Flora and Fungi (Asul)

## Flora

### **Deeproot**

Rare and magical, **Deeproot** trees are found only in the largest of Underdark caverns. Deeproot trees can grow to a height of 60 feet, and their branches are long and gnarled with banyanlike aerial roots. Few leaves grow on the deeproot as it suybsists almost entirely on ambient magic and water.  A deeproot tree drinks in magic from its environs and so the area around them is affected as though under the effects of an Antimagic Field that can extend for hundreds of feet depending on the size and age of the tree.

### **Klettestrauch**

**Klettestrauch** is a shrub found throughout the Jagdwald in Karnstein County. Every few years the shrub blooms with magical burs, their color and effect determined by soil quality and recent weather.

When eaten, a blue bur grants Spell Resistance 15, an orange bur grants Fire Resistance 15, and a yellow bur grants Electricity Resistance 15. The effects of a bur last for 90 seconds.

### **Knolligfrucht**

The **Knolligfrucht** tree is found in parts of Totenwald and is so named for the bulbous green fruit it bears.

The titular knolligfrucht is tasteless and generally not nourishing, but when eaten can grant a creature a +2 bonus to all Fortitude saves made against poison for 90 seconds.

### **Muckroot**

A dark-gray twisting tuber, **Muckroot** is somehow perfectly content to grow in mud without light, and so can be found in muddy and damp caves as well as muddy wetlands.

Although it is edible, muckroot isn't the greatest tasting thing and is more often used to produce swamp whiskey.

### **Stoneshrub**

**Stoneshrub** is a small bush with brittle gray leaves that somehow has adapted to grow in caves without any need for sunlight. Some scholars speculate the plant subsists entirely on water and nutrients in the mud and soil, while other speculate it may thrive at least in part on ambient magical energy.

Whatever the case, the leaves of the plant are edible when cooked, and its rock-like nuts can be pressed into a flavorful paste for foods.

## Fungi

### **Barrelstalk**

Stout as a hogshead of ale, **Barrelstalk** is a large, cask-shaped, Underdark fungus that grows up to 8 feet in height and 5 feet in diameter. Its outer layers are tough and woody, but its inner flesh is edible, and its center filled with a reservoir of water (usually between 20 and 50 gallons) that can be tapped and drained. The inner flesh grows black and poisonous when the fungus begins to produce spores, which happens after ten years of growth.

### **Blackcap**

Blackcap is a large, night-black, mushroom capable of growing up to 15 feet tall. The stalk of the blackcap is extremely dense and hardy and is sometimes used as substitute for wood by the Underdark's inhabitants.

Blackcap grows in the Middledark and Lowerdark.

### **Bluecap**

'Grain of the Underdark,' **Bluecap** mushrooms are inedible in and of themselves, but their spores can be ground into a nutritious, if tasteless, flour that is most commonly used to produce sporebread. Bluecap is cultivated by most of the Underdark's civilized inhabitants.

### **Brain Mold**

A fungal growth found in the Underdark, **Brain Mold** gives of an eerie blueish glow. Brain mold is endemic to Derro communities where it grows on the walls and ceilings of the tunnels and caverns. The spores of the brain mold are harmful to most creatures in the long term, causing brain damage and birth defects - when pregnancies don't simply result in stillbirths - but is also believed by some to cause mental enhancements and mutations in those it does not leave feebleminded. The Derro are ardent believers of this theory and cultivate and revere the fungus wherever they settle.

A patch of brain mold provides bright illumination in a 10-foot radius, and shadowy illumination in a 20-foot radius. As the spores of the fungus reach out as far as its light, any creature within the light radius of a patch of brain mold must succeed on a Will save (DC15 +1 for each previous save) every 24 hours to avoid suffering 1d4 points of Wisdom damage, to a minimum Wisdom score of 5. If a creature's Wisdom score is reduced to 5 and three more consecutive saving throws are failed, then this Wisdom damage becomes permanent. Should permanent Wisdom damage occur, then the creature is affected by permanent Confusion.

