Istaroth

Istaroth serves as the Ruler of Time among the Four Shades of the Heavenly Principles. She came into being through the actions of the Heavenly Principles upon their descent to Teyvat from the sea of stars in the era known as When the Doves Held Branches. As one of the Four Shades she stood alongside the others in the conflict against the Seven Sovereigns. Forty years after the descent of the Heavenly Principles the Sovereigns fell and the seven nations submitted to the new authority. In this new order Istaroth took on the role of writing the story of the world. To her every living being held equal value and equal insignificance. She recorded in her memory every person every event every encounter and every farewell as if etching them upon an ancient scroll.

Appearance The physical form of Istaroth presents as a tall woman. Her skin appears pale across the entirety of her body. Golden eyes form the central feature of her gaze and within each iris lies a pattern resembling a clock that lacks any pointers. Long white hair extends downward and fades gradually away at the tips. One section of this hair sweeps across to the right side of her face while several braids adorn it for added structure. She wears an intricately detailed short white dress. The garment extends longer toward the back and incorporates several cutouts along the rear. Detached white sleeves cover her arms and these sleeves fade into blue tones toward their ends. An intricately detailed golden decoration rests upon her chest. Periwinkle short gloves encase her hands. Golden decorations appear around both ankles. She remains barefoot in this form. Above her head two huge golden rings float in place. From these rings small golden bars and various clock like decorations dangle freely. Every element of her attire and features aligns precisely with the motifs of time and wind without deviation from the established depiction. The pale skin contrasts sharply with the golden eyes that convey the timeless quality of her role. The white hair flows in a manner that emphasizes the fading at its ends creating a sense of eternal motion. The swept section and braids on the right side frame the face in a deliberate pattern. The short white dress with its extended rear and back cutouts allows freedom of movement while maintaining an ornate appearance through its intricate details. The detached sleeves transition smoothly from white to blue adding depth to the upper body coverage. The golden chest decoration stands out as a focal point of craftsmanship. The periwinkle gloves provide a subtle color variation on the hands. Golden ankle accents draw attention to the lower legs and the barefoot state connects her directly to the ground. The two floating golden rings hover steadily overhead with their dangling bars and clock motifs constantly evoking the passage of moments. This entire configuration creates a cohesive visual representation of her authority over time and the winds.

Background Story Istaroth received worship in Mondstadt and in Enkanomiya as well as in Nod Krai both prior to the rise of the Seven Archons and alongside them. In Enkanomiya after the island descended into the depths the people continued to honor her as the sole entity who had not abandoned them. They addressed her as Tokoyo Ookami which stands as the Narukami style rendering of the name Kairos. At times they referred to her simply as the God of Moments. They avoided speaking her true name directly and when necessary they wrote it in reverse. Scribes dedicated to her recorded the flow of history and the progression of time. After the arrival of Orobashi her worship in Enkanomiya began to diminish and it vanished entirely once the inhabitants relocated to Watatsumi Island. In Mondstadt her presence intertwined with early tales and she shared worship with Barbatos in the ancient days. Phrases connected to the winds of time preserve faint echoes of her legacy even where direct knowledge has faded. She answered the prayers of the Enkanomiyans when the other Shades offered no response. Carvings on sundials near the Thousand Winds Temple state that seeds of stories arrive carried by the wind and grow cultivated by time until they bloom into legends. One ancient text from a scribe declares that the people knew her as the Ruler of Time. She embodied every moment. She measured a thousand winds along with the sun and the moon. She encompassed every second of joy every instant of rage every flash of longing every minute of obsession and every surge of delirium.

Powers and Abilities Istaroth governs the domain of time as the God of Moments. She manifests as the thousand winds of time and also as the undying wind. Her authority includes the capacity to suspend fragmented souls in a state of stasis as she did for Zibai following the War of Funerary Flame. She bestowed a portion of her power and authority upon Barbatos after encountering him at the Thousand Winds Temple when he expressed his wishes as a wind spirit. Her influence extends to the manipulation of time in ways that allowed for the planting of the Sacred Sakura according to beliefs held by Ei. In Enkanomiya her power contributed to the Sentou Ceremony through which the darkness of the abyssal Void Realm could be dispelled by gathering light. Light Realm Sigils bearing marks of recognition from her aided in enhancing the Bokuso Box used in such rituals. As a Shade her capabilities surpass those of the Archons in scale and she ranks as a higher power in the established order of Teyvat.

Personality and Habits Istaroth regards all living beings with complete equality viewing them as both valuable and insignificant in the same measure. She engages in the act of recording the entirety of history within her memory. In one exchange she explained her bestowal of history upon others by stating that she required a means to occupy her time. This approach reflects a habit of using the passage of moments to create and preserve narratives across the world. She maintains the practice of attending routine gatherings with the remaining Shades in Celestia to address matters such as the absence of Asmoday and the actions of the Tsaritsa along with the Fatui. During these gatherings she listens and contributes to discussions on the limits of intervention permitted by the rules.

Relationships Istaroth exists as one of the Four Shades created directly by the Heavenly Principles. She participates alongside Ronova and the others in meetings within Celestia while Asmoday has remained absent since the Cataclysm. The people of Enkanomiya revered her above all others after their isolation and they recorded her deeds through dedicated scribes. She formed a connection with Barbatos by granting him fragments of her authority following his plea at the Thousand Winds Temple. She showed compassion toward Zibai the protector of Lang Gan by gathering the shattered pieces of her soul and placing them into stasis across three separate selves after Zibai perished in defense during the War of Funerary Flame. Ei has expressed the view that Istaroth may have aided Makoto in matters involving the flow of time. Frostmoon Scions know her under the name Laimelea. Traces of her influence appear in tales from Dragonspine where the Wind of Time is said to have withdrawn leaving the area frozen. Hilichurl groups show indirect links through dances around sundials and through their use of the holy word Unu which denotes gods and connects to the unified order under the Heavenly Principles and its Shades.

Current Status Istaroth continues to fulfill her duties as the Ruler of Time. She resides within Celestia and joins the periodic meetings of the Shades. Her influence persists through the winds of time and through the preserved memories of those who once worshipped her directly. The stories she has engraved remain embedded in the world and her power sustains the balance of moments across Teyvat without interruption.