Lamia (Dungeons & Dragons)

Lamia
Fourth-edition lamia
Characteristics
Type	Magical beast
Image	Wizards.com image
Stats	Open Game License stats
Publication history
Mythological origins	Lamia

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the lamia is a type of fictional monster. The lamia was formerly portrayed in the game as a creature with the lower body of a lion, and the upper torso, arms, and head of a human female. A less common type of lamia, the lamia noble, was depicted as having the lower body of a serpent. The lamia was introduced in the first edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game's original Monster Manual sourcebook, written by Gary Gygax and published in 1977. The lamia also appeared in second edition and third edition Dungeons & Dragons. In the fourth edition, it was reenvisaged as a swarm of insects.

The lamia was first included in the original Advanced Dungeons & Dragons first edition Monster Manual (1977) by Gary Gygax. First edition AD&D game statistics and a description for the lamia appeared there, along with an illustration by David C. Sutherland III. Published first edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons adventures which included Lamia as adversaries that the players encounter included "The Ruins of Andril", published in Dragon #81.

This edition of the D&D game included its own version of the lamia, known as the lamara, in Creature Catalogue (1986), and the Creature Catalog (1993).

The lamia first appeared for second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the second volume of the Monstrous Compendium series (1989), with a black and white illustration. The lamia's description and game statistics are reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993), with a color illustration by Jeff Butler.