Lulu

A Beacon of Hope

Lulu

Lulu is a hollyphant of Mount Celestia, a longtime companion of the once-angel, once-archdevil Zariel, the good friend and patron of the solar Alesine Zadava, and a member of the Lost Star Detectives.

History

Zariel's Companion

Born ages past in Mt. Celestial, Lulu spent her lengthy early life living in Lunia, the lowest level of the Seven Heavens. It was there that Lulu met Zariel, an angel of Lathander, who was recovering from the shock, grief, and anger of Ashmedai's betrayal during the Averniad. Lulu helped Zariel find herself again, and when she rejoined the armies of Heaven, Lulu was right by her side, serving as her friend and warmount.
Lulu was also with Zariel during the trial of Ashmedai, who now called himself Asmodeus. During the trial, Zariel was denied the right to speak about her experiences during the Averniad, as the charges placed against Asmodeus were near endless and had to be truncated. Zariel, angered, demanded to speak and was refused, ultimately being forcibly removed from the trial.
In the 9th Century CR, the demon lord Yeenoghu was terrorizing the settlements of the Winding Water in Northwest Faerun on the planet Toril. Zariel, now at the command of a celestial host, arrived on the Material Plane with Lulu to put an end to the demon's rampage, intercepting Yeenoghu outside the village of Idyllglen. However, before confronting the demon lord, Zariel's force encountered an infernal legion, led by Glasya, daughter of Asmodeus and future Archduke of Malbolge, who had arrived on the Material Plane for the same purpose. Glasya invited Zariel to talk before the two sides came to blows, and after their talk, Zariel and Glasya decided to work with one another against Yeenoghu. Side by side, the angels and devils emerged victorious, banishing Yeenoghu back to the Abyss, and the two sides parted without coming to blows themselves, their common purpose fulfilled. In thanks, Idyllglen raised a statue in Zariel's honor.
In the early 10th century, decades later, a group of bandit ogres began ravaging and attacking the settlements along the Winding Way. The people of Idyllglen raised a local militia to defend themselves, led by the daughter of a local farmer named Yael. The people of the village also prayed to the statue of Zariel to save them once again. Hearing their prayers, Zariel and Lulu returned in 912 and worked with Yael to lead the Idyllglen militia to victory over the ogres. Zariel and Lulu also found themselves forming a strong friendship with Yael, and when the two celestials returned to Heaven, they did so with a heavy heart, not expecting to see Yael again.
However, meeting Yael lit a fire in Zariel. For centuries, Zariel had been growing increasingly angered at Heaven's seeming unwillingness to get invovled in the Blood War, allowing the demons of the Abyss and devils of Hell to fight themselves using mortal souls as pawns. During one venting conversation with Lulu, the hollyphant suggested that the two of them take direct action, training Yael's bandit-fighting force to disrupt the balance of the Blood War, invading the Abyss and opening a bulwark, forcing Heaven's hand.
In 918, Zariel and Lulu returned to Idylglen, finding that Yael had turned her militia into a regional peacekeeping force. When she heard about the celestials' plan, Yael was instantly onboard, encouraging the three of them to keep dreaming bigger.
Over the next two years, the Idylglen militia expanded and was shaped into a Zarielite Crusade. In 919, High Rider Olanthius of Elturel pledged his cause to the crusade, moving its headquarters to Elturel and causing the crusaders and the Riders of Elturel to become synonymous. The crusade was also joined by Haruman, Lord Knight of the Far Hills, and his forces. Together, Haruman, Olanthius, and Yael became the three mortal generals of the crusade. Olanthius and Yael also feel deeply in love with one another, though their dedication to the cause prevented them from acting on it.
In 920, Yeenoghu, hearing about the crusade's plans, began attacking settlements along the Winding Water, hoping to bait the crusaders into a trap. His ploy succeeded, and the Zarielites attacked Yeenoghu's forces outside of Idyllglen, which Yeenoghu had chosen for a battlefield to exploit Zariel and Yael's emotional connection to the village. In the resulting battle, the crusaders appeared ready to entirely rout the demonic force before Yeenoghu broke through the mortal lines, captured Yael, and ripped open a portal to Avernus in the Nine Hells. Olanthius and the other crusaders charged after their captured comrade and fell into Yeenoghu's trap, as infernal legions of Hell arrived to stop what they saw as an invasion. Many of the crusaders, led by Jander Sunstar, retreated back to the Material Plane before the portal closed, but Olanthius, Haruman, Zariel, Lulu, and Yael, who fought and freed herself from Yeenoghu, remained defiant to the end and managed to destroy an infernal legion before a second one arrived, killing nearly all of the crusaders.
Zariel, broken and wounded, having lost her arm in the fight, feared what might be done to her upon being captured. In desperation, she placed a piece of her divine essence into her sword and gave it to Yael to keep safe, ordering Lulu to take them both and run. Zariel's fear was justified, as Asmodeus himself would arrive in the battle's aftermath and convince Zariel to join him as an archdevil.
For the next year, Lulu and Yael attempted in vain to flee Avernus, but were stopped by devils and demons at every turn and finding only a few temporary shelters, such as Fort Knucklebones. In time, Yael began flagging and entered into a warlock pact with Lulu to keep her strength up, but it was for naught. In 921, with demons closing in, Yael prayed to the gods to protect the sword and Lathander answered her prayer. Lathander built around the sword an alabaster fortress to protect it, fueled by Yael's own life, killilng her in the process. The very landscape of Avernus rejected this holy intrusion, and the fortress was enveloped inside of a protective cyst, as was Lulu.

