Fond of Performances. Cadaver Masters are particularly fond of performance. A creature playing a song, performing a play or otherwise engaging in the entertaining arts has advantage on Charisma-related checks when interacting with the Cadaver Master. In addition, all Bards have advantage on Charisma-related checks when interacting with the Cadaver Master.
Living "Tent". The Cadaver Master has tendrils that dangle below it's body. These tendrils puppet creatures trapped by the Cadaver master 's Part of the Show action, as well as corpses in the possession of the Cadaver Master. The Cadaver Master can have up to 16 creatures controlled by it's tendrils at one time. These creatures and corpses are held 15 feet off the ground but can be lowered or used to attack at the Cadaver Master's discretion. In addition, the Cadaver master has 6 legs which are immune to all forms of damage and a central "body" that is usually held 20 feet off the ground. To effectively attack the Cadaver Master, a creature must reach the central body by some means. In addition, the Cadaver master can occuby and move through the same spaces as any other creatures smaller than Gargantuan without treating the terrain as difficult terrain.
Many Eyes. The cadaver master has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Recognizable Performances. Most Cadaver Masters greet new creatures with the performance of a historical play and encourage the creatures to take part in the play as interactive theatre. A DC 19 Intelligence (Performance) check reveals the parts the Cadaver Master desires to be performed. If these parts are performed, the cadaver master is friendly to the creatures interacting in the play.
Sensitive Eyes. If the Cadaver master is dealt piercing damage, it is blinded until the end of it's next turn.
Leg. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 40ft., one target. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Puppeted Attack. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 20ft., one target. Hit: The damage die is based on the weapon held by a creature the Cadaver Master is puppeting via it's Part of the Show action (or is considered an unarmed strike by that creature if it is not holding a weapon) and has a +7 to damage. If the Cadaver Master is not puppeting any living creatures the attack is instead made with one of the corpses dangling from it's tendrils and deals (1d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage.
Applause! (Recharge 5-6). The Cadaver master releases a burst of sound reminiscent of applause in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC19 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 25 (10d4) thunder damage and is deafened for the next 1 minute. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn't deafened. A deafened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of it's turns ending the effect on itself on a success.
Spellcasting. The Cadaver Master casts one of the following spells using Charisma as it's spellcasting abillity modifier (spell save DC19):
At will: enthrall,hold person,Otto's Irresistible Dance,Danse Macabre,silence
3/day each: hallucinatory terrain,hold monster,major image
1/day: mass suggestion
The Cadaver Master 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. The cadaver master regains spent legendary actions at the start of it's turn.
Puppeted Attack (Costs 1 Acion). The cadaver master makes one Puppeted Attack.
Enthralling Performance (Costs 2 Actions). The cadaver master makes a Charisma (Performance) check opposed by the Wisdom (Insight) check of a creature that can see and hear it. If the cadaver master wins the contest the target becomes incapacitated staring raptly at the cadaver master's performance until the end of the target's next turn.
Part of the Show (Costs 2 Actions). The cadaver master attempts to latch it's tentacles onto a Large or smaller creature it can see within 20 feet of it. The target must succeed a DC19 Strength saving throw or be grappled by the cadaver master. A grappled target is instantly pulled 5 feet beneath the cadaver master's central body 15 feet off the ground, and becomes incapacitated. The target can now be used for the cadaver master's Puppeted Attack. A creature grappled by the Cadaver master can make a DC 19 constitution saving throw at the end of each of it's turns, ending the incapacitated condition on a success (the target is still grappled).
Interactive Performance (Costs 3 Actions). The Cadaver Master releases a corpse from it's dangling tendrils, animating the corpse as it does so. The corpse has the statistics of a skeleton or zombie (The cadaver master's choice). The animated dead is friendly to the Cadaver master and obeys it's mental commands (no action required by the Cadaver Master). Roll initiative for the corpse, which has it's own turns. Each cadaver master has a maximum of 16 corpses in it's possession.
Description
Cadaver Masters are strange aberrations that roam the world attempting to entertain other creatures. Unfortunately for cadaver masters, they do not understand that most of the performances the put on are incredibly disturbing in nature. Cadaver masters desire nothing other than the applause and admiration of an audience, despite their horrifying appearance and the fact that they use corpses the way a puppet master would use a marionette.
Misunderstood Performers. Cadaver masters are by no means cruel or evil creatures, they simply wish to entertain and do not understand the aversion many creatures have to corpses being used in performances. For a daver master, there is no freater joy that seeing a child's face light up when watching a classic play or a display of the cadaver master's own devising. Unfortunately, as their cast is usually made entirely of corpses or unwilling performners, the joy of an audience is rarely achieved by these desperate "playwrights". Many Cadaver Masters become dejected or enraged when the creatures they perform for do not applaud, gasp in awe or otherwise show appreciation for their performances. Normally, the cadaver master will resort to violence out of sheer rage for the disrespect shown to it's art form, adding the dead "theatregoers" to it's dangling collection of "performers". Some cadaver masters may go as far as to use mass suggestion to force an audience to respond accordingly. A cadaver master that receives applause of admiration usually becomes friendly to the audience and overwhlemed with joy, often brought to tears after decades of failed performances.
Travelling Circuses. Many cadaver masters move from town to town as "travelling entertainment", some covered in large sheets that make them appear to be circus tents, others simply striding through cities with the dead dangling beneath them. Studies have shown cadaver masters seem to believe they move from place to place to satisfy the entertainment needs of various communities, when in fact they are most often chased out of the areas they are attempting to perform in. Some cadaver masters are accompanied by macabre bardsm eccentric undead, freaks or monsters that have taken a liking to the master's show and become a willing part of it.
Gwendolin The Entertainer. One cadaver master is famous for her performances and writing abilities, creating plays and sagas that have become well-known across the realms. Gwendolin "The Entertainer". Gwendolin was given the magical ability to speak and, as such, was able to explain her performances to audiences and gain a following. Gwendolin is considered one of the greatest performers of all time, and flocks of cadaver masters have joined her travelling show, usually covering themselves with fabric to serve as tents for customers.
Erwin the Defiler. The cadaver masters' desire for attention and applause was first discovered by the infamous bard Erwin the Defiler, who recorded some rather lewd observations about the creatures in addition to his discovery that clapping or otherwise engaging in their performances appeared to placate the aberrant creatures.
Intimidating Guardians. Cadaver masters are regularly tricked into service by devious creatures that wish to ward others away from their lairs. Usually, a cadaver master will be told to eprform in a particular area, their "patron" regularly attending their performances, giving feedback, applauding and otherwise inflating the cadaver master's ego. In return, the cadaver master serves as an untitting deterrant to any that try to enter their patron's lair, believing themselves to be entertaining visitors, when in fact they are scaring them away.
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