Istaroth

Istaroth, also known as Kairos in Enkanomiya, and Laimelea in Hyperborea, is the Ruler of Time among the Heavenly Principles' Four Great Rulers.

Profile

As the Ruler of Time, Istaroth governs over the laws of time in Teyvat. She is said to remember everything while allowing everything to be forgotten,^[6] and considers all living beings to be equal in both value and significance.^[7]

She is consumed by boredom, constantly seeking ways to "pass the time."^[8] She occasionally alters the course of history, often times in favor of gods and mortals.^[9] However, it is unclear whether she does so out of favor for them, or simply to relieve her boredom.

Like the other Great Rulers, her existence predates The Seven's,^[10] and she has been worshipped in Arcadia, Mondstadt, Enkanomiya, and Hyperborea, both before and concurrently with The Seven's rise. However, in the present day, the worship of Istaroth or even the knowledge of her existence has been all but forgotten in Teyvat, though her legacy has been subtly preserved through phrases related to "the winds of time."

She is also possibly associated with erosion, also known as the "curse of time,"^[11] an unstoppable force which affects all beings in Teyvat.^[12][13]

Appearance

As with the other Shades, Istaroth has the appearance of a tall woman with pale skin, golden eyes and long white hair that seemingly "fades away" in the tips. Her irises are similar to a clock without pointers and a part of her hair is swiped to the right side of her face with some braids decorating it. Her hands are periwinkle with golden accessories surrounding her right hand.

She wears an intricately detailed short white dress that is longer on the behind and with some cutouts on her back. She wears detached white sleeves that fade to blue and an intricately detailed golden decoration on her chest.

She also wears golden decorations on her ankles, but is otherwise barefoot. Two huge golden rings, with dangling small golden bars and clock-like decorations, float above her head.

Quests and Events

Archon Quests

• Song of the Welkin Moon
  • Act X: Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana
    • Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana (as "Ruler of Time")

Events

• A Lanternlit Ode to the Silver Moon
  • A Lanternlit Ode to the Silver Moon
    • Act II: The Realm of Rocks

Story

History

In the time period known as "When the Doves Held Branches," the Heavenly Principles descended upon the world of Teyvat from the sea of stars. They battled against the Seven Sovereigns and, to that end, created Four Great Rulers of themself, one of which was Istaroth. 40 years after the Heavenly Principles' appearance, the Seven Sovereigns were vanquished and the seven nations submitted to their authority. Istaroth may have contributed to the new world the Heavenly Principles made.^[5]

At some point, Istaroth met with Canon, the goddess of the Frost Moon, to discuss Teyvat's gravitational potential and metric tensor (laws of time). In a later discussion among the Three Moons, Aria, the goddess of the Eternal Moon, remarked that she had a certain feeling about how Istaroth viewed the Heavenly Principles, although she did not elaborate further.^[14] On another occasion, Istaroth taught Canon the meaning of the word "hope", explaining that only humans may lay claim to it and that, as long as there is life, there will always be hope.^[15]

During the Winter Solstice, the people of Hyperborea honored Istaroth by burning a cloth bearing the year's significant events. Its ashes were gathered in a silver cup filled with pure water, and the blessed mixture was used to anoint the Verdant Crest as an offering to her.^[6]

The people of Arcadia once worshipped both Istaroth,^[16][17] and Asmoday,^[18] building and dedicating the Thousand Winds Temple and the Temple of Space to them. The two temples were once connected to each other, but the Temple of Space was lifted into the heavens following a disaster, while the Thousand Winds Temple remained in Starfell Valley and was eventually reduced to ruins.^[18]

Istaroth had ties to Zibai,^[19] an angel and the protector of Lang-Gan. At some point, Istaroth bestowed Zibai with a Moon Wheel, making her a Moon Envoy of the Lunar Palace. During the War of Funerary Flame, many regions across Teyvat became tainted with Abyssal corruption, prompting the Heavenly Principles to send Celestial Nails to numerous locations throughout the continent, including Lang-Gan. Istaroth informed Zibai of the necessity of cleansing the Abyssal corruption, warning her not to intervene, as doing so would mean defying the will of the Heavenly Principles and would cost her her life. However, Zibai chose not to heed Istaroth's advice and instead decided to protect her people, perishing in the process. Right before she died, Istaroth decided to intervene, freezing her right at the moment of her death.^[11][20][21]

Afterward, Istaroth gathered the shattered fragments of her soul and placed them within Zibai's Three Deadly Selves: Ziju, Zizhi, and Zijiao. The Heavenly Soul, Taiguang, was stored in Ziju and then imprisoned within the false moon's reflection as a means to preserve her soul; the Earth Soul, Shuangling, was stored in Zizhi, where she fell into a deep slumber within The Chasm, where the obliterated Lang-Gan once stood; and the Human Soul, Youjing, was stored in Zijiao and sealed inside a painting of Zhanzhu the Moon Devourer.^[22][23]

