On August 28, Genshin Impact will receive update 5.0, adding a new region to the game, related to the pyro element, called Natlan. We have collected general information about it and its history for you, and also threw out some theories about the future plot – our material will become a guide in your adventure through the land of fire.
Background
Natlan has been known throughout Teyvat as a land of war since ancient times. It is located on the western side of the desert region of Sumeru, the Great Red Sand, near the Abyss.
About a thousand years before the events of the game, the lands of Natlan were engulfed in civil war. Then a nameless hero named Tenoch appeared. He was armed with an obsidian club and traveled the region, uniting various heroes to fight evil together.
Tenoch joined forces with representatives of six nations: the runner Wanjiru, Menelik, Sanjah Compore, Burkin, Sundiata, and the giant Tupac. Together they set out for the “mountains of darkness” – the site of the battle that united all the tribes of Natlan. Not a single hero returned from this journey alive.
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Then, after some time, a half-human tyrant seized power in Natlan. He established his own cruel rules and forbade the inhabitants of this country to pray to elemental patrons. Because of this, the people of Natlan lost the spirit of unity, the eternal sacred fire died out, and the region was plunged into darkness.
Then another nameless hero appeared – a young man with glowing scarlet eyes. Having secured the prediction of a seer, he gathered a detachment consisting of a nameless spy, the legendary twins Atawallpa and Vascar, the silent warrior Yupanqui, and a talented craftsman with a score to settle with the tyrant.
Together they reunited all the peoples of Natlan, freed the Saurians and destroyed the tyrant and his city, on the ruins of which they built a new one.
But the leader, the same young man with glowing scarlet eyes, disappeared without a trace immediately after the final battle. As the legend goes, he appeared from smoke, into smoke and returned.
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General information
After the dethroning of the half-human tyrant, the people of Natlan befriended the Saurians. They became companions for the humans, aiding them in exploration and combat. It is possible that the Saurians could be considered familiars of the Pyro-Archon.
As a result of the huge number of battles, many heroes appeared in the history of this country, whose exploits were recorded in the annals as something called ancient names. They were immortalized on special obsidians.
Ancient names are a vital part of Natlan culture. Through them, the deeds and spirit of heroes are passed down from generation to generation. The new generation fights threats, just like the heroes of the past, who, together with the previous pyro-archon, were able to repel the onslaught of the Abyss.
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In the lands of the Pyro-region there is such a thing as the Sacred Flame. It carries the spirit of the former archon and heroes of the past, thus protecting this country from the influence of the Abyss.
The current Pyro-Archon, Mavuika, is the strongest warrior in Natlan. She has won countless victories. Her passion is what drives the people of this land.
In addition to regular fire, the pyro element in Natlan takes a special form known as Phlogiston. It can be either rock or liquid lava. Natlans use Phlogiston for a variety of purposes, from power generation to rituals and battles.
In Natlan, there is a concept of rebirth. Those fighters who have managed to overcome the Void are granted the right to do so. Otherwise, not only death awaits them, but also the destruction of their ancient name – it cannot be passed on to future generations.
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Natlan characters who possess the eye of the region’s god possess the blessing of a night spirit linked to the country’s history. It empowers the people of Natlan and is activated through a special ritual called the Phlogiston Engraving.
Through this ritual, characters can communicate with the arteries of the tribe’s land and with the Wayobs – the watchers or leaders of the tribes. The Wayobs are a kind of analogue of sacred totems.
Natlan is also home to natural hot springs formed by volcanic activity.
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Tribes and their characteristics
Natlan is inhabited by various tribes – there are six of them in total, of which three will be available in 5.0:
- tribe of children of echo – belong to the geo-element;
- tribe of the people of springs – associated with the hydro-element;
- The tribe of the descendants of the crowns – belong to the dendro-element.
The rest will appear later and will be related to the anemo, pyro and electro elements. Each tribe has its own obsidian with ancient names.
Each tribe has its own characteristics and skills:
- The Echo Children tribe is renowned for their mining and gem cutting skills. Their architecture is in the Geo style. They believe that only the strongest warriors can obtain the finest gems;
- The Springfolk tribe is famous for its musical and fishing traditions. Their lands are great for recreation. The Springfolk are skilled in combat and competition;
- The descendants of the Krons are engaged in courier delivery of letters and parcels. Their distinctive feature became speed. Also, many members of this tribe become athletes or adventurers.