Although some cases of instantaneous psionic ability manifesting from brain mold exposure are rumored to have occured, it is believed that generally one would need to survive years of exposure to gain notable mental enhancement. That said, any amount of time spent within its bluish-white radiation reduces aging to one-half its normal rate and grants a +5 Circumstance bonus on saving throws made against aging effects.

### **Cave Creeper**

**Cave Creeper** is a gray-and-white fungus that flourishes in the watery environs of the Underdark. It is endemic in much of the Lowerdark where it grows close to most of the water sources.

A patch of cave creeper constantly emits psychotropic spores. Creatures coming within 20 feet of a patch must succeed on a DC15 Fortitude save or become Confused with cave terrors. Another DC 15 Fortitude save is required 1 minute later - even by those who succeed on the first save - to avoid taking 2d4 points of Intelligence damage.

Sunlight or Acid damage instantly destroys a patch of cave creeper.

### **Cave Moss**

**Cave Moss** is a mossy cyan fungus that grows throughout the Underdark.

Although inedible to most Humanoids, cave moss is a favorite of Deep Rothe and other grazing creatures native to the Underdark.

### **Cave Wheat**

A fungus that is little more than a long, bone-white, stalk, **Cave Wheat** resembles a wispy, albino, version of its floral counterpart.

True to its name, cave wheat grows only in caves and can be milled into a nutritious, if rather bland, flour and can also be brewed into beer.

### **Dimplecap**

A soothingly blue mushroom named for the small indentations along its cap, **Dimplecap** is inedible but can be milled into a midnight blue dye.

### **Fire Fungus**

Native to the Underdark, a patch of **Fire Fungus** sheds a much-appreciated warmth, raising the temperature within 30 feet of it by 10 degrees. Any open flame brought within 40 feet of a patch of fire fungus, however, causes it to explode violently, dealing 5d6 points of Fire damage to each creature within a 20-foot radius, although they may attempt a DC25 Reflex save to take only half damage. Such an explosion kills the fire fungus, and it can also be killed by Cold damage. 10 points of Cold damage is sufficient to kill a 5-foot-square patch.

### **Fire Lichen**

A pale orange-white Underdark lichen, **Fire Lichen** thrives on warmth so it grows primarily in regions of geothermal heat.

Fire lichen can be ground and fermented into a hot and spicy paste, which is often spread on sporebread to give it flavor. Duergar also utilize fire lichen in the creation of fiercely hot liquors.

### **Fungiwood**

**Fungiwood** mushrooms commonly grow at least 30 feet, and have been known to reach up to 40 feet in height. Their large spores are edible with proper preparation, but fungiwood mushrooms are primarily of note to the Underdark's inhabitants for their thick, dense, wood-like stalks which make excellent wood substitutes.

Fungiwood grows throughout the Upperdark and Middledark.

### **Ghostmold**

The pale **Ghostmold** grows in parts of the Underdark where the Undead and Negative Energy is strong, appearing as patches of what appears to be faintly glowing black dust. It is generally quite difficult to notice a patch of ghostmold, and requires a DC25 Spot check.

Ghostmold reacts violently to the presence of animal life, glowing with a pale white luminescence if any such creatures approaches within 5 feet. The mold then spews forth a cloud of spores, up to 10 feet high and radiating outwards 5 feet in all directions from the fungal patch. Any creatures caught within this area of effect must make a DC20 Will save as visions of horrific deaths assault their mind, and a DC20 Fortitude save as the spores began siphoning away their life force. On a failed Will save, the creature is left Cowering (this is a mind-affecting Fear effect), and on a failed Fortitude save they suffer 1 negative level, with a DC20 Fortitude save necessary to recover. New saves must be made each round a creature remains in range of the spores.

If a creature is slain by negative levels incurred by ghostmold, their body immediately collapses into a new patch of ghostmold, equal in size to their space. If their Charisma score was 6 or higher, they also return as a Ghost. This Ghost lingers in the general area, but is drained of 1 point of Charisma per day by the mold, until they reach 0 Charisma and are destroyed.

