Dungeons & Dragons posted a cryptic tweet hinting at their next book. The tweet simply says “Something’s brewing over in our Discord channel…“. The link takes you to a file labeled feather and tart.mp3. When played, it features a short clip of a female laughing. Those very familiar with the lore of D&D may already have some guesses what this could mean.
Something’s brewing over in our Discord News channel… 🤔
Join: https://t.co/osXSbdRkmm
— Dungeons & Dragons (@Wizards_DnD) August 21, 2020
Feather and tart are the components of a spell called Tasha’s Hideous Laughter. It’s a quite clever spell that, when successfully cast, makes the opponent seize in a laughing fit and unable to attack. Like many Dungeons & Dragons spells that have a creator’s name, there is a history behind it. Tasha is another name for a spell caster called Iggwilv, the Witch Queen. She is not a very nice person.
Tasha is an iconic villain who was born as Natasha the Dark. She was raised in the hut of the witch Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is already a name linked to real-world folklore, and the name took a spin in the vampire-ruled world of Barovia with the witch Baba Lysaga. Perhaps the same person, perhaps not, but both unpleasant. Tasha lived for awhile in Greyhawk, taking on the name of Tasha when she joined a band of now-famous adventurers: Keoghtom, Murlynd, Zagig, Heward, Quaal, and Nolzur. But she took on the name Iggwilv after leaving the band and striking up a romance with Graz’zt, a demon prince of lust and hedonism. Together they had a half-fiend son called Iuz, also not a very nice person.
Iggwilv is well-versed in demon summoning. And she wrote the Demonomicon of Iggwilv. That leads one to theorize that the Demonomicon could be the next book out for Dungeons & Dragons. D&D has already released campaign books this year with Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden, and Mythic Odysseys of Theros. But they often release supplemental books that expand upon the universe through new monsters, magic items, expanding rules for things like sailing. Volo’s Guide to Monsters introduced new monsters and lore, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything had new subclasses, monsters, items, and spells. And Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes talked about the planes and had further monsters. So perhaps a Demonomicon will delve deeply into the Abyss and its inhabitants?
It will be an eager wait to find out as we look for more clues from the team at D&D.