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Is ACOTAR's ‘Koschei the Death God’ actually Fionn, the once - and, he likely hopes, future - High King of Prythian? A theory

Koschei Series, Part I

Please don't screenshot this post without credit.

Disclaimer: the following is a theory based on both real-world mythology, and excerpts from the text of the ACOTAR series. It makes no claims of accuracy, though the parallels are interesting at a minimum, and could potentially be on the right track (if I’m lucky). Only the next two books will tell. I apologise that this theory is out before Parts II and III of my Dusk Court series, but after reading into Fionnbharr while researching for my initial Dusk post, it was demanding to be written before the others, and I had a huge case of whatever the theory version of writer’s block is called. I promise I'll get back to them as soon as possible, and I hope that this is enough for the meantime.

This series of theory posts assumes that Azriel and Elain Archeron will end up together, as will Vassa and Lucien Vanserra, and relies on the Dusk Court theory being at least partially accurate. If Elriel, Vassien and the Dusk Court aren’t your thing, you’re welcome to keep scrolling, or read with an open mind, as this first part barely mentions them.

TW: mentions of events such as kidnapping and murder, both canon and from mythology.

Spoilers: the entire TOG series, the ACOTAR series to date (2021), and CC HOEAB.

Additionally, a massive thank you goes out to both @icedflames and @nikethestatue for your invaluable help with this monster; we’ve been talking in-depth about this crack theory for months, so this post belongs to all of us, as well as anyone else who was involved. 💜

The ACOTAR fandom is, by now, well aware of the origins of Koschei the Deathless in real-world Slavic mythology, and there are a some fantastic theories floating around as to how that could impact Vassa and Lucien’s story, such as this post from @mrspettyferr, as well as the overall plot for ACOTAR 5 and ACOTAR 6. However, given SJM has said she wants to blend more than one legend, or fairy tale, together in order to create a new, cohesive whole, I suspect that there could be more going on in Koschei’s story than Vassa and the other trapped women, who remain at his lake, and his wish for freedom; namely who is, or was, he really, and what are his potential motivations? It wouldn’t be the first time SJM gave a villain a backstory, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

In this post, I will attempt to analyse the following topics in a discussion of the ACOTAR texts to-date (ACOSF) that surrounds Koschei the death god - older brother to the Weaver and the Bone Carver - who was trapped at his lake by an ancient fae warrior, thousands of years ago.

Koschei the Deathless, from Slavic legend.

Fionnbharr (Finvarra), King of the Daoine Sidhe of Western Ireland, as well as the King of the Otherworld.

Gwyn ap Nudd, the Welsh equivalent of Fionnbharr, King of the Fairies and the Underworld.

Gwydion fab Don.

The history of the Tuatha de Danann and the Fomorians.

Erebos, Hypnos and Thanatos, from Greek mythology.

Hopefully in doing so we will be able to answer the following questions - and maybe more - in upcoming posts:

Has Koschei been meddling from the very first book of the series?

In what way(s) could Koschei be associated with Azriel, Shadowsinger and Spymaster to the Night Court?

What are Koschei’s ultimate goals?

Fair warning, this is once again a long post at over 8k words, so maybe make a cuppa first. If you have the time, read on...

TL,DR: Koschei was, theoretically, once known as Fionn, and his power was possibly tied to the land that would eventually become the Dusk Court, before he ascended to the throne of all Prythian. He was also, potentially, the original shadowsinger.

In addition to being Fionn, he was betrayed by his queen - was she Oleanna, or the god we now know as the Mother… are they the same person? - and his general - perhaps the fae warrior, or Enalius? - after they realised that he was planning to attempt to take over the world (or something equally sinister).

He did not truly die, though, as he was already ‘deathless,’ with his soul hidden away long before. Once he was trapped, the precursor to the Dusk Court began to stagnate, and eventually fell without a true High Lord to protect it.

What do we know about Koschei, the sole remaining death god in ACOTAR?

We first met SJM’s iteration of Koschei the Deathless in ACOWAR, and since then we’ve gleaned bits and pieces - enough to make educated guesses, but definitely not everything. There will almost certainly be some sort of twist to his character.

ACOTAR’s Koschei is an incredibly old and powerful death lord, perhaps a god of death, who is the older brother of both Stryga - the Weaver, who had spent millennia trapped in the Middle, before she met Feyre in ACOMAF - and the Bone Carver, also both death lords, who voluntarily went into the Prison to evade his more powerful siblings. They were “feared and worshipped” by the (apparently) pre-existing ancient Fae - long, long ago, before the Courts and High Lords were established - until such time as a clever fae warrior tricked them into separate confinements; Stryga at her cottage, and Koschei at his lake. However, even “contained and diminished,” the Bone Carver still considered his two older siblings so threatening that he preferred to remain hidden.

