The Apocalypse Serpent

The Tables of Maxctli give us the best picture of the Apocalypse Serpent, which the Ophidian Folk call Yqphuactl. A snake leagues upon leagues in length. A head crowned in feathers, much like Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs. A mouth so wide it could, and will, eat the sun. Of course, this is probably all metaphor, Yqphuactl is too large to be seen whole by the human eye. 

Other Names:  The Great Dragon, Yqphuactl, Jörmungandr

This giant avatar of Yig is responsible for the cycles of extinction and rebirth that have rocked the Earth five times. In its lost temple, it has rested since the last cataclysm. The Serpent rubs itself against the rough-hewn walls of the temple, pulling away its old skin. Once the shedding is complete, it will awaken to strangle the world in its coils and swallow up the sun. Then it will return to its temple, the cycle restarting anew. 

Cult

Worship of the Apocalypse Serpent is most often found among the Serpent People and their human collaborators. There is a belief that with the coming cataclysm, the Apocalypse Serpent will remake the world to be once again hospitable for the Serpent People. Some, impatient to return to their dominion of the Earth, seek to speed up the process. Their agents scour the Earth for the location of its buried temple. Entrances, guarded by feather-crowned rattlesnakes, are said to exist in the Yucatan, Egypt, and middle Appalachia. These Serpent People believe they can aid the Apocalypse Serpent in the shedding of its skin. 

Corrupted snake-handing Christian sects in the United States revere the Apocalypse Serpent as the Dragon mentioned in Revelations. 

Possible Blessings

• Death Grip: human worships are granted the ability to crush a victim in their hands. With a successful attack on an opponent, 1D6 + damage bonus is applied each round, unless the victim can make a successful Hard STR roll to escape, or the cultist is killed. 
• Signs and Wonders: By spending 5 Magic Points, the cultist can summon minor omens of the end of the world, such as a strong gust of wind, a lightning bolt, an isolated, short hailstorm, a swarm of snakes, the localized appearance of an eclipse, or a small tremor. 

Encounters

Most that encounter the Apocalypse Serpent only catch glimpses of the deity during dreams about the end of the world. As it nears awakening, such dreams become more common around the globe. Cultists may attempt to commune with the Serpent in dreams, where it may provide them spells or provide clues to the location of its hidden temple. It may send messengers to its cultist in the form of feather-crowned rattlesnakes with the power of speech. If encountered when awakened, all is lost. The investigator will soon be dead along with the rest of humanity. 

Aura

An overwhelming odor of snakes indicates one may dream of the Apocalypse Serpent and lingers long after the dreamer wakes. This odor also presages the arrival of its messengers. 

The Apocalypse Serpent, Avatar of Yig

Sanity Loss: 1D10/1D100

Magic

• POW: 140
• Magic Points: 28
• Spells: Alter Weather, Contact Serpent People, Earthquake, Implant Fear, Summons Snakes, and others dealing with disasters and the apocalypse.

Powers

Coils of the Serpent: Awakened, the Apocalypse Serpent sends the planet into death throes. Fault lines give, volcanoes smother the sunlight, tsunamis and hurricanes batter coasts, the ice caps melt, while storms spawn massive floods, monstrous tornadoes, and spark uncontrollable wildfires. 

Typical Manifestation

• Hit Points: 350
• Damage Bonus (DB): +45D6
• Build: +50
• Mov: 16

Combat

Attacks Per Round: 2 (strike and slither)

May strike with the fangs in its mouth or simply slither over anyone in its path. 

Slither: Anyone within 50 yards of the Apocalypse Serpent must make a successful Dodge roll or be crushed beneath the god’s belly

Skills

None

Armor

• 25 points of thick muscle and scales. 
• Regenerates 10 Hit Points a round (death at 0 hit points)
• If destroyed, the corpse of the Apocalypse Serpent dissolves. It will reform in its temple in 1D10 days to await its eventual release. 

Bruce Priddy

Bruce is a sociology student and co-host of The Crypt Keepers podcast