Monday, May 2, 2011

Black Eyed Fungus

Lore
   Truly a horrible type of fungus. While on its own it is completely harmless but if introduced into or present in a living human sized creatures body while they are sick will cause a horrid reaction. The body unable to defend itself from both a disease and the fungoid infection will quickly lose ground until the fungus has completely infests the hosts brain. Upon this the fungus will take control of the creature causing it to search out an out of the way place and waits. When another creature of the right size comes near them the being will attack with great ferocity. If the controlled creature happens to win it will go back to waiting but if the creature dies an amazing reaction occurs in the fungus. A multitude of black mushroom like growths will burst forth through the eyes and release a cloud of dark colored spores. The if a creature within the cloud has spores land on any open cuts or in the eyes they will be infested. Unless the creature is healed by magic or spends a week of bed rest the next time they come down with a sickness they to will be at great risk of being taken by this vile form of fungus.
   A creature fully under control of the fungus are easier to identify the longer they last. Upon complete control the eyes of the victim will become a deep black and any wounds they happen to get will have small patches of relatively benign types of mushroom growing out of them which seems to speed the healing process. While any magical healing will cure the victim before the eyes become black after that the victim can only be cured by strong divine magics. Ironically though if cured they would also be free of whatever ailed them as upon gaining control the fungus eradicates what allowed it come into power and the body will be immune to any further diseases as long as infected.

For mechanics I will be using Labyrinth Lord rules
   If infected by the fungus when you become sick you must make a save versus poison or it takes control in 1d3 days if the disease is not cured. If it fails to gain control it retries every day after. To cure a controlled creature requires a Cleric of 9th level to cast Cure Disease. A person that is just infected luckily only needs either some form of healing magic or a full week of bed rest to be relived of the infection. The fungus can only infect a creature of about human size. If bigger it can not get a foothold and if too small the creature can not handle the required amount of fungus so if the creature would be controlled instead the creature has a 50% of dieing from having to much of its brain replaced with fungus. A controlled creature has stats similar to the following:
No. Enc.: 1d3 (1d6)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 2 (claw, claw)
Damage: 1d4/1d4
Save: F1
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: IV
XP: 40
A creature controlled by the fungus will seek out a dark semi lonely place to sit and wait, only foraging for food when absolutely necessary. When it sees a human sized creature if will wildly attack and try to wound as many creatures as it can before it is killed so as to increase the chance of successful infection. When one dies a mass of black fungus will burst out of each eye and release a 10' radius burst of dark spores and anyone within the cloud must save versus Breath Attack with a the roll modified by -1 for every three points of damage taken during the fight. The creature when wounded will heal twice as fast as would be normal because of the growth of benign white mushrooms on the wounds.

This is my first monster I have ever stated up for any roleplaying game so Please comment on it and tell me what you think of it or what could be improved.

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