Nerthus, “Goddess of Fertility and Agriculture”
Nerthus is a goddess of fertility and the earth in Germanic paganism.
- Pantheon: Norse Deity
- Title: Goddess of Fertility and Agriculture
- Deity Symbol: A cornucopia overflowing with fruits and vegetables
- Home Plane: Ysgard
- Deity Level: Intermediate
- Alignment: Neutral Good
- Aliases: Mother Earth, Lady of the Harvest
- Superior: None
- Traditional Allies: Freyr, Freyja, Thor
- Traditional Foes: Loki, Hel
- Divine Artifact: A magical sickle that never dulls
- Servants: Nature spirits and elementals
- Servitor Creatures: Earth elementals, unicorns
- Sacred Animal: Cows
- Manifestations: Ripe harvests, bountiful crops, blooming flowers, abundant wildlife
- Signs of Favor: Plentiful harvests, fertile soil, healthy animals, favorable weather
- Worshipers: Farmers, gardeners, druids, hunters, herbalists, healers
- Cleric Alignments: Neutral Good, True Neutral
- Specialty Priests: Crop experts, weather forecasters
- Holy Days: Spring Equinox, Harvest Festival, Winter Solstice
- Portfolio: Fertility, agriculture, harvest, childbirth, motherhood, renewal
- Domains: Plant, Earth, Good, Healing
- Favored Weapon: Sickle
- Favored Class: Druid Favored Race: Humans, Elves
- Duties of the Priesthood: Ensure bountiful harvests, protect nature, aid in childbirth, heal the sick
- Major Cult/Temple Sites: Temples located in lush farmland or deep forests
- Benefits: Improved fertility, bountiful crops, healing abilities, nature magic.
Nerthus is an enigmatic deity who has been worshipped for centuries across many cultures. Her followers see her as a goddess of abundance, fertility, and prosperity. Though she is often portrayed as a gentle and nurturing figure, there is an undeniable power and ferocity that lies beneath her surface.
As a deity, Nerthus is known for her ability to bring forth bountiful harvests, heal the sick and wounded, and protect her followers from harm. She is deeply connected to the natural world and takes great pleasure in watching her plants and animals flourish. Yet, despite her benevolent nature, she is not afraid to unleash her wrath upon those who threaten her people or the balance of nature itself.
Nerthus is a complex character, driven by a deep sense of duty and responsibility towards her followers. She believes that it is her divine purpose to provide for and protect those who look to her for guidance, and she takes this responsibility very seriously. She is often portrayed as stoic and unyielding, willing to make difficult choices and sacrifices in order to achieve her goals.
At the same time, Nerthus is also deeply compassionate and caring towards her people. She is said to weep at the sight of their suffering and to take joy in their triumphs. Her followers often describe her as a loving mother figure, always there to provide comfort and support when they need it most.
Ultimately, Nerthus seeks to bring balance and harmony to the world. She believes that by nurturing the natural world and her followers, she can create a world where all beings can thrive. While she can be fierce and unforgiving in her defense of nature, she ultimately seeks peace and prosperity for all.
Nerthus
Deity of fertility, agriculture, and abundance
Armor Class: 20 (natural armor) Hit Points: 600 (32d20 + 288)
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
30 (+10) | 20 (+5) | 28 (+9) | 26 (+8) | 30 (+10) | 30 (+10) |
Speed: 60 ft.
Skills: Insight +20, Nature +20, Religion +20
Senses: truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 30
Languages: All
Divine Domains: Life, Nature
Spellcasting: Nerthus has full access to all spells from the Life and Nature domains. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 28, +20 to hit with spell attacks). Nerthus can cast spells as a bonus action.
Legendary Resistance: Nerthus can choose to succeed on a failed saving throw.
Divine Blessing: Nerthus blesses her followers with an extra 2d8 hit points every time they take a long rest.
Abilities:
- Multiattack: She can make three attacks per round, one with her staff and two with her slam.
- Divine Strike: Nerthus can infuse her weapon with divine energy, dealing extra radiant damage on her next attack.
- Divine Blessing: Nerthus blesses her followers with an extra 2d8 hit points every time they take a long rest.
- Legendary Resistance: She can choose to succeed on a failed saving throw.
- Summon Elemental: Nerthus can summon a powerful elemental to fight alongside her.
- Divine Healing: She can heal herself or another creature for a large amount of hit points.
- Spellcasting: Nerthus has full access to all spells from the Life and Nature domains, and can cast spells as a bonus action.
Actions
Multiattack: She makes three attacks: one with her staff and two with her slam.
Staff: Melee Weapon Attack: +20 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +20 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
Divine Strike: Nerthus infuses her weapon with divine energy. Her next attack deals an extra 4d8 radiant damage.
Legendary Actions
Nerthus can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Nerthus regains spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
Cast a Spell (Costs 3 Actions): Nerthus casts a spell from her list of available spells.
