Genshin Impact lore: King Deshret and the Seven Pillars

It's been almost three years since the release of the Sumeru region in Genshin Impact. As players, we got to know many stories of the land's history via world quests like the Aranara, the Pari, the Jinns, etc. In all these stories, 3 prominent divine figures stand out the most: King Deshret, Goddess of Flowers (Nabu Malikata), and the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.

Among them, King Deshret remains the most mysterious, as he is mostly known by players for his pursuit of forbidden knowledge. He was once admired by his people for his wisdom and ambition, but his reign eventually ended in grief and ruin. This article will explore the vast lore of King Deshret, his emissaries (Seven Pillars), and the events that made him into the revered Scarlet King we know today in Genshin Impact.

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Who is King Deshret in Genshin Impact?

A mural of King Deshret and his Seven Pillars in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)

King Deshret, also known as Al-Ahmar or Amun, was the Lord of the Desert and one of Sumeru’s three divine gods with Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Nabu Malikata. With them, he had ruled during a time of prosperity in Sumeru's history known as the Era of the Three Companions. Today in Sumeru, many Eremite groups trace their ancestry back to his fallen kingdom.

Each of the three gods was associated with a distinct concept: Rukkhadevata representing wisdom, Nabu Malikata representing the moon and beauty, and Deshret for ambition and freedom. As a god, he dreamed of building a utopian world which is free from the control of the Heavenly Principles (Celestia) and the divine laws of Teyvat. His primary domain was focused on advanced technology and ancient mechanisms.

However, his ideals slowly turned into an obsession with his desire to transcend mortal limits, which drove him towards forbidden knowledge (originating from the bottom of the Abyss). This is the same type of corruption that players must be familiar with, as this eventually caused the Withering and the spread of the Eleazar disease across Sumeru.

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The fall of King Deshret in Genshin Impact

Forbidden knowledge corrupting everyone across his kingdom in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)

King Deshret was the closest to Nabu Malikata and joined hands with her to make his utopian dream a reality. He sought to gain knowledge using her help, even though the consequences would be devastating. Even the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata warned him about the dangers. And this sure did come with a heavy price as well.

Nabu Malikata had to sacrifice herself to contain the spreading corruption caused by this forbidden knowledge, but her death became the turning point that drove him into grief and despair. This period of grief made him descend even more into this madness, where he kept trying many ways to resurrect her and his dream.

He constructed the Eternal Oasis with the Jinns and the divine nail (Celestial nail) in memory of her. Soon after, he kept sinking into his obsession, where he started ignoring every warning from Rukkhadevata. His experiments even unleashed a corruption flow of this knowledge across the desert, twisting both nature and the minds of beings.

Rukkhadevata and Deshret's forbidden knowledge (Image via HoYoverse)

It reached a point where Deshret finally saw the devastation his own grief had unleashed upon himself and his people. In the end, Rukkhadevata helped contain the disaster, sealing away the remaining forbidden knowledge to prevent it from spreading further. Deshret was so overwhelmed with grief and sorrow that he ultimately sacrificed himself within the ruins of his civilization.

Even today, the people of Aaru Village call themselves his descendants. They continue to guard the ruins and monuments that still bear his name and his dreams.

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The Seven Pillars of King Deshret in Genshin Impact

An old mural of King Deshret and three of the Pillars (Image via HoYoverse)

There were seven emissaries appointed by King Deshret who were all-powerful sages. They later came to be known as the Seven Pillars, with their task to maintain order and guide the tribes of the desert. Despite many world quests in the desert area of Sumeru, little is known about them in lore. Here are some of the Pillars and their information that we know so far in Genshin Impact.

1) Hermanubis

Hermanubis (Image via HoYoverse)

Hermanubis was known for his unmatched wisdom and was considered the greatest among them. Deshret chose him from among the Tighnarians and appointed him as one of his trusted sages. After his fall, Hermanubis tried to preserve their ancient knowledge by creating the Temple of Silence.

When the temple was attacked by raiders and other groups, he shattered his spirit and power into fragments to protect his people. These were later passed down through generations and now reside within Cyno in Genshin Impact.

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2) Thoth

A statue of Thoth (Image via HoYoverse)

The Ibis King (or Thoth) was once a courtier of Deshret who later fell from grace. His title is known as Lord of Lies because of his cunning tongue and persuasive speech. This nature of his was the reason why he was exiled to Aaru along with two other courtiers. Even so, his reputation as a liar still endured, as we know from Nefer’s encounter with him. He serves as a reminder that Deshret’s court was built on wisdom yet tainted by ambition and deceit.

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3) Apep

Apep in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)

Apep is the Dendro Dragon Sovereign whom we meet during Nahida's story quest Act II. She once ruled over Sumeru before the Heavenly Principles rose as the supreme rulers of Teyvat.

In the past, King Deshret had struck a deal with Apep to build his kingdom. In return, Apep wanted to absorb his wisdom after his death to achieve greater understanding. However, Deshret’s experiments with forbidden knowledge corrupted her instead and decayed her body. This also gave rise to the Withering phenomenon that still impacts Sumeru even now.

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King Deshret's lasting legacy in Genshin Impact

Eremites in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)

Many centuries have passed since his kingdom fell, but his legacy still stands in the form of ruins such as the Khaj-Nisut and his Mausoleum in the middle of Sumeru's desert. These places also focus on the evidence of his technology, like Primal Constructs, Primal Light, and some complex mechanisms with an unknown source.

His descendants (Eremites) still keep his surviving relics as part of their faith. They see Deshret as a god who dared to dream of freedom and refused to bow before Celestia. However, this belief has also fueled many subgroups within them who misunderstand his true intentions and his story.

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King Deshret’s tale in Genshin Impact is one of ambition turned tragedy. He dreamed of freedom and uncovering truths beyond mortal reach, yet that same pursuit led to his eventual downfall. The ruins that remain now serve as a quiet reminder that even the greatest rulers and gods can crumble under the weight of their own dreams.

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Edited by Kriti Jamwal