Elyssa as the Rusalka
Elyssa is a Rusalka, a watery spirit appearing in Mordavia Lake. Only male visitors can see her. She appears during the day, and traveling to her screen cancels the action of being pursued by a monster.
Elyssa was once a beautiful young woman engaged to Janos, until he drowned her in the lake while they were skinny dipping because she refused to have sex with him. Though her body was never found, a gravestone was carved for her. It read:
- "No effort could Elyssa save; She passed into a wat'ry grave. Her body was lost; Only her memory remains."
Her spirit was bound to the lake by her violent demise and she became a Rusalka. She had no recollection of her life, and drowned any man who entered the lake. Devon Aidendale was able to befriend her, however, by speaking to her without entering the lake and bringing her flowers.
The Rusalka quest
As a Paladin, Piotyr asked the Hero to free her soul. After finding out how from the gypsy Magda, Devon went about freeing the Rusalka's spirit. First he reminded her of her life by learning her name, then he beat the grave of Janos with a hand broom that Elyssa's hair was woven into. He defeated the wraith of Janos, and then finally gave Elyssa what she wanted -- to be kissed by a Hero. At that time Elyssa appeared in her real form, decomposing from time, and has since remained in peace on the Lake's floor.
Origin
The name "rusalka" (Russian: русалка, meaning "fair-haired girl") is of Slavic origin and was used to describe as a spirit of a girl who would call out to any man from the lake, luring him in. But as soon as he would step into the lake, she would hug him and drown him to his doom. Today it is connoting with the term "mermaid", however originally rusalkas had feet and could come out of the water in full moon, to dance naked in the field around a fire (which was considered to be a good omen for the harvest), and would only drown those men who mistreated their company in the past.