Genshin Impact: Factions and Forces in Snezhnaya

Recently, The Doctor's storyline has concluded, and soon after, the official artwork for Sandrone (Marionette) was released, suggesting her revival is imminent. Notably, the background of this newly released artwork no longer features the pattern associated with the Fatui Harbingers but has been replaced with imagery related to Snezhnaya. 

Based on this, we can speculate about the possible divisions of different factions or forces within Snezhnaya.

Fatui

In the second year of the 799th Cycle, the humans of Port Belovodye, taking advantage of Emperor Monomakh's demise, declared self-governance in the winter, rebelling against the fae princes. Grand Duke Drevogorye launched an assault against them but failed to secure victory.

In the third year of the 799th Cycle, Tsaritsa Anastasya deployed troops to attack the forces of the independent government, occupying the territory of the Drevogorye, Volkhovan, and Cirnareka clans along the way. Charging them with negligence and condoning rebellion, their princely titles as rulers of these territories were revoked, their positions were taken over by non-hereditary officials. Unlike Emperor Monomakh, she did not muster the Druzhna, but rather established a force known as the Fatui. It was they who conquered the lands of the fae princes.

Snezhnograd

The "White Emperor" Monomakh Snezhnyi, who ruled the fae from the lofty throne of the Pale Star, had been silent since returning from the ruins of the far north("Golden City" Hyperborea). He lingered in the birch forest, deep in thought, before finally opening the door to the humans he had once turned away. The Emperor, in his boundless mercy and grace, pardoned humanity and gave them membership in his realm, moving his seat to Snezhnograd.

The image of Snezhnograd has been seen in both "A Winter Night's Lazzo" and "To Snezhnaya and the Future." Interested Travelers can refer to the analysis of the Snezhnaya preview for more details, as it will not be extensively covered here.

Druzhna

The emblem featuring a cross and crossed weapons likely represents the Druzhna.

The term originates from the Druzhna of ancient Rus', which can be understood as the personal guard of princes and nobility. According to "A Brief History of the Pale Starborn," the Druzhna was originally the regular military force during the era of the Belyi Tsar, possibly composed entirely of Fae. After the Tsaritsa ascended the throne, a separate branch was established, which eventually evolved into the Fatui organization we see today.

Nevertheless, given the deep-rooted legacy of the Belyi Tsar and the Fae, today's Druzhna still retains many seasoned veterans. Dialogue with the NPC Tyutcheva reveals that within the Druzhna, there is a Vila named Vesna—likely a living relic from the Belyi Tsar's time. It remains unclear whether Vesna is a planned future character, but it's certainly something to look forward to.

Focus on Sandrone's artwork. Looking at the pattern in the bottom right corner of Sandrone's official artwork, it's a shame that it's obscured by a clockwork mechanism. In contrast, while the pattern in the bottom left corner is also partially blocked, we can be 100% certain that it represents the "Snowland Fae." For more details, refer to the "Song of the Welkin Moon" web event, which won't be elaborated on here.

The pattern in the upper section has an overall softer aesthetic, making it unlikely to be associated with military or scientific institutions. My personal speculation is that it represents the Korolevskiy Troupe. In the character story for Colombina, it's mentioned that the Korolevskiy Troupe frequently holds performances, and Harbingers don't need to queue. Additionally, the artwork and voice lines for Linaia mention a satellite character named Vodyanitsa, who is precisely the Prima Soprano of the Korolevskiy Troupe. It seems Alice's idol project is about to gain another member.

The pattern in the upper section clearly features industrial gear elements, which is speculated to represent the Armory Palace. According to the description of the ascension material "Reinforced Drive Shaft," the administrative system of the Armory Palace is notoriously cumbersome. Manufacturing a single piece of equipment often takes months or even years, with efficiency comparable to Fontaine's Maison Gestion. The mask-like pattern in the top-left corner is likely the Snezhnograd Veche. This institution was established by the Tsaritsa to handle administrative issues arising from the absence of the ruling princes and is presumably Snezhnaya's primary administrative body.

There are still many institutions that haven't been covered, such as "the Snezhnayan Royal Military Academy," "the Snezhnayan Royal Energy Commission," and "the Pale Crown Palace." The analysis above is still mostly speculative, so let's all come back and verify it together in Version 7.0!