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Each tribe has its own unique species of Saurians, associated with the element and traditions of the tribe:
- So, with the children of Echo live with Tepetlisaurs, helping to search for ore and precious stones. Their claws and horns need human care, and the Tepetlisaurs themselves can move underground and on the solid form of phlogiston;
- The Spring People live near the Coholosaurus. They love to bathe in hot springs, are carefree and a bit slow. Coholosaurus are also good at moving on water and lava, a liquid form of phlogiston;
- The descendants of the crowns get along well with the yumkasaurus, who help them explore the mountains. The yumkasaurus is good at getting food, thanks to the structure of its own body. It can attract various objects with its tongue and also attract them to itself.
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Natlan is a land of fashion and flamboyance. You can find a lot of different graffiti here, including on the mountains. Also, the tribesmen have their own ideas about fashion, which is reflected in the character designs. For example, when the echo children find a beautiful gem, they decorate their weapons or jewelry with it.
The tournament and its meaning
One of the curious things about Natlan is that it has no capital city – the tribes live apart from each other. But when the tournament is held, everyone goes to the “stadium of the sacred flame”, where the Eternal Sacred Flame is located.
The purpose of the tournament is to determine the strongest warriors in order to send them to battle the Void and protect their homeland. Today, the war in Natlan has become a competition.
The tournament is also called a pilgrimage. Among other things, it exists to demonstrate one’s progress and to obtain the flame of rivalry through battles. Perhaps the flame of rivalry is needed to feed the sacred flame, so that it does not go out.
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The Kingdom of Night and the End of Natlan
One of the important parts of Natlan is the Night Realm, a place that contains the collective memory of the region. The Void is trying to gain control over it, and according to Mavuiki, it has almost succeeded in doing so, with a maximum of a year left. If the Void can fully penetrate the Night Realm, the Sacred Flame will go out, and the region will fall into darkness.
According to the pyro-archon, the Abyss has already begun to penetrate there and can already read the memory of the entire region.
Mavuiki’s plan to save Natlan is doomed to fail. Capitano, the most powerful harbinger of Fatui, learned of this and arrived in the country, including for his own personal reasons. This character is probably somehow connected with the land of fire.
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Theories and assumptions
Immediately after arriving in Natlan, the traveler will try to obtain the power of the pyro element by resonating with the statue of the pyro archon. But he will not be able to do this. Probably, the reason for this will be the Abyss, which has already begun to penetrate the Realm of Night and create some interference in the power of pyro.
As the story progresses, we will need to meet the archon of the new region, as before. It won’t be that easy, but we will learn about the tournament that Mavuika will attend.
We will then travel around the region, visiting different tribes and meeting their champions: Kachina, Mualani and Kinich. Eventually we will reach the stadium, where we will meet not only Mavika, but also Capitano.
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There are several theories regarding the harbinger. According to the first, he is one of the descended. This can be indirectly confirmed by several points at once:
- The theme of the descended is gradually revealed more and more – with each new region. In Sumeru we learned about them, and in Fontaine we got more information, plus we met a character who was not from Teyvat;
- Rumor has it that we’ll meet even more characters from other worlds in Natlan.
The second theory is that Capitano may be a pyro-dragon – if you look closely, you can see scales on his arm. This theory fits well with the idea that he wants to “make his own rules” in Natlan – much like Nevillette did in Fontaine, but for different reasons.
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The third theory is that Capitano may be the new reincarnation of the hero-savior who appeared in Natlan twice before – as Tenoch and the boy with scarlet eyes. Today, he wants to save this country again, but from a much more global threat, which is why he had to unite with the harbingers of Fatui.
Or Capitano was one of the warriors of Natlan and now wants to be reborn, which can only be done in this region. Perhaps he lost his body and now his soul inhabits the armor.
The Captain could be anyone. The harbingers we’ve met so far were eccentric characters whose motives could be interpreted in many ways. One thing is for sure – not all of them were outright villains.
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Conclusion
The culture of Natlan is very unique. The region was inspired by South America, which is reflected in the tribes, totems, traditions and bloody history. Today, the country of war is characterized by style and competition.
You can see similarities between Natlan’s story and its plot. Once again, danger looms over the region, and once again a hero emerges – in this case, an adventurer – who unites the champions of all the tribes to confront the threat. And all of this will be tied to the Void, which should advance the overall plot of the entire game more than any of the previous regions.
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