coming to save it. Apep calls both her and Amun no different, as they call themselves lords of the land while being reliant on 'heavens' glow'. Apep expresses doubt over Nahida's attempt to heal it, replying that it would not be grateful and would destroy Sumeru regardless. Nahida tells it that it's ill and they need the truth, but Apep states that it had paid a price for knowing the "truth" and that Buer would too.
Suddenly, strange forms appear, which the two fungi recognize as their family, who had not escaped Apep's corruption and had taken such form to survive the apocalypse. After subduing the proliferating organisms, Nahida decides to use the Fire Seed on them despite remembering the Geoshroom's words. The organisms are absorbed into the Hydro fungi, who then takes on the form of a Grounded Hydroshroom.
Arriving at Apep's Resort, Nahida asks Apep to cooperate. Apep is unresponsive initially, but eventually absorbs the party into its body. Paimon and Nahida are separated from the others and discover the Heart of Oasis. When she tries to use the Fire Seed, it shatters, causing her to realize that she might have made it while weakened. She decides to use her own powers in place of the seed, which could result in her losing her human form and reverting into a twig, much to Paimon's shock. However, before she can start, the Traveler and the two fungi arrive. The fungi sacrifice themselves in place of Nahida, asking her to use her power to help them be absorbed into the Heart of Oasis and thus return home. After cleansing a powerful entity that emerged from the corrupted oasis, Apep states that the fungi had dissipated into basic elemental power. Nahida is glad to see that Apep is doing well, as she wanted to make sure it was healthy. She assures Apep that its rage had been amplified by its corruption. Apep admits this and states that while it still loathes the usurper from the heavens, it saw no point in destroying the lesser gods. However, it still maintains a hostile stance towards her.
Nahida then asks Apep how it became corrupted. Apep tells Nahida that it and the other dragons sought forbidden knowledge to help them overcome the Heavenly Principles. The Dragon King Nibelung, who acquired the knowledge from the power of darkness outside Teyvat, led them into a fight with the outsiders. This resulted in a massive war that nearly destroyed Teyvat. Although Nibelung was killed, Apep continued resisting and acquiring more forbidden knowledge until a giant spike from the sky stopped it from doing so. King Deshret, gaining forbidden knowledge from Nabu Malikata, was allowed by Apep to build his kingdom in its lands on condition that she would inherit the forbidden knowledge when he died. Apep still had regrets when Nibelung returned while the other dragons died, fled or befriended the people that had destroyed their world, but remains loyal to the Dragon King's cause.
Despite Deshret's kingdom collapsing, Apep consumed him per their agreement. However, it ended up absorbing corruption, leaving it in pain and unable to analyze the forbidden knowledge. Now, with its mind clear, Apep realized that it had fallen into a trap. Nevertheless, it decides to keep a watchful eye on Buer and humanity, wanting to see how far life under the Heavenly Principles will go.
Leaving Apep's body, Paimon and Nahida remember the Hydro fungi's family. They go back to the forest to check on them and find the fungi still there. They inform the family that Apep wouldn't return for some time, which makes one of the fungi sad. Nahida comforts the sad fungi by calling her by her name, Nur. She then realizes that the elemental fungi left traces of itself on Nur, and they would definitely meet again.
- Another Home There May Yet Be
With Nur and its fellow fungi still remaining outside Sumeru City, Nahida worries for their safety as she wants them to meet again. Paimon then remarks about the Floating Anemo Fungus' camp, as she's worried that they might struggle to survive too. Nahida asks the two if they would like to follow her to the other camp, which they agree to. They integrate well with the other fungi, as both had an elemental fungi living among them. As Paimon goes off to play with the fungi, Nahida apologizes for nearly sacrificing herself to restore Apep, admitting that she still has a fair amount to learn. She then spots Nur and the other Hydro fungi watering the crops, realizing that they must've learned a lot from the elemental lifeform and were trying to mirror its actions. Thus, Nahida resolves to monitor the camp to ensure their safety and to meet each other again in the future.
Characters[]
17 Characters appear in this Story Quest:
- Apep
- Elemental Being: Floating Anemo Fungus
- Elemental Being: Grounded Geoshroom
- Elemental Being: Grounded Hydroshroom
- Floating Anemo Fungus
- Floating Anemo Fungus
- Floating Hydro Fungus
- Floating Hydro Fungus: Nur
- Greater Lord Rukkhadevata
- Layth
- Nahida
- Paimon
- Stretchy Anemo Fungus
- Traveler
- Whirling Electro Fungus
- Whirling Pyro Fungus
- Winged Dendroshroom
Soundtracks[]
Gallery[]
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Homecoming | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 归乡 Guīxiāng | Homecoming |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 歸鄉 Guīxiāng | |
| Japanese | 帰郷 Kikyou | Homecoming |
| Korean | 귀향귀향 Gwihyang | Homecoming |
| Spanish | Vuelta a casa | Back Home |
| French | Retour à la maison | Homecoming |
| Russian | Возвращение домой Vozvrashcheniye domoy | Homecoming |
| Thai | หวนคืนบ้านเกิด | |
| Vietnamese | Hồi Hương | |
| German | Zurück in die Heimat | Back Home |
| Indonesian | Kepulangan | Homecoming |
| Portuguese | Retorno | |
| Turkish | Eve Dönüş | Homecoming |
| Italian | Ritorno a casa | Homecoming |