The Abyss, also known as the Void Realm, is a term which refers to three interconnected concepts:
- As the Void Realm, it is one of the three realms in the world of Teyvat, alongside the Human Realm and the Light Realm. While the Human Realm and Light Realms are capable of adjusting to accommodate each other's existences, the Void Realm is devastating to both.[1][2]
- A mysterious realm of endless darkness located both beyond and beneath Teyvat,[3][4] described as an entirely different world from Teyvat.[5]
- Creatures that are endemic to the Abyss, such as Riftwolves.
Overview[]
The Abyss' "unworldly" power is diametrically opposed to the Light Realm's and can corrupt entities from the Human Realm, which are under Celestia's dominion. The Void Realm's dark currents are analogous to the Human Realm's Ley Lines and the Light Realm's elemental currents. Its darkness is extremely harmful towards elemental beings such as Vishaps and elemental dragons, although they are capable of repelling the darkness by harnessing the Light Realm's power.[2]
The Abyss' darkness is described as the only kind of power that could dye Morax's stone pillars black.[1] Venti, another Archon, was poisoned by Durin's Abyss-laced blood when his attempt to connect with Dvalin was interrupted by the Traveler; only by visiting the Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero at Windrise could Venti expunge the Abyssal poison from himself.[6] The rest of Durin's blood was spilt in Dragonspine, where it crystallized into Crimson Agate, a substance capable of reviving the Frostbearing Tree, which died thousands of years ago after the Skyfrost Nail dropped from Celestia. Previous attempts to revive the tree failed, indicating that Durin's blood had special properties.[7]
Prolonged exposure to the Abyss can drastically change a person's personality or corrupt their entire being.[5][8][9] Humans exposed to Abyssal energy will slowly begin to decay over time; even with treatment, large amounts of Abyssal energy will result in death. The Traveler has the ability to purify Abyssal energy to some degree.
The Abyss appears to be attracted to — and draws in — those with great ambition, such as Rhinedottir and Tartaglia. Those who have personal ties to the Abyss have been known to gain an uncanny ability to wreak havoc and conflict.[4][10] Tsumi believes that the Abyss Order finds the Void Realm's power addictive.[2]
The Abyss appears to have a mind of its own to the point that it could be considered an entity; Kitsune Saiguu refers to it as such,[11] while during the cataclysm and events of Natlan's Archon Quests, the Abyss tailored its events to each of the six tribes and increased the frequency of its attacks as Mavuika's plan progressed.[12]
Denizens of the Abyss appear to use an Enochian-based language, based on the text that can be seen above Abyss Mages' heads when talking to Hilichurls and in their Adventurer Handbook description. Abyss monsters also have the ability to manipulate elemental energy without the use of Visions.
Time in the Abyss passes differently than it does in Teyvat; Tartaglia spent three months in there, but returned to a Teyvat that had only seen three days pass since his disappearance.[4] When Takamine the Mistsplitter finally emerged from the Abyss, a long time had passed on Teyvat and Asase Hibiki was "no longer young."[13] It is unclear whether this time scale disparity is consistent, or if it can change depending on certain factors.
Denizens of the Abyss[]
The following entities have been affiliated with the Abyss, although they have not necessarily been linked to the Abyss Order:
- The "beast of sin" which corrupted Chiyo.[5]
- The Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah, among whom is "The Visionary" Vedrfolnir who inspired Chlothar to form the Abyss Order.
Abyss Order[]
The Abyss Order is an organization comprised mostly of non-human beings that harness both the elements and Abyssal power, seeking to ruin Teyvat as retaliation for the cataclysm 500 years ago. Its members are former citizens of Khaenri'ah who were transformed into monsters through a yet unclear process, speculated to be the divine punishment of the Heavenly Principles and other gods of Celestia, such as the Unknown God. After being separated by the Unknown God, the Traveler's Sibling has also become the leader of the Abyss Order. The Abyss Order usually conscripts Hilichurls and Abyss Mages to do their work.
