Lamashtu

**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. Her unholy symbol is a three-eyed jackal head, which may be represented in many ways, and her sacred animal is the jackal.

## History

Lamashtu was once a mighty demon lord who became the first such entity to achieve true godhood. In ages past, she was the lover of Pazuzu. 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. By defeating him, she ripped his godly domain over beasts from him, beginning an ancient vendetta with Curchanus' protégée, Desna. This imbued the demoness with a small amount of his divine power.

Pazuzu was enraged by this shift in power, and as Lamashtu returned from that battle he betrayed and attacked her. He wounded her terribly, but her new-found divinity allowed her to survive; they have been dire enemies ever since. Lamashtu's vendetta against him is only equaled by Desna's own vendetta against her.

When she learnt that demons were the result of experimentation by a Horseman of the Apocalypse, Lamashtu invaded Abaddon and killed the Horsemen Drulaema and Roshmolem. From torturing Roshmolem, Lamashtu learned the "art" of creating demons. Once she coupled that knowledge with the use of her own body to gestate the demons, she birthed the vavakia, a true masterpiece of the art of creating demons.

It is claimed by many monstrous humanoid races that she was their first progenitor and creator.

## Home

Lamashtu's realm is Kurnugia, the largest layer of the Abyss.

## 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 (like a raven's), a snake's tail, and taloned feet like a vulture's). She is often depicted carrying her two deadly blades, Redlust and Chillheart: the former is of fire, the latter of ice. The blades may grow and shrink from the size of a falchion to that of a kukri. Her head may vary depending on the nature of her worshipers: gnolls preferring the jackal head, medusas a snake's, harpies a hawk's, and so on. She is often depicted surrounded by countless adherents, with a single individual rising above the rest.

## Relationships

Lamashtu, in a stance befitting her demonic origins, considers all other gods her enemies. Despite this widespread animosity, she focuses her attentions on growing her cults and expanding their reach, as well as the birthing of new and hideous monstrosities.

She is aware of Desna's hatred of her due to the murder of Curchanus, but treats her as beneath notice. She has an odd view of Shelyn, whom Lamashtu would love to capture and twist into her own monstrous vision of beauty. Needless to say, the faithful of Shelyn find this an abhorrent and terrifying concept.

Aroden and his clergy view Lamashtu as a dire symbol of the wilderness and dangers lying beyond the boundaries of civilization.

## Providence

Lamashtu's favor manifests as violent dreams, the appearance of sudden deformities, or unexplained pregnancies that often result in the painful (and sometimes fatal) birth of a deformed child. Worshipers who displease her may give birth to a "perfect" child, such as a human or halfling, nightmares, or welts. They may also find themselves infertile or unable to achieve sexual satisfaction.