After Enkanomiya fell into the depths, their pleas and prayers went unanswered by the Heavenly Principles and its other three Shades. Only Istaroth answered their cries, granting Aberaku the knowledge needed to create the Dainichi Mikoshi, then known as the "Helios", an artificial light source designed to drive away the Bathysmal Vishaps.^[5][24] From that point onward, Istaroth came to be worshipped by the people of Enkanomiya, and her power, known as the "undying wind", was recognized as one of Enkanomiya's major elements, alongside the Bathysmal Vishaps' "water".^[25]

In Asmoday's absence, Istaroth and the other Rulers began introducing objects they found interesting into the exhibition halls of the Temple of Space and allowing minor changes.^[26][27] They commissioned Venipi to recreate a Great Red Sand complex from memory, resulting in the present-day Desert Pavilion.^[28]

Archon War and Aftermath

Following Nabu Malikata's death, Istaroth intervened by drawing nostalgic delusions toward King Deshret.^[29][30] These delusions may have influenced his decision to build the Eternal Oasis as a cemetery for the Goddess of Flowers.

Around 2600 years ago in Mondstadt,^[31] the Gunnhildr Clan — descendants of Arcadia — left Decarabian's city but struggled to survive the blizzards and extreme cold. They built a shrine on the eastern cliffs and prayed for Istaroth's mercy and protection,^[32] which the wind spirit later known as Barbatos heard.^[33][31] Shortly after, at the Thousand Winds Temple, Barbatos had a chance encounter with Istaroth; after hearing his wishes, she entrusted him with fragments of her power and authority.^{[7][Note 1]}

Later, when the rebellion succeeded and Decarabian was defeated, his death unleashed a violent tempest that threatened to destroy everything in its path. The Nameless Bard then played his lyre to protect the people from destruction, performing a melody that belonged to Istaroth and transforming the storm into a song that would endure for thousands of years, known as Mondstadt. However, the Nameless Bard was unable to withstand the power usurped from Istaroth, dying as the tower fell and becoming forgotten by the people of Mondstadt. In the moment Istaroth ascended Barbatos as the Anemo Archon, he quietly claimed a "strand of time" and preserved the Nameless Bard's lost name: Venti.^{[34][Note 1]} Afterwards, the Thousand Winds Temple was rebuilt to worship both Barbatos and Istaroth until she was eventually forgotten for unknown reasons.^[35][36]

Over the course of the next 1600 years, the temple became the Mondstadt Aristocracy's gladiator arena. It was abandoned once more when the aristocracy was overthrown, leaving only the ruins that can be seen today.

About 500 Years Ago

Istaroth helped Makoto, with or without her knowledge, in her plan to manipulate time and plant the Sacred Sakura in the present, in order to save Inazuma from the destruction caused by the Cataclysm.^[9]

During the Cataclysm, Istaroth made it possible for Direidyth to meet the Traveler five hundred years in the future. As a result, Direidyth obtained the Traveler's Hibernation Chamber Key and later presented it to the Traveler's Sibling as proof that the Traveler was still searching for them. This influenced the Traveler's Sibling's decision to leave Khaenri'ah in order to reunite with the Traveler.^[37] Istaroth's motives behind these actions remain unknown.

Present Day

During The Gods' Limits, Istaroth attends a routine meeting with the other Rulers in Celestia. However, Asmoday's absence causes concern for Ronova, while Istaroth speculates that Asmoday may have defected. When they sense Pierro glaring in their direction, the subject turns to the Tsaritsa and the Fatui's actions, and Ronova suggests that they should intervene if they must.^[8]

When Dottore's final experiment irreversibly corrupts Irminsul, Nahida uses the Pyro Gnosis to burn down Irminsul, citing her authority as its keeper to destroy it. This summons Ronova, Istaroth, and Naberius, the former two who each question Nahida in turn. They are seemingly satisfied with her answers, and disappear once Naberius gives her verdict; Irminsul is completely burned away, while its functions were largely transferred to Aaru.^[38]

Character Mentions

Character Stories

Character	Stories
Zibai	Character Story 1 Moon Wheel

Character Voice-Overs

Character	Voice-Overs
Nicole	About Zibai  Media:VO_Nicole About Zibai.ogg Media:VO ZH_Nicole About Zibai.ogg Media:VO JA_Nicole About Zibai.ogg Media:VO KO_Nicole About Zibai.ogg Um, I'd rather us... not meet, actually. It's not that I dislike her, it's more of a... complex on my part. Kinda like how a weak student feels running into the top of the class. The older angels loved to talk about the exceptional young woman from the neighboring area with ties to the Archangel. Safe to say, Zibai's name came up a lot.

