#clothar

(copy pasted directly from reddit) one of the main appeal points in Kaeya for me is just how much potential his character holds, and how that gets proven with every new main story-centric update. Everything Kaeya says holds a certain double meaning, and we only get to find them out when we know more, so I thought I'd compile all the things (that I know of) that Kaeya has foreshadowed or teased in one way or another because I feel like I never see anybody mention how many things he's said before started making more sense after we knew more things?

starting with his story quest (1.0) predicts a couple of things! the first one being the first three nations' plotlines. Dvalin being the 'wicked abyss dragon' and Osial being the 'hydra', then in Inazuma signora being the 'silver-haired banshee' (for those who don't know Signora's lore centres around her actions being motivated by grief over the loss of her husband I'm pretty sure, so she can vaguely check the banshee title off)

These connections were proven further in Sumeru! During the Aranyaka (3.0) quest, specifically in a section called 'The Children of Vimara Village' the traveller is asked to tell three kids stories. Paimon references Kaeya directly and they follow the template of telling the children stories about our feats by following what Kaeya has said.

I won't include the whole dialogue section because it would be too long. But essentially: they tell Iotham about Dvalin, Kavus about Osial, and Sudabeh about Ei and Yae Miko. I believe that might be because Signora's story and ending aren't exactly suitable for children, given that she got executed by one of the 'distinguished ladies' after losing a match to the death against the traveller.

Later in the Caribert quest we meet Kaeya at the start and find out he's the descendant of the Abyss Order's founder, Clothar. Now, stay with me please, I admit that this might be a stretch on my part but I do believe if you squint your eyes it makes sense, but what if I tell you that was also foreshadowed in his story quest?

In his story quest, he talks about his grandfather and the sword he had. at the end of the quest, Kaeya does give us the harbinger of dawn to make up for him tricking us. now, if we take into account the time loop theory (which has been proven to at least some extent with the Aranara and all) and the fact that since Kaeya is a descendant of Clothar and our sibling is the prince/princess of the abyss order which Clothar founded, you could kind of say they're vaguely related, and since all that happened like centuries ago and Kaeya is in his alleged 20's, heck, the abyss twin is basically their grandparent!

It's also worth mentioning that the sword harbinger of dawn could also be tied to Dainsleif, otherwise known as "The Twilight Sword." the description of the sword could be vaguely tied to him as well as one who "failed in his duty".

Of course, that piece of dialogue isn't the only thing that foreshadowed the reveal of Kaeya being related to the Abyss Order's founder or even him being some sort of vague royalty. (Regent, I know, but still they're regents that stepped up and took charge)(For the sake of having consistent sources of where I got info from, the regent thing was confirmed in the 2.7 Hidden Strife event). However, before we knew he was a regent, the Kaeya prince theory was by no means unpopular, and there's a collection of things that allude to it. He has a voice line about Fischl in which he teases how appropriate it'd be for him to be a descendant of a royal person. he's the only blade-carrying Knight of Favonius whose normal attacks start with 'Favonius Bladework'. Instead, his normal attacks are titled 'Ceremonial Bladework'.

I cannot find photos for these which saddens me, but I can swear that his second passive talent was named 'Heart of the Abyss' before it was changed to 'Glacial Heart', and his first constellation was 'Royal Blood' before it was changed to 'excellent blood' both of which were great contributors for the theory. I'd greatly appreciate it if anyone who has the photos could provide them I feel like I'm going crazy, I'm sure I saw photos before but I can only find people talking about it.

and personally, the craziest one in my opinion is his 'More About Kaeya IV' voice line, which actually teased the five sinners of Khaenri'ah that Dainsleif told us about in Bedtime Story (4.7 !!?)

there was some suspicion about the voice line back in 3.5 when we originally met one of the sinners through our sibling's memories, but I thought nothing could be proven by one guy who goes by sinner because well, maybe he called himself that because that's what they're viewed as! and kaya saying that could be coming from a similar place of talking about Khaenri'ahns as sinners because that's the view that led to their downfall or something. but no there's a kind of group actually titled the sinners that mess with things, that Kaeya seems to be fully aware of.

honorable mentions for things that I personally think will also gain relevance at some point:

possibly relating to a Khaenri'ahn tradition about their right eye? he isnt the first one we've seen with something covering his eye.

