Goddess of Destiny and Time. She's one of the Twelve Gods or High Spirits (Aeolía) who sprang from the Dream of Avá the Beautiful according to the elven myth as related in the Cárpa'dosía. Together with Baveras (Goddess of the Sea) and Jeyriall (Goddess of Harvest) Seyella is one of the three Gods dedicated to the element of Water, which also represents the uncertainty in the flow of time. The first month of the Santharian Calendar, the Month of the Turning Star (Córt'Ometrá in the elvish tongue) is dedicated to Seyella solely.

Image description: The Goddess Seyella covering her eyes with a blindfold, in order not to see the truth of the Dream of Avá. Picture drawn by Seeker.

Mythology. As the Goddess of Destiny Seyella is one of the most feared Gods of all the Twelve, but also the one who is prayed to and called upon in seemingly hopeless situations. At least this is the way commoners prefer it, however, elven myth sees Seyella as a very tragic and desperate figure among the Gods who reign the world of Aér'aí'chán.

Though Seyella is not a Wind Goddess She is said to be closest to Avá's spirit of all Gods, but unlike the High Goddess who dreams of Herself and therefore brings the world into being, the Goddess of Destiny is part of this world. From the Beginning of Time She knows everything which happened in the past, happens at the moment at any location in the whole world and what will happen and the future. Therefore Seyella is often also refered to as the Goddess of Time, Being and Becoming. But unlike Avá, who sees all things on Aér'aí'chán only through the veil of Her Dream, Seyella sees reality in Her mind. She is the Thought of Avá, Eternity turning into Becoming, She is this whole Knowledge, reality of this Knowledge. This makes Seyella a very powerful Goddess, one, that actually may reign over the other deities, and - as the Cárpa'dosía tell us - this was actually once the case. It is told that when the Gods still roamed the lands Seyella was more delighted in the fates of the Children She met than in the destiny of creation itself. Often she wore a beautiful human form with flowing hair and bright grey eyes and whoever encountered Her, encountered joy and hope beyond comparison, and when people thought about Her and prayed for assistance She often granted the worshippers their dearest wishes. As in these days Seyella, as Guardian over Destiny and Time, also had the power to shift reality and to change people's lives through her godly will. She took pity on the lives of many and changed reality whenever She felt the need to do so. And indeed She found that the Dream of Avá bore many sad things, and Seylla saw it as her heavenly purpose to undo them. One such a mythical story of Seyella interfering in the lives of the Children of the One can be found at the elven Mène'téka myth, called "The Cárpa'ál'Wievóc" (human title: "Of the Appearance of Elves in Southern Sarvonia").

Alas, though a God, Seyella was unaware of Coór's dark machinations in the world. And so when Eu'reóll, the Tree of Life, suddenly caught fire out of nowhere, She is said to have stood close to it and in the flames She suddenly saw the real picture of the Dream, a picture on which - though existent in her being - She hadn't looked at before. And the intensity of the flames kindled by the Shadow Himself hurt the Goddesses vision and so She turned blind.

From this moment on the Goddess covers Her eyes with a blindfold, and it is said that if it would be missing one would only see the horror of Coór reflecting in these eyes and not the bright, delighted glance Seyella once used to have. The Goddess still knows all things - origin, becoming and returning of the world to the beginning -, but shocked by the view of the Burning Tree She has no need to see them anymore. Through His vision Coór also bereft the Goddess of Her powers to alter the fate of the individuals, as the horror buried within creation itself left an undeleteable trace of desperation in Her. Seyella also covers Her eyes because She feels the absolute helplessness not to be able to interfere in things existing anymore. She doesn't want to see the evil which has befallen the world, the deaths contradicting Avá's bliss, and so She protects Herself from the destruction, envy and arrogance reigning in many hearts of the Gods' Children. All She still has is the knowledge of all these things. Life without Seyella's existence wouldn't be possible, but Her role among the Gods has changed: it only consists anymore of fulfilling the Dream of Avá in reality.

Importance. Elven and human mythologies are full with references to Seyella. Mainly human historians often interpret the Goddess falsely when writing about the outcome of important battles by stating that Seyella "is deciding" upon the victory of one of the sides. Very seldom it is also recounted that certain heroes or kings who seek Her help are granted insights from the Goddess Herself. - In elven lore the desperation of the Goddess not being able anymore to execute such mentioned decisions is stressed most. Elves also believe that all Seyella can do is to let the mortals view their future, nothing more and nothing less. The path is determined by the Dream of Avá and cannot be altered.

Seyella's main function is to guide the souls after their deaths to their determinded fate: Together with Queprur (the Goddess of Death) Seyella meets the soul of the mortals in the Night of the Changing (elvish Méh'Coór) . While Queprur bereafs the soul of its last connection to the world it is Seyella's duty to decide upon the fate of the soul. At least this is the human interpretation, implying that the soul may eventually be eliminated from the world. In elven mythology on the other hand it is recounted that Seyella, although knowing of the fate of every person She meets at the Mountain of Destiny when the time has come, cannot decide upon this fate, but only speaks with every soul to provide guidance and then blesses it in order to make it return to the world of Aér'aí'chán in a new form.

Symbols/Colors. The symbolic animal of Seyella is the Owl. It is grey like the color related to the Goddess and it is often interpreted as representing wisdom and knowledge. Furthermore the owl usually sleeps at day, but at night it has excellent hearing and keen eyesight and thus brings it in close relationship to the Goddess who senses and knows the darkness of Coór which has befallen the world more than any other God.

The color of Seyella is grey like her eyes were she had to cover. Grey is the color representing Her desperation and helplessness that She cannot interfere in things existing. The essence of Her being is melancholy, but in melancholy lies Her power. Entering a temple dedicated to Seyella may set its visitors in a mood of absolute worthlessness, enhanced by the greyness covering all walls and the poor installments you will find there. But this contemplative mood will also restore the feeling in the humble visitor that it is the duty of the Children of Avá to bear this Dream and to find back to the uncompareable spirit of Avá through one's own deeds.

Prayers. Among the most common prayers to the Goddess of Destiny, is the following:

OH SEYELLA
by Lucirina Telor Vevan

Oh Seyella
Listen to me, listen to me.
I call upon thee,
in this, my darkest hour.
Take my hand, sweet mother
Lead me now,
lead me now.

Oh Seyella
Blind yet all seeing.
Hear my calling,
my trembling, small voice
You that knows about me
Care for me
Care for me

Oh Seyella
I struggle, I try.
Don’t judge me harshly,
for my many faults.
Find in your mercy
a place for me,
place for me.