
Columbina Hyposelenia, also known as the Moon Maiden and by her Fatui codename The Damselette, is the Moon Goddess worshipped by the Frostmoon Scions in Nod-Krai. She was born on Hiisi Island 500 years ago, and was subequently adopted by the Frostmoon Scions as their god under the name Kuutar. She eventually chose to leave the Frostmoon Scions after growing disillusioned with them, and instead joined the Fatui, where she became the Third of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. After realizing that they only sought her power, she left the Fatui and is currently hiding in the Silvermoon Hall at Hiisi Island to rest and recover her strength.
Columbina, also known as the Moon Maiden and by her codename "Damselette," is the Third of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers.
She makes her first appearance during Teyvat Chapter Interlude Teaser: A Winter Night's Lazzo alongside her fellow Harbingers. She can be heard talking to Dottore at the end, where she tells him he is looking young and asks him about the "segment in the prime of his life."
Profile
Columbina is the current Goddess of the Frost Moon. She is worshipped as the Moon Maiden Kuutar by the Frostmoon Scions, who acknowledge her as the New Moon and successor of Huurrekuutar. They pray to her for protection, and they have carved multiple statues across Nod-Krai in the image of her past self, called "Statues of the New Moon."
She was formerly the Third of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, where she operated under the name Columbina and codename The Damselette. Columbina was never sent on any missions as a Harbinger, and was kept around by the Tsaritsa primarily for her powers as a moon goddess. She generally had cordial relationships with the other Harbingers, primarily Sandrone, Arlecchino, and Signora, while she also participated in Sandrone's tea parties with Tartaglia and Capitano. Tartaglia was wary of her due to her high ranking despite rarely displaying her power, while the Wanderer regarded her as unfeeling and unconcerned with her surroundings.
As a Moon Goddess, Columbina innately possesses the ability to wield kuuvahki, which is a primordial form of energy associated with the Three Moons; in battle, Columbina's power manifests in a form similar to Hydro. Due to the Frost Moon being sealed beyond the false sky, as well as due to her innate existence being rejected by the world, Columbina is unable to access her full potential power as a Moon Goddess. Nonetheless, she still holds power comparable to that of other gods. After fulfilling an unspecified agreement with the Tsaritsa, she lost much of her strength; however, after drawing upon the energy within the Moon Marrows possessed by the Traveler and Arlecchino, she has now restored her power to a level beyond what she originally had as the Third Harbinger.
While possessing numerous names and titles from both the Frostmoon Scions and the Fatui, she tells the Traveler that they may address her by whichever one they please, as she does not feel that she belongs to either group.
Columbina currently resides in the Silvermoon Hall at Hiisi Island, where she has been requested by Lauma to hide in secret, to rest and recover her strength. However, she periodically receives visits from the Traveler and Paimon.
While appearing to be uncaring and oblivious to her surroundings no matter the situation, Columbina is implied to be extremely dangerous, as both Tartaglia and Wanderer warn the Traveler to be wary around her if they ever meet each other. On the other hand, Arlecchino is less wary of her, stating that if she was to properly answer a question, it could be entirely unpredictable, but any of her answers would be interesting in general. Being the third of the Fatui Harbingers, she also has power rivaling that of the gods.
Columbina is purported to be in Nod-Krai, with the highest commands of the "Palestar Edict" being sent out in order to locate her regardless of the cost.
Appearance
Columbina is a pale young woman with long black hair with dark pink/magenta highlights, tied into two side-plaits resting just over her shoulders with white ribbon around it in an X-shape. She has several white feather-like ribbons on the back of her head that are reminiscent of dove wings. She wears a white X-shaped lace mask covering her seemingly always-closed eyes. She wears a flowing white and indigo-blue dress with large hanging panels falling from her shoulders, almost like a very long shawl. She has a ribbon bow tied around her neck, and a blue, crescent-shaped gem on her chest. She is barefoot except for ribbons tied around her feet and ankles, but she appears to have a sort of floating ball and crescent that functions as a high heel. Her harbinger cloak has a white gem.
She leaves behind white feathers that quickly dissipates when she teleports herself or other people. In her second fight against Rerir, she leaves behind a trail of small constellations that is similar to Paimon's when she moves.
Columbina is a pale young woman with long black hair with dark pink/magenta highlights, tied into two side-plaits resting just over her shoulders with white ribbon around it in an X-shape. She has several white feather-like ribbons on the back of her head that are reminiscent of dove wings. She wears a white X-shaped lace mask covering her seemingly always-closed eyes. Her attire is not clearly seen other than her Harbinger cloak, but it can be assumed she wears gloves, and through one slit of her coat, a black and pink skirt can be spotted. In the ending photo with all of the harbingers, she can also be seen with a white ribbon bowtie on her neck. Her harbinger cloak has a white gem.
Trivia
The melody Columbina sings in A Winter Night's Lazzo is a rendition of the melodies of Chrysalis Suspirii and Saltatio Favillae, both of which are played during the battle with La Signora in Narukami Island: Tenshukaku.
Her headpiece mimics that of an angel's wings, specifically a seraph's.
The pattern on her eye mask and headband are similar in appearance to the pattern on the bottom of a Seelie Court.
Etymology
In commedia dell'arte, a type of Italian theater, Columbina (Italian: Colombina "Little Dove") is a female servant who is often the "only functional intellect on the stage" as she does her best to get the Innamorati together.
Story
Pre-Fatui Life
Kuutar was born within the Sanctum of the Oathbearer around five hundred years ago, in fulfillment of a prophecy stating that a new Goddess of the Frost Moon would one day be born. She does not remember the circumstances of her birth, aside from a particular song that was sung, which she would hum periodically. Her birth was witnessed by Aila, and she subsequently agreed to live with the Frostmoon Scions. During Kuutar's time with the Frostmoon Scions, the Scions felt entitled to her power and cared little about her as a person, instead pressuring her into granting their prayers by giving her unwanted offerings.
