Abyssal Corruption
Last updated 2026-06-15
Abyssal corruption, also known as abyssal corrosion or abyssal contamination, is a generic term for the influence the Abyss exerts on various entities. Such entities have a negative effect on the world of Teyvat.
Overview
The Abyss holds the power of the Void Realm, which is diametrically opposed to the powers of the Light Realm and the Human Realm, the latter of which the surface world of Teyvat belongs to. As a result, surges of Abyssal power have catastrophic consequences for Teyvat and humanity. The cataclysm 500 years ago is currently the most notable surge of Abyssal power; it was caused by an attack by monsters of Khaenri'ah, which were created from the Abyss' powers.[1][2][3] Following the aftermath of Khaenri'ah's destruction, some of the humans-turned-monsters became members of the Abyss Order, who are capable of spreading Abyssal corruption.
Effects on Living Creatures
Even brief exposure to Abyssal corruption can cause negative physical and mental consequences, and prolonged contact can lead to severe, permanent damage. Physical symptoms may include dizziness, general weakness,[4] nausea,[5] and a worsening cough.[6] According to Mualani, immersing oneself in hot water accelerates the progression of certain physical symptoms.[7] Mental symptoms may include hallucinations, psychosis,[8] jumbled thoughts, agitation,[9] memory loss, and emotional issues,[10] such as Chasca's chronic, compulsive urge to fight.[11] Prolonged exposure can also drastically alter a person's personality by amplifying their desires[6][12] and fears.[13]
According to Chasca, once significant Abyssal corruption enters a person's body, it will irreversibly fuse itself to their internal organs.[11] Venti confirms this, stating that power of the Abyss "fused with Dvalin's flesh and bones" in a simulated version of Teyvat where the Traveler never saved Mondstadt.[14] After a certain degree of corruption, it becomes impossible to purify the Abyssal energy without killing the host.
Purging the Abyssal energy from an individual also does not necessarily improve their mental symptoms, as seen in the case of some veterans of Natlan's war against the Abyss, whose PTSD-like symptoms persisted even after the Traveler purified their Abyssal corrosion. The Captain referred to this condition as Abyssal Corrosion Syndrome, which he also claimed to have witnessed during the cataclysm. As a form of treatment, he offered them the Draught of Lucidity, a medicine invented by the Khaenri'ahn military doctor Guthred that could alleviate the psychological symptoms, albeit at the cost of severe side effects.[15]
Paradoxically, Abyssal corruption can also significantly extend a creature's lifespan. Both the human Jakob[16] and the Yumkasaur Kongamato[17] were born 500+ years ago, and both lived until the present day as a result of absorbing Abyssal energy. Sonnet, the goddess of the Iridescent Moon, also survived the shattering of her moon during the war of funerary flame by fusing its remnants with the Abyss. She imparted this Abyssal influence to the descendants of the Khaenri'ahn Crimson Moon Dynasty in the form of the Balemoon Bloodfire, a powerful ability that inflicts cumulative Abyssal corrosion on its user. Arlecchino, a modern-day bearer of this power, says that the corruption "hungers for [her] soul" and will completely change her as a person if it reaches her heart.[18]
Purification
Abyssal corruption can be purified or controlled through various means. Destroying the source of the corruption, depending on the entities' strength, can either permanently or temporarily halt its effects. The Fatui developed the Mokosh Device, a machine capable of clearing Abyssal corruption up to a certain degree.[19]
The power of Celestia and the Light Realm (including its derivatives, the seven elements) can repel Abyssal corruption. Those who are connected to the elements, such as Vision-holders, have greater resistance to Abyssal energy, including Forbidden Knowledge. Venti visits the Symbol of Mondstadt's Hero, which allegedly grew where Vennessa ascended to Celestia and holds the power of Anemo,[20] to recover from the Abyssal corruption which poisoned him when he attempted to break the curse over Dvalin.[21] In The Chasm, the unearthing of a Chasm Nail fragment caused both the Abyssal Dark Mud and the Celestial Lumenstones and Lumenspar to begin growing en masse throughout the mines.[9] The Lumenstone Adjuvant, a particularly large Lumenstone, is capable of clearing out Dark Mud. In the Girdle of the Sands, the power of the Amrita, a substance derived from the Hydro Archon Egeria, defends the land from Abyssal defilement. Egeria's familiars, the Pari, can also purify or restrict Abyssal corruption by using Khvarena, a form of energy jointly created by the angel Nabu Malikata, the Dendro Archon Rukkhadevata, and the Amrita. Gray Crystals are Abyssal remnants from the cataclysm that have been sealed using Khvarena.[22] In Nod-Krai, kuuvahki, the primordial power of the moons, is capable of cleansing Abyssal corruption, damaging Abyssal enemies, and resisting Abyssal Decay.
