Bronze-Footed Empusa

The myth

The Empusa was a night spirit linked to Hecate, able to change shape to frighten or deceive travelers. In Aristophanes' comedy The Frogs, the slave Xanthias sees her on the road to Hades turning into a cow, a mule, a beautiful woman and a dog, her face aflame and one leg of bronze. Later authors say she had a donkey's leg. In Philostratus's Life of Apollonius of Tyana, an empusa disguised as a bride tries to devour a young man until the sage unmasks her. She was a folklore bogey meant to frighten, more than a figure of cult.

Why it has this power

A Common level-4 card with 1300 ATK and 900 DEF: she strikes by surprise and falls once unmasked. A Fire Undead for the flaming face Aristophanes describes, she bears the Sun and Scarab constellations of disguise and transformation. Hades's Helm of Darkness strengthens her.

Did you know

In The Frogs, one of the Empusa's legs is bronze and the other, in Aristophanes' joke, is made of cow dung.

Connections

• In Nikos the Young Hoplite's deck
• In Theron, Priest of the Underworld's deck

Where to get it

• Daily Offering: 0% per pack (Common 64% per card)
• Welcome Pack: 0.97% per pack (Common 70% per card)
• Traveler's Pack: 0.88% per pack · 5.2% in the themed pack (Common 64% per card)
• Bronze Reliquary: 0.86% per pack · 5.1% in the themed pack (Common 62% per card)
• Silver Reliquary: 0.67% per pack · 4% in the themed pack (Common 49% per card)
• Golden Reliquary: 0.46% per pack · 2.7% in the themed pack (Common 33% per card)
• Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.69% of days · 150 gold
• Craft with card dust: 40 dust
• Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

1. LAMIA & EMPUSA (Empousa) - Vampiric Monsters of Ancient Greek Legend — Aaron J. Atsma, Theoi Project
2. HECATE (Hekate) - Greek Goddess of Witchcraft, Magic & Ghosts — Aaron J. Atsma, Theoi Project