Halisstra Melarn

Personal History
Halisstra entered the Forgotten Realms as a pivotal character during the War of the Spider Queen. An heiress to House Melarn, she enjoyed all of the benefits of a drow noble. House Melarn was a ruling House of Ched Nasad before it's subsequent fall and absorbtion by the clan of half-shadow dragons. She was cited as a spoiled devotee of Lolth, enjoying only hedonism and the company of her battle-captive Danifae Yauntirr. Halisstra also had been taught the magic of bae’qeshel, the gift of bard magic through dark litanies to Lolth.

In the events of the War of the Spider Queen, Halisstra lost faith in Lolth during an excursion on the surface. She was captured by the faithful of Eilistraee and converted to that faith. One of her first assignments as a initiate was to recover the Crescent Blade, a task seen as suicidal. She overcame this challenge and bore the Crescent Blade when her and two other priestesses of Eilistraee invaded the Demonweb Pits in order to slay Lolth. She once again had a crisis of faith, after she watched her fellow priestesses get slain and partially devoured by the draegloth Jeggred Baenre, at the instruction of Danifae Yauntirr.

Lolth was not finished with Halistra, however. When Halistra threw herself on the mercy of Lolth, she was rewarded with eternal service as Lolth's Lady Penitent.

Current Appearance
Lolth's magic has transformed Halisstra into a twisted mockery of her former svelte drow form. She appears to be a hybrid of demon and drow, and stands twice as tall as a typical drow. She is still feminine, with eight spider legs protruding from her chest. Her hair is a matted tangle that looked like old spider silk. Under each of her eyes is a hairy bulge, from which a fang-tipped jaw curves, the points meeting above the mouth.

With all of these physical changes, the most affluent is not visible. Lolth also injected Halisstra with a venom that causes constant agony, without killing her. The only reprieve she receives is when she follows the will of Lolth.

Combat
Halisstra's new form is much more powerful than her former one, and can regenerate wounds nearly instantaneously. Her strength has increased exponentionally, and she seems to enjoy all of the resistances of the demon races.

She still has control of her bae’qeshel abilities, even though the litanies are know mangled owing to her disfigured mouth.

Whether or not her clerical magic remains is unknown, though, as Lolth's champion, some sort of power is to be assumed.