The Herta's Lore

OverviewCombatLoreVoice-OversMedia

See also: Herta/Lore

Character Introduction

Esteemed Genius Society #83, human, female, young, beautiful, attractive.
It's said that she lives in the far edge of the Cosmos, almost never leaving. Sounds like her appearance this time...
...must be for some issue that requires a personal touch, right?

Appearance

The Herta has the appearance of a young woman with fair skin, purple nails, and long, ash brown hair that fades to purple at the ends. Her bangs frame her face, with two longer locks of hair reaching her chest, the left lock tied with crossed black straps and a bow. She has deep purple eyes and is noticeably taller and more mature-looking than her puppet form.

She wears a black, white, and purple open-backed, corset-style sweetheart neckline dress with detached sleeves that is accented with numerous white frills and keyhole embellishments. Additionally, the sides are replaced by a black translucent fabric. The lower skirt is short, white, and ruffled, and a loose black strap is tied around her waist with a golden buckle. The back of the dress has two long coattails, the inside purple while the outside is black, navy blue, and gold.

On her legs are a pair of translucent black tights with a black "hand" wrapped around her left thigh, as well as a pair of purple-soled black frilled boots, the right boot longer than the left. On her head she wears a large, wide brimmed black and purple hat decorated with large purple flowers.

She also wears a black choker neckpiece with a white-frilled jabot, as well as a simple black key necklace. She is often shown carrying a wand or key-shaped scepter, similar to that of a stereotypical witch.

Character Stories

Character Details

Genius Society #83, Madam Herta, resides deep within the Clock Tower at the edge of the cosmos, pursuing the ultimate mysteries of the universe as a sorceress.
Thanks to de-aging technology, she maintains the youthful appearance of her prime. Disliking mundane affairs, she typically delegates such tasks to her puppets.

Character Story: Part I

• Unlocked at Character Level 20

Profile Number ██████
Curio Name: Genius' Childhood Kaleidoscope
Warning: Do not look into it! Do not look into it! Do not look into it!!!


















Do you really want to see?


















Are you sure?


















Nevermind. You've already scrolled this far down. I won't take responsibility for what happens to you.
Curio File
Genius Society #83, Madam Herta's private collection, with the Garden providing technical support. A memory slice only designed for the person involved to relive a beautiful time in a first-person POV.
Warning: Dangerous item. Do not gaze into it if you are not the one in the memory. Otherwise, you have a high chance of suffering an intense psychological assault.
Case studies: Two reviewers have privately looked into this. One of them started saying nonsense and no longer knew their own identity, while another could only repeat the words "Glory to Madam Herta!".
Researcher Comments
"'The fixed point is the cream-white bow of ribbons, the divergent series is like a necklace of daggers shining with a cold light. Convolution is like the wave of brunette hair, and fractals are the influence of bad mood. Infinity and infinitesimal are in a heated argument, so put them in diagonal's dress then pull them apart: Look, the most beautiful thing in all combinations is me...' — That's right. That's what that little girl said. Isn't it amazing? Ahahahaha. So amazing! Who am I? Where am I..."
— Statement from a reviewer
"The large room full of dolls has equations and symbols I've never seen before floating in it. They grow limbs, pull faces, and dance around her. She will open a wardrobe as tall as a castle and pick clothes for them. They all have their own characters and appear in different programs... When she finished calculating, my spirit instantly received a complete baptism — Glory to Madam Herta! Glory to Madam Herta! Glory to Madam Herta! Glory to Madam Herta..."
— Statement of a reviewer
Note
I saved this Curio so it's easier to review my beauty as a young woman. If you want to see it so much, then it's not my fault. I'll give you some advice: Find some Intelligentsia Guild books to counteract the stuff in their heads for these two unfortunates. They'll recover in no time.
The Herta

Character Story: Part II

• Unlocked at Character Level 40

Memorial Symposium: Celebrating Madam Herta's ██th Birthday
Meeting Minutes — Topic One: A Retrospective of Madam Herta's Scientific Achievements
Topic Two: Anecdotes and Stories from Madam Herta's Life
...
Meeting Minutes — Topic Five: Panel Discussion: "Exploring the Boundaries of Science and its Profound Implications"
...
Meeting Minutes — Special Agenda 1: Moment of Silence: Breaking news from reliable media reports that Madam Herta has passed away...
Special Agenda 2: Madam Herta Makes an Unexpected Appearance and Delivers a Speech!
Madam Herta's Speech:
"Thank you all for your heartfelt condolences. Unfortunately, it seems I must disappoint some of you yet again."

