Shroomlings

## Brief Overview

*“A sentient fungi has emerged from deep beneath the underground moss. In secret, The Chosen has spread their underground Mycelium throughout every inch of soil in the decaying Elder Forest. No soil is safe from her Spores. The creatures of Eldoria are so fickle and so violent. But once the Fungus spreads, The Chosen will persuade them to unite in peace... And servitude.”*

*- Excerpt from the journal of an adventurer who stumbled across the Shroomlings, his fate is unknown.*

*"I have made my purpose in life to bring peace to this universe, eliminate all wars, eliminate evil and corruption.....But you people refuse my help? By resisting assimilation you are just prolonging your own pain"*

*- Ideology of the original Chosen*

The Shroomlings are a recently emerged fungoid race in Eldoria, born from the chaotic aftermath of the Elemental Cataclysm. They possess a unique collective consciousness, allowing them to form a hive mind that connects their thoughts and actions. Each Shroomling is an individual, but they share a common psychic network that guides their decisions and actions. They have a chosen leader (The Chosen) who can assume control of the hive to direct it in times of crisis. The Shroomlings are young in the grand scheme of Eldoria (not being one of the older races created by The Elder Gods) and are yet to make first contact with any other species. They aim to fulfill their prime directive of converting all life to their hive mind by any means necessary, and this directive, while noble in intent, faces ethical and practical challenges in a world marked by cultural diversity and individuality. As they mature, the Shroomlings' role in Eldoria is still unfolding, making them a fascinating and enigmatic addition to the diverse races of the realm.

## Appearance

The Shroomlings are a race of sentient fungoid creatures made up of mycelial biomatter. Their appearance very much resembles that of a humanoid mushroom, though they can come in a variety of colours, shapes, sizes and stature. It is not uncommon to meet a Shroomling with an extra limb or two, or no limbs at all... It has been noted that the only consistent feature of their appearance is that they are made up of a fungus-like tissue, and that they resemble various types of mushrooms and fungi. Shroomlings require a degree of cover and moisture in order to truly thrive, as their fungal tissue shares the same properties as fungi themselves. You can quite easily spot if a Shroomling is not in the correct environment as after a while its skin will begin to sag and dry out, becoming brittle and flaking off at the slightest touch. It is likely that this very reason is what drives the Shroomlings to convert claimed territory into a more "fungi-friendly" environment.

## History of the Shroomlings

The Shroomlings were born from circumstance, had the Draconians not fallen prey to their arrogance, the Elemental Cataclysm that sparked their creation would never have occurred. Many years prior to the cataclysm the Elves had 3 distinct civilisations, each centred around one of the colossal Elder Trees which gave life to the lands around them. The Elder Trees were born from the finger of Aurelius himself, for when he touched the western soil the trees sprung forth to be used as a way of channeling the raw elemental energy that flowed throughout Eldoria. These Elder Trees released the essential life-giving energy that fuelled the ecosystems surrounding them and thus were widely sought after by mages and biologists alike. The Elves worshipped and protected the Elder Trees, forming a unique bond with the sentience that lay within them.

However, when the elemental cataclysm was unleashed, it brought forth raw elemental power that ripped through the Elder Forests, and felled one of the 3 Elder Trees from the soil it was rooted in. The cataclysm decimated the surrounding forest, and the Elven civilisation that resided there was crushed by the very Tree they had worshipped and sought to protect. The area was left in a state of ruin and decay, what little survivors were left migrated to the nearest Elder Tree to seek refuge with their other kinsmen, leaving behind their beloved home to wither and die without the Elder Tree to protect it.

It just so happened that one day, a fungal spore landed upon the great corpse of the Elder Tree, and rooted itself in its monolithic bark. The fungus grew, feeding off the residual elemental energy within the bark, it grew and grew till the mushroom soared to heights unlike that of any other shroom before it. With its size, it began to store more and more of the essential elements of the bark and surrounding area and began spreading its spores amongst the decaying forest, its offspring feeding upon the dead of both Elves and plants alike. Eventually, these fungi rooted and connected, forming a complex mycelial network with which they could communicate and feed upon the land and the life energy released by the central towering "Elder" Mushroom. This network developed a collective conscience, each mushroom communicating with each other as though they were in one great hall feasting together. Eventually, the mushrooms desired to expand, to explore, to spread their spores amongst all the lands of Eldoria to become one connected hive-mind. The central hive-mind selected a leader referred to as “The Chosen”. This individual was still part of the collective conscious, but was gifted the permission to take control of the entire hive-mind to work as one coherent unit should a significant threat loom on the horizon. The shroomlings live in a state of reletive safety under the firm belief that none shall have to feel fear or pain, and none shall be inefficient as "The Chosen" has a plan for them all...

## In Game Origin

As a Shroomling in game, you gain access to a variety of fungi based abilities.

Table of Powers
 Mycelial Decomposition
 Fungal Environment