Lulu Alone

Lulu remained enveloped in the cyst for centuries, until like a splinter she was dislodged in the mid-1400s. She attempted to again escape Avernus, but was captured by the caravan master Mahadi, who drugged Lulu with the memory-fogging waters of the River Styx to keep her compliant while he shaved her tusks as they grew for their rare properties. However, Mahadi learned that Zariel, now Archduke of Avernus, had a history with a golden hollyphant and presented Lulu to Zariel as a gift, avoiding an attack by the warlord Bitter Breath along the way.
Zariel was eager to learn where her sword was, desiring its power, and was disappointed that Lulu's memory was addled by the Styx, as the hollyphant did not even recognize her former friend nor seem aware of where she was. Still caring for Lulu, Zariel ordered the hollyphant to be returned to Mount Celestia, but the group of devils escorting her were attacked by another warlord during their journey, and Lulu wandered off in the chaos.
In time, the effects of the Styx faded and Lulu became cognizant, though she could not remember much of anything about her past. By following the Styx, Lulu eventually came upon Nexus, a gateway between various planes, and was deposited outside of Neverwinter in 1488.
Following some faint recollection of Idyllglen and the Winding Water, Lulu ambled her way south, where she was found by Sylvira Savikas, a researcher of Hell. To Sylvira's amazement, Lulu appeared to remember being involved in the Charge of the Hellriders and was taken back to Candlekeep while Sylvira attempted to learn more from her, with little success.

