(Filler ahead — nothing serious, hope you enjoy these Teyvat notes!)
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PART I — How Mora Actually Shapes Teyvat
Mora is the universal currency of Teyvat, but its importance has nothing to do with rarity or scarcity in the conventional sense. Mora does not vanish when used, nor is it consumed in the way gameplay systems suggest. In reality, Mora circulates like any other currency—changing hands, accumulating, dispersing, and concentrating depending on trade, taxation, and policy.
Mora was created by Rex Lapis, not simply as money, but as a standardized medium of exchange backed by divine authority. This origin matters. Mora is trusted not because of its material composition, but because its value was once guaranteed by an Archon. That guarantee became tradition, and tradition became infrastructure.
Because Mora is universally accepted, alternatives never had the chance to develop. Barter exists at small scales, and regional goods hold value locally, but large-scale trade always resolves into Mora. Any nation attempting to establish a parallel currency would immediately face the problem of conversion. As long as Mora remains the common denominator, all other currencies become supplementary at best.
Different nations interact with this system in different ways.
Liyue
Historically, Liyue stood at the center of Mora's circulation. As the birthplace of the currency and the heart of continental trade, it became Teyvat's financial anchor by default. Mora was minted at the Golden House using Rex Lapis's divine authority, exercised through his Gnosis. This gave Liyue an uncontested advantage—not just in wealth, but in trust. Contracts, commerce, and long-term trade all converged there because stability was guaranteed.
This was not a monopoly enforced by force. It was dominance maintained through reliability. As long as Mora flowed out of Liyue, influence followed.
Mondstadt
Mondstadt functions almost entirely as a consumer economy. It produces agricultural goods, wine, and cultural value. Its freedom-oriented governance does not interfere with trade systems, nor does it attempt to challenge Mora's dominance. Mondstadt prospers because the broader system remains stable. It has little incentive to change that system, and even less capacity to replace it.
Inazuma
Inazuma provides a clear example of how isolation affects circulation without destroying currency itself. During the Sakoku Decree, Mora still existed within the nation, but restricted trade reduced movement. Wealth concentrated, opportunity narrowed, and economic stagnation followed. This was not caused by the absence of Mora, but by the restriction of its flow. The system remained intact, but growth slowed to a crawl.
Sumeru
Sumeru's dependence on Mora is institutional rather than commercial. Research, academia, and large-scale knowledge projects all require sustained funding. The Akademiya did not reject Mora; it relied on it. However, control over funding also meant control over inquiry. What was researched, approved, or discarded often followed resource allocation rather than curiosity alone. Mora did not suppress knowledge directly, but it shaped the boundaries within which knowledge could advance.
Fontaine
Fontaine represents the most complex interaction with Mora. Its legal system, industrial experimentation, and technological ambition all depend on stable funding. Mora enables progress here more visibly than elsewhere, yet even Fontaine does not attempt to replace it. Innovation exists, but always within the established economic framework. The system is refined, not overturned.
Natlan
Very little is concretely known about Natlan's internal economy, but what is clear is that even culturally distinct nations remain tied to Mora for external trade. . No nation exists in isolation from it.
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Zhongli confirmed that Mora was created through the power of the Geo Gnosis, and that with his abdication, the system responsible for its issuance has been deliberately closed. No new Mora is being minted at the Golden House. This was not an oversight, but a conscious decision.
By ending divine issuance and transferring authority to the Liyue Qixing—placing governance firmly in human hands—Zhongli severed the last direct link between godhood and economic control. The Adepti remain, but they no longer rule. In practice, Liyue now functions under human leadership, with Ningguang acting as its central political and economic anchor.
Whether this decision was meant to weaken Mora's dominance or simply to test Liyue's resilience without divine intervention is unclear. What is clear is that the era of god-backed currency control has ended, and whatever replaces it will be shaped by human priorities rather than divine contracts.
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PART II — Why Teyvat Never Industrialized
Despite centuries of relative stability, access to elemental power, and repeated existential threats that should have forced large-scale innovation, Teyvat never developed true industrial systems. Technology exists, but it does not scale. Machinery appears in fragments, not networks. Progress happens, but it never compounds.
This is not the result of ignorance or lack of intelligence. It is the result of how power is distributed.
Visions and the Personalization of Progress:
Visions were not designed to suppress innovation. There is no evidence of deliberate intent. However, their existence fundamentally alters how societies in Teyvat solve problems.
Visions reward individuals, not systems.
When a problem arises, the solution is rarely structural. It is personal. A gifted individual appears, gains elemental power, and resolves the issue directly. A strong Vision bearer replaces what would otherwise require tools, infrastructure, or coordinated labor. Over time, this creates dependency—not on technology, but on exceptional people.
This shifts the direction of progress.
Instead of building machines that anyone can use, societies wait for the next Vision holder. Instead of designing systems that scale, they rely on individuals who cannot be replicated. Advancement becomes tied to talent, will, and circumstance rather than design and manufacturing.