Owls are closely tied to the Ragnvindr family actually, and I'm pretty sure that the owl of Dragonspine is supposed to like either a fictional made-up thing or something that's never supposed to be seen, i cannot for the life of me remember where i got that from i might be lying but i remember something like that (maybe the dragonspine gliders?)

Not a screenshot because it's just my personal idea, but I will die on this hill: Kaeya's vision backstory states that after Crepus died, Kaeya was overwhelmed with guilt about it, so much so that he actually went to Diluc's doorstep and confessed everything. Diluc was enraged and the two of them fought. Seems straightforward, except it isn't like, at all actually.

There was a side to Kaeya that he kept hidden from the world: In truth, he was an agent of Khaenri'ah, placed in to serve their interests. His father had abandoned him in this strange and unknown land to fulfill this mission, and it was Master Crepus and the city of Mondstadt that had welcomed him with open arms when they found him. If Khaenri'ah and Mondstadt went to war, which side should he support? To whom should he offer his assistance: his birth father, who had ruthlessly abandoned him? Or his adoptive father, who had loved him and raised him? For the longest time, Kaeya had agonized over these impossible questions, caught between the opposing demands of loyalty and duty, faced with an impossible choice between truth and happiness. But now, Crepus' death upset this delicate balance. He felt liberated, but also ashamed of how selfishly he was responding. As an adopted son, he should have saved Crepus, but he had arrived moments too late. As a brother, he should have shared in Diluc's grief, and yet as their father lay dying on the ground, he had hung back behind his brother, that ancient plot running through his mind.

I have two main points that don't make sense to me about this:

He felt guilty about not showing up on time to help Crepus and Diluc, and Crepus dying made him more conflicted than grief-filled because Crepus was one of the main things tying him to Mondstadt. He found himself deliberating 'that ancient plot' literally right there and then, not even as an afterthought. That guilt then made him confess all his secrets to Diluc, literally in the same day. What I think doesn't fully make sense is the fact that Crepus dying doesn't really feel like enough of a reason for him to go spelling all his secrets. I get that he felt guilty about not feeling all full of grief and instead thinking about a personal conflict, but imo that doesn't seem like enough of a reason to spill secrets of the gravity that Kaeya seems to be holding on to, especially on the same day that it happened in the first place. He spent almost no time mulling it over and thinking about whether or not he should tell Diluc or not, it's almost like not telling him right away would've made everything even worse somehow. Which brings me to my second point.

Why was Diluc so upset over what Kaeya had to say? Kaeya said he anticipated his anger, but what could he have possibly said to make Diluc in his state of grief be angry enough to immediately fight with full intent to harm and possibly even kill his brother, the closest person to him other than his father? Kaeya being an agent of Khaenri'ah doesn't seem like enough of a reason for all that I think. Maybe anger and being really upset, especially considering the timing of it all, but drawing their blades against each other? instantly? you could argue the response was that extreme because Diluc wasn't thinking clearly and was mourning, and the fact that Kaeya was lying about his whole identity ever since he stepped foot in the manor might've set him off, and I'd agree honestly. But I still think both of their reactions were incredibly extreme, even with their heightened emotions.

His vision! every faithful Kaeya enthusiast knows that his vision is slightly different from other Mondstadt vision holders, i don't buy that it was just an honest design mistake honestly, it's an easy fix and a weird mistake to make in the first place, and considering who the vision belongs to I think it was very intentional. maybe his vision is fake and his cryo is actually abyss powers or something ooo (also kind of a joke I have no clue)

I made a whole extensive post about Kaeya's design and all the little details in it (check it out you want to soooo bad it's pinned in my profile) but I think one of the things that could be a subtle foreshadowing and tying into the whole paragraph I made is that Kaeya has some vague fatui elements in his outfit! which is a crazy thing imo

This is all I can come up with at the moment. There might be more that I'm forgetting or unaware of, but I think all this is worth keeping in mind. I love Kaeya and he's been my main for three years, ever since I started playing, but I'd be lying if I told you I don't think he's lying to everyone about a whole bunch of things. I think he might be genuinely conflicted about whether he should stay loyal to his origins or the people who have actually raised and taken care of him, but that does not mean he's not privy to a lot more information than he lets on. Kaeya kind of seems like he knows how everything will turn out, everything he says and does is intentional and thought out. I need him dead, or a 5*.