The Lost Star Detectives

(See the Lost Star Detectives)
In the summer of 1497, Elture was teleported into Avernus as a result of a pact created by Zariel. A group of adventures, calling themselves the Lost Star Detectives, began trying to discover what happened to the city, eventually discovering an infernal puzzlebox and the Shield of the Hidden Lord in Baldur's Gate, taking them to Candlekeep for further information. While there, the Detectives discovered half of Zariel's pact to damn Elturel and were told that the Shield of the Hidden Lord was a tool created by the archdevil Gargauth. Hearing about Zariel and seeing the pact also triggered for Lulu a memory of meeting Zariel, one that was so overwhelming it psychicly brought everyone around into the memory as well. Overjoyed with remembering Zariel, Lulu begged the Detectives to come with them to Avernus, which they agreed to.
Taken to Elturel, Lulu accompanied the Detectives in helping the city suvivors in Shiarra's Market, who were being protected by the vampire and once High Rider Klav Ikaia. The group then crossed into the city's High District and retrieved the Helm of Torm's Sight, which allowed Kinsey Eridanus to witness a vision from Torm encouraging the group to seek out Zariel's sword by restoring Lulu's memories. And those memories had slowly been coming back, as various things Lulu saw or heard sparked more flashbacks.
Lulu also began growing closer with the Detectives, particularly, Alesine Zadava, whose troubled past in a devil cult had her relying more and more on Lulu's judgement, admiring her commitment to doing good. Lulu's relationship with Arcus Miursa, however, was never positive, despite her best efforts, as Arcus enjoyed tormenting or teasing the hollyphant as part of his general disdain for any extraplanar creatures. 
After ending the Siege of Helm's Shieldhall, where Xifira Mistmore died, and reversing the temporary death of Dzarya, Lulu and the Detectives traveled to Fort Knucklebones, directed by Torm's instructions. There, they met Mad Maggie, a hag in possession of a dream machine that could allow Lulu to regain all of her memories. Though some Detectives were nervous about it, Lulu readily agreed, wanting to help and believing Zariel's Sword was the key to redeeming her friend.
The first item needed for the machine was Phlegethosian sand, which the Detectives retrieved from Bel's Forge while also planning to use the forge to destroy the Shield of the Hidden Lord. Lulu was instrumental in allowing the Detectives to infiltrate the forge, as her ability to block magic around her kept the Detectives from being noticed. The group did managed to retrieve the sand and destroy the shield, but doing the latter released the archdevil Gargauth, who was secretly sealed inside of it.
Gargauth's release was the tipping point for Alesine, who felt that she couldn't trust her own judgement, and she and Lulu forged a celestial warlock pact, further strengthening their bond.
Lulu and the Detectives were able to secure the three remaining items needed for the Dream Machine to work, while also making stops to attempt to rescue Katya Sinaran's wife Emmeryn from Tiamat, returning to the Material Plane briefly to fight the hag that stole Arcus Miursa's voice, reuniting with the now-undead Olanthius, retrieving the keys to unlock the Companion, and sabotaging the controls of the chains binding Avernus from Zariel's flying fortress. During the latter mission, Lulu and Zariel came within passing distance of one another, and Zariel's hesitation upon seeing Lulu was the only thing that saved the Detectives from death.
Returning to the Dream Machine, the Detectives entered Lulu's mind and helped her recover her entire past, including the location of Zariel's Sword. At the sword's resting ground, Lulu met the spirit of Yael, who had been guarding the Sword for centuries. Multiple Detectives attempted to claim the sword, but Arcus and Dzarya were not found worthy. Alesine, however, was and absorbed into herself part of Zariel's celestial nature, becoming something akin to a half-angel.
The Detectives then returned to Elturel, and during the Battle of Elturel Lulu aided the other Detectives in protecting the Companion, where the group was forced to kill Haruman. Zariel then arrived and was presented with the spark of her own goodness in her sword. With Lulu and the Detectives encouragement, Zariel rejected her archdevil nature, returning to the angel she once was, and Lulu fought to protect the people of Elturel before the entire city was returned to the Material Plane.

A Companion for Two

by Ashley

Before everyone was returned to Faerun, Zariel confronted the Detectives and remarked that she felt unworthy of her own angelic nature, fearful of misusing it again. At Lulu's recommendation, Alesine was bestowed with the full power of Zariel's angelic nature, transforming her into a true solar and leaving Zariel a mostly mundane immortal.
Lulu remained in Elturel for a time helping to rebuild the city and saying goodbye to each of her friends. Then, desiring to make up for lost time, Lulu joined Zariel on her self-imposed exile wandering Faerun, often leaving to join her new best friend Alesine in Mount Celestia.

