The Powerful yet Mysterious Hexenzirkel

We have already known that there is a mysterious organization in the world of Teyvat - the Hexenzirkel. Powerful characters such as Klee's mother Alice and Mona's teacher Barbeloth, are both members of it.

It was speculated before that the organization is located in Sumeru because it is related to Astrology. However, we have found no clear information on the Hexenzirkel there. What surprises us is that much information is leaked during the Windblume Festival in Mondstadt.

A. The Function of the Hexenzirkel

According to Lisa, the Hexenzirkel is well-known, at least among the mages. The main business of the organization is Irminsul exploration and formal tea parties.

As Alice once said, the Hexenzirkel is nothing but a group of women wanting to spend their youths together; but is it the truth, that the Hexenzirkel is just an entertaining organization?

B. The Vocation of Mage

Mage, or witch, is a vocation instead of a race. Whether one is mortal or not can become a mage, while the best among them all may be invited to become a member of the Hexenzirkel. We can infer from Lisa's words that she may be invited.

How powerful can a mage be? All humans in Teyvat need a means to harness elements, except the Traveler; but there is another exception that is often ignored - Rosaline, La Signora.

Rosaline lived in Mondstadt roughly 500 years ago and became a mage after her studies in Sumeru Akademiya. However, after she knew that her love Rostam has died, she decides to use "her life's flame" to cleanse "the world's crookedness".

We can tell from the text in the game that, the power of Rosaline doesn't come from her Vision. Even after she became the Harbinger of Fatui, she can still harness Pyro elements without using her Vision. Therefore, this unique skill of hers should be related to her vocation as a mage, because she was once a mortal. This is clear evidence of how special a mage is.

C. The Members of the Hexenzirkel

There are only 8 members in the Hexenzirkel, and each uses the initial of her name as her codename.

1. Codename "A", Alice, "One who would never lie"

The book in her pocket is the well-known Teyvat Travel Guide.

(1) The Age of Alice

Alice and her daughter Klee both belong to a race that is blessed by Longevity -  Elves. Alice even witnessed the last arrival of the Aether and Lumine in Khaenri'ah hundreds of years ago.

What's more, Alice is called the Defender of Old Mondstadt, which is of course not the one of Decarabian, but the era when Mondstadt was ruled by the Mondstadt Aristocracy (2600-1600 years ago), and it was the Four Winds who took the hand of defending Mondstadt later.

Therefore, Alice is at least 2700 years old.

(2) The Job of Alice

Alice is undoubtedly powerful since she is able to travel all around Teyvat by herself. She is now responsible for maintaining the border of Teyvay (the eggshell of Phanes), maybe she is cooperating with someone higher and thus gained some kind of power.

(3) Not Afraid of Erosion

The most natural motivation of Alice is her curiosity. It is her curiosity about the whole world that prevents her from aging in thousands of years of adventure.

No sign of erosion can be seen on her.

(4) Maybe Another One Who Came

Alice is familiar with Earth culture in our reality. She might have been here since she knows terms such as "idol culture", "KFC", and "crossing the Rubicon". (The Rubicon is a shallow river in northeastern Italy, and "crossing the Rubicon" is an idiom that means "passing a point of no return".)

(5) May Know Who Paimon Really Is

When she saw Paimon, she only mentioned her as the Traveler's "good friend", which is not a typical behavior because of her strong curiosity. Therefore, she may know something about Paimon.

2. Codename "B", Barbeloth, Teacher to Mona

She is holding something like a water drop, which may be related to hydromancy.

Barbeloth is one of the best astrologists, who used only hydromancy to observe the truth of Teyvat. She is also a friend and worthy rival of Alice in the field of astrology, whilst Alice is well versed in a variety of magical fields.

Although Mona keeps calling her the "Old Hag", Barbeloth is probably as young as Alice in appearance. However, she is likely a mortal, because Mona said that Barbeloth may reach "the end of her days".

3. Codename "R", "Gold" Rhinedottir, "A flower that is not of this world"

As the creator of many shadowy monsters, the name of "Gold" Rhinedottir is well-known in the world of Teyvat, many consider her as linked to the cataclysm 500 years ago.

