Whispers of the Harbingers: My Poetic Journey into Sumeru's Shadows

As I wander the lush, verdant paths of Sumeru, the humid air thick with the scent of ancient knowledge and damp earth, a familiar chill runs down my spine. It is not the chill of fear, but of anticipation—a whisper carried on the desert wind, telling tales of porcelain masks and shifting loyalties. The Fatui Harbingers, those enigmatic pillars of Snezhnaya's will, have cast their long shadows over this land of wisdom. I have faced them before, in the storm-wracked cliffs of Liyue and the electric tempest of Inazuma. Now, as 2025 unfolds, I feel their presence here, woven into the very fabric of Sumeru's destiny. The question is not if they will appear, but who will step from the shadows to dance this intricate waltz of power once more.

My thoughts first drift to him—the Wanderer, the Balladeer, the one who carries the heart of a god. Scaramouche, the Sixth Harbinger. I remember the crackle of Electro in the air, the disdain in his eyes when we last parted in Inazuma. He vanished with the Electro Gnosis, a prize of immeasurable power. Can a vessel made to hold a divine throne find solace, or perhaps a new purpose, in the dendro-charged jungles of Sumeru? The scholars here seek forbidden knowledge; what greater forbidden knowledge is there than the power humming within that Gnosis? I feel his story is far from over. Our paths are fated to cross again. Will he be a tempest I must weather, or a puzzle I must finally solve?

Then there is Tartaglia, Childe, the Eleventh. Our bond is a complex tapestry of rivalry and reluctant respect. He is the only Harbinger whose strength I have tested in full, whose playful battle-lust I have come to understand. He told me he enjoys the fight, the thrill. But where does that leave his duty? Sumeru presents a new battlefield, a new test. Could his fondness for a good challenge—and perhaps for this Traveler—draw him away from the icy directives of Snezhnaya? Or will his loyalty to the Tsaritsa force him into a role I must confront once more? The duality of his character is a poem of conflict itself.

But new faces may also grace this stage. The name Pantalone, the Ninth Harbinger, has been a ghost in the machine for too long. His influence is felt in the ledgers of Mondstadt's Goth Grand Hotel and in the recent whispers surrounding Yelan. A man of wealth and commerce, operating from the shadows—what could his goals be in a nation prized for its wisdom? Information? Resources? Or something more profound? The economic veins of Teyvat pulse with Mora; who better to manipulate them than the Harbinger who understands its flow? His potential arrival promises not a clash of blades, but a more subtle, perhaps more dangerous, game of influence and intrigue.

Yet, not all stories continue. The fiery passion of La Signora was extinguished in the halls of Tenshukaku. While the world of Genshin Impact holds mysteries like resurrection (I think of dear Qiqi), her chapter feels concluded. But in the Fatui, an empty seat is an opportunity. A new, unknown Harbinger could rise, fueled by the ambition to prove themselves against the one who defeated their predecessor. What form would such a challenge take? Would it be a duel of honor, or a web of treachery?

And what of the First? Pierro, the Jester, the leader of this dire chorus. His is a presence reserved for the grand finale. I feel his gaze is fixed on a distant horizon, on the frozen homeland we have yet to reach. To meet him here in Sumeru would be... premature. His silence is a weight we all carry towards Snezhnaya.

As I ponder, the possibilities weave themselves into verses in my mind:

Harbinger	Number	Likelihood in Sumeru	The Nature of Their Song
Scaramouche	6th	🟢 Very High	A ballad of rebellion and divine power.
Tartaglia (Childe)	11th	🟡 Possible	An ode to chaotic battle and conflicted loyalty.
Pantalone	9th	🟢 High	A sonnet of wealth, influence, and shadowed deals.
A New Replacement	?	🟡 Possible	A harsh, unknown verse seeking to prove its worth.
Pierro	1st	🔴 Unlikely	A prologue saved for the final act.
La Signora	8th	🔴 Very Unlikely	A concluded elegy.

So here I stand, under the colossal trees of Sumeru. The adventure is always more than just the landscape. It is the people, the gods, and the antagonists who give the journey its meaning. The Fatui Harbingers are not mere villains; they are forces of nature, embodiments of ideals pushed to extremes. They are the dark verses that make the poem of light shine brighter. As I prepare to delve deeper into the mysteries of the Dendro Archon and the wisdom of Irminsul, I do so with one ear tuned to the whispers of the north. For in this land of endless green and golden sand, the coldest winds from Snezhnaya may yet blow, carrying with them the next chapter of my eternal journey. Will I find an enemy, a reluctant ally, or a mirror reflecting a path I could have taken? Only the unfolding story of 2025 will tell.