Moloch

"You took up the company of Moloch, and so I shall take you into exile beyond Babylon."
Acts 7:43

Beneath the calm and collected veneer of Captain Gula lies a truly despicable and repulsive creature. Moloch was immediately attracted to Roman culture because of their love of throwing lavish parties. After years of searching for the Messiah in Rome's capital city, Moloch decided to move his search east, eventually settling in Tarsus. Buying and refurbishing an elegant Egyptian ship that he named "the Laimargia," Moloch established a monthly pleasure cruise led by his simulacrum, Captain Gula.

The Laimargia. The Laimargia is a large and luxurious vessel modeled after the "Syrausia" designed and built by Archimedes several centuries earlier. The Laimargia is designed for one purpose: pleasure. Featuring enchanted banquet tables that constantly replenish themselves, indoor heated baths, a gambling hall, and a private opium lounge, the Laimargia is unsurpassed in luxury amenities.

Along with Rome's most discerning clientele, Captain Gula sets sail once each month for a pleasure cruise around the Great Sea. During the voyage his passengers are treated to all-you-can-eat buffets, games of chance, comfortable bedrooms, and endless decanters of wine. Oh, and also sometimes the passengers mysteriously vanish.

The Devourer. Captain Gula's method is to use magic to convince his passengers to gorge themselves on the sumptuous banquet aboard his vessel. Once the passengers are at ease and begin to wander about the ship, Captain Gula will begin the hunt, cornering and devouring any passengers who wander off by themselves. Since all of his passengers are asked to wear masks before boarding the ship in the harbor, no one can be sure of who was on board the ship to begin with, and thus the disappearances are never traced back to the Laimargia. If Captain Gula is destroyed, Moloch's true form, a hideous toad-like demon sheds its human flesh-puppet and attacks directly, hoping to overwhelm his prey with his superior strength.

Moloch's Lair

Aura of Temptation. Moloch has created an Aura of Temptation that stretches in a 1 mile radius, centered on the Laimargia. When the ship is docked in Tarsus, the following effects take hold within 1 mile of the city docks:

Any creature inside the radius feels hungry constantly, even if they have recently eaten. This effect is not considered unusual by the upper class Roman citizens of Tarsus, who see it as helpful considering the frequency with which they attend banquets.
Posters and fliers advertising the Laimargia Pleasure Cruise magically manifest themselves in random places, as though through the use of a Minor Illusion spell. If these documents are destroyed, they disappear, but will magically reappear in 1d4 minutes.
In the days leading up to the Laimargia's departure from dock, there is a noticeable increase in the number of people discussing food, painting portraits of food, and talking about how nice it would be to go on a cruise.

The Aura of Temptation ends if Moloch's true form is destroyed or banished from the material plane. Once the Aura of Temptation ends, all of the associated effects end, as does its influence on creatures within the radius.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Moloch takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects. Moloch can only use lair actions when in his True Form while on board the Laimargia, and cannot use the same action two turns in a row.

Other passengers aboard the Laimargia (use Noble stats) are overcome with hunger and rush toward the nearest buffet table. Each creature within 20 feet of any buffet table must spend their reaction to sidestep the reckless passengers, or else be pushed 10 feet toward the table and be knocked prone.
The waters around the Laimargia begin to swirl and the dorsal fins of Deepmaws are visible above the waves. The Deepmaws begin to circle closer and closer to the Laimargia in search of food.
The sky darkens and the waters begin to churn as flashes of lightning appear on the horizon. Each creature standing on or otherwise touching the Laimargia must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Large Fiend, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class 12

Hit Points 128

Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
+4	+0	+2	+2	+2	+3

Skills Athletics +8, Deception +7, Insight +6, Perception +6

Saving Throws STR +8, CON +2

Languages Infernal, Common, Latin

Senses Passive Perception 16

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Features

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Moloch fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Spider Climb: Moloch can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving his hands free.

Sure-footed: Moloch has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock him prone.

Actions

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and Moloch cannot bite another target.

Belch (Recharge 5-6): Moloch belches a cloud of foul-smelling gas in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC Constitution saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) Poison damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

Moloch can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one Legendary Action may be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Moloch regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

Salivate. Saliva and bile drips from Moloch's open jaws, coating the floor in slippery, viscous slime. The ground within 10 feet of Moloch gains the effects of the Grease spell until the start of Moloch's next turn.

Swallow. Moloch makes one Bite attack against a medium or smaller target he is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside of Moloch, and it takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the start of each of its turns. Moloch can can have up to two medium creatures or three small creatures swallowed at one time. If Moloch takes 20 damage or more on a single turn from a creature that is swallowed, he must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of Moloch.

Gluttonous Urge (Costs 2 Actions): An aura of gluttony washes out from Moloch in a 30-foot-radius. All creatures in this area must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, or use their next turn (movement and action) to move up to their speed toward the nearest buffet table and fill a plate with food.

Reckless Gorge (Costs 2 Actions): Moloch grabs any nearby objects (edible or otherwise) and shoves them into his mouth, regaining 21 (6d6) hit points as his body swells in size. Moloch can take this action even if he is currently grappling a target. If this is the second time Moloch has used this ability, his size becomes Huge.

Bible5e custom monster. Its specific traits supplement the current rules. See Using Bible5e Monsters.