Teyvat's Script - An intersection of Theatre and Code written by Dragons.
Over the course of the game, we've come to find many clues regarding the origin of Teyvat, its structure, and its purpose.
So far, as of 5.1, we know the following: 1. Teyvat exists inside a sphere, with the inside being a false sky. 2. The Heavenly Principles and Celestia control the order of Teyvat. 3. Teyvat was a land ruled by Dragons, until their power was usurped by the Primordial One. 4. There is a cycle of events in Teyvat, marked by a cataclysm every 500 years. 5. A dark energy known as the Abyss contaminates Teyvat - Elemental Energy counteracts Abyssal Energy. 6. Irminsul records the flow of energy in Teyvat. 7. Past events that are erased from Irminsul are hidden in Teyvat as stories and fairy tales.
With evidence from these hints, I would like to propose the following theories regarding Teyvat's true narrative/purpose: 1. Teyvat is inside The Abyss. 2. Teyvat was created by the Dragons as a refuge/sanctuary from The Abyss. 3. Teyvat is in an elliptical orbit around the epicenter of the Abyss. 4. The Heavenly Principles is a looped script that was written by the Dragons to maintain the structure of Teyvat. 5. The Heavenly Principles operates a nested loop script to repel the Abyss.
Right now this is mostly headcanon, but I think it's on the write track to cracking the code of Teyvat.
About Scripts: A script can be broadly defined as a sequence of events with a designated beginning and ending.
In programming, a script is used to execute functions in sequence to create a cumulative output.
In Theatre, a script is used to ensure the play hits certain plot points to form a narrative.
In both, the script follows a purpose to ensure a result is achieved.
Teyvat's Origin - A shelter from the Abyss:
Teyvat was originally home to Dragons - beings composed of pure elemental Energy. We know the Dragon civilization was incredibly advanced based on the ancient ruins and technology scattered around Teyvat, and that the elements are key to powering their technology. With this in mind, we can surmise that the ultimate threat to the Dragons is the Abyss - the entity that destroys elemental energy. We also know that pure elemental energy is capable of repelling the Abyss.
With this in mind, I speculate that the Dragon civilization grew and flourished before it came under threat of the Abyss. When they came into first contact with the Abyssal Energy, they constructed Teyvat for the purpose of concentrating elemental energy. This would protect Teyvat's occupants from the Abyss by creating an atmospheric shield of elemental energy. Under threat of being completely engulfed by Abyssal Energy, they created the Heavenly Principles to help them keep Teyvat intact while inside the Abyss.
Teyvat's script is probably akin to the following:
If(Teyvat surrounded by abyss) then (Teyvat_inside_abyss=true)
While Teyvat_inside_abyss=true: Run Heavenly_Principles
With this command, the Heavenly Principles would run their script in an indefinite loop until Teyvat was no longer in the Abyss - theoretically.
With this, we reach a new question: what is the Heavenly Principles' script?
If it was written by an advanced, space-age civilization, it is likely that the Heavenly Principles is an Artificial Intelligence with learning capabilities. This would allow it to learn how to best sustain energy to repel the abyss over a potentially infinite amount of time.
Irminsul's' Script - a 500 year loop:
One constant in the stories of Genshin is an abyssal cataclysm roughly every 500 years. My theory is that Teyvat is in elliptical orbit around the epicenter of the abyss, and comes into close proximity of the center every 500 years.
Thus, every 500 years Teyvat would need to fully concentrate its elemental energy to strengthen its barrier against the abyss. To facilitate this, the Heavenly Principles created a script that would concentrate elemental energy over a 500 year loop. This script led to the creation of Irminsul, which stores and structures the elemental energy of Teyvat. Every 500 years, irminsul utilizes the elemental energy stored in Teyvat to repel the abyss by absorbing all elemental energy into the leylines.
This loop aligns with the Parable of the Tree in Before Sun and Moon, in which a tree is cut down every 500 years to strengthen a collapsing shelter. However, after the tree is cut it isn't replanted as a seed - it is reconstructed by Istaroth.
With this parable in mind, I think Irminsul is following a script in which it absorbs all elemental energy in Teyvat every 500 years to strengthen itself and the leylines while it is in closest proximity to the epicenter of the Abyss. Then, when Teyvat is a safe distance away again - it returns elemental energy to Teyvat and restarts the loop. However, Irminsul can use the ending of the previous loop as a starting point for the new loop by returning elemental energy to where it was just before it was absorbed. Thus, the story of Teyvat carries on over a sequence of 500 year loops.
Unforseen Consequences: How Dragons lost control of Teyvat
If the Dragons are omnipotent elemental beings - how did they lose control of Teyvat? In short, I think this is because their script prioritizes the survival of Teyvat over the survival of the Dragons themselves. This lead their civilization to collapse under the Heavenly Principles, likely due to two circumstances: Erosion and Descenders.
