Genshin Impact lore: Och-Kan and the Grand Alliance of Natlan explained

Genshin Impact’s latest Archon Quest, Prelude Song of the Welkin Moon, titled "The Journey Home," offers new insights into Natlan’s past while teasing the arrival of the Nod-Krai region. Through flashbacks, the quest highlights the impact of Och-Kan’s tyrannical reign and the key events that shaped ancient Natlan.

The Archon Quest touches upon the stories of Ixquieh and Lianca, two of the Six Heroes, and the historical power struggle between humans and dragons during Och-Kan’s reign. This article explores who he truly was, how the Grand Alliance came to be, and what ultimately led to his downfall in Genshin Impact's history.

---

Who was Och-Kan in Genshin Impact?

Och-Kan presided over one of the most violent and divided eras in Natlan’s history, remembered for his relentless campaigns and the turmoil they caused. Known as the Tyrant King, he sought absolute control not only over humanity but also the powerful Dragonlords who once roamed the land. His ambition fractured the once-unified Grand Alliance, pushing tribes and leaders into chaos.

Instead of loyalty, Och-Kan relied on force, fear, and manipulation to maintain control over his followers. His rule was defined by war, oppression, and an obsession with conquest. It was during this time that the Six Heroes of Genshin Impact rose to challenge his dominance and protect their homeland from ruin.

Kukulkan as seen in-game (Image via HoYoverse)

But Och-Kan was no ordinary human. He was the son of Kukulkan and was born with the Flamelord’s Blessing, a half-dragon with the strength and endurance of mythical beasts. Kukulkan raised him to slay Xiuhcoatl, the ancient Pyro Dragon, and unite humans and dragons under a single rule.

In his youth in Genshin Impact, Och-Kan lived among humans, trained in dragonkind rituals, and traveled with heroes like Lianca, Ixquieh, and Xbalanque. He fought against the old dragons, helped decode their scripts, and once inspired others with his ideals.

But following Xbalanque’s disappearance into the Sacred Flame, a power vacuum emerged, one that Och-Kan swiftly filled by proclaiming himself the Sacred Lord.

---

Och-Kan's descent into madness and power

He put an end to tributes made to the Night Kingdom, prohibited ritual sacrifices, and turned his wrath toward dragonkind, initiating a campaign of persecution. His hatred for dragonkind deepened as his features grew more draconic. This chapter in Genshin Impact's history reveals the extent of Och-Kan’s descent, both ideologically and physically.

A mural in showing Och-Kan wearing a mask to hide his appearance (Image via HoYoverse)

Vertical pupils, golden markings, and warped limbs marked his slow transformation. To consolidate his power, he ordered the excavation of ancient ruins beneath his city and built massive constructs using forbidden knowledge.

In secret, he betrayed beings like Ixlel, sealing her soul in a draconic statue and using her power to fuel the city. Even his father returned to confront him, warning that he had opened the door to darker forces. But Och-Kan remained convinced that his path was necessary for humanity’s survival, even if the cost was great.

---

The Grand Alliance of the Six Heroes for Ochkanatlan

The Grand Alliance was an organized union established by the Six Heroes, with each hero standing for one of Natlan’s autonomous tribes. Its goal was to build a new nation called Ochkanatlan, under a shared vision of unity. At the heart of this alliance was Och-Kan, a powerful and persuasive leader who vowed to guide humanity toward a brighter future. Initially, the alliance functioned as a mutual pact among tribes, not as a militarized force.

In the world of Genshin Impact, this turning point marked the beginning of Natlan’s downfall. But over time, Och-Kan began to change. Obsessed with preserving unity, he sought to eliminate any potential resistance. He believed the tribes should no longer act independently and slowly worked to centralize control under his rule.

Ochkanatlan, also known as Cinder City in-game (Image via HoYoverse)

Following the loss of Ixquieh and Ahpub, who were respected figures of the Nanatzcayan and the Collective of Plenty, their followers were convinced to hand over leadership to the alliance on a supposedly temporary basis. But that control was never returned to them.

The Flower-Feather Clan, under the guidance of its First Speaker, Lianca, openly opposed Och-Kan’s expanding control. She defied his orders and later died in rebellion. Other figures, like Uenuku of the Oceanids, left the alliance altogether. Yupanqui, once a proud warrior, accepted a quiet role as the Grand Alliance’s Ordnance Officer. But he was disillusioned by what the alliance had become in this timeline of Genshin Impact.