The execution of Queen Brunhild

The field was prepared for a trial. Brunhild was brought before them, straight-backed. King Clothar II, from his makeshift dais, declared that the charge against Queen Brunhild was the death of ten kings. She would have been incredulous. Then, Fredegund’s crimes were laid at Brunhild’s feet – the assassination of her husband Sigibert, the suicide of her second husband, Merovech, and the staged jailhouse murder of Fredegund’s other stepson, Prince Clovis. Brunhild was blamed for the death of Clothar’s infant son, who had died from natural causes. Clothar’s list of kings Brunhild had murdered also included her own great-grandsons, two of whom he himself had just executed. (The king listed three boys, either wanting to hide the fact that he had allowed young Prince Merovech to live or, more likely, wanting to hide news of Prince Childebert’s escape.)

Only three of the deaths Brunhild was accused of could possibly be attributed to her – most understandably, Clothar blamed her for the death of his father, Chilperic, whose assassin had never been found. Blaming Brunhild was the only way to decisively clear his own mother of that charge. The deaths of Brunhild’s grandson Theudebert and his baby son could also possibly be laid at her feet because she had supported Theuderic’s feud against his brother. Still, the assembled nobles and soldiers cried that Brunhild was guilty. Had not this wicked woman brought untold death and destruction to their realm? Brunhild was then legally deposed, symbolically stripped of her royal finery, as was the common practice. She stood motionless as her necklace, brooches, cape and embroidered gown were ripped off her, and she stood before them in her linen shift, shivering. Here was the part when she waited – exile, or a convent? Clothar pronounced her sentence: death.

The clamour was disorienting, the sunlight too bright. She had been ‘tortured in various ways for three days’ – likely whipped and beaten. Her face would have been bruised and dirt-streaked, her long grey hair bloody at the temples. She stumbled as she was yanked out of her tent. She was led before a great hulking beast. When her eyes focused, she realized it was a camel. Clothar had somehow managed to secure one – all the sources agree on this specific point – and Brunhild was lifted upon it. It may seem strange to expend the time and money to secure a camel when there were already numerous horses on hand. But this was a public ritual for humiliating deposed tyrants, a practice imported from Egypt to Byzantium. The victim would be whipped and then paraded around on a camel, facing backward, which was intended as the symbolic opposite of an emperor’s triumphant entry into a city on horseback.

Along with the Neustrian army, the aristocrats of Austrasia and Burgundy who had betrayed her lined up to watch. Many of these were the sons of the men who had craned their necks for a glimpse of her at her wedding. Brunhild was ‘already broken by old age’; now she made ‘a most sorry spectacle’. The crowd yelled insults or spat. This mockery went on ‘for some time’, but when the men tired of shouting insults at a great-grandmother, they brought out the horses. In some reports there is just one horse, but regardless of number, they are always described as wild and unbroken, rearing as they are led forward. Brunhild was dragged off the camel, and the men called for the rope. One source says she was bound to the horses’ hooves, another that she was bound to their tails, and yet another specifies that she was bound to a single tail by ‘her hair, one arm and one leg’. At this point, she must have understood. Her nephew gave the signal, and the horses were let loose and given a smack, urged to gallop across this ‘pathless, rocky terrain’. The last thing Brunhild heard was hoofbeats.

Nothing remained of the queen. The King of Spain writes that ‘her nameless and bloody limbs, pulled apart, were spread out, widely scattered’. A chronicler notes that she was ‘cut to shreds’. Another notes the effort Clothar went to, even after her death, to destroy what remained: ‘Her final grave was the fire. Her bones were burnt.’ Clothar could not take the chance that Brunhild would be regarded as a martyr, that her tomb would become a focal point for opposition to his rule. It seems, though, there may have been a tomb in the crypt at Brunhild’s church in Autun, complete with marble columns and mosaics. Although the church was destroyed during the French Revolution.

