by Shannon W. Hennessy (Changeling: The Dreaming | Autumn’s End | Columns)
It is believed throughout the majority of Kithain society that the manifestation known as Crom Dubh is the embodiment of an ancient Celtic god worshipped by an obscure king, named Tighermas, who ruled the land (and, by proxy, the religion of the land) which would eventually become Ireland some fifteen hundred years ago.
Crom Dubh, or Black Crom, being a patron god of fertility, demanded a sacrificial fee of several human lives in return for his bounty and blessings each year. The most favored method of sacrifice being decapitation of a peacefully sleeping (and subsequently, dreaming) victim. The worship of Crom continued in Ireland until the sixth century, when Christian missionaries arrived from Scotland under charge from the Holy Church in Rome to be fishers of men. The missionaries denounced all worship of pagan and heathen idols and false gods and under their influence, the old sacrificial religions of Ireland began to lose favor within the general populace. Nonetheless, Crom Dubh had been fed the Glamour of thousands of sleeping Dreamers for centuries, and his hunger would not be staved by the procedural policies of religious zealots claiming relations to the "one, true God," nor would he denied his annual quota of Dreamers. The Chimerical Manifestation created by the dreams of a forgotten, tyrannical king and his subjects, it is said, took on a physical form which became known as the Dullahan, or Far Dorcha (meaning Dark Man), the tangible embodiment of death.
Unlike the beansidhe, Crom Dubh does not pursue specific Houses or Courtiers out of spite or revenge, nor does he take any interest whatsoever in the politicking of the Greater Thallain. The call of Crom Dubh is a summoning the Glamour from the soul of a dying person rather than a beansidhe’s death warning. Although they rarely associate, Crom has been known to follow nomadic beansidhe for the misery that accompanies their presence and the fruits it can bring to bear for him. Many among the Kithain believe that there is no real defense against the Crom Dubh because he is, in fact, death's herald and, quite possibly one of the most powerful servants of Winter known to the Dreaming. However, it is also said that any Treasure forged from gold – a representation of the sun and Summer’s warmth to Crom Dubh - may frighten him away due to the Chimera’s irrational fear of sunlight. When faced with a Treasure forged from or containing gold, Crom Dubh must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 9) and score at least as many successes as the Treasure’s power level or flee immediately from the scene.
Appearance
The bodies of those sacrificed by Tighermas to Crom Dubh served a practical purpose after their demise; the fat was scraped from their bodies, collected, treated and formed into candles for use in the ceremonial braziers, censers and lanterns of Tighermas’ next sacrificial ritual. This practice continued along with the worship of Crom Dubh until the arrival of Christian missionaries and nobles, who often sentenced heretics and practitioners of the religion to summary decapitation. The heads of the executed were normally hollowed out and filled with candles and set on public display as an example to those who would follow in their wicked, Godless ways. For this reason, it is believed, Crom Dubh is headless. Although he has no head upon his shoulders, he carries it with him, either on the saddle-brow of his horse or upraised in his right hand. The head is the unhealthy color and texture of stale dough or moldy cheese, and quite smooth with no hair. A hideous, idiotic, cracked-toothed and weather-beaten grin splits the putrefied face from ear to ear, and the eyes, which are small and black, dart about like malignant flies while weeping thick, black tears of ichor. Despite the apparent dysfunction of his head’s eyes, Crom Dubh is possessed of supernatural sight; by holding his severed head aloft, he can see for vast distances across the countryside, even on the darkest night or beneath the most polluted skies. Using this power, he can spy the location of a sleeping, dying person, no matter where it lies. The entire head glows, as if lit from the inside with a candle, and is used as a lantern to guide its way along many of the less-traveled and more dimly lit Trods of the Dreaming. Wherever the Crom Dubh stops while in his travels, it is said, a sleeping mortal dies.
Crom Dubh appears in both the dreaming and mortal world clad in greasy, black leather armor and fetid, rotting finery of a noble’s corpse. He usually mounted on a black, chimerical horse - or, at times when he has been seen in urban or near-urban environments, a black motorcycle - which thunders through the night under the cracking of the human spine he uses as a whip. The horse sends out sparks and flames from its nostrils as it charges forth. When Crom rides on the back of a motorcycle, however, it is said that the bike’s exhaust often sets fire to the bushes, trash or other debris along the sides of the road. Regardless of the origin of the seal or lock (including Arts or other supernatural means) all gates, doors or fences fly open to let Crom Dubh and his steed of preference through, no matter how firmly they are locked.
The Festival of Crom Dubh reputedly took place during what is now regarded as the Autumnal Equinox on September 21st. On this night and this night only, Crom Dubh cannot be harmed by gold, nor does he fear the sight of gold. Treasure Weapons forged of or containing gold do normal damage only.
Traits
NOTE: Crom Dubh is, for gaming mechanics purposes as well as for the purposes of this resource, a fairly powerful, antagonistic, sentient Monster. For Chimera creation rules, see Changeling: The Dreaming 2nd Edition (ISBN 1-56504-716-8) pg. 220-224 and pg. 278. The freedom of creativity allowed with Crom, I think, adds to his usability in any given Changeling chronicle as either a one-shot villain, or the core antagonist of an epic-level chronicle. Please regard any of the following as suggestion only when employing Crom Dubh in your own adventures.
Physical Attributes: 15 Chimera Points
Mental Attributes: 15 Chimera Points
Social Attributes: 12 Chimera Points (Crom Dubh’s Appearance is ALWAYS zero)
Abilities
90 Chimera Points
Suggested: Brawl, Dodge, Intimidation, Kenning, Drive/Ride, Melee, Gremayre, Kithain Lore
Glamour: 8
Willpower: 8
Health Levels: Limit is 5xStamina Score/Chimera Points per ST's discretion
Attack: Strength + 1 Chimerical unless using a weapon or Rede
Redes
Crom Dubh possesses the following Redes (Changeling: The Dreaming 2nd Edition, pg. 221-223):
Aggravated Damage, Armor, Dreamform, Enchantment, Fear, Hide, Scuttle, Steal Glamour, Traverse Dreaming, Weaponry, Wyrd
Weakness
Crom Dubh cannot speak. The only time he utters a word is at the moment he steals the Glamour from the dreams of dying sleepers as he shouts their name.
Crom Dubh may only steal Glamour from the final dream of a mortal who is dying in their sleep. For this reason, he is constantly and eternally traveling from place to place in search of final dreams of the dying.
Crom Dubh takes Aggravated Damage from Treasure Weapons forged from gold.
