Crom Cruach, The Hidden One, The Bloody God

Crom Cruach is a deity from Irish mythology associated with fertility, a terrifying creature with a hunger for human sacrifice.

• Pantheon: Celtic pantheon
• Deity Title: Crom Cruach, The Hidden One, The Bloody God
• Deity Symbol: The head of a serpent or a skull, sometimes depicted with multiple heads
• Home Plane: The Otherworld, specifically the realm of the dead
• Deity Level: Intermediate
• Alignment: Chaotic Evil
• Aliases: Cenn Cruaich, Crom Dubh, Mórrígan
• Superior: None
• Traditional Allies: Other Chaotic Evil deities or monstrous races
• Traditional Foes: Other deities of the Celtic pantheon, lawful or good-aligned deities
• Divine Artifact: Unknown, possibly a sacred stone or artifact related to blood sacrifice
• Servants: Druids, witches, or other spellcasters who follow his teachings
• Servitor Creatures: Giant serpents, Giant worms, monstrous insects, or undead creatures
• Sacred Animal: Serpent or snake
• Manifestations: Storms, thunder, blood or gore, serpents or snakes, death and decay
• Signs of Favor: Unnatural storms, plagues, mysterious disappearances, and sudden deaths
• Worshipers: Barbarians, warlocks, and other chaotic evil or monstrous humanoids
• Cleric Alignments : Chaotic Evil
• Specialty Priests: Druids or witches who specialize in blood magic and animal sacrifice
• Holy Days: Samhain (Celtic festival of the dead), Beltane (festival of fertility and new life), and Lughnasadh (festival of the harvest)
• Portfolio: Fertility, death, war, and blood sacrifice
• Domains: Death, Destruction, War
• Favored Weapon: Greatsword or scythe
• Favored Class: Barbarian
• Favored Race: Fomorians, and other monstrous humanoids
• Duties of the Priesthood: To perform blood sacrifices and other rituals to appease Crom Cruach, to spread fear and chaos throughout the land, to serve as advisors to barbarian warlords and other chaotic leaders
• Major Cult/Temple Sites: Unknown, but likely located in remote areas or underground
• Benefits: Clerics and followers of Crom Cruach gain the ability to channel negative energy and summon undead creatures. They are also able to perform blood sacrifices to gain power or favor from their deity.

Crom Cruach is a deity from Irish mythology, often depicted as a monstrous figure with a insatiable hunger for human sacrifice. Despite his terrifying reputation, he is also associated with fertility and abundance, and many in ancient Ireland would worship him in hopes of gaining his favor.

As a being with immense power, Crom Cruach is driven by a desire for worship and adoration from his followers. He revels in the sight of human sacrifice, believing that it is the ultimate display of devotion and reverence. For this reason, he demands that his followers offer up their own children as sacrifices to him, a practice that horrified many in ancient Ireland.

Despite the objections of some, there were many who would eagerly offer up their own children to Crom Cruach, believing that his favor would bring them prosperity and abundance. They would gather at his sacred site, a stone idol known as the “pillar-stone of Cromm Cruaich”, and offer up their sacrifices in the hopes of appeasing him.

Crom Cruach is a massive, serpentine creature with scales covering his body. He has multiple heads, each with sharp fangs and glowing red eyes. His body is so large that he can stretch for miles, and his movements are slow and deliberate. His presence is ominous and foreboding, instilling fear in all who gaze upon him.

Despite the horrific nature of his worship, Crom Cruach was seen as a powerful and influential deity, with many believing that he held sway over the land and its fertility. While his reign of terror eventually came to an end his legacy lives on in the stories and legends that have been passed down through the generations.

Crom Cruach, The Worm King

Huge fiend (demon), chaotic evil

Armor Class: 30 (natural armor)

Hit Points: 750 (50d12 + 300)

Speed: 50 ft., climb 50 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
30 (+10)	16 (+3)	22 (+6)	24 (+7)	22 (+6)	30 (+10)

Saving Throws: Con +16, Int +17, Wis +16, Cha +20

Skills: Insight +16, Intimidation +20, Perception +16

Damage Resistances: cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities: poison

Condition Immunities: poisoned

Senses: truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 26

Languages: all, telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge Rating: 32

Legendary Resistance (5/Day): If Crom Cruach fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance: Crom Cruach has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Multi-Headed: Crom Cruach has 5 heads. While he has more than one head, he has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.