Fatui Recruitment
At some point, Kuutar came to believe that she could no longer satisfy the demands of the Frostmoon Scions, so she left them and subsequently joined the Fatui, where the Tsaritsa offered her a second home.
Kuutar was made into a Harbinger, and was given the name "Columbina" and the codename "The Damselette". While serving the Fatui, Columbina was simply kept in Snezhnaya without much to do aside from helping Dottore with kuuvahki-related projects, which she quickly lost interest in. Nonetheless, she would appreciate some of her colleagues' company, particularly Sandrone. When she met Arlecchino, she used to creep up on her as a means of "testing" her. Columbina tried to do the same to her but was unable to until she used kuuvahki, which appeared to have frightened her to the point that she no longer did so. She also learned about Arlecchino's status as a Crimson Moon Dynasty descendant. She also had some interactions with Rosalyne, who taught her to express gratitude to others. Unlike many of her colleagues, she was never sent to retrieve Gnoses from the Archons of the other six nations.
At some point after Scaramouche obtained the Electro Gnosis and cut off contact from the Fatui, she and her fellow Harbingers attended Rosalyne's funeral. After the ceremony ended, she complimented Dottore's youthful appearance and asked him about the "segment in the prime of his life."
Columbina fulfilled an unspecified promise to the Tsaritsa which used up much of her power.
Post-Fatui Life
After realizing the Fatui were no different from the Frostmoon Scions that used to worship her, Columbina left the Fatui and returned to Hiisi Island. There, she met Lauma, who apologized on behalf of her ancestors and had her hide in Silvermoon Hall to rest and recover her strength. The Fatui, disapproving of her departure, issued the "Palestar Edict"—the highest of the Tsaritsa's commands—in order to recover her at any cost. While most rank-and-file Fatui appeared to prioritize the order, Columbina's colleagues were not as interested.
Columbina would later meet the Traveler after they were brought to her by a Luonnotar. She answered a few questions for them in the process, though she became displeased when the Traveler asked about the Fatui, prompting the Traveler to drop the subject. She later helped them recover a memory of the spaceship they used to arrive on Teyvat. Upon learning of the Wild Hunt, Columbina told them that their enemy was the "Rächer of Solnari," who the two recognized as Rerir. She told them she had only learned of this name from her colleagues.
During a battle against Rerir on Starsand Shoal, Columbina used her power to remotely teleport the Traveler, Paimon, Flins, Sandrone, and Pulonia to her residence in the Silvermoon Hall before he could kill them, resulting in Sandrone criticizing her for interrupting their fight. Sandrone eventually left with Pulonia on her own accord, while Flins thanked her for their rescue. As the Traveler and Paimon left, she clutched her chest, realizing that she didn't have enough time left. Later, she met with the Traveler and Paimon in Nasha Town, since the Fatui were too busy and her colleagues likely had no interest in capturing her. She also believed that someone or something was intentionally hiding their spaceship and expressed a desire to return to the moon to find answers.
A while after these events, the Traveler would meet with Columbina, learning more about her past. They helped a kuuhenki, Maalaus, get some materials for painting, who created art of Columbina when she was worshipped by the Frostmoon Scions. Later, another kuuhenki had their lyre broken, so Columbina had the Traveler head to an artisan's house to get it repaired. They quickly discerned that the artisan was Aino, who was terrified upon seeing the lyre as she had often seen it appear mysteriously and disappear just as mysteriously after she repaired it. While Aino was fixing the lyre, Columbina inexplicably appeared and gave the Traveler some trinkets to give as a sign of thanks, only for Ineffa to walk in on them. Columbina quickly hid behind the Traveler, while Ineffa recognized her as the Moon Goddess from the likenesses of the Statues of the New Moon. Aino failed to recognize her, but thanked her for the trinkets she gave and that she was welcome to return any time. Columbina was later decorating the field when the Traveler stopped by to visit her, learning that she needed more stones to finish her decorations. While gathering the stones, they came upon a lost child from the Frostmoon Scions; not wanting to scare her, Columbina used the stones to create a path for the child to safely return home. As Columbina is having an afternoon nap, her knee was bumped by a male Chic Badger, who was found at the entrance of her cave by the Traveler and Paimon. While revealing that she can also talk to animals, she understands that the badger said that he was being chased by monsters when he was searching for Lauma. They then went to the Frostmoon Enclave where Lauma is doing some requests from her people. While waiting, Columbina learned that the motto has changed since she last heard it in the past when Lauma said "May the moonlight connect us". Upon meeting and returning the badger to her, Columbina expressed gratitude that the Scions have changed.
Rerir would later attack Columbina, and even with the Traveler, Flins and Lauma helping her, they were easily overpowered by him. Rerir fired a projectile at Jahoda, but Columbina managed to shove her out of the way while taking a minor injury in the process. Since they could not fight him, she agreed with Jahoda's suggestion to run. Upon meeting with the Northern Intelligence Network, Columbina decided to return to the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau and asked Sandrone to help her arrange a meeting with Arlecchino, as she would have access to the Iridescent Moon Marrow which would help further restore her strength. When Arlecchino arrived, she saved her and the Traveler from the Wild Hunt and later helped them retrieve the Iridescent Moon Marrow, restoring Columbina's power to the level it was back when she was in the Fatui; in return, Columbina entrusted the Iridescent Moon Marrow to Arlecchino. Columbina remarked that it was still not enough to overpower Rerir, but an encounter with Albedo and Durin allowed her to siphon power from him and expel him from Teyvat with Dainsleif's assistance.