"For now, this place is my prison, but as my pack grows, I become more powerful. One day I will roam the upper world again. Avantia will be my kingdom."
- Ravira
Ravira Ruler of the Underworld is an Evil Beast who rules over Avantia's Underworld. Physically she stands at around seven feet tall and resembles a human woman of significant age. The Beast is supported by a legion of dog creatures called the Hounds of Avantia which are created by the Beast, each of which were an Avantian infected by the Beast herself or another hound, completing the transformation in the moonlight. Many of these creatures are held on leashes connected to hooks protruding through Ravira's hands. In the moonlight Ravira gains power, however she is also boosted by the Hounds connected to her. Whilst the cover gives her a pale skin tone in line with corpse colours, both the descriptions of her in the book and in the coloured illustrations of the Early Readers version states/shows her with green skin. Ravira and the rest of the Underworld are based on a mix of Greek and Norse myths, with the Beast herself being a fusion of the deities Hades and Hel.
Cursing and First Attack[]
Centuries ago an unknown woman was struck by a dark magic curse. This woman became fully reliant on moonlight to survive and became Ravira. Seemingly enraged by the curse, the new Beast attempted to take control of Avantia and infect its entire population using her Hounds of Avantia, however she was defeated and without her leadership, the plot fell apart. As punishment for her actions, Ravira was bound in the Underworld, deep below the surface of Avantia. As centuries passed, Ravira embraced the Underworld, building a large marble city, and considered herself its ruler but still wished to spread her empire to the surface.
Ravira Ruler of the Underworld[]
Launching her second attack on Avantia, Ravira utilised the fact that only she was technically bound, and the Hounds only stayed of their own volition and loyalty to their queen, and sent a small contingent to the surface to begin the attack. The Hounds emerged by the farming village of Shrayton (which was connected to the underworld by its deep well) and began their attack, managing to infect between a half dozen and a dozen of the village's inhabitants, each of whom turned into Hounds of Avantia in the night. Sensing the chaos a Beast was causing in Avantia, Aduro sent Taladon to Shrayton to investigate. The Master of the Beasts was attacked by the Hounds when he tried to help a farmer who had been attacked and was bound in the stable to prevent him from endangering the town. The farmer who was attacked, Bo, was not turned into a hound, but rather Ravira guided his transformation so he became the Boatman, sailing Hounds and the infected victims to her city.
Ravira on her courtyard throne.
Ravira being protected by the Hounds of Avantia.
Following the incident, Aduro magically communicated with the changing Master of the Beasts to acquire the information of what happened before sending Tom and Elenna to Shrayton. After their discovery of Taladon's state and the Underworld, the duo travelled to the underworld and entered Ravira's city. The two found the Beast in the courtyard, which doubled as her throne room, mistaking her for a statue until she shifted and greeted Tom simply as the son of Taladon. With a hidden mechanism, the Beast had her throne move forwards under a shaft of moonlight, then stood up as Elenna told her she had lost, replying to her foe that she was wrong. Bringing the six Hounds of Avantia forwards, Ravira told them soon she would control all of Avantia, turning her head up to bathe in the moonlight. Mockingly, the Ruler of the Underworld asked Tom how Taladon was, being ignored and told to come down and fight, however Ravira refused, telling him her Hounds of Avantia needed feeding, slackening the leashes attached to her left hand to allow three of the Hounds of Avantia attack. After the Hounds skirmished with the Avantians for a short time, Ravira pulled back on the leashes, wrapping them around her wrists, creating a wall from the hounds to prevent her foes from reaching her. Tom told Elenna they needed to retreat, causing Ravira to taunt them, telling the pair the Hounds of Avantia liked prey to run as it sweetened their blood, slackening the leashes, then offering her foes a three heartbeat head start before further slackening the leashes and telling her Hounds to pursue them, using her magic to slam the main portcullis down, failing to trap them. Continuing to watch them, Ravira yelled out encouragement for her enemies to keep running and that their lives were hers.
Ravira calling Tom and Elenna her children.
The Hounds caught Tom and Elenna, infected them, and dragged them back to Ravira in her main throne room. Noticing they had been infected, Ravira welcomed them back, calling them her children while laughing to herself. Allowing more moonlight into the chamber to reveal more Hounds of Avantia, the Ruler of the Underworld told the warriors they were now siblings. Tom told the Beast while there was blood in his veins, he wouldn't become a Hound, however Ravira pointed out his blood was already poisoned and that he was unable to stop the transformation. The Beast opened a hole in the roof, flooding Tom and Elenna in moonlight, hastening their transformation. The two Hounds who had captured Tom and Elenna entered, wounded from the battle, who Ravira welcomed back and applauded their bravery. Tom attempted to step forwards, which the Ruler of the Underworld warned him against doing, telling him he would be violently killed if he continued, however Tom proceeded, telling the Beast he knew about the curse that afflicted her and that she didn't have to continue with her plan, but the Beast told him to be silent. Pondering what he had said, her features softened before Ravira backed back into the moonlight, angrily yelling to Tom that he knew nothing of her curse. Tom lunged at her, however the Ruler of the Underworld jerked her leashes, having the Hounds of Avantia attack. Elenna tried to tell Tom they couldn't defeat the Beast with blind anger, however Ravira told them if Tom wanted to fight, he could before opening a door that a large Hound of Avantia entered through, who the Beast mockingly revealed was Taladon. As Tom fought his father, the warrior yelled at the Ruler of the Underworld to release his father, however the Beast simply told him he would be joining Taladon soon enough and to have a taste of the future, opening a hole in the roof to allow moonlight to spill in. Tom yelled at Ravira to come down and fight them, but the Beast told him she was no fool and while the Underworld was currently her prison, she would soon make Avantia her kingdom. As the pair began to transform, Ravira told them it was time to join the pack. In order to block out the moonlight, Tom summoned Ferno and Epos, causing the Beast to hiss in panic as the moonlight was blocked by Ferno, but trying to claim Epos had deserted him before the Flame Bird arrived. Ravira attempted to order the Hounds of Avantia to attack Epos, however they simply whined in fear.
