The upcoming Tasha's Cauldron of Everything supplement for Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons promises to reveal many secrets, but perhaps the most tantalizing is a picture of her sitting in front of Baba Yaga's Dancing Hut. Their relationship firmly establishes Slavic mythology's prominence in the D&D cosmoverse.
Who is Tasha?
Tasha's name is most associated with her trademark spell, Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter. Gygax explained on EN World how the name came about:
Tasha's background expanded in Dragon Magazine #83, mentioning a "Tasha the Dark" in Roger Moore's classic AD&D adventure, The Dancing Hut:
In 2007, Tasha was identified as actually Iggwilv in the adventure Expedition of the Ruins of Greyhawk. Iggwilv was best known as creating the Demonimicon, a book that went on to influence the video game Doom when the player who used it to create Armageddon by summoning a demon. Dragon Magazine #359 explains her influence:
Elena, another foster daughter of Baba Yag, is known as Elena the Fair in The Dancing Hut and lawful good in nature. Like Elena, Moore didn't create Natasha out of whole cloth. She's part of Slavic folklore.
Natasha the Light
In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga can be a villain or an obstacle; she is never one to be crossed lightly. The story of Natasha is typical of tales that feature Baba Yaga, with kindness repaid threefold. When Natasha's father remarries, her stepmother schemes to get rid of the girl. Her stepmother is the sister of Baba Yaga, and sends Natasha to certain doom by asking her stepdaughter to fetch needle and thread from the witch, knowing full well that Babay Yaga will eat her.
Natasha travels to visit Baba Yaga's hut and, along the way shows great kindness by oiling a squeaky fence, wiping the tears of Baba Yaga's servant, feeding a guard dog, and feeding a cat. It's the cat who helps Natasha plan her escape. He advises her to steal a magic comb and towel. When she flees, Natasha's new friends cover her tracks: the cat takes up Natasha's chores to buy her time; the servant, dog, and fence never sound the alarm.
Baba Yaga pursues Natasha and the girl throws the towel behind her. It turns into a river, blocking Baba Yaga's path temporarily. When Baba Yaga catches up to her again, Natasha throws the comb, which turns into a forest. Finally shaking Baba Yaga, Natasha returns home to tell her father of her stepmother's duplicity. He throws the stepmother out and they live happily ever after.
Tasha Now
D&D Lead Rules Designer Jeremy Crawford explains that Tasha isn't necessarily "the Dark" or even Iggwilv anymore:
Given that the original Natasha escaped the clutches of Baba Yaga and lived happily ever after, perhaps that's fitting.
Who is Tasha?
Tasha's name is most associated with her trademark spell, Tasha's Uncontrollable Hideous Laughter. Gygax explained on EN World how the name came about:
All of those spells I made up, usually to honor a PC in my campaign, or for the person who suggested the basis (Tasha was a little girl who sent me letters in crayon, Nystul an actual stage magician I met through Len Lakofka.)
Tasha's background expanded in Dragon Magazine #83, mentioning a "Tasha the Dark" in Roger Moore's classic AD&D adventure, The Dancing Hut:
Natasha the Dark is an adopted human "daughter" of Baba Yaga who was influenced by the witch to take up her sorcery and use it for dark purposes. A beautiful woman with smoky black hair and alabaster skin, Natasha enjoys manipulating demons,and uses them frequently as servants and guardians. She is jealous of her "sister" Elena (see area 17), and despises her goodness, but will never cause Elena harm.
In 2007, Tasha was identified as actually Iggwilv in the adventure Expedition of the Ruins of Greyhawk. Iggwilv was best known as creating the Demonimicon, a book that went on to influence the video game Doom when the player who used it to create Armageddon by summoning a demon. Dragon Magazine #359 explains her influence:
As Tasha, she infiltrated the Company of Seven, posing as a wizard of much less power than she actually possessed--that she was able even to deceive Zagig points not only to the Mad Archmage's distracted personality, but to her own considerable skills. As a member of the Company, Iggwilv/Tasha was able to draw and build upon the secrets of six of the world's greatest wizards. It remains unclear what event forced her to abandon her Tasha alias and take on the mantle for which she would become well known.Which begs the question--is Tasha Iggwilv's real name?
Elena, another foster daughter of Baba Yag, is known as Elena the Fair in The Dancing Hut and lawful good in nature. Like Elena, Moore didn't create Natasha out of whole cloth. She's part of Slavic folklore.
Natasha the Light
In Slavic folklore, Baba Yaga can be a villain or an obstacle; she is never one to be crossed lightly. The story of Natasha is typical of tales that feature Baba Yaga, with kindness repaid threefold. When Natasha's father remarries, her stepmother schemes to get rid of the girl. Her stepmother is the sister of Baba Yaga, and sends Natasha to certain doom by asking her stepdaughter to fetch needle and thread from the witch, knowing full well that Babay Yaga will eat her.
Natasha travels to visit Baba Yaga's hut and, along the way shows great kindness by oiling a squeaky fence, wiping the tears of Baba Yaga's servant, feeding a guard dog, and feeding a cat. It's the cat who helps Natasha plan her escape. He advises her to steal a magic comb and towel. When she flees, Natasha's new friends cover her tracks: the cat takes up Natasha's chores to buy her time; the servant, dog, and fence never sound the alarm.
Baba Yaga pursues Natasha and the girl throws the towel behind her. It turns into a river, blocking Baba Yaga's path temporarily. When Baba Yaga catches up to her again, Natasha throws the comb, which turns into a forest. Finally shaking Baba Yaga, Natasha returns home to tell her father of her stepmother's duplicity. He throws the stepmother out and they live happily ever after.
Tasha Now
D&D Lead Rules Designer Jeremy Crawford explains that Tasha isn't necessarily "the Dark" or even Iggwilv anymore:
While Tasha’s personality comes through in these notes, she offers an unfiltered lens on all kinds of things featured, evil or heroic. “I would say Tasha is a wonderful example of a character where if we were going to assign an alignment to her, Tasha is whatever alignment suits her for the day,” Crawford joked. “So I guess in that sense she is true neutral. She is very much her own person, and that comes through in her comments in the book.”
Given that the original Natasha escaped the clutches of Baba Yaga and lived happily ever after, perhaps that's fitting.