### **Nethercap**

A dark indigo mushroom capable of growing up to 20 feet tall, **Nethercap** is a strange fungus found only in the Lowerdark. Nethercap is cold to the touch and capable of freezing water. It is also quite sturdy and has a dense, woody, stalk that is capable of serving as a lumber analogue. This 'netherbark' retains its preturnatural coldness, making it useful in the construction of weapons.

### **Ripplebark**

A shelflike Underdark fungus that resembles nothing so much as a mass of rotting flesh, **Ripplebark** is surprisingly edible without any special preparation, although it tastes much better if cooked properly. It can be found throughout the Underdark in caves with water sources.

### **Roundcap**

A short purple mushroom with a plump and rounded cap, **Roundcap** grows quickly and can be eaten both cooked and raw. Roundcap is generally versatile and resilient and capable of thriving in just about any muddy cave environment. Roundcap is also the primary ingredient in Dwarven wine.

### **Spore Tree**

The **Spore Tree** is a large (up to 15 feet tall) tree-like fungus. The fungus resembles a strange, teal, tree and its 'branches' rain spores. Although not a genuine tree, the thick stalk and 'branches' of the fungus can be used as a wood substitute.

Spore trees grow in the Middledark and Lowerdark.

### **Sweetmold**

**Sweetmold** grows in the wetter tunnels of the Underdark. So named for its sweet flavor, it is mildly poisonous to most Humanoids and provides little nutrition, although it can be roasted or fried to bring out its sweetness. Cave fishers, mobats, and Ropers are quite fond of it, however.

### **Sweetpod**

The red and bulbous **Sweetpod** is a sugary, sweet-tasting, fungus that grows in muddy cavern environs. Itself inedible, sweetpod can be used to produce syrups and sugars. It also used in the creation of Dwarven rum.

### **Towercap**

**Towercap** is a massive white mushroom capable of growing up to 25 feet tall and with stalk diameters of up to 15 feet. The stalk of a towercap mushroom, unsurprisingly given its size, is quite thick and sturdy, and is often harvested as a lumber analogue by various peoples of the Underdark.

Towercap is found in the Upperdark and Middledark.

### **Tunnel Tube**

**Tunnel Tube** is a dense but thin violet fungus that grows in twisted tube-like shapes and can reach heights of up to 40 feet. The twisting form of the tunnel tube is woody and hard enough to serve as a lumber analogue for the Underdark's inhabitants.

The Middledark and Lowerdark are where tunnel tube grows naturally.

### **Torchstalk**

Torchstalk is a mushroom with a combustible, long-burning cap. These caps are hard to light, taking 1d4+1 minutes to ignite, but once lit will burn steadily for 24 hours while shedding light out to a 10-foot radius. Torchstalks grow wild in the Middledark, and the Duergar, among others, cultivate them domestically. The Drow find them effectively identical torches and thus beneath them.

One subspecies of torchstalk explodes into choking spores 30 seconds after ignition. Any living creature within 20 feet of such a torchstalk when it explodes must succeed on a DC15 Fort save or suffer 1d4 points of Constitution damage. This subspecies can be differentiated from the more common and harmless variety via a DC18 Knowledge (Dungeoneering) or Survival check.

### **Twiststalk**

**Twiststalk** fungi are long and corkscrew-twisted stalks that resemble an archetypal pig's tail.

Inedible, it is nonetheless a useful crop as it can be spun into threads and also finds use in the brewing of various of Dwarven ales.

### **Wisp Lichen**

A wispy, sticky, white lichen that clings to the ceilings of the higher vaults and caverns of the Underdark, **Wisp Lichen** poses a considerable threat to flying creatures. Its sticky strands carry a paralyzing agent (DC15 Fort save negates) and holds firm small creatures (up to 100 pounds) that it has already Paralyzed, during which time it slowly (1 point of Constitution drain per hour) digests them. Creatures too heavy to be ensnared by the fungus simply plummet when paralyzed and, as a result, earth-bound scavengers often lurk on the ground beneath patches of wisp lichen, waiting for tasty morsels to plummet down from above.