The Traveler purifying Abyssal corruption from Chuychu
The Traveler is capable of absorbing[Note 1] Abyssal energy without apparent harm to themselves, likely due to their natural affinity for the elements (though the reason for this affinity is currently unknown). For instance, they purified one of Dvalin's teardrops; by comparison, Lisa felt a rejection from the tear that took the form of a sharp stinging sensation.[23] Since then, they have also absorbed Abyssal energy from, to varying degrees of success:
- The Festering Desire sword[24]
- Atea,[7] Vichama,[11] Chuychu,[25] and other Natlanese warriors[15]
- The Wayob of the Children of Echoes[26]
- A group of Bake-Danuki[13]
- The Iridescent Moon's marrow[27]
- Durin[28]
The Traveler is also capable of "reversing" the assimilation of an entity with Abyssal power, as demonstrated in Fated Warrior, during which they separated the souls of the Wolf Spirit and the Abyssal imitation of Roland.
Notable Occurrences
The following are notable forms of Abyssal corruption which the Traveler has faced or has otherwise learned about.
Tainted Blood
Monsters from Khaenri'ah, most of which were created by the alchemist "Gold" Rhinedottir, have blood tainted by the power of the Abyss. This otherworldly power can have lingering effects when spilled on Teyvat soil; after the Abyssal dragon Durin was slain over Dragonspine, its blood seeped into the land and revitalized the Frostbearing Tree,[29] as well as crystallized into Crimson Agate which can then be offered to the tree and allow it to grow. This growth defies the power of the Skyfrost Nail, which caused the land of Dragonspine to freeze over several thousand years ago and led to the collapse of the ancient civilization Sal Vindagnyr.[30]
During his battle against Durin, Dvalin also ingested some of its blood after killing it with a fatal bite to its neck. The poisoned blood and the wounds he suffered over the course of the battle inflicted great suffering, which the Abyss Order took advantage of after his reawakening 500 years later to pit him against Barbatos. When Barbatos, in the form of Venti, initially attempted to purify Dvalin, the Traveler and Paimon unintentionally interrupted them, causing the attempt to fail and getting Venti himself poisoned in turn.[21]
Defiled Statue
The Defiled Statue is a Statue of The Seven in Barbatos' image, which was somehow plundered from Mondstadt by the Abyss Order as part of a project known as the Loom of Fate. The Abyss Order intended on using the Defiled Statue, the power of the ancient god Osial, and the core of the First Field Tiller to create a weapon capable of destroying Celestia. Because of Dainsleif and the Traveler's intervention, this project is currently at a standstill, although the Defiled Statue's fate has been left unaddressed.[31]
Dark Mud
Dark Mud
The discovery of a fragment of the Chasm Nail resulted in a surge of Abyssal corruption, primarily in the form of Dark Mud and Oozing Concretions. The power of the Abyss in The Chasm appears to be "at war" with the power of Celestia, which also surged after the discovery of the fragment; Khedive likens humanity as being "akin to beans on a stone mill, on the brink of a clash between two great powers. [...] we are presently being crushed by these two forces — one from above and one from below — and we shall soon be turned into bean paste!"[6]
During the events of Homecoming, it is revealed that the Dark Mud is actually a form of forbidden knowledge that was converted into its current form by the Celestial Nail present in the area, which would remain unaffected by changes to Irminsul.[32]
Later, when Mualani tells the Traveler about the disasters caused by the Abyss in Natlan, she states that the Children of Echoes' territory was once overrun by "dangerous sludge surging from underground."[33] It is not known, however, whether this was Dark Mud or a different phenomenon.
Similar forms of Abyssal corruption include the dark mud in the Ancient Sacred Mountain of Natlan, which is often found alongside Oozing Cores, and the Blightseep Fields of Nod-Krai, which are often accompanied by Abyssal Riftlines.
Miasmic Tumor
The "Miasmic Tumor".
The "Miasmic Tumor" was the accumulation of filth absorbed by the Sacred Sakura, which was created by Makoto and planted by Ei to dampen the effects of the Abyss' attack during the cataclysm on Inazuma.[34]
During the events of Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual, the Traveler helps the shrine maiden Hanachirusato — who was actually a resurgence of filth herself, formed from the memories of the deceased Kitsune Saiguu — perform a major cleansing on the Sacred Sakura's roots and purge the "Miasmic Tumor."
Other Abyssal entities referred to as "tumors" include Abyss Tumors, which were summoned by Gosoythoth in Natlan, and Root-Consuming Tumors, which infested the Roots of Erinnyes in Fontaine.
Notes
- ↑ The Traveler is stated to "purify" Abyssal corruption, but the true nature of their ability is likely similar to that of their twin, who once absorbed a massive amount of Abyssal energy at the behest of King Irmin. In Special Training, Skirk also questions whether "purification" is an accurate description, noting that "power does not simply disappear."
Trivia
- During the commission Big Pudgy Problem!, the Traveler finds a strange location with concentrated purple elemental dust. Dispersing the elemental dust causes a large number of Slimes to spawn, and Paimon afterwards remarks that there was "something spooky about those weird elemental traces." While this elemental dust has not been linked to Abyssal corruption, purple has been strongly connected to the Abyss when used outside of the context of Electro.
