Halisstra
(a.k.a. The Cloven Princess, Lady of the Choking Smog)
What is a Cloven Prince without his Cloven Princess? If asked, Halisstra’s reply would be “a target”.
”We'll go on a blind double date”, my sister says … “I hear she’s well-read,” my sister says … “I was told she’s a princess,” my sister says...
“glad I wore my armor and exercise,” I said…
In the Hell Bovine fields, none are considered more devious, more nefariously inspired than Methurgh’s “other half”, Halisstra. At least, that is her story.
Halisstra, or Haley to her durable and surviving friends, is one of the princesses of the Hell Bovine fields of the abyssal pits of Outland. She isn’t the queen, or one of the greater princesses. However, she is working on that very problem most days in her leisure time.
Sugar and Spice and Everything Malicious
Where Methurgh is raw destruction, Halisstra is diabolical. She is the planner and thinker of the two. Methurgh revels in conquest, often of the mortal realms. However, just behind him stalks Halisstra, delighting in her latest dastardly invention or curse to “entertain” herself and her “mortal of the week” with.
Her past is as clouded in mystery as any other of the Hell Bovine nobility. Unlike Methurgh, Halisstra is willing to talk, provided she gets something out of the conversation. Often a chance to corrupt a Druid or Sorcerer, her favorite type of spellcasting professions.
She said they squirm in the best way…
I do not know what she means…
I do not want to know what she means…
However, similar to Methurgh, the most credible rumors suggest an ancient lich, perhaps a member of the Runelord Order might be to blame. Halisstra hasn’t been willing to give a clear answer, other than to say… “someone that was just delicious”.
A Certain Kind of Refined Taste
Like Methurgh, Halisstra isn’t without her hobbies and vices.
Knitting. Really, why don't they ever take up simple knitting?
Chief among that particular dark volume would be her love of music. The lady enjoys her serenades, dirges, and musically inclined folk. If the stories are true, she has been known to sneak into the mortal realm to strike an infernal deal with a hapless bard. Perhaps even a singing ranch hand that catches her ear. Once she uses them up, that often sates her thirst for music… for a time.
As best as I understand it, it has something to do with hearing the melodic tunes of an artist’s tortured soul.
I've heard she enjoys singing along...
Physical Description
Special abilities
Baleful Moo
As a standard action once per day, a Greater Hell Bovine can fill the air around her with the cries of tormented souls and cattle. Any characters within 100 feet must make a Will save vs a DC 20 or be shaken and must retreat until they can no longer hear the beast. The save is Charisma based.
Any character that suffers the Baleful Moo once, no matter if they save successfully or not, is immune to the effect for 24 hours.
Hammer Time
As a standard action three times per day, a Greater Hell Bovine can charge her naginata with the fires of the abyss then slam the weighted blunt end against the ground in a single attack. This attack will deal 1d8 points of damage to the Greater Hell Bovine and allows an automatic attack of opportunity. But! All creatures within 10 feet of the beast must make a DC 21 Reflex save or be knocked prone by the unholy force of the blow and take 2d8+10 points of damage.
Searing Snort
As a standard action twice per day, a Greater Hell Bovine can let out a snort of searing hot steam. This attack targets a single character who must make a DC 21 Reflex save or be seriously scalded with Unholy hot steam and take 1d10+5 points of damage.
A good-aligned character will take an extra 2d6 points of damage!
Apparel & Accessories
Unlike her counterpart on the spear side, Halisstra does pay attention to her garb. What one wears is every bit as much of a weapon or a tool as what one wields!
That said, Halisstra takes care to dress appropriately to the occasion. She likes durable materials: weaves of bamboo thread, or properly treated leather dyed in mortal viscera, or properly tailored linen (perhaps sandwiching a micromail layer in between!) with additions of decorative fringe, beads, embroidery, or whatever other musical expression she may have extracted from a conquest.
Tiaras are always in fashion.
(She is a princess, after all!)
In the Oatman Canyon region, Halisstra chose to draw inspiration from a mortal musician named Dorothy Page, also known as "the Singing Cowgirl". Halisstra wears a serviceable yet flattering long-sleeve khaki shirt under a delightful brown vest and swirly multi-panel khaki skirt. The vest and skirt have been trimmed with tasteful blood-red fringe and bone bead embroidery, possibly still moist with the memory of their mortal origins.
She does own an Oatman Hat that perfectly matches the outfit.
But it detracts from her brassy tiara.
So she left the hat hanging on her back, tied in place via a length of braided artery as a hat-ribbon.
Specialized Equipment
Like any Greater Hell Bovine, she can wield the the traditional Unholy War Battleaxe and Unholy War Hammer with ease. Many times in the past, she has. However, at least 1000 generations ago she felt a war hammer and battleaxe were unladylike. So, she made a change.
Therefore, after murdering a Hell Bovine blacksmith to be able to borrow his forge, she melted down her war hammer and battleax into something new. Weapons she felt were more ... appropriate for her delicate nature.
