Genshin Luna V: "Homeward, He Who Caught the Wind" Version Preview

The thrilling Luna IV version is drawing to a close, and the more relaxed Luna V version is on the horizon. Of course, "relaxed" is only relative to the incredibly content-rich previous version. As a chapter of the "Song of the Welkin Moon," Luna V still brings us substantial new storylines and content.

The Traveler, returning to the starting point of their journey in Mondstadt, will not only immerse themselves in the joyful and festive atmosphere, recalling the stories and emotions this city of wind and poetry once brought, but will also fight alongside the current "Knight of Boreas" and Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, Varka. The "North Wind" and the "Wind-Catching Outlander" will join forces to resolve an Abyssal crisis sweeping across the continent to assault Mondstadt.

In this storyline, we will learn the true reasons behind the Knights' Grand Expedition. Plot threads laid since the game's launch, including those related to the ancient Mondstadt god "Dominator of Wolves" Boreas and the "Bloodstained Knight" Roland, will also be addressed. Simultaneously, Varka's own story will be told, allowing us to build a deeper bond with this witty, free-spirited, respectable, and reliable Grandmaster. Next, let's discuss some relevant background information.

The Backstory of Boreas

The Abyssal crisis that Mondstadt faces this time is closely related to our old friend, the "Dominator of Wolves" Boreas. The Wild Hunt, which should have been confined to Nod-Krai, actually followed the trail of the Wolf King far to the north, crossing the Ley Lines to appear in Mondstadt.

Regarding this Wolf God, I believe everyone has heard several different titles. Whether it's "Wolves' Territory" or "Guardian of the North Wind," one of Mondstadt's four protectors, they are all essentially fragments of the soul of Mondstadt's ancient god, Andrius, with "Boreas" being his true name.

Thousands of years ago, during Mondstadt's Archon War, Boreas once confronted the "God of Storms," Decarabian, the Lord of the Tower. Later, this proud yet benevolent Wolf God, feeling he could not envision a life of happiness for humans and was thus unworthy of becoming the Anemo Archon, voluntarily withdrew from the contest for the divine seat. He infused all his power into the earth, eternally watching over the land he loved.

The World Quest "Echoes of a Forsaken Song," implemented in Luna IV, unveils the origins of this Wolf God. Boreas was originally just a nameless wild wolf from the north. He followed a song and strayed into Niflheim (present-day Lake Amsvartnir in Nod-Krai). This was the place where the first angels, who served as the guides for the "Golden City" Hyperborea, were exiled after their rebellion against the Heavenly Principles failed. The hall here was a sanctuary built for the archangel by her lover, the star traveler.

Although her memories of Hyperborea had been erased as punishment, the First Angel subconsciously named the only beast that could accompany her "Boreas." Constant exposure to the First Angel gradually awakened the wolf's intelligence, transforming it from an ignorant animal into a being capable of human speech. The wolf addressed the First Angel as "Mother." One day, Boreas expressed a desire to go south (to ancient Mondstadt) to help the suffering people there. After receiving permission, the King Wolf and its kin departed, thus beginning the legends of Mondstadt's Wolf God.

After bidding farewell to the King Wolf, the First Angel's sealed memories began to loosen and recover. She denounced the Heavenly Principles and resolved to leave the sanctuary her lover had prepared for her, returning to her own Hyperborea. There, she would await the reunion promised by her beloved, vowing to wait however long it took for that "star bound beyond the stars" to finally attain its freedom.

The background above explains why Boreas mentions in the PV that it can sense the presence and is also one reason why The Wild Hunt pursued the Ley Lines all the way to attack Mondstadt.

The Story Between Knight of Boreas and Wolf Boss

Boreas is not the only central figure in this event; Varka also plays a key role. This is not only because Varka, as the leader of the Knights of Favonius, bears the duty of protecting Mondstadt, but also because Varka is the current "Knight of Boreas"—a title deeply rooted in historical connection with the Wolf God.

