b'Pallid Piper \n'b'  Medium   plant ,  chaotic evil  \n'b'  Armor Class  16 (natural armor)  Hit Points  119 (14d8+56)  Speed  30 ft.\n'b' STATS STR: 14 (+2) DEX:  18 (+4)  CON:  18 (+4)  INT:  12 (+1)  WIS:  15 (+2)  CHA:  19 (+4)  \n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'  Saving Throws   Dex  +8,  Wis  +6,  Cha  +8  Skills   Perception  +6,  Performance  +8  Damage Immunities  poison  Damage Resistances  cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons  Condition Immunities   charmed ,  exhaustion ,  frightened ,  poisoned   Senses   darkvision  60 ft., passive  Perception  16  Languages  Abyssal  Challenge  11 (7,200 XP) \n'b' SPECIAL TRAITS \n'b'\n'b'  Fungus Queen\xe2\x80\x99s Herald . Any fungal plant creature or creature afflicted with umamish infection that targets the Piper with an  attack  or a harmful spell must first make a DC 16  Wisdom  saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the  attack  or spell. This spell doesn\xe2\x80\x99t protect the Piper from area effects, such as the explosion of a  fireball . \n'b'  Innate Spellcasting . The Piper\xe2\x80\x99s spellcasting ability is  Charisma  (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:\n'b'\n'b'\n'b'  At will :  chill touch ,  detect magic ,  locate animals or plants  \n'b'  3/day each :  black tentacles  (fungal in appearance),  dispel magic ,  entangle ,  plant growth  (fungal plants only) \n'b'  1/day each :  transport via plants  (fungal plants only) \n'b'\n'b'  Piper\xe2\x80\x99s Tune . While conscious, the Piper constantly plays a magical prayer to the Fungus Queen causing mushrooms and lichen to flourish around him. A fungal plant creature or creature afflicted with umamish infection that starts its turn within 30 feet of the Piper (including the Piper) regains 5 (2d4)  hit points . In addition, any creature afflicted with umamish infection that starts its turn within 30 feet of the Piper must make a DC 14  Constitution  saving throw or its umamish infection progresses to the next stage. \n'b'\n'b' ACTIONS \n'b'\n'b'  Multiattack . The Piper makes two pseudopod attacks. \n'b'  Pseudopod .  Melee Weapon Attack : +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.  Hit : 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (2d8+4) poison damage. \n'b'  Flourishing Rot (1/Day) . The Piper magically grows either a  shambling mound  or 3d4 violet fungus in unoccupied spaces that he can see within 50 feet. Whatever is conjured acts on the Piper\xe2\x80\x99s  initiative  starting at the beginning of his next turn, obeying his spoken commands. \n'b'  Fungus Queen\xe2\x80\x99s Orders . The Piper chooses a fungal plant creature or creature afflicted with umamish infection he can see within 30 feet. If the target can hear the Piper, it must succeed on a DC 16  Wisdom  or be  charmed  by the Piper. The  charmed  target regards the Piper as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn\xe2\x80\x99t under the Piper\xe2\x80\x99s control, it protects the Piper to the best of its abilities. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. \n'b'\n'b' Umamish Infection \n'b' Umamish are unique among  fungi  as they are the only parasitic fungus known to have gained sentience. These parasites extract their host\xe2\x80\x99s nutrients while invigorating the victim to keep it alive long enough to spread further spores. When a beast or humanoid creature is exposed to umamish spores, it must make a DC 15  Constitution  saving throw or become infected. \n'b' It takes 1d4 days for the infection\xe2\x80\x99s first symptoms to manifest in an infected creature. The umamish then grow slowly and their rate of growth varies greatly depending on their host. \n'b' Whenever the infected creature advances in a class level, their umamish infection progresses to the next stage (if running this adventure as a short self-contained quest, progress the infected PC immediately to stage 4 infection when they wake the following day.) For NPCs or creatures without class levels, umamish infection progresses to the next stage automatically every 1d4 weeks. If the infected creature spends the majority of its time in a damp and dark environment such as a cave, swamp, or dungeon, its infection progresses to the next stage every 1d2 weeks. \n'b'  First Stage . First stage symptoms include warty growths and a persistent rash that covers most of the back and shoulders. The infected creature regains only half the normal number of  hit points  when spending Hit Dice during short rests as the fungal infection siphons off its vitality. The umamish also act as a blood filter for their host, giving the infected creature immunity to poison damage and all other nonmagical diseases. \n'b'  Second Stage . At the second stage of infection the umamish sprout as full mushroom caps with eyes and mouths, gaining the ability to speak and understand any language their host knows. The umamish lie and plead with their host to keep them \xe2\x80\x9chappy\xe2\x80\x9d about their presence, presenting themselves as \xe2\x80\x9csymbiotic.\xe2\x80\x9d The umamish make  Charisma  ( Persuasion ) and  Charisma  ( Deception ) checks with a +8 bonus. As the mushrooms intertwine with a substantial amount of muscle tissue, the infected creature gains a +2 bonus to both its  Strength  and  Constitution  ability scores. \n'b'  Third Stage . At the third stage of the infection, the umamish fully integrate into their host\xe2\x80\x99s nervous system. The infected creature gains a +2 bonus to its primary spellcasting ability score (or  Dexterity  if the infected creature does not have the Pact Magic or Spellcasting features). The umamish also become constantly aware of the infected creature\xe2\x80\x99s surface thoughts as per the spell  detect thoughts . \n'b'  Fourth Stage . At the fourth and final stage of infection, the umamish attempt to control the mind of the infected creature and spread their spores. The infected creature becomes  charmed  by the umamish as per the spell  geas , and it is compelled to infect other creatures with umamish spores and to take infected creatures to damp dark places. Whenever the infected creature hits another creature with a  melee attack , that  attack  deals an additional 3 (1d6) poison damage and the creature must make a DC 15  Constitution  saving throw or become infected with umamish. In addition, when the infected creature dies, its corpse explodes with a burst of spores. Each creature within 25 feet of it must make a DC 15  Constitution  saving throw, becoming infected with umamish on a failed save. \n'b' For every  size  category larger than Medium the infected creature is, the radius of this trait doubles. \n'b' Curing Umamish Infection \n'b' An umamish infection is extremely difficult to cure and normal medical and magical means such as the  lesser restoration  and  greater restoration  spells are ineffective, as is a  paladin \xe2\x80\x98s Lay on Hands. \n'b' Umamish are still acting as a blood filter for their host, however, and they can be overloaded by particularly strong toxins. The infected creature is immune to poison damage, but when this immunity would prevent the infected creature from taking 20 or more poison damage from a single  attack , the umamish infestation withers away and the creature fully recovers from the disease.'