Lamashtu
The Demon Queen, Mother of Monsters, Demon Mother |
Alignment: Chaotic Evil Domains: chaos, evil, madness, strength, trickery, monsters, nightmares Favored Weapon: Falchion; Redlust and Chillheart Nationality: Lamashan Herald: The Yethazmari Servitors: Shemhazian demons Minions: Bloodmaw, Yaenit, Gnolls, medusae, harpies, goblins, some minotaurs, hidden human cults and other abyssal creatures Centers of Worship: scattered in outskirts of civilization and true wilderness. |
Lamashtu (pronounced lah-MAHSH-too) is the mother and patroness of many misshapen and malformed creatures that crawl, slither, or flap on, above, or below the surface of Golarion. It is claimed by many monstrous humanoid races that she was their first progenitor and creator.
Appearance: Pictures of Lamashtu portray her as a jackal-headed woman with a third vertical eye in the center of her forehead, heavily pregnant, with feathered wings, a snake's tail, and taloned feet. She is often depicted carrying her two deadly blades, Redlust and Chillheart. Her head may vary depending on the nature of her worshipers, gnolls preferring the jackal head, medusae a snake's, harpies a hawk's, and so on.
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History
Lamashtu was once a mighty demon lord. In ages past she was allied with Pazuzu, though the exact nature of their alliance is often disputed by scholars of demon lore. Some say they were lovers, others say siblings, or simply convenient allies. What is known for certain is that she lured the god Curchanus into her territory and beset him with swarms of demons and other monsters until he was weak enough for her to attack him. By defeating him, she ripped his godly domain over beasts from him, beginning an ancient vendetta with Curchanus's protege Desna. This imbued the demoness with a small amount of his divine power.
Pazuzu was enraged by this shift in power and as she returned from that battle he betrayed and attacked her. He wounded her terribly, but her newfound divinity allowed her to survive. They have been mortal enemies since. Lamashtu's vendetta against him is only equaled by Desna's own vendetta against her.