Scylla

Scylla
Scylla as she appears in Symphony of the Night
Japanese name(s)	スキュラ Sukyura (Skula)
Alternate name(s)	Skula
Abilities	Causes debris to fall from the ceiling Control over water
Type(s)	Aquatic monster
Origins	Greek mythology
Appearances	Symphony of the Night Encore of the Night

Scylla, also referred to as Skula, is a mythological sea monster. Somewhat faithful to its origins, it is portrayed as a monster that has the torso of a woman, three dog heads protruding from her waist down, and several moray-like eels, called Scylla Wyrms, instead of lower limbs.

Origins

In Greek mythology, Scylla was one of the two monsters (the other being Charybdis) that lived on either side of a narrow channel of water, known today as the Strait of Messina. The two sides of the strait were within an arrow's range from each other, so close that sailors attempting to avoid Charybdis would pass too close to Scylla and vice versa.

She was a horribly grotesque sea monster, with six long necks equipped with grisly heads, each of which contained three rows of sharp teeth. Her body consisted of twelve canine legs and a fish's tail. Other accounts portray her as having snakes and barking dogs instead of lower limbs.

Detail from a red-figure bell-crater in the Louvre (450–425 BC).

Various Greek myths account for Scylla's origins and fate. According to some, she was one of the children of Phorcys and Ceto (or Hecate). Other sources cite her parents as Triton and Lamia. Yet other historians tell that Scylla was a beautiful naiad who was claimed by Poseidon, but the jealous Amphitrite turned her into a monster by poisoning the water of the spring where Scylla would bathe.

A variation of this story tells that Scylla was once a beautiful nymph. The fisherman-turned-sea-god, Glaucus, fell madly in love with her, but she fled from him onto the land where he could not follow. Despair filled his heart and he went to the sorceress Circe to ask for a love potion to melt Scylla's heart. As he told his tale of love to Circe, she herself fell in love with him. She wooed him with her sweetest words and looks, but the sea-god just wouldn't accept her. Circe was furiously angry, but with Scylla and not with Glaucus. She prepared a vial of a very powerful poison and poured it in the pool where Scylla bathed. As soon as the nymph entered the water, she was transformed into a frightful monster with twelve feet and six heads, each with three rows of teeth. She stood there in utter misery, unable to move, loathing and destroying everything that came into her reach, a peril to all sailors who passed near her. Whenever a ship passed, each of her heads would seize one of the crew.

Perhaps her most prominent appearance throughout history is her depiction in Homer's Odyssey. On his journey back home, Odysseus was advised by Circe to sail closer to Scylla, for Charybdis could drown his whole ship. She also told Odysseus to ask Scylla's mother, the river nymph Crataeis, to prevent Scylla from pouncing more than once. Odysseus successfully sailed his ship past Scylla and Charybdis, but Scylla managed to catch six of his men, devouring them alive.

Appearances

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

In Symphony of the Night, Scylla is fought in the Underground Caverns as one of the area's two bosses (the other being the Succubus). Her appearance here is somewhat similar to her mythological depictions, except the lower half of her body are deadly moray-like eels, known as Scylla Wyrms.

The fight is composed of two phases. First, Alucard will be trapped inside a room where he will have to face a single Scylla Wyrm.

No. Name JPN Level HP 37 Scylla Wyrm Scylla Tail 10 130 Strong Immune Weak Absorb EXP - Water Thunder - 100 Location Drop Guard Underground Caverns - Description "Snake living off Scylla."

After defeating it, the whole area will suddenly start to flood, so he must then hurry in making his way to the upper part of that room, where he will face the rest of the monster: Scylla. Even though the bestiary mentions her weakness to Thunder, that's true only for her human body.

She has four main attacks.

1. Summons bubbles out of the water which turn into skulls (4 HP, 8 ATT, Water) and attack the player.
2. Lets loose a stream of water (20 ATT, Water) which arcs downward to hit the player.
3. One of the dogs shoots a big water ball (18 ATT, Water), which can be blocked with a shield.
4. The dogs howl, causing debris to fall (8 HP, 12 ATT, Hit).

The key to dodging her attacks is to know when the dogs on her waist howl. When they do, that's when the attack initiates. The player either needs to move out of the way of the stream attack, or destroy all the bubbles before they start howling, otherwise they will most definitely get hit.

Alternatively, an easy way to defeat her is by transforming into a bat and performing a Wing Smash that passes through her body, positioning Alucard in the little alcove behind her (in front of the room's exit). From there, the player can either transform again and perform Wing Smashes back and forth, or simply stay there and attack her constantly (most of her attacks won't be able to target Alucard in that spot).

No. Name JPN Level HP 59 Scylla スキュラ Sukyura (Skula) 14 200 Strong Immune Weak Absorb EXP - - Thunder (human) Water (human) 500 Location Drop Guard Underground Caverns - Life Vessel, Crystal Cloak Description "Mythological sea monster."

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

While Scylla is not fought directly in Aria of Sorrow, her soul (called Skula in this game) can be found in a Soul-Keeper located inside a room of the Clock Tower, accessible only after defeating Death. It grants Soma the Deep Seeker ability, which allows him to breathe and walk while underwater.

Castlevania Puzzle: Encore of the Night

Name Title HP EXP Scylla 2,500 +1 level Drop Steal Location ~70 Silver Underground Caverns List of Spells Skill Cost Effect

Item Data

Item Data: Scylla
Image	Name - Game   Type - Users Description	Attributes / Consume	Statistics / Sell	Found	Notes
	Life Vessel [alt] - Symphony of the Night   Item (standard) - any				[edit]
	Increases the player's maximum HP (life) capacity.		Maximum HP +5 (Alucard); maximum HP +10 (Richter and Maria)	Find: Found throughout the castle, often in containers Drop: Most bosses	Effect: Restores all life and increases Max HP
	Crystal Cloak (Invisible) - Symphony of the Night (not in Saturn version)   Cloak - Alucard				[edit]
	Enchanted semi-invisible cape		CON +6	Find: Underground Caverns	Effect: Appears invisible but does not make Alucard invisible
	Skula - Deep Seeker (Scylla) - Aria of Sorrow   Enchanted Soul - Soma				[edit]
	Allows you to walk while underwater.			Find: Clock Tower

Gallery

Scylla Wyrm's enemy list entry from The Dracula X Chronicles version of Symphony of the Night

Scylla's enemy list entry from The Dracula X Chronicles version of Symphony of the Night

External links

• Drakainai Scylla at Worlds of Imagination