Story[]
Ancient History[]
According to legend, when the Heavenly Principles descended on the world, it created the Human Realm after defeating the Seven Sovereigns of the Light Realm, subjugating both nature and those of the Light Realm who hadn't escaped into the ocean.[14][15]
During the war between the Heavenly Principles and the Second Who Came, the region of Enkanomiya fell into the ocean depths, where the forces of the Light Realm and the Void Realm already existed. With the addition of a Human Realm aspect, the Vishaps who had fled into the oceans grew hostile towards the stranded people and were only fended off through the creation of the Dainichi Mikoshi and later, the intervention of the god Orobashi. The people of Enkanomiya built the Towers of the Three Realms to regulate the powers of the Human Realm, Light Realm, and Void Realm. These towers, known as Kunado's Locus, Yachimatahiko's Locus, and Yachimatahime's Locus, were hidden using techniques only known by shrine maidens and the Vassals of Watatsumi.[16][17]
The Cataclysm[]
At some point, five prominent individuals from Khaenri'ah; Surtalogi, Rhinedottir, Vedrfolnir, Hroptatyr and Rerir became tempted by the call of the Abyss and discovered a massive source of power from it that could destroy Teyvat. They shared it among themselves, becoming the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah, but also transcendent beings with "world-shattering" power.[18]
Five hundred years ago, during the cataclysm, the fall of Khaenri'ah's Eclipse Dynasty came at the hands of the gods. The "great sinner" Rhinedottir, also known as Gold, created an enormous amount of monsters containing Abyssal power. These monsters proceeded to ravage Teyvat, causing widespread destruction.[10][19] It is unclear whether the gods' attack on Khaenri'ah came before or after her actions, but the two events are inextricably linked. Following the destruction of Khaenri'ah, the pure-blooded inhabitants, seen as greater "sinners", were cursed with immortality, whereas the non-pure, or lesser "sinners", who came from mixed blood were instead cursed to become various monsters such as hilichurls, Abyss Mages, Abyss Heralds or Abyss Lectors.[20]
When the great beast Elynas arrived in Fontaine, many Abyssal sea creatures also emerged with it; Elynas' presence caused severe pollution to the nation's land and water. The Fontaine Armada was recalled to tackle the beast, during which they pursued Elynas over the course of 35 days while attracting all types of Abyssal creatures in the process. Elynas had begun to bleed from unknown wounds and eventually died; through his remains and the power of the Abyss, the Breacher Primus species who still roam the remains of Elynas were created.
In Natlan, the Abyss caused more damage during the cataclysm due to the nation's lack of stable, deep-rooted Ley Lines, seemingly adjusting their attacks to each tribe. Eventually they were temporarily repelled by the Pyro Archon Mavuika and several ancient heroes of the time; Tenoch, Sundjatta, Sanhaj, Burkina, Tupac, Wanjiru and Menilek. Knowing the Abyss would return into the future, Mavuika drafted a plan that would require the Ancient Name bearers to pass their names down in the future while the tribes rebuilt, and the Wayob would send their hero when the time came to indicate that the tribe was ready to fight. However, the Abyss became aware of the plan and infiltrated the Night Kingdom, slowly infecting it and the Wayobs within them to prevent it from being passed down. This worked to some degree, as only three of the tribes were ready by the time she awoke 500 years later, while the other three did not appear to be aware of the plan.
Meanwhile, to keep the Abyss at bay, the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame and Night Warden Wars were conducted to produce Contending Fire, a source of energy to fuel the Sacred Flame. The Sacred Flame would keep a majority of the Abyss at bay as long as it was not extinguished. During the Night Warden Wars, which sent Ancient Name bearers into the Night Kingdom to fight the Abyss, they would occasionally win the battle by adapting and adjusting tactics.
Present[]
When Tartaglia was fourteen, he ran away from home, and after falling into a deep hole, he found himself in the Abyss. There, he encountered a swordswoman,[4] Skirk,[21] who trained him, taught him to navigate the Abyss, and nurtured his ability to raise endless conflict no matter where he went.[4]
When Scaramouche joined the Fatui and had his seal unlocked by Il Dottore, the Tsaritsa and Pierro would have him lead expeditions into the Abyss. Whatever he found there promoted him into the Sixth of the Fatui Harbinger, though following this promotion he was ordered to be on standby.
After the Traveler retrieves the Bloodbranch Coral so Sangonomiya Kokomi could perform the Watatsumi Goryou Matsuri, a ritual used to reverse Watatsumi Island's Holy Soil phenomenon. However, unexpectedly, the phenomenon failed to reverse and merely halted. Concerned, the Divine Priestess sent a team to investigate, only to discover that Enkanomiya was shrouded in a mysterious darkness.[2] This darkness turned out to be the encroachment of the Void Realm, instigated by Enjou, who convinced the Bathysmal Vishaps to disrupt the Towers of the Three Realms in favor of the Void Realm. The vishaps, eager to overthrow human presence, complied, only to discover that they were even more susceptible to Abyssal power. Tsumi went to the Watatsumi troops in the guise of a shrine maiden to aid in repelling the Void Realm, rescue the vishaps trapped under the Dainichi Mikoshi, and perhaps even destroy the tower. Although she succeeds in her former two goals, she ultimately finds herself unable to carry through with her last objective.[22]
When the Traveler arrived at Natlan, they learned about the peoples' history with the Abyss and how they continually fought against them. After one Night Warden War, the Abyss attacked the People of the Springs, but the attack was repulsed by the tribe. Nonetheless, it served as a warning for the other tribes to prepare for the possibility of attack. Kachina failed to return from the war despite the usage of the Ode of Resurrection (as the team had won), prompting Mavuika to suspend further pilgrimages and wars until the situation could be resolved. A group consisting of Mualani, Iansan, Chasca and the Traveler entered the Night Kingdom and rescued Kachina, while removing some corruption from the Children of Echoes' Wayob. The Abyss attempted to swallow the group whole and managed to close an exit back to the surface, but Mavuika saved the group by sacrificing her keepsakes to break into the Night Kingdom.[23]
Eventually, another hero was discovered by Ororon after he had a new desire to continue living, prompting the Abyss to increase the frequency of their attacks upon realizing he was one of the two heroes that had not been found yet. The Abyss soon enacted a full-scale invasion of the entire nation, particularly in the Flower-Feather Clan as their hero had yet to be discovered. The invasion initially appeared to have trouble getting a foothold, but the Abyss soon ramped up the invasion with the Heart of the Abyss making an appearance, also referred to Gosoythoth, and began dropping more dangerous monsters with the use of Abyssal Tumors and Pylons, slowly beginning to overwhelm the defenses all over the nation. Eventually, the final hero was discovered as Chasca after she accepted the grief of losing Chuychu, and with all six heroes now found, Mavuika channeled their and Ronova's power to end the invasion for good. She could sense that the Abyss had retreated to the depths of the Night Kingdom, and asked the Traveler to accompany her when the time came to stomp the Abyss out of Natlan for good.[24]
Trivia[]
- The Abyss is the only enemy group that does not have any Common Enemies.
