Genshin Impact Flins Analysis: Shadowy Lights, Stranger Wights

The launch version of Song of the Welkin Moon features characters representing the two core regional factions, Frostmoon Scions and Lightkeepers, entering the wish pool. The recently previewed Flins is one of them. Many Travelers are sure to love his official artwork. Today, let's dive deep into Flins from perspectives like his artwork.

1. Genshin Impact "Song of the Welkin Moon"-Flins

When analyzing the preview PV of Song of the Welkin Moon, it was speculated that Flins might be the current leader of the Lightkeepers. However, according to the character preview information released today, he is actually the captain of a certain squad within the Lightkeepers, responsible for guarding the cemetery near the lighthouse. In a past operation, Flins' squad sacrificed heavily to repel the attacking Wild Hunt and protect the affected civilians. After the operation, the squad of seven or eight members was reduced to only Captain Flins, who chose to carry on his comrades' legacy by continuing to guard the cemetery.

He introduces himself this way: Flins, a warrior affiliated with the "Lightkeepers," who has received a medal of merit spontaneously given by the people to commend his squad for repelling the Abyssal creatures. The event happened some years ago. Though no one organized it at the time, people still tacitly chose this way to express their gratitude. The medal is heavy, placed in an ancient box when delivered to him.

In the evaluations of his Lightkeeper colleagues, Flins is not only a strong, reliable, and tactically proficient veteran warrior but also, compared to other boisterous Lightkeepers, a gentleman with refined speech and graceful demeanor who knows how to use language to achieve his goals. Flins always tells things just right-without redundancy, as if conversing with people. When curious listeners want to hear stories from him, he selects exactly the kind most suitable for public telling. In other words, in a way, you can consider him the "Propaganda Captain" of the Lightkeepers.

2. Genshin Impact Flins: Name & Background Information Analysis

Next, let's analyze Flins' known background information in detail. First, regarding the character's name: Flins' full name is "Kyryll Chudomirovich Flins," a standard East Slavic name composed of a given name (имя) + patronymic (отчество) + surname (фамилия). Based on the middle patronymic "Chudomirovich," Flins' father was likely a warrior named "Chudomir."

"Kyryll" (Кирилл) is a Slavic masculine name derived from the Greek name "Κύριλλος" (Kyrillos), which in turn originates from the Greek "Kύριος" (kyrios), meaning "Lord."

The surname "Flins" (Флинс) comes from a Slavic deity, Flins, believed to possibly be a "God of the Dead." It was first mentioned in 1492 by German writer Konrad Bothe in his work Chronicle of Saxony (Cronecken der Sassen). According to records in Krzysztof Manlius' 1570 book De idolo Lusatiorum deiecto Flyns (The Idol of Flins Toppled), Flins' statue also symbolizes the "awakening of life in spring."

As for why Flins patrols the cemetery with a lantern, the special manifestation of the Abyss in the Nod-Krai region must be explained-the terrifying nature of the "Wild Hunt," the great enemy the Lightkeepers have fought against for generations.

In the Nod-Krai concept site, the Wild Hunt is introduced as follows: "In the shadows beyond the reach of 'rules,' even 'death' is not the end of torment and suffering." This means the Wild Hunt can not only form armies that sweep through and destroy everything like a storm, but they can also devour and torment the souls of humans they kill, even transforming warriors who once fought against them into one of their own. The Wild Hunt is such a horrifying existence.

To prevent the tranquility of heroes after death from being disturbed, Flins patrols the cemetery with a lantern to drive away the Abyssal forces that, like carrion vultures, covet the dead and their souls.

3. Genshin Impact Flins: "Lightkeepers"

Now let's talk about the history of the "Lightkeepers" faction. As one of the most important forces in the Nod-Krai region, the Lightkeepers are great warriors sworn to eternally safeguard freedom and peace, wielding lamps that emit moonlight to drive back the darkness beyond this world. Around the ever-burning lighthouse standing atop the hill, the warriors of the Nightingale clan keep watch through the long night.

For generations, the Lightkeepers have paid countless sacrifices of blood and tears, sealing the resurgent Abyssal calamities within Nod-Krai time and again. Though the order has been severely weakened by past great wars and fallen into decline, the warriors have never forgotten the ancient legacy engraved in their name nor their glorious mission...

The Artifact set "Long Night's Oath," implemented in Version 5.5, narrates the birth of the Lightkeepers and the stories of generations of Lightkeepers fighting against the Abyss. In fact, Nod-Krai becoming an autonomous region of Snezhnaya is also closely tied to this group.

In the distant past, during the pioneering era when Snezhnaya was still ruled by the first Cryo Archon, Belyi Tsar, Nod-Krai-a remote frontier beyond the snowfields-was once placed with high hopes. It underwent large-scale development by Snezhnayan authorities, establishing an industrial civilization of order and prosperity.

However, during the pitch-black calamity that swept across Teyvat five hundred years ago, Nod-Krai became the epicenter of Snezhnaya's dark disaster. Overwhelmed authorities chose to abandon this borderland, and the dark tide swept across the land, obliterating all traces of past civilization in Nod-Krai. Yet in this darkest age, only a cavalry clad in dark silver armor rode from the northern capital, bringing hope of salvation.

