Elise Kythera Zaavan

"Beauty is power too, and can strike swifter than any sword."

— Elise Kythera Zaavan

Archdevil of Envi

Elise is a deadly predator who dwells in a shuttered, lightless palace, deep within the seven hell. She was once the mistress of a powerful noble house, until the bite of a vile spider-god transformed her into something utterly inhuman, yet still beautiful—an arachnoid creature, drawing unsuspecting prey into her web. Elise now feeds upon the naive and the faithless, and there are few who can resist her seductions.
As an Archdevil, Elise is now as a stratege, and an expert in Curses.

Elise Kythera Zaavan

(Archdevil)

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Titles
Spider-Queen
The seductress
The Parasite Monarch
Race
Human (formely)
Sex
Female
Alignment
Lawful Evil
Symbol

by Claudio Pozas

Year of Birth

1326 BD 2462 Years old

Characteristics

Mental traits

Elise loves to play with her prey, to manipulate and to act indirectly, often called the parasite monarch, as she is known to force her prisoner to spy for her thanks to spiders, and other bugs parasitizing their mind. Thanks to this, Elise maintains an important web of spies all around the world and makes sure that her influence continues to grow.
Elise also loves to seduce, a token of her past, but legend tells of her, coming into Toriel in her Human guise, to seduce and manipulate nobles of all kinds, affirming her seductive power.

History

Genesis

Lady Elise was born centuries ago to House Kythera, one of the oldest bloodlines of the Orrin civilization, and swiftly learned the power of beauty to influence the weak.
When she came of age, she entertained the courtship of Berholdt, heir to House Blackmoore. Their union was opposed by many, since it would strengthen Kythera at Blackmoore’s expense—but Elise worked hard to beguile her intended husband, and manipulated her detractors to secure a betrothal.
Berholdt Blackmoore, remained the face of his house, but it was clear who was in charge. As Time passed, his resentment grew. One evening, over a typically frosty dinner, Berholdt revealed he had poisoned her wine, and demanded Elise withdraw from society and allow him to take up the reins of power. Knowing he would have the antidote about his person, Elise played the role of a remorseful wife, weeping and begging her husband’s forgiveness. Just as it seemed he might be convinced, she snatched up a knife and plunged it into his heart.
Even with the antidote, Elise was bedridden for weeks…
With her husband Death, Elise saw a path to greater power. She met often with the most prominent members, trading influence and thwarting her rivals in a complex web of tangled schemes. With the wealth of two houses, there were not many who could oppose her, and she became even more adept at persuading others to do her bidding.
Eventually, she learned of an object that held great power, the Book of Vile Darkness, rumored to have been hidden long ago on a remote island. Elise found a desperate, debt-ridden captain willing to bear her and a handful of devotees to the said island. They came ashore on a beach of ashen sand, and were tormented by spiteful wraiths as they searched in vain for the lost book.
But Elise found something she had not anticipated.
A creature of the long-forgotten past had made its home in the lightless depths beneath the city. This bloated, chitinous monster was the archdevil Vilemaw, the archdevil of envy, and it erupted from the darkness to devour the intruders, before sinking its fangs into Elise’s shoulder. She fell, howling and convulsing as the venom wrought terrible changes upon her body. Her spine rippled with undulant motion, and arachnoid legs pushed out from her flesh.
Finally, breathless with the agony of transformation, Elise turned to find her new master looming above her. An unspoken understanding passed between them in that moment, and she scuttled back to the beach, untroubled by the Isles’ spirits as she weaved in and out of the twisted treeline.
Some weeks later, when her ship arrived back in the dead of night, Elise had regained her human form… though she was the only living thing left aboard.
Elise once again took up residence in the neglected halls of House Blackmoore, carefully cultivating a reputation as a seductive yet unreachable recluse. Few have ever guessed her true nature, yet fanciful rumors abound—wild tales of her ageless beauty, and a terrifying, voracious creature said to lair in the bowels of her dilapidated, dust-wreathed palace.
Over the years, Elise brought many souls back to her master and grew her influence in the Orrin kingdom. On her path to an ever greater power, she started to be jealous of her master position, especially as humans were getting suspicious of her ageless body. Soon, she gathered many of her devotee and sent them to storm the island, home to a portal to her master palace in Invidia.
During the conflict, Vilemaw contacted Elise, knowing she was the traitor, but Elise used her charm and convinced him she was on his side, coming back to him, and fighting alongside him against her own devotee. The two of them easily got rid of the army Elise previously sent, the spider lady using this occasion to gain her master's trust. More than a servant and ally to the archdevil, she became his concubine.
With Vilemaw trust earned, Elise finally betrayed him, sinking a dagger through his heart when his back was turned, becoming the new archdevil, the Spider-Queen.

by PersonalAmi

Titan and vampires

Rose Fancy, who secretly serves Elise as a warlock, proposes that the party seek Elise's help in their struggle against the titan Hedroforn. Elise agrees to aid them, but only in exchange for their souls and their promise to carry out her dark wish: the murder of Lenore Remington.
Elise's desires are driven by her envy of other archdevils. She covets the vast wealth of Fury, the adoration that Zariel commands, and the immense power of Asmodeus. However, none of these can be directly acquired by the adventurers. Instead, Elise focuses her envy on something more personal: she desires the companionship of Sir Silver Remington, a higher Vampire already committed to his wife, Lenore Remington. Unable to win Silver's favor through conventional means, Elise schemes to eliminate Lenore, thus removing her as an obstacle.
To ensure the success of this plan, Elise imbues the adventurers' weapons with a powerful curse capable of killing even a true vampire, like Lenore. After much deliberation, the adventurers agree to the pact, and Elise opens a rift that transports them to the Shadowfell, the domain of the Crimson Court, where Lenore resides.
As the adventurers navigate the treacherous politics of the Crimson Court, they eventually betray Lenore. Rose, growing close to her, secures a private audience and then calls upon the other adventurers to ambush Lenore. Despite Lenore's formidable resistance, she is ultimately slain by Rose's cursed blade. With Lenore's Death, Elise's plan succeeds, but the adventurers also pay the price, as Aelsthim's soul is claimed by Elise following his death in the battle.
Once the adventurers have fulfilled their grim task, Rose summons Elise again. Elise, true to her word, releases her hold on Hedroforn, allowing the adventurers to confront the titan once more. However, the battle is fraught with danger. Elise grants the adventurers knowledge of a specific curse that can stop the titan, but the process is perilous. Despite the chaos, the adventurers succeed in turning the titan to stone, and their deeds, like all others orchestrated by Elise, become part of her growing legend.

Infernal friend

After his wife's death and his annihilation of the lycanthropes of the Crimson Court domain, Silver fell into a deep and sorrowful mourning. An abyssal sadness consumed him. During this Time, Elise approached the vampire, offering comfort and a helping hand. Over the years, Silver gradually learned to accept her support, and Elise was delighted to grow closer to him.
However, as Silver slowly began to live again, his love for his wife reignited with a fierce intensity. Resolving to bring her back from the depths of hell if necessary, he turned to his friend, Elise, for assistance.
Elise claimed it was beyond her power to resurrect the dead, nor was it within anyone's power. But Silver refused to accept that there was no Magic or artifact strong enough to break the laws of the world and restore his wife to life.
Offering her help, Elise presented him with numerous contracts to grant him greater power. Under her influence, his castle became infused with the presence of devils, and Silver's strength grew beyond the limits of even the most powerful vampires.
Yet, Elise secretly ensured that his wife's soul remained beyond reach. She worked in the shadows to prevent any chance of his wife's resurrection, ensuring that she would be the only friend Silver could rely on, the only one left in his life.