- This purple elemental dust is also seen on certain Statues of The Seven during the commissions Grateful to the Gods, in which Slimes may spawn after dispersing the dust. The elemental dust is noted to be brimming with elemental energy and possibly contain something that Slimes are drawn to.
Etymology
- The Mokosh Device (Russian: Система "Мокошь" "'Mokosh' System"), which the Fatui use to absorb and contain Abyssal corruption, is named after the Slavic goddess Mokosh, a Mother Goddess and the protector of women's work and women's destinies.
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Abyssal corruption | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 深渊污染 Shēnyuān Wūrǎn | Abyssal Pollution |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 深淵污染 Shēnyuān Wūrǎn | |
| Japanese | アビスの汚染 Abisu no osen | Contamination of the Abyss |
| Korean | 심연 오염 Simyeon Oyeom | Abyssal Pollution |
| Spanish | Contaminación Del Abismo | Abyss Contamination |
| French | Contamination abyssale | Abyssal contamination |
| Russian | Разложение Бездны Razlozheniye Bezdny | |
| Thai | มลพิษของห้วงลึก Abyss | |
| Vietnamese | Ô Nhiễm Vực Sâu | |
| German | Kontamination aus dem Abgrund | Contamination of the Abyss |
| Indonesian | Efek Abyss | Abyssal Effect |
| Portuguese | Corrupção Abissal | Abyssal corruption |
| Turkish | Hiçlik Aşınması | |
| Italian | Contaminazione Dell'Abisso |
References
- ↑ Book: Breeze Amidst the Forest, Vol. 1
- ↑ Archon Quest, Interlude Chapter, Act II - Perilous Trail, Part 4: End of the Line
- ↑ World Quest: A Company Vanishing Into the Deep
- ↑ World Quest, Aranyaka: Part I - Woodland Encounter, Part 4: The Lost Child
- ↑ World Quest, The Chasm Delvers: The Heavenly Stone's Debris
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 World Quest, The Chasm Delvers: Wherefore Did the Spiritstone Descend?
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Archon Quest, Chapter V, Act I - Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn, Part 3: Home of the Hot Springs
- ↑ World Quest, Valor's Afterglow: Valor's Afterglow: Return by Sundown
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 World Quest, The Chasm Delvers: Chasm Spelunkers
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter V, Act II - Black Stone Under a White Stone, Part 5: Past and Future
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Archon Quest, Chapter V, Act II - Black Stone Under a White Stone, Part 2: To Reclaim an Ancient Name
- ↑ Tartaglia's Character Story: Character Story 4
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Event Enchanted Tales of the Mikawa Festival Quest: Second Night: As Though Beholding Illusions
- ↑ Event Homeward, He Who Caught the Wind Quest: Part III, Part 3: Variations on the Song of the Dragon and Freedom
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Archon Quest, Chapter V, Interlude - All Fires Fuel the Flame, Part 1: For the Same Land
- ↑ World Quest, Ancient Colors: Act III - Blue Longing of Heart and Moon, Part 1: Limner, Dreamer, and Robotic Dog
- ↑ Tribal Chronicles, Yupanqui's Turnfire, Act II: A Hero's Rite
- ↑ Archon Quest, Song of the Welkin Moon, Act III - A Nation That Doesn't Exist, Part 3: Everlasting As the Moon
- ↑ Liyue Hidden Exploration Objective, Unordered: Fatui Action Logs
- ↑ Commission: Leaves on the Wind
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Archon Quest, Prologue, Act II - For a Tomorrow Without Tears, Part 4: Let the Wind Lead
- ↑ World Quest, Khvarena of Good and Evil, Part 1: The Splendorous Sky That Day
- ↑ Archon Quest, Prologue, Act II - For a Tomorrow Without Tears, Part 1: Shadow Over Mondstadt
- ↑ Event The Chalk Prince and the Dragon Quest: Act III, Part 3: Raiders Amidst Snow Mist
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter V, Act IV - The Rainbow Destined to Burn, Part 4: Despair Engulfs the Heavens
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter V, Act II - Black Stone Under a White Stone, Part 4: Into Eternal Night
- ↑ Archon Quest, Song of the Welkin Moon, Act III - A Nation That Doesn't Exist, Part 3: Everlasting As the Moon
- ↑ Story Quest, Durin, Draco Rubedo Chapter: Act I - The Magic Known as Storytelling, Part 5: Fate's Accursed Wiles
- ↑ Weapon: Frostbearer
- ↑ Mondstadt Hidden Exploration Objective, Quest-Like: Dragonspine's Glacial Secret
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter I, Act IV - We Will Be Reunited, Part 4: A Soul Set Apart
- ↑ Story Quest, Nahida, Sapientia Oromasdis Chapter: Act II - Homecoming, Part 2: What Shape Does the Self Hold
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter V, Act II - Black Stone Under a White Stone, Part 1: A Decision
- ↑ Story Quest, Raiden Shogun, Imperatrix Umbrosa Chapter: Act II - Transient Dreams, Part 3: Radiant Sakura
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