Progress becomes episodic, not cumulative.
A Vision holder solves today's crisis, but leaves behind nothing that guarantees tomorrow's solution. The knowledge gained is personal. The capability disappears when the individual leaves, retires, or dies. What remains is admiration, not infrastructure.
In such a world, industrialization is unnecessary. And when something is unnecessary, it is rarely pursued at scale.
Elemental Energy as a Substitute for Machinery
Teyvat does not lack advanced technology. It lacks the incentive to refine it.
Elemental energy is abundant, flexible, and already integrated into daily life. It powers weapons, constructs, transportation, and even research. When energy can be shaped directly through elements, the need for mechanical efficiency diminishes.
This is visible across Teyvat.
Ruin machines demonstrate ancient mastery of autonomous constructs. The Fatui weaponize elemental research through Delusions and artificial enhancements. Sandrone's mechanical creations operate at levels that would require extensive industrial backing in any other world. Fontaine experiments with large-scale systems that blur the line between technology and elemental manipulation.
Yet none of these developments spread outward.
They remain localized, specialized, and tightly controlled.
The reason is simple: elemental solutions are easier to deploy than mechanical ones. They require fewer components, less standardization, and far less maintenance. When power can be channeled directly, there is little motivation to invest in infrastructure that only becomes efficient at scale.
As a result, Teyvat develops advanced tools, not industrial systems. Steampunk aesthetics exist, but factories do not dominate. Innovation occurs, but replication does not.
Elemental energy solves problems too well to encourage replacement.
The Akademiya and Controlled Advancement
Sumeru's Akademiya did not oppose progress. It curated it.
Before the emergence of Lesser Lord Kusanali's influence, knowledge in Sumeru was filtered through rigid doctrine. Certain lines of inquiry were encouraged. Others were discouraged, delayed, or quietly abandoned.
Innovation existed, but it was regulated.
The Akademiya decided which research was safe, useful, or acceptable. This created an environment where advancement followed approved paths rather than open exploration. Progress continued, but only in directions deemed stable.
This had long-term consequences.
When knowledge is filtered, risk is minimized—but so is disruption. Revolutionary ideas struggle to survive in systems designed to preserve order. Incremental improvement becomes the norm. Paradigm shifts become rare.
The Akademiya did not stop industrialization directly. It ensured that progress remained manageable, contained, and aligned with existing structures.
Industrialization in Teyvat was never directly opposed. It was simply never required. When problems are solved by individuals rather than systems, when energy is drawn from elements rather than engines, and when knowledge advances along approved paths, large-scale mechanical transformation becomes unnecessary. Progress continues, but it does not compound.
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PART III — Vision Distribution System
Visions are often treated as gifts from the gods, but this framing is misleading. Archons do not consciously choose who receives a Vision, nor do they decide when one manifests. This is not speculation. It is established fact.
Visions originate from the elemental thrones.
These thrones were created after Celestia overthrew the original elemental sovereigns and seized their authorities. What Archons wield is not absolute ownership of an element, but borrowed power—authority granted, regulated, and limited by a higher system. The Archons act as stewards, not originators.
This distinction matters.
If Archons do not select Vision holders, then Vision distribution must be governed by an automated mechanism rather than personal judgment. Criteria exist, but they are not conscious decisions made in real time. Ambition, resolve, and circumstance appear to be factors, but no Archon actively intervenes to grant or deny a Vision to a specific individual.
However, this does not mean Archons are irrelevant to the process.
While Archons do not select recipients, their state and actions appear to affect the conditions under which Visions manifest.
The most direct evidence of this comes from Inazuma. During the period of the Sakoku Decree and the Vision Hunt Decree, Electro Visions ceased to appear. This occurred despite the fact that Raiden Ei did not personally choose recipients before or during that era. When her policies and state of mind changed, Vision manifestation resumed.
This strongly suggests that Vision distribution is not a detached process running independently of Archons. Instead, it appears to require maintenance—some degree of alignment, stability, or energy allocation from the Archon associated with that element.
The system functions automatically, but it is not self-sustaining.
If elemental thrones generate Visions, then Archons likely act as conduits that keep those thrones active and responsive. Their behavior does not determine who receives a Vision, but it influences whether conditions remain favorable for Visions to manifest at all.
This interpretation explains multiple inconsistencies without contradicting canon. It accounts for why Vision distribution can pause without the system breaking, and why changes in an Archon's conduct correlate with changes in Vision appearance.
It also reinforces an uncomfortable truth about authority in Teyvat.
Power is not bestowed through compassion or judgment. It flows through systems designed to operate without personal involvement. Individuals are rewarded not because a god favors them, but because they meet criteria defined by structures.
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Part IV — Teyvat's False Sky, Weakened Borders, and the Meaning of the Journey
The sky above Teyvat, long known to be false, has always been an anomaly in the understanding of this world. Its existence is confirmed: what we see as the heavens is a projection, a construct that hides the true expanse of the universe beyond. The nature of this sky, however, raises more questions than it answers. Why was it created, and what does it mean for the world below?
