In Genshin Impact, there are beings in Teyvat more powerful than mortals: the divine Archons. These beings, who inherit their power directly from Celestia, are called The Seven, and each governs a nation of Teyvat. Some Archons witnessed the war that led to the Cataclysm 500 years ago, while others rose to their status immediately afterwards. Each of them has a Gnosis that represents the Element in line with the nation they rule, which the Cryo Archon is trying to collect for unknown reasons.
Archons play a very important role in driving the story of Genshin Impact. If you’re curious about who they are and what they’ve been up to, I’ve compiled a list of all the Archons and everything we know about them. Warning: this article is full of spoilers.
All Genshin Impact Archons and What We Know About Them
Anemo Archon: Venti
- Archon Name: Barbatos
- Gnosis Element: Anemo
- Divine Ideal: Freedom
- Nation: Mondstadt
- Weapon: Bow
- Character information: venti
The drunken bard, Venti, is one of the few original Archons who has never been replaced. He began life as a simple wind elemental spirit during the Archon War. During this time he befriended a young man from Mondstadt, who taught him to sing and play the lyre. These two remained friends for some time until the boy lost his life, an unfortunate victim of the nation’s revolt against the storm god, Decarabian. In an unexpected twist, the fall of the God of Storms imbued Venti with great power as the new Anemo Archon, and he used this power to alter his appearance in honor of the friend he had lost.
As the God of Freedom, Venti prefers to maintain a secondary focus on the nation of Mondstadt. He believes that the people of Mondstadt should be able to think and choose for themselves, without depending on the gods, so he long ago retired from public view. He has since reappeared in Mondstadt as a modest traveling bard, singing tales of his exploits and drinking dandelion wine to mingle with mortals. His Gnosis was stolen by Fatui Harbinger, La Signora.
Geo Archon: Zhongli
- Archon Name: Morax/Rex Lapis Lazuli
- Gnosis Element: Geo
- Divine Ideal: Contracts
- Nation: Liyue
- Weapon: polearm
- Character information: Zhongli
Zhongli is the oldest member of The Seven and is also the original Geo Archon. He has experienced much of Teyvat’s history firsthand, including the Cataclysm, and earned his Geo Archon status by participating in and surviving the Archon War. Before establishing Liyue and leading the Adepti, Zongli was also originally the co-ruler of the Guili Assembly along with the Dust God, Guizhong.
After years of leading the people of Liyue to prosperity, Zhongli decided to step down and let humanity take control of their lives in his absence. To this end, Zhongli faked his own death and began living among mortals as a consultant to the Wangsheng Funeral Home. He no longer has the Gnosis of him, as he appears to have given it to the Cryo Archon as part of an as yet unknown agreement.
Related: Celestia location and release date in Genshin Impact
Electro Archon: Ei/Raiden Shogun
- Archon Name: Beelzebul (publicly known as Baal)
- Gnosis Element: Electro
- Divine Ideal: Eternity
- Nation: Inazuma
- Weapon: polearm
- Character information: Raiden Ei
The nickname Baal was once held by a pair of twin sisters, Makoto and Ei. Makoto would act as the face of the Raiden Shogun, making public appearances and attending meetings, while Ei would take on the role of the Kagemusha, acting as the Raiden Shogun’s sword in the shadows. The two sisters lived happily in this way until the Cataclysm occurred, claiming Makoto’s life and causing Ei to isolate herself from the world. Ei was greatly affected by the loss of her sister and began experimenting with ways to create a copy of Makoto.
He created multiple puppets, including Scaramouche, and set them aside, until there was one puppet worthy of acting as a vessel for the divine: the person we now know as Raiden Shogun. Satisfied with her work, Ei retired to her Plane of Eutimia, leaving the task of ruling Inazuma and the title of Raiden Shogun to her creation. Obsessed with achieving Ei’s dream of an immutable Inazuma, the Raiden Shogun enacted the Vision Hunting Decree, claiming that Visions and ambition are a threat to his ideal of Eternity. The Electro Gnosis was in the hands of Ei’s only friend, Yae Miko, who gave it to the Fatui Harbinger, Scaramouche.