If the Irminsul loop is correct, then as elemental beings the Dragons themselves would be absorbed into Irminsul every 500 years, then reconstructed based on their memories. However, after numerous loops, it would become more increasingly difficult to store each memory. When a memory is forgotten, Irminsul constructs a replacement in its place. Over time, the dragons have been deconstructed and reconstructed many times, losing true memories and gaining false ones each cycle. I believe this is the process of Erosion that is currently weakening not only dragons, but all elemental beings in Teyvat.
The Dragons also didn't account for one other thing when preparing Teyvat for the Abyss: other elemental beings. With Teyvat being an elemental shelter within the Abyss, if there were any other elemental beings within the Abyss they would naturally seek Teyvat as refuge. However, the Heavenly Principles does everything in its power to prevent elemental energy from leaving Teyvat. This would include trapping any new entities, or descenders, inside Teyvat to serve as an energy source for Irminsul.
So how did the Primordial One gain power? My hypothesis is that they found a way to bargain with the Heavenly Principles and Irminsul. When Teyvat entered a reconstruction phase, the Primordial One was reconstructed with more elemental energy than the Dragons because they were able to convince the Heavenly Principles that they could better protect Teyvat from the Abyss than the eroding Dragons.
In before Sun and Moon, it's said that the Primordial One was born from an egg, and that they constructed Teyvat out of their eggshell. I think this is an allegory for the Primordial One gaining power from Irminsul during a reconstruction phase - then utilizing the remaining elemental energy to create Teyvat as it is now, with Celestia in power over the Dragons.
The script: Theatre as Code
If we go back to the concept of a script, we can guess how the Heavenly Principles script aligns with the story of Teyvat, and make guesses regarding the objectives of different entities in the game.
Vision Holders - Variables required to execute the functions of Teyvat's programming, and actors in the story of Teyvat. They are used by the Heavenly Principles to maximize the amount of energy Irminsul can absorb. Visions are granted when ones goals/dreams meet a set of conditions favorable to Teyvat's Script. Vision Holders are just living their best life, while unknowingly enacting roles and functions in the script
The Fatui - An organization formed by Pierro to overthrow the Heavenly Principles by breaking the loop. Its harbingers are acting in the script according to Pierro's instructions - they are operating within the lines of the script, but adding "comedia del arte-style ad-libs" of sorts to change the story without altering certain plot points. This allows them to shape Teyvat without correction from the Heavenly Principles - until the masks are removed in hope of creating a new ending. I think Pierro's objective is to release enough elemental energy during the reset of Teyvat to push Teyvat out of the Abyss by repelling against its epicenter. If Teyvat is able to leave the Abyss, then the Heavenly Principles' script would end its loop.
The Abyss Order - A faction that has learned how to survive the Abyss. I theorize that they are trying to cause an error in the Heavenly Principles ' code, breaking the loop and allowing them to take over Teyvat. The Abyss Sibling may think that Teyvat has no chance of overcoming the Abyss - and therefore is trying to "save Teyvat" by incorporating it into the Abyss. If the Heavenly Principles maintains the script of Teyvat in order - could the "Abyss Order" be interpreted literally? Is the Abyss Order trying to execute the scripts of Teyvat in a different order that results in the Abyss being victorious - literally an Abyss Order?
The Hexenzirkel - A faction working to maintain data after it is erased from Irminsul through the use of stories. These not only form a record of the past, but can be used to predict the future due to Teyvat's cycle.
Overall, these are just theories at this point, but they could have some interesting implications.
Here is some of my current headcanon:
The siblings were absorbed by the Heavenly Principles during a reconstruction cycle. The Heavenly Principles created a script for them so they could be recorded in Irminsul - the Abyss sibling was placed into Teyvat first, and thus was recorded during that cycle. Then, they placed the Traveler into the current cycle. The Heavenly Principles is learning how to best incorporate the siblings' power into the survival of Teyvat.
If Enjou is the Alhaithem of the Abyss Order - he's probably a lot more powerful than he lets on.
Pierro isn't playing chess against the Heavenly Principles - he's playing Checkers while convincing the Heavenly Principles it's chess.
Did the sinners of Khaenriah attempt to escape being reconstructed by Irminsul by sustaining their form with Abyssal Energy?
If the Teyvat inside Black Hole theory is true, then is the Abyss the realm inside a Black Hole? Sprinkling some extra crack on this one, could Genshin be a distant sequel to Star Rail - with the original Dragon civilization being the Vidyahara and the Abyss being IX, Aeon of Nihility?
Could the "Genshin Impact" be the creation of a being more powerful than the Abyss? Is this the ultimate goal of the Heavenly Principles loop?