The Carver traced three overlapping, interlocked circles in the dirt. “You have met my sister—my twin. The Weaver, as you now call her. I knew her as Stryga. She, and our older brother, Koschei. How they delighted in this world when we fell into it. How those ancient Fae feared and worshipped them. Had I been braver, I might have bided my time—waited for their power to fade, for that long-ago Fae warrior to trick Stryga into diminishing her power and becoming confined to the Middle. Koschei, too—confined and bound by his little lake on the continent. All before Prythian, before the land was carved up and any High Lord was crowned.” Cassian and I waited, not daring to interrupt. [...] “She could not kill them in the end—they were too strong. They could only be contained.” [...] “To hide from my siblings.” I blinked. “Why?” “They are death-gods, girl,” the Carver hissed. “You are immortal—or long-lived enough to seem that way. But my siblings and I … We are different. And the two of them … Stronger. So much stronger than I ever was. [...] That I have no desire to remind my sister and brother that I am alive and in the world. Contained and diminished as they are, their influence remains … considerable.” - ACOWAR, chapter 23

In addition to Koschei’s status as a death god, he has an incredible proclivity for sorcery; he is capable of making a unit of fae warriors disappear, via winnowing, from across the sea, complex glamorous and spellwork, and placing a functionally unbreakable curse on Vassa. Koschei is also able to deftly manipulate both people and situations, and he keeps women/females trapped as white swans at his lake; why? I have a theory or two, and have heard even more. We know that his main goal is, and has always been, to free himself from his lake and regain whatever power he lost; any help he gives to his allies is purely out of self-interest, so it's curious that Azriel mentioned that Briallyn was aware of Koschei’s manipulative ways, and that she was allowing her strings to be pulled. Could this be because she knows he has done this in the past? To the late King of Hybern, perhaps?

Koschei is frequently associated with bodies of water (the sea and his lake) and the wind, as well as mists and shadow, which is likely based upon the real-world mythology (see below). However, despite his own cunning, he was once outsmarted; this could either mean that it will happen again, or that he will now be wiser to any tricks his enemies hope to play on him.

Interestingly, Vassa avoids talking about him, or providing any real, concrete information that we have heard - my assumption is that Koschei placed a spell on her, forbidding her to do so, before he let her go with Papa Archeron - but also, none of the Inner Circle, or peripheral characters, seem to press her. Could Koschei be responsible for this lack of interrogation, too? We know he is “no mere sorcerer,” but how far do those abilities extend? All Vassa was able to do was suggest that Koschei would take advantage of a politically weakened world… in addition to freeing himself, he would try to make himself its master once again. Once more, could this be because Koschei is a shadowsinger, and they have some form of daemati/luring magic?

Her voice hoarsened. “Koschei is no mere sorcerer. He’s confined to the lake only due to an ancient spell. Because he was outsmarted once. Everything he does is to free himself.” “Why was he imprisoned?” Cassian asked. “The story is too long to tell,” she hedged. “But know that Briallyn and the others sold me to him not through their devices, but his. By words he planted in their courts, whispered on the winds.” “He’s still at the lake,” Lucien said carefully. Lucien had been there, Cassian recalled. Had gone with Nesta’s father to the lake where Vassa was held captive. “Yes,” Vassa said, relief in her eyes. “But Koschei is as old as the sea—older.” “Some say he is Death itself,” Eris murmured. “I do not know if that is true,” Vassa said, “but they call him Koschei the Deathless, for he has no death awaiting him. He is truly immortal. And would know of anything that might give Briallyn an edge against us.” “And you think Koschei would do all of this,” Cassian pressed, “not out of sympathy for the human queens, but with the goal of freeing himself?” “Certainly.” Vassa peered at her hands, fingers flexing. “I fear what may happen if he ever gets free of the lake. If he sees this world on the cusp of disaster and knows he could strike, and strike hard, and make himself its master. As he once tried to do, long ago.” “Those are legends that predate our courts,” Eris said. Vassa nodded. “It is all I have gleaned from my time enslaved to him.” Lucien stared out the window—as if he could see the lake across a sea and a continent. As if he were setting his target. - ACOSF, chapter 7

In addition to learning about Koschei’s well-known wile, and his goal of freedom with a side of world domination, he appears to be after the Dread Trove, a group of three - or maybe four; Amren, funnily enough, cannot remember - Made objects of immense power, which may or may not be different to the objects of power from the Hewn City… It is potentially suspicious that nobody answered Feyre’s question.

Azriel nodded to Cassian. “What Vassa suspected is true. The death-lord Koschei has been whispering in Briallyn’s ear. He remains trapped at his lake, but his words carry on the wind to her. He is ancient, his depth of knowledge fathomless. He pointed Briallyn toward the Dread Trove—not for her sake, but for his own ends. He wishes to use it to free himself from his lake. And Briallyn is not the puppet we believed her to be—she and Koschei are allies.” [...] Nesta found herself asking, “What’s the Dread Trove?” Amren’s eyes glowed with a remnant of her power. “The Cauldron Made many objects of power, long ago, forging weapons of unrivaled might. Most were lost to history and war, and when I went into the Prison, only three remained. At the time, some claimed there were four, or that the fourth had been Unmade, but today’s legends only tell of three.” “The Mask,” Rhys murmured, “the Harp, and the Crown.” Nesta had a feeling none of them were good. Feyre frowned at her mate. “They’re different from the objects of power in the Hewn City? What can they do?” - ACOSF, chapter 20

In fact, Amren and Rhys continued on to inform Feyre and Nesta (ie. the readers) about the three known objects of the Dread Trove, which I would not be surprised to discover were Made by Fionn/Koschei himself, especially if he is the "dark maker" of the Cauldron, responsible for the "death" portion of its name: The Bowl of Life and Death.

The mask, which can raise and control the dead, was created for a long-forgotten king - could it have been made for Koschei/Fionn, King of the Otherworld?

