Seelie/Lore

OverviewLore

Seelie/Lore
Type	Species Lore

Seelie (plural Seelie) are the devolved form of Angels that can be found throughout Teyvat.

They were created by the Heavenly Principles, and their purpose was to guide humanity as Celestia's divine envoys. They were eventually cursed by their creator, such that if they loved a single individual as opposed to all equally, they would be stripped of both their bodies and minds. Very few angels remain with their minds intact in the modern day, with all others being reduced to mindless spirits.

Overview

"The chirping of insects on a long-gone autumn night is the chorus of exiles, singing mankind's most ancient song as they live out their plight..."
"Stripped of all that the body once held close and the soul once held dear, song, and memories are all that now remain of yesteryear."
"The last singers, the first Seelie, they played their final tune in the halls of angels."

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Part of "a song of Seelie"

To date, all known angels are female, and they are described as having "beautiful forms." They bear pale silver wings, and once wore crowns made of seven colors — perhaps an allusion to the seven elements. These crowns were so bright that humans were unable to look upon them. One angel, Nabu Malikata, is described to have a pair of beautiful horns on her head, which matches the horns seen on present Seelie, and is perhaps what the 'headdress' on murals depicting angels represents. It is uncertain how large angels were, as murals usually depict them as larger than humans, but Nabu Malikata has a throne which is sized appropriately for a human.

Angels were commanded from birth to love all creatures of the world equally. As "flawless arbiters of justice", their duty was to guide humanity to teach them languages and "philosophies of nature," as well as bring mortals oracles to help them understand the future. In line with this, angels seem to have a limited ability to foresee the future, even hundreds or thousands of years away.

Angels are strongly associated with Irminsul and the Ley Lines, and humans seem to have been able to seek them out by descending into the Irminsul altars within Domains. Two angels are known to have been given duties to protect Irminsul trees and Ley Lines. They had palaces outside the realm the gods currently hold authority over, which may be referring to Celestia or, more likely, the Dark Sea.

History

The First Angel once met a voyager from beyond Teyvat, with whom they married. The three sisters of the Lunar Palace, Aria, Sonnet, and Canon, witnessed their marriage. Their union was founded not only on love, but also a desire to rebel against the Heavenly Principles. Along with the Frostmoon, the couple created the Snowland Fae upon the bones of "great beasts," and built a great tower, now known as the Spiral Abyss. According to Vol. 4 of Records of Jueyun, thirty days after the union, a disaster struck; the Seelie and their lover fled into exile, but the disaster eventually caught up with them. A more reliable account states that their golden city was laid to waste by a Celestial Nail, likely making this disaster synonymous with the Great War of Vengeance. The Heavenly Principles punished the couple by separating them and wiping their memories.

Due to the betrayal of the First Angel, and the implied seduction of numerous others by the Abyss, all angels were collectively punished with the curse of the Seelie should they forsake the commandments of universal love given at their birth. Their previous form, voice, and wisdom were lost; now, all they can offer is small treasures to those willing to follow them.

The angels and Seelie of Natlan were nearly all killed after the Great War of Vengeance, leaving only one final envoy alive. It is implied that this envoy is Yohualtecuhtin, Lord of the Night, who used the remaining leaves of the burned tree and leylines to create Natlan's Night Kingdom.

Legacy

While almost all angels have had their form and consciousness stripped away, certain notable angels have left a significant impact upon modern Teyvat.

The angels Nabu Malikata and Sybilla both created offspring which bear resemblance to the Seelie. Nabu Malikata created both the Jinn and Khvarena, who played a major role in the history of the Great Red Sand, and in protecting Sumeru from the Cataclysm, respectively. Sybilla gave up her life to create the Symphony known as Phobos for Remus, who would help the people of Remuria escape the shackles of the Heavenly Principles. Similarly, the fae created by the First Angel still seem to be active in Snezhnaya.

Nabu Malikata and Yohualtecuhtin became known as gods in Sumeru and Natlan, respectively. They helped the people of their nations while most of the world was going through the Archon War. Nabu Malikata co-ruled Sumeru with King Deshret and the future Dendro Archon, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. Yohualtecuhtin helped the tribes of Natlan fertilize the land and defeat the dragons; she also brokered the three-way agreement between Xbalanque, Ronova, and Kukulkan, which created the Pyro Archon and "rules" of Natlan. In the modern day, Yohualtecuhtin still protects Natlan's Night Kingdom and Ley Lines, presiding over all Wayob and guiding Natlan's dead ancestors.

Known Angels

Name	Region	Status
First Angel	Hyperborea	Unknown, cursed to become a Seelie
Nabu Malikata	Sumeru	Deceased
Sybilla	Fontaine	Deceased
Yohualtecuhtin	Natlan	Alive

Trivia

• Certain survivors of the original Angel race, such as Nabu Malikata and the Lord of the Night, are referred to as gods. However, further connection between gods and Angels remains unclear.

Other Languages

Angel

Language	Official Name	Literal Meaning
English	Angel	—
Spanish	Ángel	Angel

Seelie

Language	Official Name	Literal Meaning
English	Seelie	—
Chinese (Simplified)	仙灵 Xiānlíng	Fairy Spirit
Chinese (Traditional)	仙靈 Xiānlíng
Japanese	仙霊 Senrei	Fairy Spirit
Korean	선령선령仙靈 Seollyeong	Fairy Spirit
Spanish	Seelie	—
French	Fée	Fairy
Russian	Фея Feya	Fairy
Thai	Seelie	—
Vietnamese	Tiên LinhTiên Linh仙靈	Fairy Spirit‍[※][※]Sino-Vietnamese reading of Chinese name
German	Seelie	—
Indonesian	Seelie	—
Portuguese	Seelie	—
Turkish	Peri	Fairy
Italian	Seelie	—