Those familiar with Mondstadt's history know the tale of friendship between the Knight of Boreas and the Wolf of the North. The weapon "Wolf's Gravestone" is precisely the greatsword once wielded by the first Knight of Boreas. After his wolf companion passed away, he used the sword as a gravestone to bury the wolf. He then bid farewell to Mondstadt, carrying the wolf's spirit of freedom as he wandered with the wind.

In the prelude PV "Moonlit Ballad of the Night" for the "Song of the Welkin Moon" arc and the Nod-Krai main storyline, the greatsword consistently wielded by Varka is Wolf's Gravestone, symbolizing the legacy of the Knight of Boreas.

In fact, the Grandmaster's design incorporates numerous "wolf" elements. For instance, the name "Varka" originates from the Old Persian word 𐎺𐎼𐎣, meaning "wolf." His Constellation is called "Lupus Majoris," which literally translates to "Greater Wolf" in Latin. During the preview showcasing Varka's skills, his movements were described as resembling "the bite of a wolf." Precisely because of this, Varka must save the King Wolf and protect Mondstadt—this is an oath spanning millennia, a recreation of the moving bond between knight and wolf.

It is worth mentioning that at the Nod-Krai Local Legend "The Homesick Lone Wolf," there is a sword embedded in stone with a prompt indicating it requires "the breath of the north wind" to interact with. This was clearly an easter egg prepared for the Grandmaster, and it was speculated at the time to be related to Boreas.

The preview program has now confirmed this. When controlling Varka to interact with the sword, a high-difficulty challenge will unlock. Varka must independently defeat a remnant wolf spirit of Boreas left in that ancient battlefield space to earn the wolf's recognition. The reward is a very cool dual-sword weapon skin. If you obtain the Grandmaster, remember to take on this challenge!

It has now been confirmed that Ravenwood was not the first Knight of Boreas but rather the second to inherit the title of "Boreas" (as mentioned in the description of Varka's signature weapon, "Gest of the Mighty Wolf"). The story recorded in "Wolf-Fang" mentions an unnamed knight who was the first Knight of Boreas, a contemporary figure of Vennessa, the first Lionfang Knight and also the first Grand Master.

Additionally, here is some extra supplementary information: not only is the ancient Mondstadt god Boreas connected to Nod-Krai, but it's also possible that a branch of Mondstadt's early people migrated from there. The background story of the Luna IV artifact set "Aubade of Morningstar and Moon" mentions an angelic-era civilization called "Arcadia," which worshipped the moon and existed alongside the ancient mountain nation "Sal Vindagnyr" and the ancient Chasm nation "Lang-Gan."

Arcadia (Ancient Greek: Αρκαδία) refers in prototype to a mountainous region in the central Peloponnese of ancient Greece. Its name derives from the figure Arcas (Ancient Greek: Ἀρκάς) in Greek mythology, and it is also said to be the homeland of Hermes and the god Pan. Historically, during the Dorian invasion of the Peloponnese, the region of Arcadia remained unconquered due to geographical and demographic factors. Its inhabitants lived in isolated, pastoral simplicity, which is why ancient Greek and Roman pastoral poetry often depicted it as an idyllic paradise. Later, during the Renaissance, the term "Arcadia" evolved to signify an "unspoiled, harmonious utopia close to nature," describing an idealized pastoral life.

This place name was first mentioned in Kaeya's Story Quest at the game's launch and later reappeared in the Narzissenkreuz Ordo quests. Alongside the "lost Ancient City of Ys" and "golden Hyperborea," it is used as a metaphorical substitute for the "center of the world."

Furthermore, according to another Luna IV artifact set, "A Day Carved From Rising Winds," the Gunnhildr clan, one of Mondstadt's three noble families, are the descendants of this Arcadia civilization.

Furthermore, the phrase "obtain golden boughs from oakwood" can be linked to the description of the sacred forest by Lake Amsvartnir in the "Etherlight Spindlelute" background story: "Beyond the ruins of the ancient palace and on the edge of the wasteland stands the tranquil sacred forest of Lake Amsvartnir." Considering that in "A Day Carved From Rising Winds," the head of the Gunnhildr clan mentioned, "We once wandered through knife-like north winds, enduring grievances as cold as burial shrouds," it's possible the people of Arcadia underwent a long, arduous exodus similar to the survivors of Hyperborea before migrating to Mondstadt.

