Selnin Mai (
Nem: 'the Shining Lady' ) is the godess of pestilence, madness and vermin. In the
Faren pantheon she is the daughter of
Ulalte, the Lord of the Underword and wife of
Leitandár the winemaker.
Domain and depictions
Selnin Mai is the godess of pestilence and vermin, and her influence is believed to cause all manner of disease. In her antropomorphic form she is often depicted as a gross, skeletal figure. In the animal form she is most commonly represented as a firefly. This is a reference to the myth of
Leitandár and the Beer of Underworld, where she guided Leitandár out of the
Underworld with her light. This is also why she is commonly called the Shining Lady, by the Faren custom of not naming the gods, especially malevolent gods, by specific personal names.
By her association with Leitandár, god of wine, she is also believed to represent the negative sides of alcohol consumption, the hangover and madness.
Worship
Like the most Gods of the Underworld, she is feared, and most of her rituals center around warding against her influence.
In mythology
As told in
Leitandár and the Beer of Underworld, Ulalte, the God of the Underworld, had kidnapped Leitandár, the god of winemaking, because he was jealous of the Heavenly Gods and mortals that were able to enjoy his wine. When Leitandár was brought to the Underworld, Ulalte gave Selnin Mai, his daugher, as his wife. Later Ásinnár, hero and mortal daugher of Leitandár, came to the underworld to bargain with Ulalte. Ulalte agreed to free Leitandár, but only for half of the year: he would be free to return on the mortal lands for the summer, but every winter he must return to the Underworld. Thus Selnin Mai and Leitandár were also fated to live separated for half the year. Selnin Mai then helped to guide Leitandár back on the mortal lands in the form of a firefly. But when she arrived on the Lands, she also brought her insects and pestilence with her. This is why summer will always bring with it growth and life, but also insects, disease and death.
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