Archon Dendro: Nahida
- ArquÃn’s name: buer
- Gnosis Element: dendro
- Divine Ideal: Wisdom
- Nation: Sumeru
- Weapon: Catalyst
- Character information: nahida
Nahida, also called Lesser Lord Kusanali, is the youngest Archon who appeared in the midst of the Cataclysm 500 years ago. The Sumeru Akademiya looked down on her and she was imprisoned in the Surasthana Shrine for most of her life. She has a unique ability to be able to talk to people in her dreams and she has proven to be incredibly wise despite being locked away her entire life. When the crisis in Sumeru was resolved and the locals regained respect for Archon Dendro, Nahida lived among the people without holding a grudge. She gave the Dendro Gnosis to the Fatui Herald, Il Dottore, in exchange for crucial information about the Descendants.
While Nahida’s origins were largely unknown for most of history, it was later revealed that the High Lord Rukkhadevata was the original Archon Dendro who preceded Nahida. Before his death, he erased his existence from the memories of everyone in Teyvat, cut off the purest branch of the Irminsul, and used it to create Nahida, the incarnation of him.
Hydroarchon: Furina
- Archon Name: Focusers
- Gnosis Element: Hydro
- Divine Ideal: Justice
- Nation: fountain
- Weapon: Sword
- Character information: N/A
Furina is the dramatic Hydro Archon who rules Fontaine, where she oversees all judicial proceedings at the Opera Epiclese. She was the creator of the Oratrice Mecanique d’Analyse Cardinale, which judges the guilty, regardless of the final verdict of the Iudex Neuvillette. Despite her being the Hydro Archon, Ella Furina has proven to be extremely weak and was unable to defend herself against her when the Fatui Herald, Arlecchino, tested her with a small scare on an unassuming night. In fact, she was so scared that she cried herself to sleep. She has also been shown to be unable to manage negotiations herself, often relying on Neuvillette to speak for her.
While Fontaine’s story still unfolds, we will discover more about Furina, her origins, and everything that led her to be who she is today.
Related: What is Snezhnaya in Genshin Impact?
Pyro Archon: Murata
- Alias: Murata, god of war
- Gnosis Element: pyro
- Divine Ideal: War
- Nation: Natlan
- Weapon: N/A (Appears to have wielded a Claymore in the past)
- Character information: N/A
Murata is the Pyro Archon who oversees the nation of Natlan. Venti describes her as a misguided, war-mongering wretch, and ancient warriors often performed combat rites and celebrated victories in her name. It is important to know that while Murata is said to be the current Pyro Archon, it is currently impossible to confirm if she is still alive or if a new Pyro Archon has been crowned in her absence.
Cryo Archon: Tsaritsa
- Alias: The Tsarina
- Gnosis Element: child
- Divine Ideal: Love (previously)
- Nation: Snezhnaya
- Weapon: N/A
- Character information: N/A
The Tsaritsa is the enigmatic and mysterious Cryo Archon, who ascended to godhood sometime before the Cataclysm. She created the Fatui organization and directly orders the Heralds to do her bidding, using them to implement her plan of divine vengeance while she remains within the walls of Snezhnaya. These agents are deeply devoted to her and never hesitate to enforce her will.
The Tsarina was involved in an unknown tragedy in the past, possibly related to the Cataclysm, which caused her to become bitter and disillusioned with Celestia. Since then, she has been described as a god who has no love left for her people, nor do they have any love left for her. The Cryo Archon is currently collecting the gnosis of other Archons and planning a rebellion against Celestia, but not much else is currently known about her.
Learn more about Genshin’s antagonists by checking out Who are the Eleven Fatui Heralds in Genshin Impact? here at Pro Gaming Guides.