Spore Fiend

Fungal Beast Characteristics

The Fungal beast is an ugly creature that appears as a spongy quadruped with a dark, rubbery hide, and large patches of brightly colored mushrooms sprouting from its back. Underneath the lip of the mushroom, at both the front and back of the body, are toothless mouths that secrete a slow acting dissolving saliva in order to digest food. These same mouths are also responsible for excreting waste, which may have something to do with its perpetual foul temperament. It also has powerful limbs covered in foul, odorous spores that it uses to slam into its targets. The mushrooms on its back serve as its primary form of defense, however.

Culture

Fungal Beasts often huddle into small ‘patches’ in dark caves or dense swampland. While they do not have a sense of family or community, they have recognized that living and trapping food together often yields a much larger food store than would otherwise be possible. They are smart creatures, but their instincts and desires do not go beyond the acquisition and consumption of food.

History

Not considered as dangerous as some monsters given its relative strength, the Fungal Beast long ago earned its name for its ruthless and clever tactics in catching even experienced explorers and warriors off guard or isolated. By the time their comrades found them, their bodies had been all but dissolved, with only their equipment remaining amongst a patch of seemingly inert fungus. Only one great event in history marks the participation of a Fungal Beast. Centuries ago, in a Gnomish merchant city, an incident known as the “Day of Fungal Retribution” occurred. As the story goes, the gnomes of the area had taken to eating a certain rare mushroom found deep within a network of caves not too far away from the city. Much to their surprise, a freshly procured shipment of mushrooms suddenly revealed themselves as a small army of Fungal Beasts and slaughtered almost half of the civilians in the market before they were at last brought under control. Many believed that the attack was planned as a retaliation for the sheer number of delicacies that had been plucked from the caves. In reality, a misinformed merchant’s laborer was short on time for the morning’s shipment, and he and his crew foolishly gathered up a small bushel of sleeping Fungal Beasts, then brought them back to the market after a quick washing. It was right around the time the market opened and the hungry patrons filled in to barter for the day’s catch. The Fungal Beasts awoke and, realizing their good fortune, simply waited for the right moment to strike.