The harp, which can open any door, “physical or otherwise,” potentially even those between worlds (which, for those who have read SJM’s Throne of Glass series, sounds suspiciously like a Wyrd key) - given Koschei and his siblings came from another world entirely, the Harp's ability to open portals sounds like a useful skill he'd appreciate in an object of great power, and perhaps one that he'd know how to impart.

The crown, which allows the wearer to control any living person, even those with strong mental shields - if, as I suspect, Koschei is the original shadowsinger, who may have some daemati-like abilities, then this is another appropriate sounding magic for an object of power.

Then, to really drive the point home, after establishing that this is another case of “like calls to like,” Rhys and Amren drop in the hint that Koschei may know something more about the “full scope” of the Dread Trove’s powers than they do. Why might that be, and how? Again, is it because he Made them himself?

“The Mask can raise the dead,” Amren answered for Rhys. “It is a death mask, molded from the face of a long-forgotten king. Wear it and you may summon the dead to you, command them to march at your will. The Harp can open any door, physical or otherwise. Some say between worlds. And the Crown …” Amren shook her head. “The Crown can influence anyone, even piercing through the mightiest of mental shields. [...] “And all Koschei wants is to be free from his lake?” Rhys asked Azriel. But Amren answered. “No one really knows the full scope of the Trove’s powers. Beyond freeing him from his lake, Koschei may very well know something about the Trove that we don’t—some greater power that manifests when all three are united.” [...] Feyre cleared her throat. “So they are trying to find this Dread Trove in order to track down the Cauldron for Briallyn, and likely free Koschei in the process. And launch a war, with Beron as her ally, that would grant them whatever territories they wish. Or give some to Koschei, depending on what bargain he strikes with Briallyn—probably one to his advantage.” “Again, Briallyn is well aware of Koschei’s insidious influence,” Azriel said. “If her strings are being pulled, it is only because she’s allowing it to achieve her own ends.” [...] Azriel shook his head. “Not as far as I could tell. The Dread Trove was last rumored to be here in Prythian. That’s all Koschei knows, apparently. - ACOSF, chapter 20

In ACOSF we learnt that Koschei appears to have an interest in Azriel; the following passage seems to describe him as answering Azriel’s query about Briallyn with the fact he had spent “so many months” preparing for him (though this is open to interpretation, of course). In fact, Koschei didn’t sound as though he was talking to Cassian until after Cass had demanded that Koschei let Eris go free. It was interesting that we didn’t actually learn whether Koschei sensed Nesta’s Made dagger or not; was he aware, but he chose to save that information away for a rainy day? One would assume that a death god, would be able to sense a blade with death power in it that was stolen from the Cauldron, as Lanthys sensed something about Ataraxia, unless this is a hint that Nesta imparted some sort of non-death magic into her trio of blades... what could it have been?

The being that stood atop the lake was a shadow. It must be a reflection, Cassian thought. Smoke and mirrors. “Where is Briallyn?” Azriel demanded, Siphons flaring like cobalt flame. “I spend so many months preparing for you,” Koschei crooned, “and you don’t even wish to speak to me?” Cassian crossed his arms. “Let Eris go, and then we’ll talk.” He prayed Koschei didn’t know of the Made dagger that Eris had again sheathed at his side, that the Crown’s aura of power had blinded even Briallyn to its presence. But if the death-lord got his hands on it … Fuck. Cassian didn’t let himself so much as glance toward the blade. - ACOSF, chapter 71

In addition to Koschei accusing Cassian of falling for his trick - he is known to be cunning and, if he was once known as Fionn, then he had a blade named for a legendary Welsh trickster, to boot - this could potentially link back to both the trap that was set for the Inner Circle in Hybern, and the fae that Nesta saw being trapped in the vision the Harp sent to her (quotes below). Personally, I think it’s safe to assume that, in addition to being linked with the theorised Dusk Court, Koschei has been meddling for a while - though of course I could be wrong - using any combination of his magical skills, contacts outside his lake, and manipulation.

The King of Hybern said, “The trap was so easy, I’m honestly a bit disappointed you didn’t see it coming.” Faster than any of us could see, Jurian fired a hidden ash bolt through Azriel’s chest. Mor screamed. - ACOMAF, chapter 63

Fae screamed, pounding on stone that hadn’t been there a moment before, pleading for their children’s sakes, begging to be let out let out let out – … It was a trap, and our people were too blind to see it… The Fae clawed at stone, tearing their nails on rock where there had once been a door. But the way back was now forever sealed… - Nesta’s vision, ACOSF, chapter 53

“You fell for it rather easily,” Koschei went on, “though you took your time making contact. I thought you’d rush in for the kill, brute that you are.” - ACOSF, chapter 71

Of note: in addition to Vassa, who has spent time with Koschei, Amren is also afraid of him. Amren, who was supposedly some sort of angel-assassin. Even Azriel and his shadows were terrified. For Vassa, this makes sense, as she has Koschei’s curse looming over her, with an unknown quantity of time left before he recalls her to his lake.

They could make out nothing of him beyond the shadows of his form. Even Azriel’s own shadows kept tucked behind his wings. Koschei laughed, and Azriel stiffened. Like his shadows had murmured a warning. His Siphons flared again. “Run,” Az breathed, and the pure terror on his brother’s face had Cassian spreading his wings, readying to launch— [...] Koschei said, “Tell my Vassa I’m waiting.” - ACOSF, chapter 71

What warning could Koschei have given Azriel?

What do we know about Fionn, the only High King in Prythian history?