While in fact, she just sees the things that are unbearable to normal people as her experiment data. She believes not in God, but in science.

After the creation of Durin, she sent him away from Khaenri'ah to "display beauty", but Durin caused havoc maybe because his soul comes from the Abyss. It is unknown whether Rhinedottir is aware of it.

4. Codename "N", Nicole, "Guide who will never get lost"

While the Traveler ruminates on the consequences of a person's removal from Irminsul following the incident with the Wanderer, who had removed his previous incarnation as Scaramouche from Irminsul and affected Teyvat's known history, a mysterious voice speaks to the Traveler and Paimon, telling them: "Unfortunately, the fate of Teyvat cannot easily be changed. Perhaps a god may have a slim chance, but for anyone else... who can say. History does not change easily, but human hearts can. Believe your own eyes. Only that which you see is true. What is unseen is but an illusion." Her voice disappears after that, leaving no clue as to her identity.

According to Alice, Nicole is a "prophetess" who studies Teyvat's direction and order. Since it is one of the Hexenzirkel's duties to explore the Irminsul, they must know so much about it that they can sense the changes of it.

This is also evidence that there are some who know that the history can be changed by Irminsul and have a way to avoid it. Since the Hexenzirkel can do it, what about the Fatui or the Abyss?

5. Codename "J", I. Ivanovna N.

She might be from Snezhnaya, according to her name.

After her death centuries ago, she successed her name to many, but none was accepted by Alice.

6. Codename "M", Andersdotter, author of The Boar Princess

Alice loves this series of book very much. The content of the book is said to be reflecting the history of Mondstadt Aristocracy, so Andersdotter may be from Mondstadt.

7. Unknown

There are two mages unknown now.

8. The Hexenzirkel's Favorite Place: Mondstadt

Mondstadt is a magical place. Alice left Klee in Mondstadt, "Gold" sent her apprentice Albedo to Mondstadt, Barbeloth also made her student Mona to stay here. What's more, one of their meeting place is right above Falcon Coast in Mondstadt, how love and trust they are to this place!

It turns out that it was the Anemo Archon who invited them to have their afternoon tea parties here. They also trusted him enough to give him a lantern that can contact them.

Some other clues to the members of the Hexenzirkel:

This is "R", "Gold" Rhinedottir. The only child survived refers to Albedo.

This is "M", Andersdotter, author of The Boar Princess.

This is obviously Barbeloth.

This is the supposed seat arrangement of the Hexenzirkel. Barbeloth is more important and has a better relationship with Alice, so she maybe near Alice. Since "J" has left the Hexenzirkel, maybe her chair was removed.

D. The Icon of the Hexenzirkel

The eight characters on the icon represents the eight mages and their succession. Some maybe dead but their succession remains. The branches may be those of Irminsul.

The pattern in the middle also appeared in Mona's story, it maybe representing the truth.

It is also found on Mona's appearance.

Some might have noticed that the pattern is very similar to the symbol of Khaenri'ah.

Therefore, the Hexenzirkel must have some kind of relationship with Khaenri'ah, two suppositions are hereby followed:

1. It is a branch successor of Khaenri'ah.

As far as we know, "Gold" Rhinedottir once worked for Khaenri'ah, so the Hexenzirkel may have been founded after the fall, and succeeded the independent will that led them to make preparations for the battle against Celestia.

2. It succeeded the will of the same ancient civilization as Khaenri'ah did.

Celestia has destroyed multiple ancient civilizations, some of which might have reached the truth of Teyvat. Therefore, there might be survivors who gathered together as a resistance organization, whose spirit and will was later succeeded by Khaenri'ah and the Hexenzirkel. The two successors share the same purpose, so there might be corporations between them.

In conclusion, the Hexenzirkel is an organization powerful but not that aggressive. However, what they can and what they know make it impossible for the Hexenzirkel to stay outside the ultimate battle, and they must be carrying something too heavy for others to take. Lisa might have known some, so she decided not to stay too close to them.