Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga was an extraordinarily powerful mage and archfey. Some described her as the most powerful female mage ever known, a sorceress with a reputation for passing throughout the planes. In doing so, her magical hut also appeared elsewhere, and was reported to have arrived on Faerûn.

"Did you come of your own free will, or at another's bidding?"

- Baba Yaga, a question she typically asked visitors to her home.

Description
The sorceress was said to be of godlike intelligence, but very physically ugly. She had a long warty nose, a skeletal frame, and thin white hair. She had sharp, iron-like teeth and fingers that curved into claws. On occasion she had a rather plump frame. It was uncertain whether her changing frame was due to having recently eaten or simply on a whim of preference.

Personality
She was known to have a fickle nature, being dangerously unpredictable, equally as likely to eat her worshipers as she was to aid them. Politeness would not guarantee her favor, nor would rudeness ensure incurring her wrath.

She was willing to offer people some of her secrets in return for another. The bargains she offered people were also far more dangerously worded than those of any fey.

Possessions
Baba Yaga had several guardian animals over her life time, with the most prominent being cats. Some of these cats were mundane, while others were magical and intelligent. Beyond that she had guard dogs, wolves, and occasionally dire wolves. These were typically malnourished and lived either on her hut's porch or in its stables. All of her servants, animal or otherwise, tended to be treated poorly.

Within the stables of her hut she kept a group of magnificently well-bred horses and various types of a magical livestock. Her stables sometimes housed pegasi, nightmares, and even intelligent horses capable of traveling freely between planes.

Whenever traveling outside her hut, such as to chase after someone, she used a large, magical flying mortar and pestle made of iron. On occasion, the mortar resembled a cauldron. This mortar would hover close to the ground, while the pestle would be used to touch the ground and steer the vessel like a rudder. Finally, she carried a broomstick alongside her in order to sweep away any evidence of her travel as she moved.

Realm
When not traveling around, she and her hut resided within the Feywild, in a swamp known as Murkendraw. Many types of hags were also known to inhabit this swamp.

Relationships
Baba Yaga helped to raise two humans, Kostchtchie and Tasha. The former went on to become very well known on Toril, whilst the latter was mainly heard of on the world of Oerth. Kostchtchie became a "distinctly Faerûnian demon lord" and had conflicts with Gwynharwyf.

The powerful witch knew much about the deity Psilofyr (a deity worshiped by myconids of Toril ), but did not share her knowledge with others.

Many sages and adventurers were known to have sought her out for her vast knowledge of magic. Archfey respected her powers, but were very cautious. Her relationship with deities was similarly fickle, though she tended to associate with those of an evil alignment, as well as those who were tricksters or mischief makers. She was also known to associate with devils.

Worshipers
Some among the night hags, green hags, and annis hags were known to worship Baba Yaga.

History
Baba Yaga once prophesied that the ruler of Mag Tureah, a region of the Feydark with multiple portals to Toril, would be slain by his own son.

Rumors & Legends
One legend stated that she had been outwitted by heroes on occasion, who shoved her into an oven or trapped her in a lake of fire. The legend went on state that despite seemingly dying, would she always appear again no worse for wear. Because of this some believed that she was impervious to fire.

Many noted that Baba Yaga was somehow related to the night hags, green hags, and annis hags.

One folk tale claimed that Baba Yaga was so powerful that the very times of dawn, noon, and night were all subservient to her whims. Another rumor claimed that she had no legs and that her magical mortar and pestle were her only means of moving around.

In the 14 century DR, Volo and Elminster stated that, according to reports, Baba Yaga's hut appeared near Rashemen, northeast Faerûn.

Appearances

 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * Lost Laboratory of Kwalish
 * Lost Laboratory of Kwalish