Sources:

I am pretty sure what remained of Khaenri'ah converted to the Abyss Order

Once again I myself am yet to play the quest. But since I don't care for the spoilers, I've seen the clips and am aware of the contents of the quest, though mostly regarding Kaeya. And I am going to read all the wikis regarding the Albrich Clan. Laying this info out just so I can say "But maybe I'm just missing something"

(NB! This kinda ended up longer than I wanted and sort of wheeled off to other directions and became a full-blown theory post, but but please stay with me, I think I might have cracked the code)

Anyway, I have been thinking about something similar!!!

The quest played out in a way that it implies Kaeya to be in the dark about his linage and the history of his descent. The way he handled the convo, how he was surprised, and how he let out some info and yet didn't know about some other things. It seems almost as if all Kaeya had been told was that he was a khaenri'ahn and the rest of info he has learned and explored himself.

That seems awfully weird and wrong for someone who's supposed to be "The Last Hope of Khaenri'ah". Like, you're telling me your "last hope" is a child who doesn't know about his lineage and barely knows suff about Khaenri'ah. Yet knows (implied in-game) hillichurlian and how to identify a pure-blooded Khaenri'ahn (there's probably more). Idk, seems like sending a spy on a mission without telling them the info/giving them the evidence regarding the mission.

The biggest red flag in his situation is I think – If Kaeya knows this little about Khaenri'ah and overall has little connection to the place, THEN WHY WOULD HE CARE SO MUCH.

Why would he be so torn between Monstadt and Khaenri'ah?

Why would he be so scared of a war between the two sides?

Why would he care about a nation that, A doesn't exist anymore, and B a nation he simply has some blood ties to.

If he wasn't aware of something big and deep, why does he have such a hard time letting go off his Khaenri'ahn past?

To explain potentially why, I've come up with some possible explanations:

As you've said. Kaeya bluffed it all. As usual, he played with the truth. He's actually aware of the baggage clinging to his surname. He was acting unaware, to push aside and cover up the possibly huge role he's been given. "I'm an Albrich...Oh, I don't know anything about my lineage and their plans, how could I possibly be of any threat :)"

And while this is highly possible and I think to a certain extent Kaeya was holding back some info definitely and acting unaware. I've stumbled upon some info that has guided me to form a wider and more extensive theory.

Kaeya truly or at least partially wasn't aware of the full extent of the info regarding his lineage. Because Kaeya's father was the first to bend the truth and cherry-picked what he told his son. So Kaeya's reaction was sort of genuine but he also left out all the stuff he does know. Basically the truth from his side. The truth of who his lineal and direct ancestor is!

Back in the hidden strife event, we learn that Kaeya's dad told Kaeya that the Albrich Clan took up as the regents for King Irmin when he couldn't keep ruling.

Reading the Albrich Clans wiki, I've discovered that in Sumeru, while exploring the abandoned Golems, we as the players learn of the Schwanenrotters, who were led by Knight Marshal Anfortas, WHO ALSO declared himself the Marshal REGENT Anfortas after King Irmin became "indisposed."

Anfortas led his army in the Cataclysm and fought heavily against the dark beasts. Yet it's said that Anfortas fate remains unknown after the bigger events.

I think it's safe to assume Kaeya's dad is referencing the same person, which connects Anfortas to the Albrich lineage and basically makes him the ancestor mentioned in Kaeya's letters.

Anfortas and Clothar both existed at the same time during the Cataclysm, meaning they could not be descendants of each other unless they were in a parental-child relationship. So they were brothers or cousins at best. At this moment I'd add that Clothar, while being of noble class was not close to the king, while Anfortas was (he basically replaced the king). And due to Clothars relationship with a Monstadt commoner, which his family and the Clan weren't too fond of, Clothar was pretty much cast out from the Clan/Family.