Physical Description

Special abilities

Like all hollyphants, Lulu has the ability to transform herself into the form of a large war mammoth, though her small, flying elephant appearance is her default.
Lulu also has the ability to communicate with others telepathically, bypassing language constraints. Unlike most forms of telepathy, Lulu's can operate in something akin to a voice chat, allowing Lulu to operate as a vehicle for multiparty communication, a feature that came in handy when Arcus Miursa was rendered mute partway through the Lost Star Detectives' adventures in Avernus.
Lulu also is constantly surrounded by an invisible sphere, ten feet in diameter, that can nullify 3rd level or lower spells cast from the outside from affecting anyone inside. With concentration, Lulu is able to supress this feature.
Finally, Lulu's trunk is capable of expelling bursts of powerful magic, giving her the option of either firing bursts of thunder or magical sparkles that leave good-aligned creatures unaffected by hurt nuetral and evil creatures.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Lulu always sees the good in other people, and would be hard pressed to write something off as entirely evil. Though she recognizes that there are evil creatures that need to be stopped, often by violence, she does not believe that devils and demons are thereby incapable of change, though one shouldn't risk their own lives trying to do so. Goodness, to Lulu, is a choice, one that is reaffirmed every single day and something that anyone is capable of doing.
Lulu is also motivated by friendship, and she is loyal to her friends without hesitation, as shown by her refusal to accept that Zariel was not capable of redemption.
Lulu also desires friendship with others and always seeks to find common ground with those that aren't actively her enemies.

Social

Contacts & Relations

As a sociable and joyous person, Lulu has many friends that she treasures dearly.
Zariel is her oldest friend, and Lulu was willing to go to Hell and back, literally, to redeem her. Lulu never ignored the evil things Zariel had done, but did believe that evil in the past does not have to define someone forever so long as they choose to do better and live by that. Zariel's decision to try and redeem herself proved Lulu right.
Lulu was also great friends with the three generals of the Zarielite Crusade, Haruman, Olanthius, and especially Yael, who was the first of only two mortals Lulu forged a warlock pact with.

by Ashley

Among the Lost Star Detectives, Lulu found no greater friend than Alesine, in whom she saw much of Yael, even to the point where the two made a warlock pact as well. When Alesine inherited Zariel's angelic powers, Lulu would spend half of her time with her in Mt. Celestia. After the events of the Damnation of Elturel, it would not be exaggeration to say that Alesine is one of Lulu's best friends.
Lulu was also close with Katya Sinaran, sympathizing greatly with her desire to redeem her wife Emmeryn and believing that Katya did not have to be constrained by her own past in the Cult of the Dragon or her worship of Kiaransalee, which also was born true when Katya ultimately, and somewhat unwillingly, began worshipping Torm.
Dzarya often found comfort in Lulu, both from her words and her abilities as a great cuddler, and Lulu was all too happy to help the often troubled Dzarya. Kinsey Eridanus was another Detective Lulu adored, and her innocence and curiosity were often mirrored by Lulu.
The death of Xifira Mistmoor affected Lulu greatly, as the two had quickly bonded and Xifira's loss was the first major one felt by Lulu since the Charge of the Hellriders centuries before.
Whisk was as confounding to Lulu as she was to the rest of the Detectives, as her whismy and circular logic only made sense to herself. Lulu liked Whisk, as she does all people, but never felt that she understood her.
On the other end, Arcus Miursa and Lulu had a tense relationship for the entirity of their time in Avernus together. Arcus' steadfast belief in his own moral righteousness and willingness to perform actions Lulu heartily disagreed with, along with Arcus' disdain for any and all extraplanar creatures prevented the two from ever bonding, despite Lulu's best efforts. Though Arcus trusted Lulu, insofar as he knew she wouldn't betray them and they roughly wanted the same things, he never grew to like her.

Species

Hollyphant

Gender

Female

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Bright golden fur

Aligned Organization

Lost Star Detectives

by Sam

Lulu drinking a bottle of ambrosia