The short answer is, we don’t know much at all. While we learnt the following information from Rhys and Amren throughout ACOSF, given the fact that history can become warped as it gets repeated over time, not to mention the fact that biased reporting can misrepresent what actually happened in the first place, I think - as with what we know about Koschei - we should keep an open mind when interpreting it for the purposes of theorising.

According to Rhys, Fionn was given the great sword, ‘Gwydion,’ by the High Priestess Oleanna, who dipped it in the Cauldron herself. Fionn was “one of” the fae heroes who rose up to overthrow the Daglan, the monstrous, godlike race who once ruled over and enslaved both fae and humans, millennia ago; he did so using Gwydion. This was followed by a thousand years of peace, during which the lands (plural) were divided into “rough territories that were the precursors to the courts.”

“The Fae were not the first masters of this world. According to our oldest legends, most now forgotten, we were created by beings who were near-gods—and monsters. The Daglan. They ruled for millennia, and enslaved us and the humans. [...] Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. A millennium of peace followed, and the lands were divided into rough territories that were the precursors to the courts—but at the end of those thousand years, they were at each other’s throats, on the brink of war.” His face tightened. “Fionn unified them and set himself above them as High King. The first and only High King this land has ever had.” - ACOSF, chapter 55

Fionn was then “betrayed” by his queen, a female who had once led her own territory (a court "precursor," perhaps?), as well as his general, who had been his closest friend; they “killed him,” then absconded with some of “his bloodline’s most powerful and precious weapons.” This mayhem apparently resulted in the current structure of Prythian, with the seven High Lords and associated courts. Amren appeared to have been in the Prison the entire time, so had no relevant information to share.

“Fionn was betrayed by his queen, who had been leader of her own territory, and by his dearest friend, who was his general. They killed him, taking some of his bloodline’s most powerful and precious weapons, and then out of the chaos that followed, the seven High Lords rose, and the courts have been in place ever since.” Feyre asked, “Does Amren remember this?” Rhys shook his head. “Only vaguely now. - ACOSF, chapter 55

Interesting, though, is the fact that Fionn’s sword, Gwydion, “vanished” around the time “the last of the Trove” went missing, and has been “gladly missing” ever since. What could have happened to it? Personally, this gives me “The One Ring” vibes, from The Lord of the Rings - a powerful magical object, Made in a magical Cauldron, as opposed to Mount Doom, that will decide for itself when it wants to be found - perhaps Fionn’s great blade has its own plans? If you’re wondering where Gwydion may have been hiding all this time, here is an interesting Truth-Teller theory, written by @icedflames.

“No one has been able to create a magic sword in more than ten thousand years,” Amren said. “The last one Made, the great blade Gwydion, vanished around the time the last of the Trove went missing.” [...] “Gwydion is gone,” Amren said, a shade sadly, “or has been gladly missing for millennia.” - ACOSF, chapter 42

Mythology that could play a role in Koschei’s character

Koschei the Deathless

Many people have already written about Koschei the Deathless (or, ‘the Immortal’), an anti-hero from Slavic folklore, and how the related mythology could play into the story of the ACOTAR character of the same name, so I will try to keep this brief. For further reading, I highly recommend these two posts:

Koschei the Deathless/Three sisters and three brothers, @psychee92

Koschei, @silverlinedeyes

Koschei from Slavic mythology, sometimes considered a god of death, is known to hide his soul inside a series of nested objects (often a bone needle in an egg, which is then inside a duck, and then, in turn, inside a hare, trapped within a chest that is buried at the base of a tree on an island), thus rendering himself functionally immortal, as his soul needs to be retrieved before he can be killed. As an added incentive for him to keep his soul hidden away, whoever holds the egg can control Koschei himself.

According to some, the Russian spelling of Koschei's name hints that it could be related to the word “kost,” which translates to “bone” in English… which obviously brings to mind the following part of the Book of Breathings’ prophecy:

Life and death and rebirth

Sun and moon and dark

Rot and bloom and bones

Hello, sweet thing. Hello, lady of night, princess of decay. Hello, fanged beast and trembling fawn. Love me, touch me, sing me.

[...]

Light and dark and gray and light and dark and gray— - ACOMAF, chapter 57

If the association pans out, I think there are three options for the location of this hypothetical island:

The first is Hybern, an island which is potentially the home of the now-fallen Dusk Court, and frequently connected to "bone" in the text - the bone-white cliffs they fly over, the castle's walls were constructed with bones, and the throne itself is made from the bones of humans (ACOMAF, chapters 61 and 63).

The second option is the hidden island on which Drakon and Miryam live, where the Cauldron - the Bowl of Life and Death - currently resides.

The third is Ramiel, which, while not an island, is one of the sister peaks, with an unexplored interior. Ramiel also means "God's thunder."

In addition to waging war, the Koschei we know of from Slavic legends is also known for stealing women, frequently taking the wives of the hero of the tale - below, you will read that this parallels with Fionnbharr (Finvarra), the King of the Fairies and the Otherworld from Irish legend - which sounds appropriate for Koschei’s ACOTAR counterpart, given that he both has a group of women trapped at his lake in the form of white swans, and he orchestrated Vassa’s kidnapping and arrival at his lake before, we assume, he cursed her to be a firebird by day, and a human once more by night.