The leader of the legion was a warrior of the Nightingale clan from Snezhnaya. The Nightingale clan was originally a family serving as covert agents, yet due to the favor of the Snezhnayan Tsar, they were honored with the rank of gentry (under the reign of the first Cryo Archon, the royal court was mainly composed of noble fairies, with humans serving only as embellishments; the ability of this family to enter and exit the royal court indicates their remarkable status and capabilities). The Nightingale warrior stood up and fought bloodily for this godforsaken borderland because Nod-Krai had once been his homeland. He had made beautiful dreams under the bright moonlight with his childhood friend.

As if she had long known the warrior's purpose, the priestess of the Frostmoon Scions lit a lamp to dispel the darkness for the hero. Empowered by the Moon God's strength, the warrior drove the darkness into the lightless ruins in the name of the moon, burying the souls tormented by nightmares along with it. Ultimately, after unimaginable sacrifices, Nod-Krai avoided the fate of becoming an uninhabited dead zone completely swallowed by the Abyss.

Amid this calamity, the Snezhnayan regime also underwent a dynastic upheaval. The first Cryo Archon, the Belyi Tsar, fell suddenly for unknown reasons, and the second Cryo Archon, the Tsaritsa, ascended the throne. Amidst the ruins, the survivors of Nod-Krai built an ever-burning lighthouse atop the mountain, gazing toward the new ruler of the winter capital. The hero who had protected Nod-Krai heeded the new Tsar's decree and returned to the royal court of the winter capital to face the sovereign.

To protect his homeland and the childishly pure dreams made with his closest friend, the Nightingale warrior dared to argue before the Tsaritsa's court. The compassionate Tsaritsa ultimately granted the warrior's wish, bestowing a special decree preserving Nod-Krai and granting it autonomy henceforth. As a condition, the warrior had to bear the oath of guardianship and sacrifice, leading his order to garrison Nod-Krai and fulfill the duty of monitoring the Abyss for generations.

Around the ever-burning lighthouse standing atop the hill, the warriors of the Nightingale clan began their vigil through the long night. This marked the origin of the "Lightkeepers" faction, and the history known as Nod-Krai's "Paradise" began from this moment. Following the first Lampbearer, generation after generation of Lightkeepers upheld the glorious covenant through centuries of enduring legacy. With their shining lamps and resolute will, they repeatedly illuminated the terrifying lightless nights, writing heroic stories that inspire both admiration and tears upon this land.

4. Genshin Impact Flins: Additional Background Details

Furthermore, regarding Flins, a detail from the earlier teaser PV must be mentioned. When Flins is dispelling the shadows of the Wild Hunt invading the Lightkeepers' cemetery, a tombstone is illuminated by ghostly blue firelight and given a close-up shot. Transcription of the epitaph on the tombstone yields the following content:

"In sacred tribute to Chudomir the Aarnivalkea."

Based on the previous research on the patronymic part of Flins's full name, Flins's father should be a Lightkeepers warrior named "Chudomir." Therefore, this scene likely shows the tomb of Flins's father, conveying a sense of a child inheriting the will of their parent and fighting evil with a belief passed down through generations, while the father watches over and empowers the child from beyond.

The epitaph's "Aarnivalkea" is a title once held by his father, which was likely inherited by Flins. This concept is derived from Finnish mythology, composed of "aarni" and "valkea," referring to "a flame burning near a treasure." This title may originate from the unique power used by the father and son, specifically the ghostly blue fire seen in the PV where Flins obliterates the Wild Hunt with a single strike.

Indeed, this power can be linked to the story of a certain generation of Lightkeepers warriors recorded in the "Long Night's Oath" set. One year, when the Wild Hunt Calamity returned, the Nightwatch Guardians assembled beneath the lighthouse at the rallying call, ready to march south to the Lembo Isles at any moment to fulfill the ancient oath. Yet the Lightkeeper Commander of this generation remained silent in the hall, for an army claiming to be reinforcements from the winter capital-the Pale Star Army-had advanced to the city gates.

The Lightkeeper Commander knew the newcomers harbored ill intent; this force likely aimed to militarily seize control of Nod-Krai. If they yielded now, the centuries-long hard-won autonomy of Nod-Krai would vanish. The leading officer, aware of the Commander's thoughts, issued a warning in a cold, sneering tone: Snezhnaya could not afford the cost of Nod-Krai's failure. If none of the Lightkeepers returned, they would handle the "mop up".

In this great southern campaign, a young warrior wearing a dark-plumed helmet and leaning on a long spear stood out remarkably. This ancient armor marked the inheritance of a northern warrior lineage, signifying that his ancestors were heroes who followed the very first Lampbearer to repel the Black Tide. Amidst the fierce battle, comrades fell one by one in combat against the monsters, the tundra soaked with the blood of heroes. Kneeling amidst his fallen comrades, the young warrior desperately prayed to save even one more life.

Thus, the warrior prayed to the departed former god (referring to the previous Cryo Archon Belyi Tsar) and the kings he once ruled (referring to the fairy nobility of the Snezhnaya). This prayer awakened a long-slumbering fairy who responded to the young Lightkeeper's plea, reigniting the ghostly blue wildfire from ancient legends. The tide of the battle shifted from that moment...

The Lightkeeper warrior who awakened the fairy fire recorded here may have been Flins's ancestor, or possibly even Flins's father in his youth. Regardless, this power to resist the Wild Hunt has been passed down within Flins's family.

This concludes all the research on Flins, which must include something you didn't know before! Of course, the specific background story and character design sources still await official release. As an important character within the Lightkeepers faction, I believe his story will surely be even more complex. Don't forget to keep following our articles about the new version and the Genshin Impact merchandise on the site!