The Hypostyle Desert in Natlan reveals itself as a masterclass in environmental storytelling, where endless sands disguise labyrinthine secrets beneath. One can't help but feel dwarfed by the scale of King Deshret's buried legacy when descending into those shadowed corridors, where every crumbling mural whispers forgotten tales. The initial barrenness gives way to exhilarating discoveries – from timed combat trials atop sun-scorched pyramids to Dendroculus glowing like emerald stars in subterranean chambers. What truly lingers in the memory isn't just the 37 precious orbs, but the profound sense of connection to ancient civilizations that emerges when solving their architectural puzzles.
Pyramid Puzzles & Aerial Adventures
Beginning at The Dune of Elusion waypoint immediately throws explorers into verticality. That first Four-Leaf Sigil ascent to the pyramid's peak feels like unlocking a hidden dimension, especially when discovering the inaugural Dendroculus beside a time-trial challenge. The desert wind whips around you as you stand atop millennia-old stones, and the panoramic view makes every subsequent glide between platforms feel like dancing with history. Solving the trio of Pyro monuments southwest of here becomes unexpectedly meditative – watching flames kiss ancient mechanisms to reveal floating treasures creates such satisfying sparks of accomplishment!
Underground Mysteries & Mechanical Marvels
Descending into The Mausoleum's belly reveals the desert's true soul. The author will never forget the ingenious elevator trick: sending one platform upward to expose its hidden twin descending into darkness. That moment perfectly encapsulates Genshin's design philosophy – rewarding observation over brute force. Within these echoing halls, Dendroculus perch like silent guardians beside King Deshret's murals, each requiring unique interactions:
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🟥🔷 Color-shifting crystals at The Dune of Carouses
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💨 Wind-current puzzles in Sekhem Hall's dizzying heights
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🍄 Mushroom-top acrobatics in bioluminescent caverns
The contrast between scorching surface ruins and these cool, puzzle-filled catacombs creates delicious cognitive whiplash. Finding one Dendroculus inside scaffolding at an underground construction site particularly highlighted the living history beneath our feet.
Verticality & Environmental Storytelling
Khemenu Temple's headless statue cradling a Dendroculus speaks volumes about the region's melancholy beauty. Scaling these structures feels profoundly different from Mondstadt's gentle hills – here, every Four-Leaf Sigil grapple between wind currents carries weight and consequence. The floating Dendroculus northwest of the Statue of the Seven perfectly demonstrates this: requiring careful gliding through turbulent air streams that make your fingers tense on the controller. Moments like these transform collection into true athletic poetry.
What stays with you isn't just the loot, but the narrative woven through placement: Dendroculus nestled in broken bridges, perched on shipwrecks in underground lakes, even defiantly glowing within Withering Zones. Each location whispers about civilizations that thrived here before the sands claimed them.
Reflections & Future Horizons
Completing this 37-orb journey leaves one profoundly changed. The Hypostyle Desert transforms from intimidating wasteland to a layered history book written in sand and stone. Personal standout moments included:
| Location | Emotional Payoff |
|---|---|
| Primal Sandglass Challenge | Triumph over illusions |
| Opet Hall Murals | Spiritual awe |
| Gurabad's Ruin Branch | Childlike discovery joy |
As we look toward future Natlan expansions in 2025, the author dreams of deeper dives into Deshret's legacy – perhaps underwater ruins beneath these sands or celestial observatories revealing star-aligned puzzles. This desert has proven that barren landscapes often hold the richest stories. One leaves not with relief, but with insatiable curiosity for what other secrets Teyvat's sands might yield when the winds shift again.