“There is … a lake. Deep in—in the continent, I think. Hidden amongst mountains and ancient forests.” Elain’s throat bobbed. “He keeps them all at the lake.” “Other women like her?” “Yes—and no. Their feathers are white as snow. They glide across the water—while she rages through the skies above it.” - ACOWAR, chapter 33

Other powers that are commonly associated with Koschei are:

Shape shifting

Manipulation of the elements

Spellwork

Flying as "vapor on the wind"

He has a "magic steed"

All of these sound like they could be used by SJM's version of Koschei, and hints have appeared already. Koschei is known for his spellwork - as Vassa said in ACOSF, he is “no mere sorcerer” - and he appears to be able to use the wind - an element - for his own devices, and perhaps even the sea, given his association with it.

“Koschei is no mere sorcerer. He’s confined to the lake only due to an ancient spell. Because he was outsmarted once. Everything he does is to free himself.” “Why was he imprisoned?” Cassian asked. “The story is too long to tell,” she hedged. “But know that Briallyn and the others sold me to him not through their devices, but his. By words he planted in their courts, whispered on the winds.” “He’s still at the lake,” Lucien said carefully. Lucien had been there, Cassian recalled. Had gone with Nesta’s father to the lake where Vassa was held captive. “Yes,” Vassa said, relief in her eyes. “But Koschei is as old as the sea—older.” “Some say he is Death itself,” Eris murmured. “I do not know if that is true,” Vassa said, “but they call him Koschei the Deathless, for he has no death awaiting him. He is truly immortal. And would know of anything that might give Briallyn an edge against us.” - ACOSF, chapter 7

In addition to the passage above, one of Mor's POV chapters in ACOFAS had her riding a horse, one of six, all "rare and coveted breeds," that she bought along with her personal estate, Athelwood, three centuries ago.

Early-morning mist hung between the bumps and hollows of the sprawling estate. Her estate. Athelwood. She’d bought it three hundred years ago for the quiet. Had kept it for the horses. Ellia took the hills with unfaltering grace, flowing fast as the west wind. [...] How far away the continent seemed, Rhys’s request with it. To go, to play spy and courtier and ambassador, to see those kingdoms long closed, where friends had once dwelled … Yes, her blood called to her. Go as far and wide as you can. Go on the wind. [...] Ellia’s ears went flat against her head. Mor stiffened, following the mare’s line of sight. [...] Even in these woods, ancient terrors had been known to emerge. But Mor scented nothing, saw nothing. [...] Nothing, except— There, between a snarl of thorns. A patch of darkness. - ACOFAS, chapter 24

"Vapor on the wind" could be represented by the early morning mist at Athelwood, and one of Mor's rare horses could be Koschei’s magical steed; maybe even Ellia herself, who was described as "flowing fast as the west wind." It is perhaps relevant that the name Ellia has a few meanings, including little cinders, truly foreign, bright one, and, interestingly, “goddess” in Hebrew; Koschei is regarded as a death god. I should also note that the Morrigan goddess of Irish mythology also has strong ties to horses, so this could be a nod to her, instead; whether SJM intended the association to extend to Koschei or not, we cannot say at this point.

There are many more hints in the text for the legendary Koschei's influence on ACOTAR, and where the story may go - many others have already written about them - but I'll leave them for another post.

Fionnbharr/Finvarra, King of the Fairies… and the Dead

Many of us have likely come to the conclusion that the High King Fionn we learnt about in ACOSF is based upon Fionnbharr, also known as Finvarra, who was the King of the Daoine Sidhe (fairies/elves) of Western Ireland, according to Irish mythology. However, in addition to his rule of the Sidhe, Fionnbharr was also sometimes known as the King of the Dead/the Otherworld.

Rhys said, “We will walk onto that field and only accept Death when it comes to haul us away to the Otherworld. - ACOWAR, chapter 69

Fionnbharr was not only associated with great wealth, good harvests and powerful horses, and known as a chess master, to boot - the wealth buried in the catacombs of the Hewn City, rebirth, the cycle of life, pegasi and strategy all sound like topics that could potentially be linked to Koschei and/or the Dusk Court as I tentatively understand it - but he was also known for his penchant for kidnapping women, which brings to mind Vassa, and the women (or females) who are trapped as white swans at Koschei’s lake. Unsurprisingly, much of this - horses, stolen women, cunning, association with death - marries readily with the real-world Koschei mythology that I mentioned above.

“There is … a lake. Deep in—in the continent, I think. Hidden amongst mountains and ancient forests.” Elain’s throat bobbed. “He keeps them all at the lake.” “Other women like her?” “Yes—and no. - ACOWAR, chapter 33

Furthermore, Fionnbharr was known for generously aiding those he favoured, which plays in to how I interpret Koschei’s hypothetical relationship with the former King of Hybern - I suspect Koschei was using the late King, while maintaining the appearance of helping him out, with the end goal being his death (what if he wanted the throne of Dusk, which is hypothetically Hybern, free for the taking); but more on that later.