Innate Spellcasting: Crom Cruach’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 28). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

• At will: detect magic, detect thoughts, dispel magic, dominate monster, flame strike, invisibility, plane shift, suggestion
• 3/day each: chain lightning, earthquake, fire storm, meteor swarm, power word stun, wall of fire
• 1/day each: armageddon, divine word, power word kill, time stop

Regeneration: Crom Cruach regains 50 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least one head.

Actions:

Multiattack: Crom Cruach can use his Frightful Presence. He then makes 5 bite attacks.

• Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +22 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 55 (6d12 + 10) piercing damage.
• Frightful Presence: Each creature of Crom Cruach’s choice within 120 feet of him and aware of him must succeed on a DC 28 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Crom Cruach’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
• Tail: Melee Weapon Attack: +22 to hit, reach 25 ft., one target. Hit: 45 (6d10 + 10) bludgeoning damage.

Legendary Actions:

Crom Cruach 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. Crom Cruach regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

• Bite: Crom Cruach makes one bite attack.
• Tail Attack: Crom Cruach makes one tail attack.
• Cataclysmic Roar (Costs 2 Actions): Each creature within 120 feet of Crom Cruach must make a DC 28 Constitution saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally, any creature that fails its saving throw is stunned until the end of its next turn.

Lair Actions:

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Crom Cruach takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects:

• Cataclysmic Earthquake: Crom Cruach causes a massive earthquake within a 1-mile radius centered on himself. All creatures in the area must make a DC 28 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage and being knocked prone on a failed save, or half as much damage and not being knocked prone on a successful one.
• Summon Demons: Crom Cruach summons 2d6 fiends (CR 10 or lower), which appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet of him. These demons are under Crom Cruach’s control and act immediately after him in the initiative order.

Regional Effects:

The region containing Crom Cruach’s lair is warped by his magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:

• Blackened Skies: The sky above the region is always dark and cloudy, and heavy rain and thunderstorms are frequent.
• Corrupted Ground: The ground within 1 mile of Crom Cruach’s lair is twisted and corrupted by demonic magic, causing it to become difficult terrain. Additionally, any creature that starts its turn within the area must make a DC 28 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of Crom Cruach for 1 minute.
• Demonic Frenzy: Fiends within 1 mile of Crom Cruach have advantage on attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks.

Currently

Crom Cruach, the ancient deity of the Irish tribes, has been dormant for centuries. His once-terrifying presence has been reduced to mere legend and myth, as the people of Ireland have long since abandoned the worship of the old gods. However, in the year 1450, something stirs deep beneath the earth. Crom Cruach has awakened from his slumber, and his hunger for power and destruction burns brighter than ever.

As he emerges from his underground lair, Crom Cruach surveys the world around him. The once-great empires of Europe are in turmoil, as wars rage and kingdoms crumble. The Black Death has ravaged the continent, leaving death and despair in its wake. Crom Cruach sees this chaos as an opportunity, a chance to reclaim his position as a god and rule over a new era of darkness and fear.

With his massive body coiled and ready for action, Crom Cruach begins to slither his way across the countryside. He leaves destruction in his wake, devouring entire villages and towns in his quest for power. As he travels, he encounters bands of knights and armies sent to stop him, but they are no match for the ancient deity’s immense power.

As Crom Cruach continues his rampage, whispers of his return spread throughout Europe. The people begin to fear him once again, and some even begin to offer sacrifices in the hopes of appeasing his wrath. Crom Cruach sees this as a sign of his growing power, and his hunger for domination only grows.

But what does Crom Cruach truly want? Some say he seeks to reclaim his status as a god, while others believe he simply wants to sow chaos and destruction. Whatever his motivations may be, one thing is clear: he will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. And as he continues to ravage the land, the people of Europe can only pray for a hero brave enough to stand against the ancient deity and put an end to his reign of terror.