Deathsong
Unholy Ominous Naginata +2This weapon is an appropriately-sized staff affixed to a 1 1/2 foot long blade that appears to be a meld of dark steel and a deep purple gemstone. The stone glows with a sickly, inner light as if something alive is trapped inside.
To Hit +18+1+2 If Full Attack, then add 2 additional attacks to targets within 5 feet: +13+1+2 and +8+1+2
Normal damage d10+4 (1d10+4/x3), damage vs "good" 2d6+d10+4 (2d6+1d10+4/x4)
Special reach, see below.
Greater Curse. This unholy curse is her favorite to use on druids, rangers, and clerics. It can be released from Deathsong as a standard action, twice per day.
Victims of this curse cause all magical and non-magical liquids within 10 feet to grow stagnant. Plants within 10 feet wither as the moisture is vampirically drained from them. This moisture forms a slithering green ichor that covers the victim, slowly eating at them at 1d6 points of damage per day. A spellcaster must make a Save vs Reflex against a DC of 10 + their level to successfully cast any spell.
Once struck, a victim may make one Save vs Fortitude (or vs Will if a sorcerer or monk) to reduce the curse's aura range to 5 feet and the damage per day to 1d4.
If left unchecked, the victim will melt away into a primitive gelatinous cube.
To cure a victim of this curse, they must bathe in a soup made of mimic jerky and red wine while having Remove Curse cast on them.
Range is 50ft.
This can be released form Deathsong 2 times per day at a victim. This is a blast of an unholy combination of shadow negative energy and hellfire. The target rolls Save vs Reflex to avoid being hit. If hit, armor spells will defend the user.
Damage is 1d10 negative energy. Victim attracts undead for 24 hours.
A good-aligned character will take an extra 2d6 points of damage!
Range is 100ft.
This can be released from Deathsong 2 times per day at a victim. The victim must make a Save vs Reflex at a DC 21 to avoid being hit.
Once hit, the victim loses either 1d8 spell points from a spell caster, or 1d6 points of Chi from a monk. If the victim has no chi or spell points or is not a spellcaster, they take 1d10 points of negative energy damage. This drained energy will automatically flow into the nearest undead source, healing it. Magical armor spells or armor does not protect against this spell. It must be avoided.
A good-aligned character will take an extra 2d6 points of damage!
Range is 50ft.
Dark Delight
Unholy Ominous Returning Chakram +2This dark steel sharpened chakram is lined in foul runes that glow a hellish red and dance along the circumference of the weapon. When thrown, a cacophonous cackling echoes within 50 feet around the weapon as it hurls towards its target.
No matter if it strikes its target or misses, the foul creation flies back to the one who threw it.
To Hit +14+1+2 If Full Attack on multiple targets within 5 feet of each other, also roll +9+1+2 and +4+1+2
Normal damage d10+4 (1d10+4/x2), damage vs "good" 2d6+d10+4 (2d6+1d10+4/x2)
Range 30ft
Special Any victim hit by the weapon must make a Save vs Will against a DC 17. If they fail, in addition to the damage, the cackling laughter echoes in their mind, causing all attacks to be made at a -1 (cumulative per hit from Dark Delight) and any spellcasters or monks must roll a Save vs Will against the same DC before attempting a spell or monk ability.
So when she is out and about, she is often carrying Deathsong and Dark Delight, as those are her favorite among her 'battle ready' fashion accessories. These are in addition to the usual strengths, powers, and abilities of a Greater Hell Bovine.
Mental characteristics
Gender Identity
She is indeed extremely feminine in her aspect and presentation.
While she would like her pronouns to be "Her Harrowship", even Halisstra recognizes that this is a crass perversion of pronoun definition. The correct answer is, in fact, "she/her".
Divine Classification
Demon
Species
Age
unknown, and it is not polite to ask
Children
Gender
female
Eyes
black
Hair
gorgeous brass horns
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
light chestnut fur
Height
7 foot, 10 inches tall
Weight
1900 lbs (862kg)
Quotes & Catchphrases
Methurgh... dahling ... pass the fresh druid would you? I've a delicious idea...
Oh, a sorcerer! They are so like a box of chocolates... you never know what you'll get!(( more will be transferred here from The Ugly sidebar after Chapter 16 ))
Striking, From a Certain Point Of View
It's worth noting that Halisstra is unusual among Greater Hell Bovines as she takes great pains to care for her appearance. Fur brushed just so for that special demonic glimmer and so on. Quite the Greater Hell Bovine bombshell in her own way.
However, she dislikes the brimstone stench common to Greater Hell Bovines and is always in search of a way to tamper it down.
Legends of Elohey is a work of pure, unabashed fiction. In fact, it considers itself rather fancy and quite proud of itself, when it isn’t worrying itself to distraction. Names of characters, places, events, organizations and locations are all creations of the author’s imagination for this fictitious setting.
Any resemblance to persons living, dead, or reanimated is coincidental. The opinions expressed are those of the characters and should not be confused with any of the authors, since the characters and the authors tend to disagree a lot.
Unless otherwise stated, all artwork and content are © CB Ash, 2016-2024, All Rights Reserved
Cover image:
by
CB Ash
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