The (potential) influence of Irish and Welsh mythology on both the Dusk Court and ACOTAR’s Koschei

But Cassian scanned the heavy gray sky, as if hunting for spying eyes. Then the moss and grass and rocks beneath our boots for listening ears below. “There was life here,” he said, answering my question at last, “before the High Lords took Prythian. Old gods, we call them. They ruled the forests and the rivers and the mountains—some were those things. Then the magic shifted to the High Fae, who brought the Cauldron and Mother along with them, and though the old gods were still worshipped by a select few, most people forgot them.” I grappled onto a large gray rock as I climbed over it. “The Bone Carver was an old god?” He dragged a hand through his hair, the Siphon gleaming in the watery light. “That’s what legend says. Along with whispers of being able to fell hundreds of soldiers with one breath.” - ACOWAR, chapter 22

I’ve briefly spoken before about the hypothetical link between the faeries of the fallen Dusk Court and either the Tuatha de Danann, or the Daoine Sidhe, from Irish legend, but if Koschei was once known as Fionn - and assuming that Fionn and his queen ruled over the land that was the precursor to the Dusk Court (now Hybern), before he became the High King of Prythian, then I suspect SJM could have been inspired by not only the tales of the Tuatha de Danann conceding their land to the Milesians, but also those of the Tuatha de's fraught relationship with the Fomorians, with a little addition of some Welsh mythology counterparts.

The following will be an attempt to fit what we know of ACOTAR-Koschei’s backstory in with Prythian lore, combined with suggestions for possible in-world history inspired by the Tuatha de and the Fomorians of Irish legend. For more comprehensive information on the Tuatha de Danann, read more here, or watch/listen here; for information about the Fomorians, check out this post.

To recap, the Tuatha De Danann, known as the Tribe of the Gods, or the People of the Goddess Danu, were considered a race of gods - or god-like, magical beings - possessed of a variety of powers, who inhabited Ireland in the 'fifth wave' of invasion recorded in Irish mythology. They are said to have arrived in Ireland from four cities, to either the north or the west (called Falius, Gorias, Finias and Murias), in one of two ways:

From the sky, in clouds of smoke/fog, or

They sailed across a sea, then burnt their ships on arrival, which created the clouds of smoke.

Legend says that the Tuatha de Danann brought with them great wisdom and knowledge, as well as four objects of power, known as their four ‘jewels’ or ‘treasures,’ from each of their four cities, which have been theorised as having been in the heavens, or lands from either the north or west of Ireland; claims range from Atlantis to Denmark to Greece (this could be important, as I think that Greek mythology may also play a role in Koschei’s story, as well as Elain and Azriel's hypothetical journey). As mentioned in my earlier Dusk post, I suspect that the hypothetical Dusk Court fae will have a similar background, as well as powers based around light and shadows (and Sight and Truth), and that they are likely trapped in some form in mounds - perhaps specific mountains, such as the Court of Nightmares in the Hewn City, or the Prison - around Prythian.

The Fomorians, on the other hand, had been battling to claim Irish soil long before the Tuatha de arrived. Said to have come from the sea - remember Vassa’s words? “But Koschei is as old as the sea—older.” - or descended from the cursed son of Noah, ‘Ham,’ they were described as monstrous beings, who commonly enslaved those they conquered, or demanded excessive tributes. Interestingly, Fomorians were also associated with fog, storms, winter and disease.

“The Fae were not the first masters of this world. According to our oldest legends, most now forgotten, we were created by beings who were near-gods—and monsters. The Daglan. They ruled for millennia, and enslaved us and the humans. - ACOSF, chapter 55

Upon arrival to the shores of Ireland, Nuada was the king of the Tuatha de; however, after losing a hand in their battle against the existing people - the Firbolgs - he stepped aside for Breas, who remained king for seven years, until Nuada was fitted with a prosthetic hand made of silver, and deemed able to take the throne once more. Breas was actually of mixed heritage, with a Tuatha de mother, but a Fomorian father. This is where we can start to - hypothetically, of course - blend our real-world legends with what we know of Prythian history (thanks, Amren), to create a potential backstory for Koschei and the hypothesised Dusk Court.

What if Koschei - and thus Fionn, if the theory holds - was actually a Daglan, and initially a god-like rival to the fae of Prythian's world, including what would have become the Dusk Court, if he and his queen had maintained power when the territories that became the current Courts did so. This could mean that the bulk of the existing Dusk Court fae were based upon the Tuatha de Danann, but Fionn/Koschei and the Daglan were inspired by the Fomorians. The resulting Dusk fae would then, hypothetically, be a blend of both. Given ACOTAR-Koschei's association with wind, fog/mist, shadows and the cold - and perhaps disease could be a stand-in for death - I don't believe this is too far-fetched.

Mor leaned forward. “Do you know why the other queens cursed her—sold her to him?” Elain studied the table. “No. No—that is all mist and shadow.” Rhys blew out a breath. “Can you sense where she is?” “There is … a lake. Deep in—in the continent, I think. Hidden amongst mountains and ancient forests.” Elain’s throat bobbed. “He keeps them all at the lake.” “Other women like her?” “Yes—and no. Their feathers are white as snow. They glide across the water—while she rages through the skies above it.” - ACOWAR, chapter 33

But know that Briallyn and the others sold me to him not through their devices, but his. By words he planted in their courts, whispered on the winds.” [...] “Yes,” Vassa said, relief in her eyes. “But Koschei is as old as the sea—older.” “Some say he is Death itself,” Eris murmured. - ACOSF, chapter 7

The Daglan were a powerful, otherworldly, monstrous species - essentially gods - of an age long since past; they consumed the magic of the land, kept slaves, held the “Wild Hunt” to keep their fae and humans they controlled in check, and were known to possess beasts, which many in the fandom theorise could be linked with those of the Hewn City, or perhaps the naga. What if, and remember, this is just a theory, the hollow sister mountains pre-date the High Fae, and the Daglan were the original occupants of the Hewn City, Ramiel, and Under the Mountain? Maybe even the Prison mountain, or the mountain that holds the House of Wind and the library? In terms of crack theories, what if the Daglan’s beasts were originally from the world to which Aelin banished the deities of her world? Could that have been one of the Circles of Hel that we learnt about in the first Crescent City novel?

