Genshin Impact Lore: Kinich's Background Story

Natlan introduced Genshin Impact players with characters that not only have eccentric designs, but also complex personalities. A warrior nation lives up to its revered name and its people are just as powerful as they fight for the future of their country. Probably like everyone Genshin Impact Kinich also has his own quirks that add to the story of his life.

Kinich was one of the first five stars introduced during the first Natlan patch. A member of the Stions of the Canopy tribe, Kinich is also one of their core members who often attend the pilgrimage. Like most members of the Stions of the Canopy, he enjoys extreme sports and is very skilled in his abilities as a Saurian hunter. But the Kinich that players know at face value is a far cry from that of the past.

Kinich's childhood

From his birth until he was seven years old, Kinich lived a relatively normal life with his parents as members of the Scion tribe of Canopy. His father was the breadwinner and his job as a courier for the tribe was not that lucrative. He often took three days off for one day of work and made a habit of using his wages for his gambling addiction.

His gambling addiction was a hit because if his father won, he would bring Kinich home a box of sweets and hand-picked flowers for his wife. However, if he lost, he would return home drunk and take out his anger on his family. His mother had no choice but to remain silent to protect Kiniche as best she could. The fights that broke out often ended with his mother on the floor and his father gaining the upper hand before heading back to the betting tables to vent his frustrations.

Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse when Kinich's father lost his house due to his debt, forcing them to relocate to the foot of the mountain where the tribe was based. The family had more land, which gave Kinich the opportunity to learn how to farm Grainfruit, create ropes, and make noodles. He also became more proficient in his skills as a hunter as the family needed to learn how to survive in the wild.

This limited freedom was costly as Kinich's father's antics increased every day. Gone were the days when the neighbors could intervene in his father's abuse and offer him and his mother some sort of recluse. Their injuries blossomed over the months, and there didn't seem to be a peaceful end to their father's drunkenness. Finally, his mother, unable to cope, left in the middle of the night without a sound, and Kinich never heard from her again. Nevertheless, he took on the mantle of the owner of the house and dutifully took after her in all household chores and beatings. He supported himself and his father and his only means of escape was his talent for sports.

Kinich's athleticism was exceptional, and his only option for freedom was to fly straight out the door with a grappling hook whenever his father turned his hand on him. On his 7th birthday, fate may have taken pity on this boy and decided to grant him the much needed freedom he so longed for. Kinich's father chased the boy in a fit of rage, and in the middle of their struggle, his father lost his footing and fell off a cliff.

Unfortunately, this was the first time Kinich had come into contact with a dead body, so before he realized what had happened, he was completely devoid of any emotion. It was said that he was in a daze before he could pull himself together and accept that his abuser was lying motionless at the bottom of the cliff. Kinich had no choice but to pick up the hook and drag his father's cold body back home. To him, this gift of freedom was all he could wish for, but only after he accepted it did he realize the sacred solitude that lay within.

Scion of the Mountains

After the death of his parents, Kinich had to learn how to continue living under the mountains and away from the tribe. His daily life consisted of betting, weaving, hunting and going to the market to trade goods. From a young age, Kinich understood the importance of giving and receiving and how nothing in this world can be obtained for free. Since he had been living in the wilderness for some time, the idea of ​​getting a free education also seemed rather absurd. Only after the elders managed to make a deal with him did he agree to go to the training institute within the tribe.

Kinich was not treated well at school due to his “wild” appearance and ragged clothing, but this did not stop him from learning about the many heroes that represented the tribe's ancient history. This is also where his ambition to become a hero began. He didn't think too much about the glory and virtue that such a position would bring, as his version of the hero used the amount of Mora he could be rewarded with. Money was a luxury for him and his only goal in life was to accumulate as much as possible.

His “quest” to become a hero was like no other as he was also aided by a tribal elder who saw potential in him. In addition to learning about the famous history of Natlan, he was taught by many notable figures in various fields. Kinich was extremely grateful for this training, but he also preferred to occasionally slip into the mountains and train in combat among wild animals. This gave him a thorough education in how to converse intellectually with people, take care of himself, and hunt safely in the wild.

Kinich became so skilled that after a few years, people started asking him for more dangerous missions, each time offering a higher salary. He had grown enough that he could now decide if such missions were worthy and could be completed with the right amount of Mora. Kinich is quite financially demanding in this regard, and his duties as a saurian hunter do not come without extraordinary costs. His abilities were so great that he was considered a descendant of the mountains because that was the only type of heroic duty he saw in himself.

Kinich and Ajaw

Wherever Kinich goes, Ajaw follows him because of the bond that binds them together. The so-called 'mighty' K'uhul Ajaw seem to be a holdover from the dragon era and date back several millennia. According to the Saurian Relics Association, his true form was sealed by the bracelet Kinich wears, and his current form is merely a projection using Phlogiston. Unfortunately, despite being the main model for research, Ajaw is not the most pleasant of creatures. He is arrogant, evil, and quite cunning in many situations, which is why Kinich usually locks him in a separate dimension.

Their pact was made after Kinich found a sealed Ajaw under some ruins in Natlan. Despite acknowledging Ajawa's evil intentions, the two come to an agreement whereby Kinich will help Ajawa see the outside world in exchange for Ajawa's powerful strength in battle. Moreover, after Kinich's death, his body will be available for Ajaw to take over.

How Kinich got his vision

After gaining his ancient name, Kinich had no loyalty to his nation and did not care much for sacrificing himself like previous heroes. He participated in the Night's Watch wars as if it were his duty, and understood that with every battle came the menacing cry of death. With each Night's Watch War he participated in, the Abyss grew stronger, often using nasty tactics to toy with the warriors. One such tactic was their ability to transform themselves into something the warriors believed them to be and then ambush them. For Kinich, he saw his beloved mother. However, overcome with emotion, he sliced ​​through his 'mother' before the monster transformed and every other familiar face Abyss tried to ambush him.

He ended up being the last of the group standing, and just as exhaustion was setting in, he was stabbed from behind by a claw. Ready to accept his fate, Kinich closed his eyes and welcomed the darkness, but according to Ajaw, the warrior was back moments later, swinging his clay at the enemy. Kinich's figure was unconscious but brimming with life as a heart-patterned emerald gem now hung from where he had been stabbed. Perhaps his Dendro vision was granted to him at that moment, as he unknowingly became the hero he said he wouldn't become. A hero who fights for his friends, his homeland and his ambitions for a brighter future full of life.