A summary about Kaveh's lore, design and gameplay in a cultural perspective.
(Tale: Shahnameh, by 10th century poet Ferdowsi)
Kaveh is mainly based on Kaveh-ye Ahangar (Kaveh the blacksmith) who was a leader of an uprising against the ruthless foreigner, Zahhak. The tale is told by the great poet, Ferdowsi.
In the poetry, Kaveh was a blacksmith. In-game he is an architect. In both versons they live up to their name. "Skilled, leader and knowledgeable."
In-game, his father passes away and so his mother had to raise him alone. This was very hard for her (mentioning this because its relevant later)
"Soon, the bad news came: His father had perished in an accident in the desert. The suddenness of this misfortune threw mother and son into disarray. His mother was hit particularly hard. Being a sensitive soul by nature, her husband's passing would cause her to break down, spending much time in anxious, gloomy thought."
Even though Kaveh is based on Kaveh Ahangar, it seems that his backstory was based on Fereydun. He is the son of the descendant of Jamshid, the king before Zahhak took over.
Inthe poem, it's said that Fereydun is raised all alone by his mother, Fanarak, since his father was murdered by Zahha* (hoyoverse keeps censoring his name i dont know why)
It is stated multiple times in Shahnameh that raising Fereydun was difficult task for her, just like it was for Fanarak in-game.
In the poem, it was difficult to raise Fereydun because she was being chased by Zahhak. In-game its hard to raise Kaveh because of the depression she got after her husbands death.
Summarized: Fanarak raises Fereydun on her own after her husbands death. He's raised by her all his teenage years and grows up to be very similar to his mother., just like Kaveh in-game.
Its stated in Kaveh's character story that he got his sensitivity, inability to properly communicate and empathic nature from her. Its also stated that he looks like his mother in Kaveh's hang out.
Side note; Fereydun and Kaveh Ahangar defeated Zahhak together, so Kaveh being based on both of them make sense since they most likely wanted to use popular mythological figures.
Kaveh the blacksmith was a very important figure for the Iranians. His ethnicity isn't certain. He was botn in the Persian regions of Iran, but is still celebrated in every other ethnicity in Iran, espesially by the Kurds who belive he was the one who created the Kurdish identity. Nonetheless his nationality is Iranian (because he was born in Esfehan)
Therefore Kaveh (genshin) could potentially be both Kurdish and Persian.
His earrings look like an architecture- as well as Freemasonry symbol.
His earrings look like an architecture- as well as Freemasonry symbol.
The colors red, blue, green and purple was all important among the Sasani Royalty. Also Khosrow Parviz, who Kaveh shares some similarities with, favored big earrings.
His earrings look like an architecture- as well as Freemasonry symbol.
The same colors are also on Kaveh's necklace and is probably inspired by Cyrus the Great's flag in the Achaemendi Era.
They have similar colors and shapes
His necklace and cape are inspired by Farvahar (an ancient Zoroastrianism symbol) and Shabaz (name of a fabeled bird in Persin mythologi)
Farvahar is at the top and Shabaz is at the bottom right.
Kaveh has a feather and a de*th because Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran wore a de*th and a red crown woth something that resembled a pea**** feather on his coronation day.
Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran on coronation day
Kaveh's belat seems to represent a crescent moon. Khosrow Parviz crown also seems to represent a crescent moon.
Kaves belt on top, Khosrow Parviz crown on the bottom.
His belt (material only) is something many man and women wore during the Sasania and Parthian Empire. This exessive use of embrodery and jewelries was also taken from the Sasania Empire.
Both Kaveh and Nilou has a bow tie from the Sasania Empire.
Kaveh's hair clips can be a reference to Kaveh the blacksmith's symbol.
Both Kaveh and Frauzan have it.
Kaveh Ahangar's symbol and Kaveh's hair clips.
Kaveh's pants seems to reseble a candle. Fire i general is important in Persian culture. (Norwuz, weddings, cermonies...) During Norwuz you usually jump over fire. Its considered a purification practice.
He wears Giveh. Most rich people would wear these (kinda ironic). After the arival of the rubber industry, lower-class people would wear them too as they used rubber as the sole of their givehs.
"Iranian architecture make use of abundant symbolic geometry, using pure forms such as circles and squares, and plans are based on often symmetrical layout featuring rectangular courtuards and halls."
Thats the reason why Kaveh mainly usues squares and circles in his gameplay.
Squares and circles in his gameplay
Attacks based on Persian culture
He has artist gloves
Please tell me if any of this information is wrong or i missed something.
Attacks based on Persian culture
Why Did they have to make him so miserable.