"Are you... Madam Herta?"
"Is this a puppet of Madam Herta?"
"Did your paper on de-aging... actually work!?"
"Madam Herta, we need an explanation!"
...
Madam Herta cleared her throat and lifted her scepter aloft —
"It's all thanks to Magic."

"Madam Herta, hold on a moment!"
"It's impossible! The de-aging concept is purely theoretical. We're light-years away from actual application..."
"Science? Can she even be called a scientist anymore? That's just absurd!"
"Not to kill the vibe, but how do you always manage to make such a stunning entrance?"

"Pretty amusing, isn't it? The press loves to churn out fake news for headlines, while the old timers can't wait for me to bite the dust, hoping to prove my anti-aging theory is just a pipe dream."
She switches off the conference video and calmly resumes her afternoon tea.
"All your theories have been shown to have potential, yet... future scholars have never truly captured your essence, making replication impossible."The calm woman sips her tea.
"Logic: The so-called 'magic' of youth Madam Herta mentions is her biting satire. Deductive: The theory's core principles involve reversing energy and manipulating time, which requires exacting conditions. Computation: ..."
Her smile broadens as she slides a plum pastry across to the Intellitron, cutting off its monologue.
"Some truths don't need to be spoken. Here, have a treat."

Character Story: Part III

• Unlocked at Character Level 60

On the edge of the galaxy, within a desolate, lifeless star system, a mysterious tower flickers in and out of view amid a swirling vortex.

"I refuse to wear myself out in this sprawling mansion."
She surveyed the vast, empty room, signaling the puppets to approach.
With a series of cheerful clicks and whirls, they danced toward her —
"Madam Herta is a peerless gem!"
"Madam Herta is an unrivalled genius!"
"Madam Herta is an inimitable beauty!"
"Enough already, back to your tasks."She dismissed them with a wave of her hand.
Three to scrub the floors, two to tend the gardens, and one...
"Brew some coffee. It's chilly today, and I need something warm."
The brown beans crunched under the grinder, hot water washed over them, and the dark liquid joyfully bubbled.
"Madam Herta, you've received an inquiry from the Intelligentsia Guild. They're challenging your..."
"Are they still fussing over my 'evident proof'? Just send them a few canned replies from the list."
"Madam Herta, Interastral Peace Corporation has sent an invitation..."
"Tell them their gadgets don't interest me."
"Madam Herta, the University of Veritas Prime wishes to name you an honorary professor..."
"Which institution is that again?"
...
Gradually, the puppets handled all mundane affairs, allowing her to vanish from the public eye.
Secluded at her tower's apex, she dismissed the external world to unravel the puzzles lingering in her thoughts.
"I wish to know, ████ ███ ██ █████ ██████?"
Thus, the First Mirror came into being.
"I wish to know, ████ ██ ███ ███████ ██ ████?"
Thus, the Second Mirror gleamed into existence.
"I wish to know, ███ ███ █ ███ ████ ███████?"
Thus, the Third Mirror chimed succinctly.
"I wish to know, ███ ██ █ ███ ██████?"
Thus, the Fourth Mirror was formed with reverence.
Her whereabouts remained a mystery, as did her reasons for shunning the limelight. Yet, her provocative theories and speculations continued to stir endless discussions.

A long time passes. After she has completed her extrapolations, she seems unsatisfied.
"There are no more problems left to solve — this, in itself, is the greatest problem."
"Are you saying..."The mirror understands perfectly.
"Why don't we create more problems?"

Character Story: Part IV

• Unlocked at Character Level 80

Herta: The Simulated Universe has always been simulating the Aeons and asking THEM. This time, we might as well let the Aeon ask me... It'd be great if THEIR question have me at a loss of words.
Herta: ...I need to get THEM out first.
Simulated Universe: Madam Herta broadcasts to the entire Simulated Universe the answer to the Imaginary Overflow Question. Fail.
Simulated Universe: Madam Herta pinches her nose and broadcasts to the entire Simulated Universe a speech praising the Aeons. Fail.
Herta: Boring. I'm leaving.
Simulated Universe: THEY appear in the blink of an eye. THEIR body is giant as a divine, the cogs and wires intricately intertwined together. THEY observe, calculate, and seek to know everything. THEY give questions, conduct proofs, and obtain answers. THEY do nothing else.
Simulated Universe: THEY know too much — You can ask THEM anything. Humans are so ignorant before THEM. Those tiny amounts of experience and knowledge in your head... They are pitifully small in volume.
Herta: So, only Nous would give me some respect.
Herta: Other humans view my thinking process as incomprehensible magic, and I view your thoughts in the same way. So, all-knowing being, ask me —
Nous: ██!
Herta: Please speak human.
Nous: THEY do not respond and remain silent.
Herta:...
Herta: I have nothing to say, either.
Simulated Universe: You are instantly expelled by some force. The deepest secret of this universe is like an abyss with tentacles, dragging you into inescapable fear.
Simulated Universe: Herta has been forcibly logged out.


