Alice's recent commentary provides one of the clearest hints regarding the state of Teyvat's boundaries. She remarks that the borders are weakened, a statement echoed indirectly in other sources, The phrase "weakened borders" suggests a structural vulnerability — the containment that maintains Teyvat as a discrete world is no longer as robust as it once was. The Heavenly Principles, widely understood to have established the framework of Teyvat, presumably designed these boundaries to regulate and protect the human realm. While not merely decorative, these structures function to maintain order and conceal what lies beyond, whether that be the sea of stars from which the Descenders came, other civilizations, or forces that operate under different natural laws. The weakening of these borders may indicate a gradual erosion of the original system's control, either through the dormancy of the Heavenly Principles, shifts in divine governance, or the natural decay of mechanisms that have endured for centuries.
One of the recurring themes in Teyvat's narrative is understanding the journey itself. Across Archon Quests and previews, key figures remind the protagonist that the journey is not just about completing tasks or defeating foes. Dainsleif states: "Step forth, if you have understood the meaning of your journey." Comprehension, reflection, and growth matter more than outward action alone.
Archons such as Venti and Zhongli encourage the Traveller to engage fully with experiences, while Lumine, in her role as the Abyssal twin, hints that understanding is only revealed at the journey's end. Her remarks imply she has already completed her own journey. The Traveller now walks the same journey, encountering the world's structure and events, but their path — the choices they make and how they respond — is uniquely their own.
This can be understood in terms of samsara — "wandering" or navigating a flow that repeats in some form. The journey itself is a framework laid out by Teyvat, but each Traveller experiences it along their own path. The world presents recurring challenges and lessons, yet how the Traveller engages with them determines the understanding and insight gained.
Dainsleif's statement emphasizes that mere participation is insufficient; progression requires comprehension of the lessons embedded in the journey. The Traveller's choices shape narrative and metaphysical development within Teyvat.
Quests and encounters are more than obstacles; they are calibrated experiences that teach and illuminate. While Lumine traversed the same journey before, the Traveller's path allows for different outcomes, perspectives, and revelations. This interplay between fixed journey and individual path captures the essence of samsara: wandering within a structured flow where engagement and insight matter more than simply completing events.
In conclusion, the repeated emphasis on comprehension and the layered guidance from Archons, Lumine, and Dainsleif hint at a deeper possibility: Teyvat itself may exist within a form of samsara, a time-loop or cyclical structure that repeats at the world level. Travellers like Lumine may complete their journey first, while the current Traveller experiences it anew, navigating the same framework but along their own unique path. If true, the world's events, choices, and lessons are part of an ongoing cycle — not a loop of the individual, but of Teyvat itself .
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Current Status: Gods, Shades of Teyvat, Descenders
Archons (The Seven Rulers):
Venti (Barbatos) — Anemo Archon of Mondstadt; currently wandering freely, offering subtle guidance to mortals.
Zhongli (Rex Lapis / Morax) — Geo Archon of Liyue; handed over most governance to Ninguang and the Adepti, now largely inactive in politics.
Raiden Shogun (Ei) — Electro Archon of Inazuma; retains active rule but has adjusted policies after the Vision Hunt Decree.
Nahida (Lesser Lord Kusanali) — Dendro Archon of Sumeru; recently ascended, still learning her powers while actively guiding her people.
Focalar — Former Archon of Fontaine, deceased; authority transferred to Neuvillette, who governs with a focus on law and judicial order.
Natlan — Mauvika — Pyro Archon of Natlan; remains in power following the Natlan storyline, leading her nation and safeguarding the Sacred Flame.
Nod Krai — Autonomous region in southern Snezhnaya; no Archon ruler currently, local factions maintain order after the Traveler's intervention against corrupted forces.
Shades (Primordial Divine Beings):
Istaroth — Shade of Time; governs temporal phenomena; current status unclear.
Ronova — Shade of Death; enacted the curse on the people of Khaenri'ah and continues to influence death and mortality indirectly.
Rhinedottir (merged with Naberius) — Shade of Life; embodies creation and life-force.
Asmoday — Shade of Space; manipulates space and dimensional order; maintains cosmic structure independently of Archons.
Primordial One / Heavenly Principles:
The First Descender; original architect of Teyvat; currently dormant after sustaining grievous injuries during ancient wars; created the Gnoses to continue governance through the Archons.
Descenders:
Heavenly Principles / First Descender — Dormant, as above.
Second Descender — Unknown; hinted in lore, identity not revealed.
Third Descender — Only known through remnants in the Gnoses.
Traveller (Fourth Descender) — Currently active, journeying through Teyvat, uncovering the world's structure and hidden truths.
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This is a compilation of various Travellers' observations and my own thoughts, curated for a fun and interesting read. Some of you lore enthusiasts, like me, might have encountered these theories before — or perhaps even written about them yourselves.