Lamashtu (Dungeons & Dragons)
Encyclopedia
Lamashtu is the demon queen of monstrous births, in the Dungeons & Dragons
roleplaying game, currently imprisoned by her former lover Pazuzu
.
#392 (March 2005), by James Jacobs. Lamashtu received further details in third edition in Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss
(2006).
Lamashtu received further description in the fourth edition book Demonomicon (2010).
#329 (2005) and Demonomicon (2010), list Pazuzu
as Lamashtu's most notable enemy. She was once his consort, but she betrayed him by abusing her knowledge of his true name. In retribution, Pazuzu put out her eyes and banished her to the Abyssal layer of Torremor, in the sprawling construction known as Onstrakker's Nest.
In Demonomicon (2010), Lamashtu has recently gained control of Torremor, taking it from Pazuzu, though she has yet to escape from her prison. Despite her theft of his Abyssal layer, Pazuzu still only barely considers her a threat. He rarely visited Torremor regardless, preferring the skies above Pazunia.
s, minotaur
s, and many more, often in myth mating with some beast to create bestial humanoid offspring.
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...
roleplaying game, currently imprisoned by her former lover Pazuzu
Pazuzu (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Pazuzu is a powerful demon prince, called the Prince of the Lower Aerial Kingdoms. He rules the skies above all layers of the Abyss. He is sometimes known as Pazrael or Pazuzeus....
.
Creative origins
Lamashtu is named for a demon goddess in Mesopotamian mythology. Pazuzu was her rival, and frequently invoked to protect people from her predations. The historical Lamashtu is described as possessing a hairy body, a lioness' head with donkey's teeth and ears, long fingers and fingernails, and the feet of a bird with sharp talons.Publication history
Lamashtu was first mentioned in the article "Demonomicon of Iggwilv: Pazuzu" in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#392 (March 2005), by James Jacobs. Lamashtu received further details in third edition 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).
Lamashtu received further description in the fourth edition book Demonomicon (2010).
Description
She is described as a wretched and deformed hag, well known for her bottomless hunger for the bones of pregnant mothers and newborn babes.Relationships
DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#329 (2005) and Demonomicon (2010), list Pazuzu
Pazuzu (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Pazuzu is a powerful demon prince, called the Prince of the Lower Aerial Kingdoms. He rules the skies above all layers of the Abyss. He is sometimes known as Pazrael or Pazuzeus....
as Lamashtu's most notable enemy. She was once his consort, but she betrayed him by abusing her knowledge of his true name. In retribution, Pazuzu put out her eyes and banished her to the Abyssal layer of Torremor, in the sprawling construction known as Onstrakker's Nest.
Realm
Onstrakker's Nest is built on a towering spire from timber, bones, earth, and stone pillars, is hundreds of miles in diameter. Lamashtu is impaled on a gleaming spire.In Demonomicon (2010), Lamashtu has recently gained control of Torremor, taking it from Pazuzu, though she has yet to escape from her prison. Despite her theft of his Abyssal layer, Pazuzu still only barely considers her a threat. He rarely visited Torremor regardless, preferring the skies above Pazunia.
Other games
Lamashtu appears as a major goddess of the Pathfinder campaign setting. There, she is described as resembling a heavily pregnant human woman with the head of a three-eyed jackal, a raven's wings, a snake's tail, and a vulture's feet. She is given credit for the creation of any number of monstrous races, including gnollGnoll
A gnoll or gnole is a fictional humanoid creature - a cross between a gnome and a troll. They first appeared in Lord Dunsany's story in The Book of Wonder: How Nuth Would Have Practised His Art upon the Gnoles and subsequently reappeared in Margaret St. Clair's, The Man Who Sold Rope to the Gnoles...
s, minotaur
Minotaur (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, minotaurs are a race of monstrous humanoids, resembling bull-human hybrids. Many minotaurs worship the demon lord Baphomet.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
s, and many more, often in myth mating with some beast to create bestial humanoid offspring.
Additional reading
- Jacobs, James. Lords of Chaos. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2010.