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Iggwilv, also known as Tasha or Natasha,[1][note 1] and the alias Zybilna,[15][5] was an Oerthian archmage and demonologist. She famously wrote the Demonomicon of Iggwilv, a tome on demonic lore.[9]

Later in life she created her own Domain of Delight in the Feywild,[17] and ascended as one of the plane's powerful archfey.[17][18]

Description[]

The exact appearance of Iggwilv was unknown to many. Some described her as a ravishing beauty, while others claimed she was a bald and hideous crone.[2] In fact Iggwilv was quite beautiful in her youth with raven hair that eventually went stark white.[19] Even after becoming an archfey, she still retained a human-like appearance.[10]

Abilities[]

During her stay in the Abyss, Iggwilv became extremely knowledgeable about the political hierarchy and goings on between the various powers within.[20] She was considered a master at summoning fiends, planar exploration, necromantic magic,[2] and later in life, gained command over fey beings.[10]

As an archfey, Iggwilv was immortal and could not die from aging.[10]

Possessions[]

Iggwilv and demonomicon-3e

Iggwilv and the Demonomicon.

Iggwilv had a vast collection of magic items, oddities and personal mementos that she kept within the Palace of Heart's Desire in her home plane of Prismeer. Notable among these were a magical mirror that showed the individual gazing into it what they desired most in the reflection within; three jars of time, that displayed the visage of a being at three different points in their life,[19] a magical chessboard gifted to her by the archmage Mordenkainen,[21] and the vorpal greatsword Snicker-Snack.[22]

One of Iggwilv's most wondrous and powerful items was her personal cauldron, an artifact that she crafted with the assistance of her adoptive mother. It held two different forms and many magical properties, including the power to permanently 'freeze time' for everyone within a 1,000‑foot (300‑meter) radius.[23]

Her personal library held tomes that originated from across the planes. Notable titles included The City That Waits, I, Lyzandred, Kingdom of the Ghouls, The Many Masques of Mith, Nadir of Nessus, Prophecies of Explictica Defilus, and Thingizzard's Night Balloon.[24]

On her person Iggwilv wore a robe of the archmagi and an amulet of the planes.[10] During her time in the Abyss, she wielded a staff of power.[8]

Activities[]

While Iggwilv was most famous for creation of her namesake Demonomicon, she also authored the unpublished tome, The Faceless Lord, a more focused study on the Demon Prince Juiblex,[24][21] and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.[4]

Spells[]

Iggwilv was credited with a number of spells, most of which were described in the Demonomicon.[25] Her spells included: Dolor; ensnarement; exaction; imbrue; implore;[25] lover's call;[8] minimus containment;[25] Tasha's caustic brew;[26] Tasha's hideous laughter,[11] used circa the late 15th century DR in Waterdeep as a security measure against burglars;[27] Tasha's mind whip;[26] Tasha's otherworldly guise;[28] and torment[25]

Apart from spells developed by her, Iggwilv was credited the creation of Tasha's Atrocious Robe that was brought to Toril by planeswalker Mintassan the Magnificent. The enchanted robe was among the wizard's extensive collection of curios from across the multiverse, displayed in Mintassan's Mysteries in Westgate as of the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR.[29]

Relationships[]

Iggwilv and Graz'zt-4e

Iggwilv with her sometimes lover Graz'zt.

Iggwilv was considered one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse, on par with demon lords.[20]

Iggwilv had many confusing relationships with the demon prince Graz'zt. They were both lovers and enemies, their relationship constantly changing.[9] Both have at various points been the consort, prisoner, and master to the other. While they had almost no trust between them, they also held no secrets from each other. Both Iggwilv and Graz'zt sought to use or betray the other, yet also supported or even rescued one another when in peril, and in their own twisted way, both genuinely shared a bond of love with the other. Iggwilv believed Graz'zt was the only demon worthy of her gaze while she was the only consort of Graz'zt that inspired feelings of jealousy (as evidenced when he attacked Fraz-Urb'luu).[30]

While held prisoner by Graz'zt in his plane of the abyss, Iggwilv bore him many children. Graz'zt quickly and securely placed them in various locations and protected their identities from any beings that could bring them harm.[30]

The witch queen was an enemy of the Nine Hells, owing partially to her interest in Graz'zt. She had a quasit familiar[31] named Iggrik.[22] At one point she had four arcanaloth apprentices.[31]

Iggwilv was the adopted daughter of Baba Yaga,[15] the archfey sorceress known across the planes as the 'Mother of All Witches'.[7] She had three adoptive sisters that together formed the Hourglass Coven,[32] Bavlorna Blightstraw, Skabatha Nightshade, and Endelyn Moongrave.[16]

For centuries, Iggwilv was aided by the dwarven clerk named Kalimanzaros, who remained unfailingly loyal throughout their many years together.[33] During her time in the Feywild, Iggwilv garnered the aid of the high elf Raezil Uthemar, who spied on other fey courts on her behalf.[17] As Zybilna, she was known to sponsor at least two warlocks, the amenable old warlock Madryck Roslof and the kenku Kettlesteam.[34]

History[]

Iggwilv WBW

Iggwilv the Witch Queen, as an archfey.