Based on all these connections and the fact that Kaeya's dad mentions Anfortas of all the ancestors. I believe that while Clothar is one of the ancestors, but probably a collateral one. It's Anfortas, from whom Kaeya's dad and Kaeya are lineal descendants. And the reason why Kaeya wasn't aware of Clothars exitance or more so his fate, was because the Albrich Clan basically cast him out due to Clothar having a relationship with a commoner Monstadter. So Clothar could potentially be like the weird uncle who your family doesn't speak about.

So Kaeya's dad didn't tell Kaeya about one of their ancestors Clothar being the founder of the Abyss Order, because:

a.) Kaeya's dad genuinely didn't know about Clothar's existence or fate

b.) Kaeya's dad was aware of Clothars existence and fate, but didn't feel it to be of such importance to tell his son. Since their not direct descendants of him. Or he didn't want to spoil the mood with such heavy baggage.

c.) Kaeya's dad was aware of Clothars existence and fate, but due to the Clan having cast Clothar out, their Clan is forbidden to talk about him.

BUT LET'S KEEP GOING FURTHER!! :D

Theoretically, Anfortas could also possibly be Kaeya's Grandfather.

Because going back to way beginning. In Kaeya's story quest, we kind of learn about Kaeya's grandfather. The ever-popular

"Look at my eye patch! I inherited it from my grandfather and this is solid proof that we are related by blood!"

line becomes pretty meaningful in a newer context. This means Kaeya's grandpa had an eyepatch which possibly implies an injured eye.

Well well, Anfortas also had an injured eye, more specifically he injured it during the cataclysm while fighting with Hadura, one of the Schwanenritter. And over all Kaeya's heroic description of his grandpa matches with Anfortas heroic actions as a Regent and a Marshal. Also also, Kaeya says in his story quest "Yesterday I was glancing through the notes my grandfather left...". Could those notes have been from the secret letters Kaeya saved from being burnt, that describe the Albrich lineage, more specifically Anfortas.

Going a bit further because I can't help but notice the parallels between Anfortas and Kaeya. Both have injured their eye in a fight stemming from betrayal. Anfortas was betrayed by one of his comrades. While Kaeya and Diluc betrayed each other's trust during the fight. But the difference was that Kaeya's injured eye is the right one and Anfortas' was the left.

But what would this mean:

Well, there's the whole question of how far related Anfortas and Kaeya would be and if Kaeya is pure blood or a half-blood. And how is Kaeya so human then, seemingly unaffected by the curse. And right now I don't have answers for those.

But regarding Kaeya's position on the chess board. Kaeya, or more so his father's plan is not connected with the Abyss. It's quite possible Anfortas Albrich's lineage is following a 3rd plan which imposes both the Fatui and the Abyss. I think Kaeya's dad's plan is to stop something from happening. The reason for leaving Kaeya in Monstadt and giving him the heavy mission of being "The Last Hope" was because he's hiding his son from something until it's time for their action.

-the khaenriah apologist

You are so right The Khaenri'ah apologist.

Except for one thing.

Queen Arnegunde was found in a stone sarcophagus in the St Denis church in France.

Her name and title were inscribed in the coffin lid and inside, not only her physical remains were found, but her entire collection of grave goods and even textiles were found intact as well.

Arnegunde was buried in a violet dyed dress with gold braided edges and a veil that was secured with pins above her temples and a large dress pin on her chest. She wore a richly decorated belt with mounts, leather shoes with mount decorated straps, earrings, finger rings and brooches.

Special about Arnegunde is that we know she wasn’t just a queen, she was wife to Clothar I also known as Clotharius, son of Clovis I. He reunited Francia (only to have it split up after his death). She was mother to king Chilperic I.

Her date of birth and death are relatively known, being born between 510-20 and died between 580-90, having died at the respectable age for the time of about 70.

Gregory of Tours has written about her family and their roles as Merovingian dynasty leaders.

Musée National Archéologie (MAN) Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France

Museum nrs: MAN87424 MAN87425 MAN87429 MAN87430 MAN87431 MAN86432