---

The known names of the Six Heroes during this era of Genshin Impact

A woven scroll showing the two heroes, Ixquieh (left) and Lianca (right) (Image via HoYoverse)

At the heart of the Grand Alliance were the Six Heroes, who were legendary figures representing the hopes of their respective tribes. In this Archon Quest Prelude, we are reintroduced via memories of two confirmed members of this legendary group.

---

Ixquieh (Ancient Name: Baraka)

Ixquieh was the chief of the Nanatzcayan (Children of Echoes) tribe and one of the original Six Heroes of Natlan. Ixquieh had fought beside her brother Ahpub and Xbalanque in their rebellion against the Pyro Dragon known as Xiuhcoatl in Genshin Impact's history.

During the Grand Alliance, she played a key leadership role. Tragically, her life came to an end after a heated ideological dispute with Ahpub, who accidentally killed her.

---

Lianca (Ancient Name: Vuka)

Lianca, known for carrying the Ancient Name Vuka, was the original matriarch of the Flower-Feather Clan and played a key role among the Six Heroes of ancient Natlan. She once traveled alongside Xbalanque and Och-Kan, standing for peace, balance, and harmony between humans and dragons.

She wielded the Chain Breaker and was known for her staff techniques. Lianca ultimately died in battle fighting against Och-Kan, following her own son’s betrayal.

---

Other known members

While not all of the Six Heroes appeared in the Archon Quest, the other figures are the remaining confirmed members of the Grand Alliance, according to the regional lore:

1. Ahpub (Ancient Name: Uwezo): Twin brother of Ixquieh. He served as Chief of the Collective of Plenty during the Grand Alliance and once fought alongside Xbalanque. After accidentally killing his sister, he ended his own life by walking into the fire.
2. Yupanqui (Ancient Name: Malipo): A renowned figure from the Huitztlan (Scions of Canopy) tribe and a former companion of Xbalanque. Yupanqui held the role of Ordnance Officer in the Grand Alliance and later became one of the Seven Heroes who fought against Och-Kan.
3. Uenuku (Ancient Name: Umoja): Hailing from the People of the Springs, Uenuku also journeyed with Xbalanque and played a role in the Grand Alliance. This warrior, said to command the artifact called Footprint of the Rainbow. For reasons unknown, he eventually departed from the alliance.

The collapse of the Grand Alliance culminated in the final rebellion against Och-Kan. With the support of Yupanqui, a mysterious figure known as the Scarlet-Eyed Youth rose to challenge the self-proclaimed Sacred Lord in Genshin Impact.

During their climactic battle, Och-Kan revealed his monstrous, draconic form, shedding away his last bit of humanity. He was eventually defeated and vanished into a black mire, assumed to be dead, which was a turning point in Genshin Impact's current timeline.

---

What happened after Och-Kan’s defeat in Genshin Impact?

Cocouik (mind) and the dragon (body) of Och-Kan (Image via HoYoverse)

Och-Kan endured the aftermath of the battle by fragmenting his consciousness and physical form in advance. His mind was sealed inside the city’s core, becoming a being known as Cocouik, while his body transformed into the corrupted dragon that haunted Ochkanatlan.

Following the Cataclysm, a young scholar named Bona came across Cocouik during her research. Together, they searched for the Jade of Return, hoping to recover what was lost. In Genshin Impact, the Traveler later joins this journey in the World Quest series Lost Traveler in the Ashen Realm and helps Cocouik confront Och-Kan’s body in battle.

Bona and Cocouik during the World Quest series "Lost Traveler in the Ashen Realm" (Image via HoYoverse)

In the final confrontation, Cocouik merges with his physical form and reveals the truth. Och-Kan confesses that he had hidden the Golden Entreaty, a mysterious item tied to Kukulkan’s experiment. Before fading, he entrusts it to Little One (Traveler's saurian companion), comparing them to himself due to their shared blessing. His final words carry only a warning, and perhaps, a final attempt at his redemption.

---

The lore in Genshin Impact's Archon Quest Prelude, Song of the Welkin Moon, offered a glimpse into Natlan’s history that many players might not have known. Och-Kan’s rise and fall shed light on the current divisions between tribes, the origins of the Exile’s Curse, and the buried past between dragons and humans.

As we move toward Nod-Krai, we’ll likely uncover more remnants of this forgotten era, particularly the advanced technologies once wielded by the ancient dragons. These discoveries are quickly becoming a key point of interest for the Fatui's activities in Nod-Krai, especially Marionette (Sandrone), whose involvement was subtly hinted at during the Archon Quest.

Are you stuck on today's Wordle? Our Wordle Solver will help you find the answer.

Edited by Angad Sharma