Ravira telling Tom to call off Ferno and Epos.
Ravira lashing Tom's shield.
Ravira catching fire on the bank of the lava river.
As Tom fought Taladon, Ravira ordered Tom to call off the Beasts and she would spare their lives, however the warrior charged at her, being grabbed by the trouser leg and pulled to the ground by a Hound of Avantia. Ravira had her Hounds attack the Avantians, telling them the kill was near. Elenna leapt over the wall of Hounds, causing the Ruler of the Underworld to order her Hounds to stop her approach, however Elenna reached her and cut through the leashes on her left arm, causing her to cry in dismay. Ravira stood and swung a fist at Elenna, striking her on the side of her head and sending her tumbling down the steps with a cry of pain. Tom threw his sword, slashing through the remaining leashes, draining much of the Beast's power, who staggered back and caught the arm of the throne. The Beast advanced on her foes, lashing her leashes at them, striking Tom's shield and missing Elenna as she dived aside. Ravira yelled out that even weakened she was still a match for them, swinging the leashes over her head. The Ruler of the Underworld flicked a hand out, striking the wall near Tom. Lashing her whips towards Elenna, the Beast yelled she would grind her bones to powder. Ravira lashed her leashes at Tom, striking his shield, and the Avantian was able to loop the leashes around his sword, tugging on them and pulling her off balance. Elenna attempted to lunge at the Beast, however the Ruler of the Underworld swatted her away with her free hand. The Ruler of the Underworld began to shake the leashes on her bound hand, sending jolts up his arm. Tom pulled Ravira into the narrow city streets, and when Ravira tried to lash again, but there was too little room, and Elenna was able to curl the free leashes around her blade which she had taken from Taladon. The Beast tried to summon her Hounds of Avantia, but they no longer obeyed her. Screeching in anger, Ravira freed her leashes from Tom's sword, grabbing the other leashes with both hands and pulled Elenna off her feet. The Ruler of the Underworld lashed her leashes at Elenna, however Tom was able to block them with his shield. Elenna and Tom fled into a side alley, barely avoiding the whips striking the wall as Ravira yelled for them to flee and that they could not escape. Tom attempted to sneak up behind her, however the Ruler of the Underworld noticed and lashed her whips, which both Tom and Elenna caught around their blades. Believing she was victorious, Ravira yelled out their weapons were useless, coiling the leashes around her wrists to draw them closer. Tom and Elenna ran past the Beast towards the lava river, dragging the Ruler of the Underworld. Tom yelled for Ravira to stop fighting, however she was pulled further towards the bank when she didn't surrender. The Ruler of the Underworld lost her balance and began wheeling her arms to keep her balance, but her shroud touched the lava, setting it alight, before Ravira fell back. The Beast struggled to keep her head above the molten rock, but her body melted away, with the Ruler of the Underworld sinking into the lava. Without Ravira's magic, the Hounds of Avantia turned back to humans and the marble city collapsed.
Powers, Abilities and Weaknesses[]
Powers and Abilities[]
- Power Increase: Ravira's power increases in moonlight and the more Hounds of Avantia there are.
- Lava Manipulation: Ravira can control the lava of the Underworld but it is unknown if she can control lava in other areas.
- Control of the Marble City: Ravira can control mechanical mechanisms in the marble city mentally.
- Speech: Ravira is one of the few Beasts able to speak without the aid of the Red Jewel.
Equipment[]
- Barbed Leashes: Ravira has barbed leashes impaled into her hands which she can use as whips if they aren't connected to any Hounds of Avantia.
Minions[]
- Hounds of Avantia: Ravira has full control over the Hounds of Avantia as long as they are connected to her leashes.
Weaknesses[]
- Loss of Control: Ravira loses control over the Hounds of Avantia if the leashes impaled into her hands are chopped off.
- Lava Weakness: Ravira can be killed upon physical contact with lava.
- Hounds of Avantia Reversion: When defeated, all the Hounds of Avantia are transformed back to normal.
A - Z of Beasts[]
"Ravira rules the Underworld of Avantia. She lives in a castle made of glistening white stone, high above a city and surrounded by rivers of molten lava. She is guarded by the Hounds of Avantia, who can tear a person to shreds."