“The Fae were not the first masters of this world. According to our oldest legends, most now forgotten, we were created by beings who were near-gods—and monsters. The Daglan. They ruled for millennia, and enslaved us and the humans. [...] “Some strains of the mythology claim that one of the Fae heroes who rose up to overthrow them was Fionn, who was given the great sword Gwydion by the High Priestess Oleanna, who had dipped it into the Cauldron itself. Fionn and Gwydion overthrew the Daglan. A millennium of peace followed, and the lands were divided into rough territories that were the precursors to the courts—but at the end of those thousand years, they were at each other’s throats, on the brink of war.” His face tightened. “Fionn unified them and set himself above them as High King. The first and only High King this land has ever had.” [...] “Fionn was betrayed by his queen, who had been leader of her own territory, and by his dearest friend, who was his general. They killed him, taking some of his bloodline’s most powerful and precious weapons, and then out of the chaos that followed, the seven High Lords rose, and the courts have been in place ever since.” - ACOSF, chapter 55

What if, similarly to Maeve from SJM’s Throne of Glass series, Koschei/Fionn made a play for ultimate power and either tricked the High Fae/faeries that he was one of them, or made some sort of deal or bargain to share power with one of the existing rulers - perhaps his eventual queen? I believe it could be a combination of the two, where he tricked the existing fae that he was one of them, and married into a ruling family, thus sharing power with his queen, and weaving his genetics into the fabric of the land. There could be a clue in Fionn’s sword, Gwydion:

Gwydion fab Don, from Welsh mythology, was a known magician and trickster, who was named for his mother’s lineage. Koschei is known to be a powerful sorcerer.

Many experts acknowledge Don as the Welsh equivalent to the Irish Danu, the mother goddess of the Tuatha de Danann, while others consider Don a male ancestor.

Defender of the Kingdom of Gwynedd (more on this further down), he was both cunning and a skilled warrior.

He used his magic for anything, good or bad, including the shape shifting of others.

He created Blodeuwedd as a wife for his nephew, Lleu Llaw Gyffes. @wingedblooms has written a brilliant post about the legend of Blodeuwedd, and how it may pertain to Elain Archeron, and I plan to elaborate on how this could relate to Koschei and a potential use he may have for Elain in another post.

Given that High King Fionn's sword was named after a mythological trickster, could Fionn/Koschei have tricked his hypothetical Daglan brethren into being trapped, similarly to both the fae Nesta saw in the vision the Harp gave her, and the Inner Circle’s disastrous mission to Hybern - that is, they didn’t see it coming? Could the Daglan be the Prison’s original occupants, perhaps trapped in lead sarcophagi to contain their mighty powers? Ramiel? Where else? The following passage sounds like it packs one gigantic foreshadowing punch for ACOTAR 5 or, more likely, ACOTAR 6:

Amren swore. “Lead to keep its full force in, to preserve it. They used to line the sarcophagi of the great rulers with it—because they thought they’d one day awaken.” “If the King of Hybern goes unchecked with that Cauldron, they might very well.” - ACOMAF, chapter 36

Moving on, what if King Nuada partially inspired Fionn/Koschei’s character, and Breas, the temporary king of the Tuatha de Danann, with a Tuatha de mother and a Fomorian father, is the Irish mythology stand-in for the hypothetical child of Fionn/Koschei, a Daglan father, and a mother from the (precursor to the) Dusk Court, who likely ruled it herself before she married Fionn/Koschei - perhaps the Mother, or maybe the High Priestess Oleanna, who created Gwydion… What if they were actually one and the same?

I suspect that Fionn/Koschei and his Dusk-fae (for lack of a better term) wife may have ruled over the land that would one day become the Dusk Court, once Courts and High Lords came into being. This Dusk-fae wife, who likely ruled the land before she married Fionn/Koschei, would then become his queen, when he became High King of Prythian. But who could she have been? As I mentioned earlier, Gwydion fab Don’s mother was Don, who is theorised by some to be Welsh equivalent to the Irish Danu, a Mother goddess; we learnt in ACOSF that the High Priestess Oleanna “Made” Fionn’s great sword Gwydion, by dipping it in the Cauldron herself. In some ways, we could consider Oleanna to be "mother" to the blade Gwydion. While veering into crack territory, I posit that the High Priestess Oleanna may have been both the Mother goddess of Prythian, and Fionn/Koschei’s queen. If this is correct, then who was his general? I think we could learn that it was either the ancient fae warrior, who trapped him at his current lake, or perhaps Enalius, the renowned Illyrian warrior who died on Ramiel, protecting the Pass.

Alternatively, maybe none of this is correct - this is all hypothetical, after all.

Just getting back to Fionn's great sword Gwydion quickly, before we move on:

Firstly, please note I am NOT suggesting that Gwyn will be evil, just that she might be used - a victim - of Fionn/Koschei’s machinations, like everyone else. I am also not saying that this will definitely come to pass but, if Koschei was once known as Fionn, who had the great sword Gwydion, and his character was inspired by (amongst other myths and legends) Fionnbharr, Irish mythology’s King of the Fairies and the Otherworld, then I think this could be where a hint in Gwyneth Berdara’s name could inform what might happen with her character in the future (of course, this may not come to light in ACOTAR 5, it could potentially occur in ACOTAR 6, if it happens at all).

