Innate Spellcasting. The baelmatre's innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14). The baelmatre can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, disguise self, mold earth
1/day: confusion, plane shift, summon lesser demons
Magic Resistance. The baelmatre has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Maternal Tenacity. The baelmatre is immune to being frightened or charmed.
Thick Blubber. The baelmatre's substantial fat prevents it from sinking in most bodies of water.
Tough Hide. The baelmatre's movement is unaffected by difficult terrain, and it takes no damage from moving through it.
Multiattack. The baelmatre uses its Motherly Call if it can. It then makes three attacks: two with its stinging cleaver and one with its tail. Alternatively it may cast a spell, or use its Jagged Terrain ability instead of using its stinging cleaver.
Stinging Cleaver. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., 1 target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) slashing damage plus 14 (4d6) acid damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., 1 target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
Jagged Terrain (Recharge 5-6). The baelmatre targets a 15-foot radius, centered on a point within thirty feet of where it is standing. Sharp and jagged stones erupt from the targeted area, transforming said area into difficult terrain. Creatures located in the target area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) piercing damage on a failed save. If a creature moves into or within the area, they take 5 (2d4) piercing damage for every 5 feet traveled.
Motherly Call (Recharge 6). The baelmatre sings out to one creature it can see. This creature must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is charmed by the baelmatre for 1 hour and identifies it as their mother. At the beginning of each of the creature's turns, the DM will roll a d6. The number rolled will correspond with the table below. At the end of each of their turns the charmed creature may repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a successful save and becoming immune to the baelmatre's Motherly Call for 24 hours. Undead, constructs, and creatures that are deafened are immune to this ability.
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d6 |
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1 |
The creature immediately falls prone, and begins crying for the baelmatre. While in this state, the creature is incapacitated. |
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2 |
The creature takes the hide action, awaiting the baelmatre to retrieve them. If no hiding place is available, the creature will instead fall prone and protect themselves. |
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3 |
The creature hands any weapons they are wielding to the baelmatre, viewing them as dangerous. If the baelmatre is unreachable, the creature instead drops the weapons at their own feet. |
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4 |
The creature uses their movement and takes the dash action to frolic around the baelmatre, gleefully singing. |
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5 |
The creature begins to doff their armor (if any) and remove their clothing, as if preparing for a bath. |
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6 |
The creature attacks the nearest target they can see that is threatening the baelmatre. If none are visible, the creature will hold their attack until one is revealed. |
Maternal Embrace. The baelmatre uses its reaction to kiss a creature charmed by its Motherly Call. The creature must then make a DC 16 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is infected with the baelmatre's curse. Spells such as remove curse or greater restoration will lift the curse, and reverse any effects the curse inflicted. Over the course of thirty days the cursed creature begins to bloat in size, as if they were steadily filling with water. On the thirtieth day, the creature violently and painfully transforms into a baelmatre. Once transformed, the creature may only be reverted back to its original form through the spell, wish.
Description
Of the countless denizens of the endless Abyss, few are as perplexing as the baelmatre. Resembling an odd cross between a whale and a humanoid, baelmatre tower over most other fiends. Using their imposing size and bloated bodies, baelmatre collect and bully lesser demons into obedience; lording over smaller fiends as a twisted matriarch of sorts. Referring to the oppressed beings as "children", baelmatre trample through the layers of the Abyss as well as the Material Plane in search of a place to raise its offspring.
Crafted from Tragedy. Even though the details of the creation of the baelmatre have long been forgotten by all but the oldest of fiends; a loose version of the tale is often told around campfires by mortals of the material plane, hoping to frighten one another. The tale tells of a widowed mother of five children, and her romance with a foreign traveler. Completely infatuated, the mother is convinced by the man to slaughter her own children and elope with him. She goes through with the deed, only realizing the gravity of her action after her final child is dead. The mother, overwhelmed with grief, kills herself with the same blade she did her offspring; her soul sent weeping down into the Abyss, where it twisted and contorted into the first baelmatre. Though it isn't confirmed, many speculate that the foreign traveler was actually a disguised Graz'zt, corrupting yet another soul to damnation.
Familial Unit. A baelmatre does not consider itself complete until it has amassed five "children". Those most commonly found being toted around by a baelmatre are lesser demons, such as manes, dretches, and rutterkin (though occasionally larger demons, such as hezrous or vrocks, might also be dragged into the baelmatre's posse). While on the Material Plane, if a baelmatre loses a child it brought over from the Abyss, it will replace it with local inhabitants (with ettins, trolls, orcs and bugbears often times acting as said replacements). Those who it can't charm into being a part of its family, the baelmatre beats into submission. Often times, a baelmatre will kill a potential child while trying to tame it; exploding into a desperate fury when this happens, and searching frantically for some other creature to replace it with.
Malevolent Matriarchs. Although they take no issue with brutally beating their own flock, baelmatre become ferociously violent if others attempt to do the same. A baelmatre is so protective in fact, that they will risk dying if it means bringing down a threat to its "children" with it. Despite being overtly aggressive to all other creatures once it has captured its five children, baelmatre despise and will attack on sight they're own kind. Once they have become aware of each other, two baelmatre will not cease mauling one another until a victor arises.
Homemakers of the Material Plane. Once a baelmatre has completed acquiring its children, it will want to "settle down". Although some choose to do so within the Abyss, most consider the potential proximity to other baelmatre too high a risk, and instead plane shift to the Material Plane. Preferring the solidarity that hazardous regions provide, baelmatre commonly choose rugged mountain tops or steep cliff sides to occupy. More often than not, a baelmatre will choose caves to call home; committing itself to the process of clearing out any already present inhabitants, as well as nearby creatures that could pose a threat. Once the baelmatre has finished clearing its new home, it will begin to litter the surrounding area with sharp stones to discourage entry by other creatures (as well as ensure the captivity of its own unit). Within the home itself, the baelmatre will carve beds into the ground (even if the intended recipient doesn't require sleep), and treat the area as if it were a nursery. With its housing complete, a baelmatre overlooks its captive children and is ever vigilant for possible dangers that may arise. Always paranoid that something will harm its beloved offspring.
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