The events of Honkai: Star Rail 2.4 and 2.5 saw the Borisin’s covert invasion of the Xianzhou Luofu to free their Warhead, Hoolay, from the Shackling Prison. This story mainly focuses on the conflict between the Borisin and their relatives, the Foxians. However, it also touches on the centuries of war between the Xianzhou Alliance and the major faction that the Borisin is part of: The Denizens of Abundance.
The Denizens of Abundance comprises long-life species that follow the Aeon Yaoshi, which include:
- Borisin: These canine-humanoid species share a common ancestor with the Foxians and both once lived on the planet of Verdantia. It is said that Yaoshi created the Redspring within Verdantia, and those who drank from it gained immortality. This blessing also causing a population boom within it, leading to its collapse. The survivors fled the planet, and the Borisin eventually gained notoriety for conquering other civilizations with their brute strength and immense knowledge of biotechnology.
- Wingweavers: These are feathered species that used to live on Muldrasil. They have been enemies of Honkai: Star Rail‘s Xianzhou since before the latter gained immortality. They slaughtered many of the Alliance’s natives.
- Houyhnhnm: These centaur-like species have four hind limbs and two arms. They have formed alliances with the Borisin and have recently been enslaved by the Antimatter Legion.
- Heliobi: These are shapeless species of pure energy. Their origin is unknown, and while the Xianzhou classifies them as a Denizen of Abundance, their affiliation to the faction is unclear. They have been enemies of the Alliance since time immemorial, as they often try to possess and drain human bodies.
The Conflict Between the Denizens of Abundance and Xianzhou Alliance
The Denizens’ devotion to their path makes them the natural enemies of the Xianzhou, whose purpose is to eradicate the “plagues of Abundance.” To understand this conflict, one must know the history of the Alliance, who were formerly devout followers of the Path of Abundance.
The History of the Xianzhou and the Abundance
Centuries ago, the Xianzhou Alliance sought the medicine of immortality and received it from Yaoshi, through the Ambrosial Arbor that the Aeon planted on the Luofu. However, they discovered that the long life they sought and now enjoyed was a curse, as the Xianzhou’s oldest citizens eventually became “Mara-Struck.” This condition causes a person of the long-life species to slowly lose their sanity and develop painful bodily growths, irreversibly transforming them into hostile beings.
Immortality also caused massive population growth within the Xianzhou, which was poorly managed and resulted in civil wars. The fleet suffered attacks from outsiders who wanted immortality for themselves, too. Tired of the bloodshed and civil unrest, the Reignbow Arbiter Lan, one of the Alliance’s fiercest heroes, rose against the Abundance’s control over the Xianzhou.
The Denizens of Abundance Wars
Not everyone supported Lan’s dissent. However, the Alliance soon called for their help when the Wingweavers started advancing towards the Xianzhou fleet. The hero made a deal with the Flint Emperor of the Heliobi, who was imprisoned in the Shackling Prison, to harness their power. Together, they fired an arrow that destroyed the Ambrosial Arbor and the invading Wingweaver army in one shot. The force of this attack was so strong that it damaged every ship in the Xianzhou fleet. Lan and the Flint Emperor ascended into godhood afterward and became the Aeon of The Hunt.
After the events of the first Denizens of Abundance War, the Alliance swore allegiance to Lan. Their mission to destroy the Denizens of Abundance led to two more major conflicts. The latest one ended up killing hundreds of thousands of Xianzhou pilots. It has been nearly three decades since the third war, and it looks like the Borisin invasion could trigger the next one.
