Yelan

Overview

Yelan is a playable character from Genshin Impact who operates within the region of Liyue. Officially listed as an employee of Liyue's Ministry of Civil Affairs, she is in truth a highly elusive intelligence agent with numerous disguises and identities, including the owner of the Yanshang Teahouse. Utilizing the Hydro element alongside a bow, she works behind the scenes to gather intelligence and protect the stability of Liyue.

Appearance

Yelan features short black hair with inner blue highlights and diagonal bangs, paired with green eyes. She has a distinctive mole on her right breast. Her outfit consists of a backless blue halterneck bodysuit with bare shoulders, detached sleeves, black gloves, a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet on her wrist. She wears high-heeled thigh-high boots and drapes a white fur-trimmed jacket over her shoulders.

Personality

Yelan maintains a cool, highly rational, and secretive demeanor. She frequently adopts temporary disguises and leaves those around her guessing about her true motives. Although she is drawn to risk and excitement, she makes highly pragmatic choices and deeply values human life, firmly opposing unnecessary self-sacrifice due to past experiences. In her personal taste, she actively avoids sweets to keep her senses sharp, preferring intensely spicy food and rich teas.

Abilities

Yelan is a Hydro bow user whose offensive capabilities scale heavily with her maximum HP. Remaining out of combat readies a specialized charged attack that drastically reduces aim time to fire an area-of-effect Hydro arrow. Her Elemental Skill lets her sprint at high speeds to entangle and mark enemies, dealing Hydro damage upon ending. Her Elemental Burst summons a tactical dice follower that delivers coordinated Hydro attacks alongside active character strikes while steadily raising their damage output. Her passive ability boosts her maximum HP based on elemental diversity in the party.

Background

Seeking the truth behind her ancestor Boyang, who vanished during the Abyss invasion 500 years prior, Yelan initiated a private investigation in the Chasm. Joining forces with the Traveler, Yanfei, and Xiao inside a sealed subterranean domain, she helped retrieve her ancestor's magical artifact, the Fantastic Compass, and forcefully prevented Xiao from sacrificing himself so the group could return safely. Later, during the selection of a new Tianshu, she uncovered a high-level poisoning plot masterminded by the Fatui, thwarting their interference in Liyue.

Relationships

Yelan works under Ningguang as a secret intelligence officer, receiving broad operational autonomy in exchange for her reports. She holds a warm acquaintance with Yanfei, who assisted her during the Chasm expedition. While respecting Xiao, Yelan forcefully clashed with his willingness to sacrifice himself. She also collaborated with Arataki Itto and Kuki Shinobu during their shared crisis underground. She maintains an active rivalry with the Fatui, having intercepted valuable assets and foiled schemes tied to the Harbinger Pantalone.

Trivia

The white fur-trimmed coat Yelan wears on her shoulders was originally a rare beast-fur cloak intended for the Tsaritsa, which Yelan seized during a covert action against the Fatui and refashioned into a Liyue-style jacket. Her right bracelet is an ancestral magical relic whose counterpart was lost during an encounter with a Fatui Harbinger. She enjoys a custom beverage crafted by blending white tea with ground Jueyun Chilis and Violetgrass. Since she became the new owner of the Yanshang Teahouse, the staff's manner toward visiting patrons became far more welcoming.