Salmissra

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Salmissra is a number of fictional characters in the works of David Eddings, including The Belgariad and The Malloreon. She is both the queen of Nyissa and the high priestess of their god, Issa. Each successive ruler of Nyissa is chosen based on their appearance and mannerisms as compared to the real Salmissra, who lived long ago in the first age. Belgarath remarks that such an arrangement makes things easier because each Salmissra is always the same over the eons. She is attended entirely by eunuchs, probably because the drugs that keep her appearing young also dramatically increase her sexual appetite. The most prominent eunuch in the books is Sadi.

During The Belgariad Garion and his friends trail Zedar to Nyissa, where Garion is kidnapped and taken to Salmissra's palace, where she (being manipulated by Zedar) begins to seduce him. To prevent his escape she poisons Garion; but, he is saved when Polgara, with the aid of the Voice of the Prophecy of Light, intervenes. As punishment for her interference and aid to Zedar, Polgara turns her into a snake with eternal life. Although enraged at first, the snake--still acting as queen--eventually comes to accept the transformation and eventually thanks Polgara in The Malloreon.