I can't tell you how many times I've burned everything to the ground and started over.
— Iggwilv, under her pen name Tasha.[35]

Iggwilv was born in the world of Oerth and was adopted by the witch Baba Yaga, at which time she was known as Natasha "the Dark".[12] She became known later as Tasha, before adopting her alias of Iggwilv, although it was not clear whether any of those was her original name. It was at that early point that she was credited with inventing the Tasha's hideous laughter spell.[11]

At one point she moved to Niflheim, the second layer of Hades.[8]

Some time later Iggwilv settled in the Abyss and immersed herself in the study of demon-summoning and lore regarding demonic spirits. She sought to garner more power for herself, but made many enemies among the chaotic fiends and fled to worlds beyond for her safety.[7] Eventually, Iggwilv moved to her own Domain of Delight, known as Prismeer, in the Feywild, where she ruled from the Palace of Heart's Desire in the guise of Zybilna.[10] Over time she transformed into a fey being and refocused her studies on that newfound state of existence rather than demonology.[7]

She was eventually betrayed by the three daughters of Baba Yaga, the hags of the Hourglass Coven, and their cronies in the League of Malevolence.[36] who used the magic of her personal cauldron to freeze in time the Witch Queen and many of her palace's other inhabitants.[32]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. Iggwilv and Tasha were originally separate characters until they were retconned to be the same person in Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk in 2007.

Appearances[]

Adventures
The Wild Beyond the Witchlight
Video Games
Referenced only
Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of WestgateBaldur's Gate III
Card Games
Magic: The Gathering (CLB)

Further Reading[]

Gallery[]


External Links[]

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following links do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki, nor does any lore presented necessarily adhere to established canon.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4. ISBN 978-0786967025.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Roger E. Moore (May 1998). Return of the Eight. Edited by Kij Johnson. (TSR), p. 55. ISBN 0-7869-1247-2.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Craig Campbell (November 2011). “Baba Yaga's Dancing Hut”. In Steve Winter ed. Dungeon #196 (Wizards of the Coast) (196)., p. 26.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 5. ISBN 978-0786967025.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 204. ISBN 9780786967278.
  6. Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 188. ISBN 9780786967278.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 171. ISBN 9780786967278.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Wolfgang Baur (August 2007). “Enemies of My Enemy”. In James Jacobs ed. Dungeon #149 (Paizo Publishing, LLC) (149)., pp. 44–52.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Jason Bulmahn, James Jacobs, Erik Mona (August 2007). Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk. Edited by Penny Williams, Beth Griese. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 8–9. ISBN 978-0-7869-4358-6.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 205. ISBN 9780786967278.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Dungeons & Dragons editors (September 2007). “Unsolved Mysteries of D&D”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #359 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 30.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Roger Moore (March 1984). “The Dancing Hut”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #83 (TSR, Inc.), p. 42.
  13. Gary Gygax (1982). “Booklet 1: An Adventure for Character Levels 6‒10”. The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth (TSR, Inc.), p. 29. ISBN 0-935696-72-5.
  14. Jason Bulmahn, James Jacobs, Erik Mona (August 2007). Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk. Edited by Penny Williams, Beth Griese. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4. ISBN 978-0-7869-4358-6.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 161. ISBN 9780786967278.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 201. ISBN 9780786967278.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 193. ISBN 9780786967278.
  18. Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 206. ISBN 9780786967278.
  19. 19.0 19.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 199. ISBN 9780786967278.
  20. 20.0 20.1 Wolfgang Baur (August 2007). “Enemies of My Enemy”. In James Jacobs ed. Dungeon #149 (Paizo Publishing, LLC) (149)., p. 41.
  21. 21.0 21.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 200. ISBN 9780786967278.
  22. 22.0 22.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 203. ISBN 9780786967278.
  23. Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 209–211. ISBN 9780786967278.
  24. 24.0 24.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 197. ISBN 9780786967278.
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 Gary Holian and Owen K.C. Stephens (October 2005). “Spellcraft: The Demonomicon of Iggwilv”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #336 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 76–84.
  26. 26.0 26.1 Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 105, 115. ISBN 978-0786967025.
  27. Christopher Perkins, James Haeck, James Introcaso, Adam Lee, Matthew Sernett (September 2018). Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 72. ISBN 978-0-7869-6625-7.
  28. Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 105, 116. ISBN 978-0786967025.
  29. Ossian Studios (April 2009). Designed by Luke Scull. Neverwinter Nights 2: Mysteries of Westgate. Atari.
  30. 30.0 30.1 John Rossomango (August 2012). “History Check: The Iggwilv‒Graz'zt Affair”. In Ray Vallese ed. Dragon #414 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 1–5.
  31. 31.0 31.1 Greg A. Vaughan (September 2007). “Prince of Demons”. In James Jacobs ed. Dungeon #150 (Paizo Publishing, LLC) (150)., p. 64.
  32. 32.0 32.1 Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 4. ISBN 9780786967278.
  33. Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 186. ISBN 9780786967278.
  34. Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 9780786967278.
  35. Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 39. ISBN 978-0786967025.
  36. Christopher Perkins (September 2021). The Wild Beyond the Witchlight. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 190. ISBN 9780786967278.
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