A character mentioned in the introductory story found in the 1991 Mindscape Knightmare computer game manual. Pickle tells the would-be team of adventurers that the 'Opposition has ceded a portion of the dungeons to a sorceress. Her real name is not known, but she masquerades as one of the grey sisters, and although she is not a witch, styles herself in witchly fashion. Badwife, she calls herself, and she is fey.' It is implied that Badwife is the guardian of the Cup that Heals.

Badwife, as described above, offers an intriguing evocation of Mistress Goody, who is from Knightmare Series 4 and thus predates the game. For according to Erin Geraghty, Mistress Goody, as well as ostensibly being a witch, was also known as Goody Badwife. If Badwife is Mistress Goody, then maybe light is shed on the dubious balance of power in the Series 4 Dungeon, a topic that is sometimes discussed among KM fans.

The description of Badwife might also have influenced the conception of Greystagg, who as a Series 6/7 character postdates the game. Greystagg's regality and power blur the boundaries between witch and sorceress.

[Earlier version: 2006-04-05 00:47:47]

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