If so, the placement of Favonius Keep near Lake Amsvartnir might hold special significance and could also connect to the Grandmaster's reason for coming to Nod-Krai to investigate. Of course, this point still needs verification in future storylines.

White Knight: Roland

The Wild Hunt crisis assaulting Mondstadt is not only related to the King Wolf, Boreas, but is also closely connected to another historical Mondstadt figure whose story was laid from the game's launch. This is Roland, the "White Knight / Bloodstained Knight," whose tale is recorded in the artifact set "Bloodstained Chivalry."

In fact, the Luna IV map already provided some clues about Roland, recounting his activities in Nod-Krai from the perspective of the knights who followed his expedition. Roland was once Mondstadt's "White Knight." His master was Rostam, the Deputy Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius five hundred years ago and the creator of Favonius Bladework, also known as the "Wolf Pup." Rostam was the lover of Rosalyne.

During the great Cataclysm five hundred years ago, Rostam tragically fell in battle against Durin. Deeply affected, Roland swore to slay all monsters and embarked on the path of "Bloodstained Chivalry." He walked further and further down this path of carnage; the monster-hunting knight gradually became stained with blood and filth, descending into a black madness, transforming into the feared "Black Knight." Yet, he still followed the "path of justice" he believed in.

Legend says Roland once journeyed to the source of the Abyssal outbreak, the deepest depths of the earth (Khaenri'ah), in search of the truth. When he discovered that the injustices of the heavens contradicted his own chivalric code, he ultimately chose to walk a different path, embracing the Abyss. The description for the achievement "The Lone Wolf’s Memory," given at the end of Roland's hidden side quest in Luna IV, states: "Henceforth, the Bloodstained Knight walked away from the world of men…"

As mentioned in the preview program, shortly after the Moon Hunter crisis was resolved, the Wild Hunt disaster that had previously subsided in Nod-Krai recently resurfaced, with the Black Knight Roland now leading it. The knight who once fought for justice has now become the source of calamity and death, which is truly lamentable. It is time for the Knight of Boreas and the golden-haired traveler to take action, defend their homeland, uphold true justice, and bring release to Roland, who has fallen into darkness.

The fact that Roland would embrace the Abyss is actually quite perplexing. It is speculated that by that time, he might have already descended into madness, fighting merely for the sake of battle. Otherwise, it is difficult to understand his motivation for turning to the power of the Abyss, which was responsible for the death of his mentor and the devastation of his homeland. Even if he sympathized with the innocent citizens of Khaenri'ah, and even if it was to pursue the "absolute justice" in his heart, he should have opposed both the Heavenly Principles and the Abyss. There is simply no reason to join the Abyss, especially since the people of Khaenri'ah themselves felt they had been severely harmed by it.

Referring to the terrifying ability of the Abyss, as depicted in Rerir's story, to exploit and amplify human weaknesses and specifically to corrupt and manipulate individuals, Roland might have been gradually led by the Abyss step by step into a point of no return. As the saying goes, "when you gaze into the Abyss, the Abyss gazes back." If this speculation holds true, the fact that Roland was targeted and corrupted by the Abyss suggests that he might possess traits somewhat similar to the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah, making him valuable in the eyes of the Abyssal will.

That covers the main points about the Luna V version for now. Of course, the new version offers more than just this. The lighthearted and joyful Mondstadt event "Homeward, He Who Caught the Wind," which evokes memories of the earliest travels, is also quite intriguing, along with new content like the latest "Travelers' Tales" and more.

By the way, the Grandmaster also has his own animated short this time. The title, "Another Prologue," clearly corresponds to the Traveler—the starting point of the Traveler's journey is also the beginning of Varka's story. Both set out on their long journeys accompanied by the blessing of the wind, opening the prologue to their tales. Let's look forward to it together, and remember to keep an eye on our new articles. See you next time!