Gwydion fab Don was the protector of the Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd, and a known trickster.

Gwyn ap Nudd is the Welsh equivalent to Fionbharr, as King of the Fair Folk, and their Underworld.

Gwyn’s full first name is Gwyneth, which is derived from Gwynedd, and her surname, "Berdara," means “bloody” in both Malay and Indonesian.

Given the naming similarities between the two Gwyns, the Gwydion link, as well as the association between Fionnbharr and Gwyn ap Nudd, and therefore, hypothetically, ACOTAR’s Koschei, these could be hinting that ACOTAR's Gwyn might be a tool - a "blade," say, or a "trick" - in Fionn/Koschei’s game plan.

Once again, this would not make Gwyn inherently bad - just as Kaltain Rompier from Throne of Glass was neither bad, nor wicked, simply used by an evil character - nor do I believe it would preclude her from being worthy of friendship or love; if SJM plans for her to end up with a romantic partner by the end of this trilogy, Gwyn being used by the Big Bad shouldn’t affect that endgame (same as any other character… it would actually create an obstacle - a plot point - for the pair to overcome), whether that be Azriel or Balthazar or Tarquin, or anyone else. If Chaol and Lorcan were given HEA’s in Tower of Dawn and Kingdom of Ash respectively, then Gwyn, with all of her bravery and self sacrifice, could certainly receive one, too. This is just a potential link that I’ve noticed in the pool of myths and legends from which SJM may be drawing her inspiration, so it might be a huge coincidence, that does not even come to pass; I just thought it was worth mentioning. If it’s not something you personally want to read, that's fine, please be kind.

Erebos, Hypnos and Thanatos

A throwaway line in ACOWAR, just after Feyre had asked Keir for the Ouroboros mirror, piqued my attention at the time, but it wasn’t until I had the thought that Koschei could have once been Fionn, when looking into the Sidhe, that it properly settled into place:

A shrug. “So it is yours, if you dare to face it.” Keir paused at the threshold as the doors opened on a phantom wind. He said to Rhys, perhaps the closest he’d come to asking for permission to leave, “Lord Thanatos is having… difficulties with his daughter again. He requires my assistance.” - ACOWAR, chapter 26

In Greek mythology, Thanatos is the personification of death; a son to Nyx, the goddess of night, and Erebos, the god of deep darkness and shadows, he was also the twin brother to Hypnos, the god of sleep. If there is a Thanatos present in the Hewn City, is the existence of a Lord Hypnos a given? The namesake of a god of sleep, existing in a, hypothetically, slumbering off-shoot of the Dusk Court would be very appropriate. The presence of a Lord Thanatos in the Court of Nightmares not only makes me more certain that Azriel will have a significant association with it in the end - and wonder whether the Thanatos in question could be Azriel’s ancestor - but it also reminded me of Erebos.

If ACOTAR’s Koschei is partially based on Fionnbharr, King of the Otherworld, in addition to his namesake, could he potentially have elements of Erebos and Thanatos blended in, as well?

The Thanatos of Greek mythology, god of death, was outwitted by King Sisyphus, who chained him in his own shackles; this could be indicative of how the fae warrior of whom the Bone Carver spoke tricked Koschei into his current predicament.

Perhaps significantly, the following passage was mentioned three times in ACOSF:

In the beginning

And in the end

There was Darkness

And nothing more - ACOSF, prologue, chapters 31 and 77

Erebos, the Greek god of darkness and shadows, was a primordial deity born out of the primeval void, Chaos. His powers included:

Unrivalled manipulation of darkness and shadows (sorry, Az), and the ability to embody darkness.

Death force manipulation, necromancy and erebo-geokinesis (power over “underworld walls”).

Telekinesis, emotional manipulation and teleportation.

Essence reading.

He was invulnerable… perhaps one could say “deathless”?

Rapid regeneration.

Immortality.

Leadership of the Underworld.

Enhanced power.

A lot of those powers sound like they could potentially belong to a shadowsinger, no? Specifically, those I highlighted in bold could fit with Rhys’ ACOMAF description of a shadowsinger’s powers, and a few other tracks we have gleaned about Azriel over the course of the series.

Rhys said, “This is Azriel—my spymaster.” Not surprising. Some buried instinct had me checking that my mental shields were intact. Just in case. [...] Shadowsinger. Yes--the title, whatever it meant, seemed to fit. “Like the daemati,” Rhys said to me, “”shadowsingers are rare--coveted by courts and territories across the world for their stealth and predisposition to hear and feel things others can’t.” - ACOMAF, chapter 16

And the rest sound like powers that could be appropriate for Koschei as we know of him. What if Azriel has untapped powers, or powers that he, or his hypothetical future child, is/are yet to inherit, because they are still being held by the invulnerable-yet-contained ruler of a long-forgotten precursor to the Dusk Court (post coming soon)? I also suspect that shadowsingers, lightsingers and the daemati are closely related, that perhaps shadowsinging involves some level of the daemati skill - the “emotional manipulation” that I mentioned above. Could Rhys’ accusation of Azriel “seducing” Elain (ACOSF, Azriel’s bonus chapter) be a hint that, just like lightsingers, fully powered/trained shadowsingers can also lure?

Could Koschei - once known as Fionn, High King of Prythian - be the original shadowsinger?

I can't wait to find out.

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