Onokole

Summary

Onokole, also known as Empusa is a mythological shape-shifting creature with female appearance. Her normal appearance is said to be that of a very beautiful human female which has one donkey leg and an arm made of metal, usually described as Thaedian.
She has the ability to shape-shift, hiding her appearance and becoming even more beautiful. She then lures men and sometimes women to her lair where they are killed after they fall asleep. She is always naked and it's impossible to resist her. According to legend, only one mortal was able to resist her charm, Nathaniel Luther Whytelaw.

Historical Basis

Onokole is a myth that goes thousands of years back, having been born before the Blight. According to some historians she can be traced to one of the Ennea, a woman of considerable beauty and power who was changing companions like regular people change shoes. During the Blight, she became afflicted and used her connections and magical power to cure herself. She was left without a leg and an arm though, due to the incompetence of her aide. This is a documented story, found in the history of the Ennea.
How she acquired the donkey leg and the metal arm is unknown. However there have been mysterious disappearances of men and women who are attributed to her, even now. Investigations by the White Knights have proven fruitless and thus her legend grows.

Spread

After her appearance, it is said that the land where she stepped on becomes full with flowers and she can even create them in the desert. Uncommon growth of flowers has been found near locations of rumored sightings, which only helps spread her mythos.
Nathaniel Whytelaw did not dissuade anyone from spreading the story about him being accosted by Onokole and surviving. This however might be due to the fact that he was gone for many years and he wanted to keep his actual travels a secret. In some instances it has been reported that a woman has been seen leading a man, who looked absolutely charmed with her through villages. Whenever someone tried to stop the man from following them, he attacked them and escaped with the woman.

Variations & Mutation

Her appearance can change from location to location. For example while it is universally accepted that her leg is indeed that of a donkey, her arm has been reportedly made of different metals. Most common is Thaedian, probably due to its magical elements.
Other changes include her hair and eye color or the amount of clothes she wears, which varies from none to a single article.

Cultural Reception

Onokole's legend, is a story mostly used for caution, especially for lone travelers and is considered a good horror story.

In Literature

Many poems, such as The Lady or the Blossom of Death have been written about Onokole. Also researchers have spent years trying to find her, with some of them going missing and at least two books written about her.

In Art

A famous painting, found in the palace of the Empire of Ilion, called The Knight And The Flower is said to depict one of Onokole's victims. In the painting there is a knight who has dropped his shield and weapon next to a flower, on the ground and seems to be looking at a female figure between some trees.

Date of First Recording

Unknown