Faiths of Sublanarya: Goddess of Witchcraft Part 2: Angrboda, The Witch of the Iron Wood

ANGRBODA 

THE WITCH OF THE IRON WOOD

While Hecate is the most infamous of the witch gods, none play a bigger part in the stories of the gods than Hecate's daughter, Angrboda, the Witch of the Iron Wood.

Angrboda was the daughter of Hecate and some unknown but undoubtedly worthy partner. After all, Hecate has had many affairs and relationships with gods and men but few have born children like the terrible Wolf-Mother herself, Angrboda. Tall and strong, with red hair stained like dried-blood, Angrboda is a striking primal figure, often depicted with a a shield and spear or short sword and staff, with war make-up on her body. She was raised in a realm called the Iron Wood and, with her mastery of powerful knowledge granted to hear by her mother as well as her own ferocity as a warrior, Angrboda became the chief of Iron Wood clan. The Iron Wood clan were some of the first shape-shifters, living among and taking the shape of great wolves, and were a powerful force in the ancient world. Infamously, she is called the Wolf-Mother for the terrible beasts she bear with her consort, Puck Darkheart.

She is said to have given birth to the world serpent Jormungandr. The mighty serpent threatened to devour all so, in a show of incredible power, Grimnir grabbed it by the tail and threw it so that the serpent became lost in the clouds around Ginnungagap. To this day it circles the material plane, dizzily, chasing it's tail but is destined to take part in the end of the world. After the serpent, their second child was Hela.

Hela is an analogue to Nergal and has a kingdom of her own, Helhome, nestled in Terra Nada with a great blasted castle, Nifflbolga, sitting upon a great mountain of petrified dead bodies. She is a strange, mysterious and often mirthful goddess who takes pleasure in getting visitors from the world of the living. Hela is considered an enemy of evil necromancers, seeing abuse and misuse of necromancy as cruel perversion of a greater purpose, for the dead to find closure, and her servants are "grey necromancers" who specialize in fighting evil undead, evil necromancers, and helping the dead come to a rest.

She also has an unfortunate association with plagues and, in art, she is depicted as a giantess with a rake. The rake represents the sweeping death with the gaps between the teeth of the rake allowing some to escape it.

Unlike Nergal, who seems to have not but scorn for his subjects, the neutral dead, Hela feels pity and allows those lucky enough to find their way to spend their time there indefinitely in the hopes they can find purpose in their service to her as undead. These servants, called Grey Revenants, are often set on missions meant to redeem them for crimes during their lives.

Her most infamous story comes from the death of Baldric. Her abilities to bring the dead back from death were unmatched and, much to even her own surprise, it seemed that there was a chance she could even resurrect the dead god. Desperately, the gods pleaded with her to tell them how to bring back the princely god and, after some thought, she did think of one spell. If every mortal and immortal, on heaven and earth, were to weep for Baldric, she could somehow use all of that grief to power her resurrection. The gods implored all to weep, even the skies, but one giantess (believed to be Puck in disguise) refused, and Baldric still lays dormant in a chamber of Castle Nifflbolga protected by an army of undead soldiers.

Last of Angrboda and Puck's children is Fenrir the Wolf who, it is said, is destined to devour the sun and bring about the end of the world.

Angrboda is the patron goddess of tribal wise women and her way is the way of survival, strength and family. She has little sympathy for the weak, is picky about choosing her allies and, if she doesn't like someone, will reject them immediately. Those who worship her are impulsive, fierce and protective of their "pack".

ANGRBODA

Title(s)

The Witch of the Iron Wood, Wolf-Mother, Red Witch, Warrior-Witch, The Foreboding Chief

Pantheon(s)

New Gods

Power Level

Intermediary Deity

Alignment

Lawful Evil

Symbol

A red wolf

Portfolio

 Wolves, witchcraft, warfare, barbarism, sex

Domains

Nature, War

Worshipers

Witches, barbarians, warriors, shape-shifters, lycanthropes

Favored Weapon

The spear and shield

JORMUNGANDR

Title(s)

The World Serpent, The Ring Serpent, The Endless Hunger,

Pantheon(s)

New Gods

Power Level

Intermediary Deity

Alignment

Neutral Evil

Symbol

A serpent eating its own tail

Portfolio

Serpents, sea, destruction, chaos, hunger

Domains

Death, Tempest

Worshipers

Yaun-ti, reptillians, assassins,

Favored Weapon

The whip

HEL

Title(s)

Lady Death, Friend of the Undead

Pantheon(s)

New Gods

Power Level

Intermediary Deity

Alignment

Neutral

Symbol

A red skull with golden horns

Portfolio

Undeath, death, caring for the dead, exorcism,

Domains

Death, Grave,

Worshipers

Exorcists, gravekeepers,

Favored Weapon

The longsword

Holy Day(s)

Festival of the Dead