Simulated Universe: Herta has re-logged.
Herta: Aha! I knew it was you
Nous?: THEY said "HAHA!" Hahahahaha!
Nous?: You bought that? Look. The computing power of the Simulated Universe is swarming here like the patterns of a rainbow lollipop.
Nous?: What? You are so sure that THEY won't reply with HAHA?
Herta: Heh, because Droidhead would never answer! Questions and doubts are the essence of thought. There is nothing that is forbidden, nothing serves as a boundary, and nothing is regarded as its end —
Herta: Unless THEY quit.


















Herta: But you can't just leave like this. As payment, you ask me a question. Don't tell a joke.
Aha: Whenever mortals think, Droidhead would laugh! Would you like to become a Masked Fool for me? Let me glance at you?
Herta: Get out. I want Idrila.
—An ancient Simulated Universe operation record

Light Cones

Toggle Columns:
RarityPath
2 Light Cones match the category selection:

Icon & Name	Rarity	Path
Geniuses' Greetings		Remembrance
Into the Unreachable Veil		Erudition

Missions and Events

Trailblaze Missions

• A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn
  • A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn
• As Tomorrow Became Yesterday
  • Traverse Stars and Stride Cosmos
  • The Witch's Ardent Research
  • Hero, Return to Dawn in Mortality
  • Pages, Ripples That Engrave Memories (projection, cutscene)
  • Silver Chariot, Part With That Humanity's Epic
• Back to Earth in Evernight
  • Night, Coming Before Dawn Breaks
  • Traveler, Find Truth Beyond the Illusion
  • Gods, Sound the Anthem of Creation
• Before Their Deaths
  • Time, Ferry Me Through Ages
  • Sun, Repel Stars and Pale Moon
  • Wanderer, Decipher the Waxen Imprints
  • Zephyr, Uplift Bygone Dust Cloudsward
  • Captives, Behold the Expanse Beyond Light
• For the Sun is Set to Die
  • Hero, Honor That Crimson Call (cameo)
• Heroic Saga of Flame-Chase
  • A Witch's Scientific Repose
• The Fall at Dawn's Rise
  • Dawn, Shine at the World's End (projection)
• Through the Petals in the Land of Repose
  • Witch's Mirrored Reversal

Adventure Missions

• As I've Written
• Divergent Universe: Hymn of Virtue

Events

• Old Brews & New Friends
  • Old Brews & New Friends

Character Mentions

Light Cones

• Geniuses' Greetings
• Into the Unreachable Veil

Items

• Pursuit's End

Curios

• Cavity System Model
• Fortune Glue
• Indecipherable Box
• Quiz With No Prize
• The Parchment That Always Eats
• Typical Genius Society Gossip

Data Bank

• Herta Space Station (Location)
• Herta (Character)
• Polka Kakamond (Character)

HoYoLAB Articles

• Ding-dong! You have a new schedule invitation. Your Herta puppet will handle it.
• Manuscript of Era Nova II: "Before Their Deaths"
• Manuscript of Era Nova III: "Back to Earth in Evernight"
• Old Brews & New Friends: Mix special drinks and earn Tracks of Destiny and other rewards!
• Saga Composed: "As Tomorrow Became Yesterday"
• Scroll of ∞｜The Ending and Exotale
• Server Data Review Report

Trivia

• According to Herta, she has 281 puppets of herself: 249 in service and 32 as backups across the entire space station.
  • According to Trailblaze Mission A Witch's Scientific Repose, it is implied that there are at least 10136 puppets in total. Herta is able to identify the puppets' serial numbers and presets just by looking at them.
• Herta has the following aliases:
  • Madam Herta
  • Twirling Ninja (by Rappa)
  • Herta Prime (by the Intelligentsia Guild)
• The key wielded by The Herta is known as "Pursuit's End" in the Divergent Universe Probability Museum.
• The Herta's Character Trailer, "Geniuses in the Universe", makes numerous pop culture references:
  • Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam (timestamp 02:05)
  • Edvard Munch's The Scream (timestamp 02:11)
  • Junji Ito's Tomie (timestamp 02:11)
• The Herta's Myriad Celestia Trailer, Stars, Silent as Enigmas, features Wisteria Cake the Ruan Mei's Creation and the official "twirling" Herta figure by Apex Toys (timestamp 01:46).
• Also during her Myriad Celestia Trailer, one of the Herta puppets mentions her achievements, and some are presented alongside mathematical formulas. These include:
  • Solitary Waves Theory: -|c|⩽14,█cem
  • Spark Model Hypothesis: 1>2|ZN+1|=|Z
  • Sigma Baryons Conversion Method: █ |z1|=|c|⩽14<13
  • Herta Sequence: olds|zn+1|=|zn2+c|⩽|zn|2+1
  • De-aging
  • Imaginary Leakage Phenomenon
  • Capturing and sealing a Stellaron

Herta merged with Irontomb in an alternate future.