Divine Healing (Costs 2 Actions): Nerthus heals herself or a creature within 60 feet of her for 20d8 hit points.
Summon Elemental (Costs 2 Actions): Nerthus summons a powerful elemental to fight alongside her. The elemental remains for 1 hour or until it or Nerthus is destroyed.
Divine Artifact
Sickle of the Harvest: This golden sickle is imbued with Nerthus’s power. It deals an extra 4d6 radiant damage on a hit and can be used as a spellcasting focus for druid spells.
Equipment:
Nerthus is usually depicted with the following equipment:
- Golden staff: This staff is topped with a glowing green crystal and is often used by Nerthus to channel her divine energy.
- Sickle of the Harvest: This sickle is imbued with Nerthus’s power and can be used as a weapon or as a spellcasting focus for druid spells.
Regional Effects
Nerthus’s presence infuses the surrounding environment with her divine energy, creating the following effects:
- Plants within a 1-mile radius of Nerthus grow faster and produce more abundant crops.
- Animals within a 1-mile radius of Nerthus are more fertile and produce more offspring.
- Any spellcasting that involves life or nature magic is treated as if it were cast at one level higher within a 1-mile radius of Nerthus.
- Creatures that worship Nerthus gain advantage on all ability checks and saving throws while within the 1-mile radius of her influence.
Challenge Rating:
Given Nerthus’s immense power and godly status, her challenge rating would likely be around CR 30, making her one of the most formidable foes that adventurers could face.
Description and Lore:
Nerthus is a powerful and ancient deity of fertility, agriculture, and abundance. She is usually depicted as a tall and imposing figure, with long golden hair and a serene expression on her face. She wears a flowing white gown, adorned with gold and jewels, and carries a golden staff topped with a glowing green crystal. She is often accompanied by animals, especially deer, who are considered sacred to her.
According to legend, Nerthus was one of the first deities to emerge in the world, born from the primal energies of nature itself. She is said to have the power to control the growth and fertility of all living things, and her blessings are sought after by farmers, herders, and anyone who relies on the land for sustenance.
Nerthus is worshipped by many different cultures and religions, often under different names and guises. She is known as Njordh in Norse mythology, Demeter in Greek mythology, and Ceres in Roman mythology, among others. In some cultures, she is even believed to have taken mortal form and walked among humans, sharing her wisdom and blessings with those who pleased her.
Elemental of Abundance
The Elemental of Abundance is a towering creature that stands at an impressive height. Its body is made up of a swirling mass of vibrant colors that constantly shift and blend together. Each hue represents the different forms of life it protects and nourishes.
Huge elemental, neutral
Armor Class: 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 300 (24d12 + 120)
Speed: 60 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
28 (+9) | 14 (+2) | 20 (+5) | 6 (-2) | 10 (+0) | 6 (-2) |
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Exhaustion, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Unconscious
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages: Understands the languages of its summoner but can’t speak
Challenge Rating: 16 (15,000 XP)
Actions:
- Multiattack: The elemental makes two slam attacks.
- Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 9) bludgeoning damage.
- Abundance Aura (Recharge 5-6): The elemental releases a wave of abundance that spreads in a 60 ft. radius around it. All creatures in the area regain 20 hit points, and all plants in the area grow instantly and produce double the amount of fruits and vegetables.
Legendary Actions:
The elemental can take three legendary actions per turn. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The elemental regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Slam: The elemental makes one slam attack.
- Abundance Field (Costs 2 Actions): The elemental creates a field of abundance in a 20 ft. radius around it. All creatures in the area regain 10 hit points, and all plants in the area grow instantly and produce double the amount of fruits and vegetables.
- Elemental Resilience (Costs 3 Actions): The elemental regains 50 hit points and is immune to all damage until the end of its next turn.
The Elemental of Abundance is an awe-inspiring creature, towering over most living beings at an impressive height. Its body is made up of a swirling mass of vibrant colors, each representing the different forms of life it protects and nourishes. The elemental’s presence alone exudes an energy of abundance and vitality, giving off a warm and welcoming aura.
Despite its immense size, the Elemental of Abundance moves with an almost graceful ease, its steps leaving behind a trail of sprouting vegetation. The creature’s natural armor glimmers in the sunlight, providing it with an impressive defense against those who would seek to harm it.
The Elemental of Abundance is a powerful force of nature, capable of unleashing its wrath upon those who would threaten the balance it has created. However, it is also a creature of great compassion and generosity, always seeking to give back to the natural world that sustains it. Its powerful Abundance Aura can bring life back to even the most barren of landscapes, and its legendary actions allow it to heal and protect those in need.
Those who summon the Elemental of Abundance do so with great care and respect, knowing that they are calling forth a creature of immense power and responsibility. The Elemental of Abundance is not to be trifled with, but for those who show it the proper reverence, it can be a powerful ally in the quest for balance and prosperity.