Kostchtchie
Encyclopedia
Kostchtchie is a demon lord
from the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
roleplaying game.
Kostchtchie was detailed as a deity in the second edition in Monster Mythology
(1992).
In 3rd edition, he was the focus the "Demonomicon of Iggwilv
" article in Dragon #345; according to this article, Kostchtchie's name was inspired by Koschei
the Deathless of Russian folklore. He also appeared in Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
(2006).
Kostchtchie was detailed in the fourth edition book, Demonomicon (2010).
.
intervened and struck him down, sending his soul into the Abyss. There, it became lodged in the eternal ice of the Iron Wastes, a place as cold and pitiless as himself, and Kostchtchie began life anew, eventually becoming a demon lord.
, he identifies himself as one of them, and works to subjugate the entire race to his worship, which puts him into direct conflict with the frost giant god Thrym
. Kostchtchie's cult are for the most part males, and certainly none of his thralls are women. Any women in his cults have marginal roles as he is misogynistic in the extreme. Frost giant tribes under Kostchtchie's rule often increase their numbers not by reproduction but by raiding other tribes who are not worshippers of the demon lord.
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
from the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
roleplaying game.
Publication history
Kostchtchie made his first appearance in the first edition module The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. He later appeared in the first edition Monster Manual II.Kostchtchie was detailed as a deity in the second edition in Monster Mythology
Monster Mythology
Monster Mythology is a sourcebook for the second edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Released by TSR in 1992 and written by Carl Sargent, with interior illustrations by Terry Dykstra, John and Laura Lakey, and Keith Parkinson, Monster Mythology was released as a companion volume for...
(1992).
In 3rd edition, he was the focus the "Demonomicon of Iggwilv
Iggwilv
Iggwilv is a fictional wizard from the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. She was created by Gary Gygax and was named one of the greatest villains in D&D history in the final issue of Dragon....
" article in Dragon #345; according to this article, Kostchtchie's name was inspired by Koschei
Koschei
In Slavic folklore, Koschei is an archetypal male antagonist, described mainly as abducting the hero's wife. None of the existing tales actually describes his appearance, though in book illustrations, cartoons and cinema he has been most frequently represented as a very old and ugly-looking man...
the Deathless of Russian folklore. He also appeared in Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss is an optional supplemental source book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.-Chapter 1: Demonic Lore:...
(2006).
Kostchtchie was detailed in the fourth edition book, Demonomicon (2010).
Description
Kostchtchie appears as a bandy-legged, yellow-skinned and hairless brute (other than his eyebrows) who carries a magic hammer with which he squashes his victims. In the game's first edition, Kostchtchie was a mere seven feet tall. In third edition, he is now more than 20 feet tall.Relationships
Kostchtchie is a demon lord who is so hateful and hideous that all other demons despise him. He himself hates most everything, as befitting his title as the Prince of Wrath. Even though he is a tanar'ri himself, he wanted to destroy the tanar'ri race as he never saw himself as one of them. Toward this end, he has tried to form an alliance with Obox-ob. Three of Kostchtchie's most hated rivals include Graz'zt, Malcanthet, and the frost giant deity ThrymThrym (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Thrym is the lord of the frost giants. He is a god of cold and ice, as well as a deity of magic.-Description:...
.
Realm
Kostchtchie resides on the 23rd layer of the Abyss, called the Iron Wastes, a realm of mighty glaciers and plunging temperatures.History
Kostchtchie started life as a hideous mortal human whose physical ugliness was matched only the ugliness of his soul. Rejection and derision from his own people only served to ferment his hatred. Kostchtchie eventually met the legendary witch Baba Yaga, who gave him a strange container of nested skulls into which he can store his soul. As long as the skulls remained hidden and unharmed, Kostchtchie was invulnerable to death. With his newfound immortality, Kostchtchie wreaked horrible vengeance upon all those who wronged and ridiculed him. Even then, his anger was not satiated and he went on to amass a huge army to spread more misery and destruction. Finally, a celestial paragonCelestial paragon
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestial paragons are powerful unique outsiders of the Upper Planes. They are to the celestials as the archdevils are to the devils and the demon lords are to demons....
intervened and struck him down, sending his soul into the Abyss. There, it became lodged in the eternal ice of the Iron Wastes, a place as cold and pitiless as himself, and Kostchtchie began life anew, eventually becoming a demon lord.
Cult of Kostchtchie
Although Kostchtchie himself was never a frost giantGiant (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, giant is a type of creature, or "creature type." Giants are humanoid-shaped creatures of great strength and size.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
, he identifies himself as one of them, and works to subjugate the entire race to his worship, which puts him into direct conflict with the frost giant god Thrym
Thrym
In Norse mythology, Þrymr was king of the jotnar. In one legend, he stole Mjollnir, Thor's hammer, to extort the gods into giving him Freyja as his wife...
. Kostchtchie's cult are for the most part males, and certainly none of his thralls are women. Any women in his cults have marginal roles as he is misogynistic in the extreme. Frost giant tribes under Kostchtchie's rule often increase their numbers not by reproduction but by raiding other tribes who are not worshippers of the demon lord.