- The color of Marana's Avatar and the effects of Marana, or the The Withering, on Teyvat implied that "forbidden knowledge" has some link to the Abyss. Greater Lord Rukkhadevata confirmed that the "forbidden knowledge" originated from the very bottom of the Abyss, which also doesn't belong to Teyvat.
Etymology[]
- In both English and Chinese, the term "abyss" (Chinese: 深渊 Shēnyuān, lit. "deep abyss"), can refer to a literal bottomless (or unfathomably deep) pit, or used in a figurative sense to refer to a catastrophic or destructive situation.[25][26][27]
- The Chinese name for the Void Realm is 虚无界, which is similar to but distinct from the "Void" used in Bathysmal Vishap Experimental Records, which is 虚空. As adjectives, both can mean "empty" or "void," but as nouns, 虚无 means "nothingness" whereas 虛空 means "empty space" or "sky."
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Abyss | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 深渊 Shēnyuān | Deep Abyss |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 深淵 Shēnyuān | |
| Japanese | アビス Abisu | Abyss |
| Korean | 심연심연 Simyeon | Abyss |
| Spanish | Abismo | Abyss |
| French | Abîme | Abyss |
| Russian | Бездна Bezdna | Abyss |
| Thai | Abyss | — |
| Vietnamese | Vực Sâu | Abyss |
| German | Abgrund | Abyss |
| Indonesian | Abyss | — |
| Portuguese | Abismo | Abyss |
| Turkish | Hiçlik | Abyss |
| Italian | Abisso | Abyss |
Change History[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Weapon Ascension Material: Piece of Aerosiderite
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Event Three Realms Gateway Offering Quest, Aphotic Diffusal: Three Realms Gateway Offering: The Eve
- ↑ Weapon Ascension Material: Bit of Aerosiderite
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Tartaglia's Character Story: Character Story 4
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Weapon Ascension Material: Mask of the Kijin
- ↑ Archon Quest, Prologue, Act II - For a Tomorrow Without Tears, Part 4: Let the Wind Lead
- ↑ Weapon Lore: Frostbearer
- ↑ Tartaglia's Character Story: Character Story 5
- ↑ Artifact, Shimenawa's Reminiscence: Shaft of Remembrance
He will eventually return to me, even if he were to be [...] turned into a fierce beast by that dark defilement... - ↑ 10.0 10.1 Book: Breeze Amidst the Forest, Vol. 1
- ↑ Weapon Lore: Hakushin Ring
"So then, the dark will that gnaws at me..." - ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter V, Act IV - The Rainbow Destined to Burn, Part 3: The Surging Darkness
- ↑ Weapon Lore: Thundering Pulse
- ↑ Book: The Byakuyakoku Collection, Vol. 2 - Before Sun and Moon
- ↑ Loading Screen Tip: Light Realm
- ↑ Book: The Byakuyakoku Collection, Vol. 3 - Hydrological Studies in Byakuyakoku
- ↑ World Quest, Erebos' Secret: The Three Great Martial Trials
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter IV, Act VI - Bedtime Story, Part 2: Memories That Should Not Exist
- ↑ Weapon Ascension Material: Chunk of Aerosiderite
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter I, Act IV - We Will Be Reunited, Part 4: A Soul Set Apart
- ↑ Tartaglia's Voice-Over: About Skirk
- ↑ Event Three Realms Gateway Offering Quest, Aphotic Diffusal: Three Realms Gateway Offering: Aftermath
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter V, Act II - Black Stone Under a White Stone, Part 4: Into Eternal Night
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter V, Act IV - The Rainbow Destined to Burn, Part 6: A Fuel Named "Fate"
- ↑ Wiktionary: 深渊
- ↑ Wiktionary: abyss
- ↑ Cambridge Dictionary: abyss (Definition 2)
