Unveiling the Secrets of Honkai Star Rail’s Lore

It’s only been a couple of weeks since Honkai: Star Rail (HSR) was launched by HoYoverse, and yet the game’s popularity has grown immensely in such a short span of time. While the gameplay and characters are compelling, as always, the game’s lore and story stand out as one of its strongest features. At the start of the game, you’ll be immediately plunged into a world where space travel is normal, and beings of unknown origins exist alongside humanity. The game gives you plenty of time to absorb the story and slowly unravel the mysteries of its world. However, there are still some aspects of the story that remain unclear just by playing through the campaign.

If you’re a new player, you’re probably left with a few questions like, “What is an Aeon and a Path?” or “Where did the Astral Express come from?” To effectively answer those questions and many more, we’ll need to dig a little deeper into Honkai Star Rail’s story. In this lore introduction, we’ll discuss some of the key elements of the game’s lore that you won’t easily discover just by playing through the story.

The Setting: Honkai Universe

In order to understand HSR’s rich lore, we need to start with its setting, which is somewhat connected to one of HoYoverse’s previous titles, namely, Honkai Impact 3. In the previous game, players are introduced to the concept of the Sea of Quanta, which is a higher-dimensional realm or a “world between worlds” where the Imaginary Tree resides. This is not an actual tree but a representation of the growing branches of worlds within the Honkai universe.

There are almost countless worlds that grow within the branches of the Imaginary Tree. Some fail to prosper and are ultimately absorbed into the Sea of Quanta. Conversely, some worlds are birthed and continue to exist in the tree’s ever-growing branches. In one of those branches lies the world of Honkai: Star Rail.

The First Aeon

At the beginning of HSR’s world, the Leviathans, beings of immense size and power, roamed and ruled over all existence. Eventually, they were driven into extinction by a new kind of existence known as Aeons. These are god-like beings that eventually became the rulers of the galaxy. Nobody knows how Aeons are formed, but they can be anyone or anything. The first Aeon, Qlipoth, sought to preserve the galaxy by driving away the Leviathans and erecting a barrier strong enough to drive away the beasts and separate the known galaxy from them.

The Aeons and Their Paths

Eventually, more and more Aeons grew into existence, and each of them formed their own Path. Qlipoth is known to be associated with the Path of Preservation. Once a being ascends into becoming an Aeon, they then form a Path that is associated with their philosophical beliefs. For instance, Nous is a supercomputer who became an Aeon representing the Path of Erudition. Nous believes in a neverending quest for knowledge and understanding and seeks to uncover the mysteries of the universe, which is why he chose the path of Erudition. On the other hand, Qlipoth strives to isolate contact between different worlds and is set on preserving the existing order of the galaxy. There are a total of 18 currently known Aeons in HSR, and they all have their own followers in their respective Paths. Out of all of them, however, only seven Paths are playable in the current version of the game. As more of HSR’s story unfolds, we’ll discover more Aeons and their associated Paths. For now, here are the known Aeons that HoYoverse has confirmed:

Pathstriders and Emanators

When a human or any other being follows a certain path, or at the very latest, their beliefs align with that of an Aeon, they become a Pathstrider. Pathstriders are individuals who follow the teachings of an Aeon and seek to embody their beliefs in their own lives. They are not necessarily powerful beings like the Aeons themselves, but they are respected for their commitment to their chosen Path.

Emanators, on the other hand, are beings who have received the blessing of an Aeon and can therefore draw power from their chosen Path. They are able to use this power to perform miraculous feats, such as healing the wounded and amplifying their weapons and even their physical abilities. Emanators are often seen as powerful beings and are highly respected in their communities. However, receiving the blessing of an Aeon is not an easy feat and requires a great deal of dedication and commitment to their chosen Path.

Within the game, the characters you use and develop are basically Emanators that have been granted powers by the Aeons they follow. As the player, you seem to have the unique ability to switch between different Paths and utilise your characters’ abilities accordingly. This allows for a diverse range of gameplay and strategic options.

Factions that Shaped the World

Many Pathstriders sought to form alliances with others who followed a similar path or shared similar goals. These alliances eventually led to the formation of factions, which are groups of Emanators and Pathstriders who work together to achieve a common goal. Each faction is dedicated to a specific Aeon and follows a particular Path. They often have their own beliefs, customs, and ways of life that are shaped by their devotion to their chosen Aeon. There are several factions in the game, each with its own unique characteristics and motivations. Some examples are the Antimatter Legion, which are followers of Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction. Your character is a member of The Nameless, who are followers of Akivili, the Aeon of the Trailblaze Path.

Akivili and the Astral Express

Akivili is an Aeon that is nothing like the others. He presider over the Trailblaze Path, which is all about exploration, discovery, and pushing boundaries. Akivili is often depicted as a traveller, a wanderer, or a guide who leads others through uncharted territories and helps them reach their destination. Their goal is to discover new worlds and explore the unknown, and they are always seeking new challenges to overcome and new horizons to explore. Akivili created the Star Rail and the Astral Express, a legendary train that travels through the stars, connecting different worlds and realms. It is said that Akivili’s heart is the very engine that powers the Astral Express, personally overseeing its operation and ensuring that it always stays on course.

However, the adventures of the Astral Express and its crew, The Nameless, eventually came to an end when it was corrupted by a substance known as a Stellaron. A Stellaron, also known as the Cancer of Worlds, is a mysterious power source that spreads across the universe, infecting planets and corrupting them. The destructive blight of a Stellaron is not unlike thousands of exposed nuclear reactors that sit at the heart of numerous planets, effectively reshaping them into a twisted and hostile environment. Jarilo-VI is the very first planet you visit that’s been infected by a Stellaron for several hundreds of years.

It has been speculated that Nanook and his faction, the Antimatter Legion, are the ones responsible for the spread of the Stellaron, as they seek to bring destruction and chaos to the universe. Since one of the Astral Express crew’s missions is to rid the universe of Stellaron, the train itself became infected, causing it to go off course and nearly destroyed. This also marks the fall of Akivili and their sudden disappearance. As a result, The Nameless abandoned the train and have since scattered across the universe, their numbers dwindling.

After a significant amount of time had passed, Himeko, a young and adventurous scientist, eventually found some parts of the Astral Express on her home planet and decided to restore the train, hoping to reignite the spirit of exploration and discovery that Akivili once embodied. Eventually, the Astral Express was restored, and Himeko set out on a new journey to explore the universe and discover new worlds. She then meets new friends and reestablishes The Nameless as a team of explorers dedicated to exploration and ridding the universe of the Stellaron.

Where the Story Starts

Now that you know the lore and a brief history of the world of HSR, this brings us to where the story starts. An unknown faction called the Stellaron Hunters are after a Stellaron at the Herta Space Station, which Herta, an Emanator of the Path of Erudition, manages. Kafka, one of the Stellaron Hunters, sealed the Stellaron inside a living vessel, which eventually becomes you, the player. You are then rescued by Himeko and the Astral Express and become its newest crew member. With the Stellaron residing inside your character, you embark on a journey through the universe to discover the truth behind the Stellaron and your own existence.

There you have it! That’s pretty much all the important pieces of lore you need to know before diving into the world of Honkai: Star Rail. With its unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements, along with its stunning visuals and engaging gameplay, HSR is definitely a game worth checking out. So hop aboard the Astral Express and join the crew as they travel through space and unravel the mysteries of the universe!

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