Iggwilv is a powerful
human spellcaster and demonologist best known as the creator of the Demonomicon of Iggwilv. In
Asyur she is known for being a mischievous mystic who is able to cross the boundaries of different realms. She rarely has appeared in Asyur, presumably because she has her focus on a different realm.
She is known under various aliases and titles, including Tasha, Natasha the Dark, Hura of Ket, Igwlf, the Witch Queen of Perrenland, and the Mother of Witches.
Appearance and Personality
Iggwilv famously appears in a range of guises, from a bald, hideous crone to a beautiful woman. While she favors beautiful appearance, it is believed that the crone is her true form, although none live who have ever seen it.
In her guise as Natasha, she is a tall, slim human woman with long black hair and alabaster skin. In another, as Iggwilv, she is a thin woman with golden skin, with eyes resembling black pools, and wears a dark gray robed hood. As Tasha, she is sometimes depicted wearing an iconic witch's outfit with dark robes and a tall pointed hat, as well as a variety of other clothing. She is sometimes seen with a tattoo or mark beneath her right eye representing a three-forked line, known in the Realms as an inverted form of a rune representing evil magic, although its purpose is unknown. Circa 597 SE, during her planes, she wore an iconic revealing dark green dress along with the demonskin artifact cloak
Fiend's Embrace.
Iggwilv is capricious, wicked, and highly ambitious. As Witch Queen of Perrenland, she subjected its people to such a reign of terror that, a century later, mothers still invoked Iggwilv's name to frighten disobedient children. While she makes an exceptionally powerful ally, she also has a reputation for treachery. She plotted careful revenge against the Circle of Eight after they foiled one of her plans, but quickly lost interest after her revenge failed. She is somewhat vain, materialistic and desires wealth, collecting treasure and magic items in particular. She has a preference for the use of demons as servants. She also collects mold and fungi, including sentient species.
Relationships
Family
Iggwilv is the adopted daughter of Baba Yaga, from whom she first learned magic. She is adoptive sister to Elena the Fair, a lawful good sorceress of whom she is jealous, though she wishes no harm upon her. Iggwilv's father is unknown. Because of her relationship with Baba Yaga, she the adopted niece of
Strahd von Zoravich.
Iggwilv imprisoned and seduced the demon lord
Graz'zt, who sired her a son,
Iuz.
Iggwilv is also the mother to the
vampire Drelnza. Her father is unknown, though it is almost certainly not Graz'zt. Some sages speculate that Drelnza is the only creature Iggwilv ever truly loved.
The warlock Mary Greymalkin claims to draw lineage from Iggwilv, who is also one of her patrons. Iggwilv may have other descendants, and such is Iggwilv's bloodline that demons can sense those individuals' connection to her, and treat them with greater respect.
Enemies
On multiple occasions, Iggwilv has clashed with the Circle of Eight, who maintain a constant watch in order to ready should she return to Oerth.
There are multiple instances where Tasha has clashed with the Vigil and the Lighthouse. It is reported she tried to steal various books from the 13th floor.
Allies
She has a famous love-hate relationship with the demon lord Graz'zt, who have fought and betrayed each other in the past.
Her allies include the yugoloth Tul-oc-luc, the demon lords @Zuggtmoy and Demogorgon, and Tuerny the Merciless.
She secretly holds significant influence over the demon lord Kostchtchie, and is responsible for his rise to power. Her long-term goals are to use him to defeat Orcus and Demogorgon, allowing Iggwilv to seize control of the
Abyss.
Iggwilv also has numerous contacts across the planes, and could use this to bring together a large army should the need arise.
History
Origin
Iggwilv was born centuries ago to unknown parents. She was adopted by the legendary witch Baba Yaga as a child, who raised her and introduced her to the secrets of magic. Her first memories were of growing up in the
Feywild, something Tasha resented due to frequent occurrences of bizarre and unpredictable natural phenomena.
As a young woman, she went by the name Natasha the Dark. She enjoyed manipulating demons and using them as servants, and developed a wicked streak. She also collected magic items and conducted magical research, becoming a skilled magic user in her own right. She lived with another adoptive sister named Elena.
First Era
Second Era
Demonomicon of Iggwilv
Using the additional knowledge she gained from Tsojcanth, Iggwilv successfully summoned and bound the demon prince Graz'zt, imprisoning his physical form. Once again she used this opportunity to expand her knowledge of demonology.
Collecting together her accumulated knowledge in written form, Iggwilv refined and expanded upon the Tome of Zyx to produce a six-volume work known as the Demonomicon of Iggwilv.
Iggwilv and Graz'zt became lovers, although she continued to hold him bound. Shortly before 460 CY, the two had a son, Iuz, who was given in adoption to a petty lord north of Whyestil Lake. Graz'zt gifted her not only knowledge but items, including the rare cloak Fiend's Embrace, made from the hide of the pit fiend Drokarrn.
Comments