Genshin Impact has officially announced Varka’s first in-game appearance in the upcoming region, Nod-Krai, and has provided lore insights about the region’s main factions. Previously, Genshin Impact indicated that Nod-Krai would be the next significant area for players, paving the way for Snezhnaya in future updates.
Among Teyvat’s seven nations under an Archon, Snezhnaya stands out as the only one yet to be explored in the Traveler’s journey. Following the conclusion of the Natlan Archon Quest, players anticipated a swift transition to the Cryo Nation in Version 6.0. However, HoYoverse recently revealed that adventurers would first explore Nod-Krai, a subregion located in southern Snezhnaya that welcomes inhabitants from all across Teyvat. This news has elicited mixed feelings from fans, but the developers assured that the Nod-Krai chapter is intended to bridge significant lore gaps, introducing multiple characters throughout the journey.
In their latest livestream, titled “Let’s Start With Nod-Krai”, the Genshin Impact development team specified which characters would be encountered in the new region, emphasizing Varka’s role. He is set to be the first character players will encounter in Nod-Krai. This marks Varka’s inaugural in-game appearance, with the intention to instill confidence among players in this unexplored territory. The expedition team led by Varka will be investigating significant mysteries in Nod-Krai. Additionally, players can expect to hear some Varka voice lines in Genshin Impact Version 5.6, as some of his dialogue featured in the update’s trailer.
Apart from Varka and the Knights of Favonius, Nod-Krai is home to various factions. Among them are the Fatui Harbingers, whose aim is to “steal the power of the moon”, colliding with the Frostmoon Scions—a group that reveres the Moon Goddess and wields magic. Other groups include the Voynich Guild, based in Nasha Town and connected to the Curatorium of Secrets.
The Lightkeepers and the Wild Hunt are adversarial factions, with the Abyssal forces being a formidable power in Nod-Krai, collectively referred to as the Wild Hunt. Meanwhile, the Lightkeepers are responsible for combating the calamities caused by the Wild Hunt.
The developers mentioned that the Nod-Krai era will commence once Version 5.8 concludes and is expected to last approximately one year. The livestream also rewarded players with limited Genshin Impact codes for free Primogems, hinting at the arrival of Version 6.0 and Nod-Krai on September 10, 2025.