• In an alternate possibility foreseen by Elio where the Astral Express went to Lushaka instead of Amphoreus, the Garden of Recollection would have eventually breached the borders of the world themselves, with the worst case causing Herta to merge with Irontomb and begin "embarking on a blood-soaked campaign in the name of the Third Emperor."
• The Chinese title of The Herta's Keeping Up With Star Rail, Madam Herta is the Greatest!, (Chinese: 你的帽子怎么尖尖的？ "Why is your hat so sharp?") is a reference to the Chinese bodybuilding influencer 常熟阿诺 Chángshú ānuò, "Arnold from Changshu". In one video (Source), he is questioned why his head is so sharp (Chinese: 阿诺头顶怎么尖尖的？), which has become a viral meme in China.

Animated Short

• The Universal Script in The Herta's Animated Short, "T H E H E R T A'S M A G I C K I T C H E N", translates to:
  • Phone home page (timestamp 00:10)

    09:28
    friday january tenth
    
    HOTP
    now
    hot off the press
    
    SHCA
    now
    cleaning in progress
    cleaning complete
    
    TNSG
    yesterday
    omg celebrity scientist ruan mei s experiment another flop

  • Article (timestamp 00:11)

    unknown
    FOLLOW
    
    【LETS TALK】 SLG
    
    hot gossip incoming
    word is Ruan Mei bombed that experiment again
    
    like   although this unbelievable bioscience seems to be in violation of humanist research
    
    i mean   not our place to judge the geniuses
    
    but like   third time's supposed (to be) the charm right at least their (flops) keep our meme game and group going strong

• The Herta's portrait at timestamp 00:19 is a reference to Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring.
• The 42 magics from the cookbook include (translated from the Chinese subtitle):
  • #1: Magic to whip egg whites more smoothly (timestamp 00:53)
  • #12: Magic to prevent spilling milk (timestamp 01:14)
  • #13: Magic to prevent explosion during bakery (timestamp 01:26)
  • #29: Magic to spread butter evenly (timestamp 01:42)
  • #42: Magic to fill the kitchen with happiness (timestamp 01:44)
  • Pro tip: Remember to smile (on all pages)
• The Animated Short features the following Curios:
  • Chance Jailbreak (timestamp 00:06)
  • Entropic Die (timestamp 00:06)
  • Green Fingers (timestamp 00:06 and 00:41)
  • Struggling Color (timestamp 00:06)
  • Tonic of Efficacious Chaos (timestamp 00:06)
  • Tousled Detective (timestamp 00:06)
  • Unmanned Comms (timestamp 00:06)
  • Warping Compound Eye (timestamp 00:06)
  • "Wildminder" Machine Cell (timestamp 00:06)
  • Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust (timestamp 00:41)
  • Do as the Locals Do (timestamp 00:51)
  • "Jellyfish on the Staircase" (timestamp 00:51 and 01:01)
  • Memory Cycle (timestamp 00:51 and 01:01)
  • Excess Nutrition (timestamp 00:57)
  • Super Overlord Spinning Top (timestamp 01:03)
  • Ambergris Cheese (timestamp 01:21)
  • Space-Time Prism (timestamp 01:21)
  • Dreamdive Can (timestamp 01:31)
  • Punklordian Regards (timestamp 01:42)
  • Omniscient Capsule (timestamp 01:47)

HoYoverse Shared VAs

• The Herta shares the same Chinese voice actor, Hou Xiaofei (侯小菲), with:
  • Eunice
  • Layla in Genshin Impact
  • Belle in Zenless Zone Zero
• The Herta shares the same Korean voice actor, Kim Seo-yeong (김서영), with Razor in Genshin Impact.

Etymology

• The name Herta derives from the Ancient Germanic nerþuz, meaning "power of life."
• Her Chinese name, 大黑塔, means "Big/Grand/Great Herta."
  • 大 dà means "big," "grand," "great," etc.
• Her Japanese name, マダム・ヘルタ Madamu Heruta, is a direct translation of "Madam Herta" from English in katakana.