Gallery

Introduction Card

Appearing as a Sands of Eon in Archon Quest Song of the Welkin Moon: Act X - Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana

Lunar Arcanum X: The Wheel of Fortune featuring Istaroth

Behind a curtain after delivering the news of Lang-Gan's fate to Zibai

Istaroth suspending Zibai's fragmented soul in stasis

Videos

Teyvat Chapter Interlude Teaser- The Gods' Limits - Genshin Impact

Story Teaser- Nightmare of Yore - Genshin Impact

Trivia

• Istaroth shares the same voice actors with Venti in all languages.
• In Old Mondstadt fairytales surrounding Sal Vindagnyr and the area of Dragonspine, the "Wind of Time" had abandoned the mountain and left the winds to freeze it over in its moment of destruction.^[39] Roald does not specify whether "Old Mondstadt" refers to Decarabian's Mondstadt or the Mondstadt Aristocracy, making it difficult to determine the origin of these fairytales.
• One of the incidents that reinforced Ei's belief in the inextricable link between progress and loss is referred to in the format of "the winds of time": The winds of parting came whistling in from the outer edge of time. This phrase comes after references to incidents in Khaenri'ah and Liyue, indicating that the phrase relates to Mondstadt.^[40]
• Hilichurls may also have a connection to Istaroth and the Heavenly Principles. Jacob Musk believes that hilichurls worship elemental power itself, giving the example that hilichurls worship the power of Anemo rather than the Anemo Archon,^[41] and there is a notable cloister of hilichurls dancing around the Sundial by the Thousand Winds Temple that the Traveler may be commissioned to exterminate.^[42] According to people from Enkanomiya, Istaroth is the personification of undying wind, and her name is sometimes rendered as the "thousand winds of time."^[25] Furthermore, the Musk Family's research has indicated that the Hilichurlian word "Unu," which means "one," is also a holy word which they use to refer to gods.^[43] Altogether, this points towards a connection between hilichurls, the Heavenly Principles and its shining Shades, and the unified human civilization that once existed (which Enkanomiya was originally part of).
• Istaroth's title of Mother of Fourteen Billion Years references the predicted age of the known universe.
• In Mondstadt, Istaroth's legacy is primarily preserved through the phrase "winds of time."^[44]
  • The carvings on the sundials at the Thousand Winds Temple and Nameless Island contain messages associated with both Istaroth and Barbatos:
    • "Seeds of stories, brought by the wind and cultivated by time."
    • "Stories brought on the wind will bloom into legends in due time."
  • During the quest Time and Wind, a faint voice can be heard saying: "An ancient tale comes whisked in the wind... In time, it will grow and sprout once again..." while fighting an Eye of the Storm near the sundial at the Thousand Winds Temple.
  • The Sumeru scholar Sayid, while visiting the Mondstadt Library at night, recites a shortened version of the inscriptions: "Seeds brought on the wind will sprout in due time..."^[44]
  • Aranaga gives the Traveler a flower described as being indestructible by the "Ad Oblivione," later clarified as "the wind that flows forever, the thousand winds that return to one."^[13]
    • This concept is likely referring to Istaroth, as her titles include "the thousand winds," the "undying wind," and similar epithets.^[25]

Aliases and Titles

• Istaroth is known by these aliases or titles:
  • Ruler of Time^[5]
  • Kairos^[5]
  • Tokoyo Ookami (in Enkanomiya)^[5]
  • Laimelea (by the Frostmoon Scions)^[6]
  • Mother of Time (by the Frostmoon Scions)^[6]
  • God of Moments^[5]
  • Ad Oblivione^[13]
  • Master of Time^[34]
  • Mother of the Thousand Winds^[34]
  • Mother of Time and Wind^[34]
  • Archangel^[45]

Etymology

• Istaroth is derived from Astaroth, the name of one of the three demons in the "evil trinity" alongside Beelzebub and Lucifer. In the Ars Goetia, which most other gods in Genshin Impact derive their names from, Astaroth is the 29th demon with the rank of Duke.
  • The name Astaroth is derived from the goddess Astarte, a goddess worshipped in the Ancient Near East who had associations with war, hunting, and healing, among other spheres.
    • Astarte is also the equivalent of the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar. This likely signifies the name "Istaroth", as it could be a combination of "Ishtar" + "Astaroth."
• Kairos (Greek: καιρός) is an Ancient Greek word meaning "right time" or "opportune moment." It is one of two words Ancient Greeks used for time, the other being chronos; kairos represents the qualitative, permanent nature of time as opposed to the quantitative and sequential nature represented by chronos.
  • The author of Before Sun and Moon explains the meaning of Kairos as "the ruler of the unchanging world" (Japanese: 不変の世界の統領と執政), in which 不変の世界 Fuhen no Sekai means "unchanging world."
• Tokoyo Ookami (Japanese: 常世大神) means "great god of the unchanging world," where 常世 Tokoyo means "unchanging world." Tokoyo is also given as the ruby text for "ever-night" during The Subterranean Trials of Drake and Serpent.
  • In practice, 常世 Tokoyo can be interpreted as simply 'eternity' or as another term for the underworld. Both interpretations fit the unique circumstance of her worship within Enkanomiya.
• "Laimelea" is an alternative name for the Baltic goddess Laima, who presides over the final fate of all individuals. She is part of a trio of fate goddesses, similar to the Germanic Norns or Greek Moirai, and is also considered equivalent to the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

Notes

Other Languages

Change History

References