Genshin Impact: Unveiling Fontaine's Enigmatic Non-Human Characters

During the conclusion of Genshin Impact's Version 3.8 Special Program, players were pleasantly surprised by HoYoverse's unveiling of the newest nation in the game: Fontaine. Governed by the Hydro Archon, Fontaine draws inspiration from France, as evidenced by its name, which translates to 'fountain' in French. Serving as the "Nation of Justice," Fontaine showcases a fascinating blend of advanced technology and an underwater environment. With its unique backdrop and rich culture, Fontaine has the potential to surpass other Genshin Impact nations in terms of storytelling, exploration, and the introduction of captivating characters.

HoYoverse has already introduced several characters hailing from Fontaine, such as Lyney and Lynette in the Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview, and Charlotte in the "Duel! The Summoner's Summit!" event of Version 3.7. Players eagerly anticipate further revelations regarding the diverse cast of characters from Fontaine. However, it is worth contemplating the potential inclusion of non-human characters unique to Fontaine. Similar to Liyue's adepti and Inazuma's youkai, Fontaine should present its own extraordinary non-human entities to captivate and intrigue players.

Current Non-Human Characters From Fontaine

HoYoverse has already introduced a non-human character from Fontaine called Lynette. With her feline ears and tail, Lynette appears to be a cat girl similar to Diona from Mondstadt and Kirara, the nekomata from Inazuma. We don't know much else about Lynette, but her sibling Lyney doesn't possess any feline features. Lyney is mentioned by Kirara, who was impressed by his magic tricks and wondered if he was a youkai like herself. It's possible that Lyney is either concealing his cat features, is a different species from Lynette, or is a human with supernatural abilities.

Additionally, the Version 3.8 Special Program showcased a new character in Fontaine who is most likely an officer. Alice refers to this little pink creature as a Melusine, a female spirit associated with fresh water. In European folklore, a Melusine is typically depicted as a mermaid-like being with a serpent-like lower body. However, in Genshin Impact, the Melusine is depicted as a bipedal creature resembling a fawn, complete with a tail and small wings. The pink Melusine does not appear to be a playable character, but it is possible for HoYoverse to create a character of the same species.

Possible Non-Human Characters Hinted in the Fontaine Reveal

During the Fontaine reveal, a delightful scene unfolded as little Melusine skipped along one of the streets of Fontaine. Amongst the passersby, a robot quietly strolled. Fontaine prided itself on its technological advancements, although it may not have reached the same level as Snezhnaya, known for creating the Katherynes found throughout each nation. Nevertheless, this particular robot differed from the traditional Ruin Machines seen in other nations, as it took on a more humanoid form, rather than being a towering, weaponized beast. It was speculated that this robot served as a security guard, patrolling the city under the directive of the Hydro Archon.

If the creators, HoYoverse, were to explore their imagination, they could potentially introduce a robotic character within the realm of Fontaine. HoYoverse already has plans to introduce a robot character named Screwllum in their other game, Honkai: Star Rail, so it is a conceivable notion to extend this idea to Genshin Impact. However, in contrast to the puppet-like Wanderer from Inazuma, Fontaine's robot character should not resemble a human and should not exhibit overly human-like behavior. Nonetheless, the character should possess its own intriguing personality and visually captivating design.

Lastly, to continue the trend of animal-inspired non-human characters, Fontaine's new underwater setting provides several possibilities for character ideas. Similar to Ganyu, who is a half-qilin, and Tighnari, who is part-fox, a Fontaine character could have traits of an aquatic creature. For example, the fish, crabs, and rays depicted in the reveal could be combined with a humanoid body, creating a mystical Fontaine creature. Additionally, the Oceanids, a native species of Fontaine, could be an interesting choice for a playable character, possibly taking on a human-like form.

Genshin Impact is currently available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5, with a Switch version currently under development.