# General Info - [[Myconids]], or fungus men, are a race of intelligent fungi that live in the remote reaches of the Underdark. They are cautious creatures that deplore violence; myconids have no desire to conquer anybody and would prefer to be left alone. - Myconids resemble walking toadstools in human form. Their flesh is bloated and spongy and varies in color from purple to gray. Their wide feet have vestigial toes and their pudgy hands have two stubby fingers and a thumb on either side. Myconids’ Hit Dice determine their social status and abilities. They have no spoken language. #### HABITAT / SOCIETY - Myconid society is based on “circles”, extremely tight social groups that are linked by group work and melding sessions. Myconid circles usually consist of 20 members. Each community consists of 1d10 circles. - Each circle’s day is rigidly structured: eight hours of rest, followed by eight hours of farming the fungus crops, followed by eight hours of melding. For the myconids, melding is entertainment, worship, and social interaction combined. The fungus men gather in a tight circle and the elder myconid release rapport and hallucinatory spores. The entire group then merges into a collective telepathic hallucination for eight hours. Myconids consider this melding to be the reason for their existence. Only distress spores will bring a circle out of its meld before the eight hours have elapsed. - The myconid sovereign is always the largest member of the colony and is the only member at the 8-Hit Dice/level. It is also the only myconid that is not the member of a circle. The other myconids regard separation from the circles with horror and pity the lonely sovereign. The leadership role is thought of as an unpleasant duty, almost a condemnation. However, when the sovereign dies, the strongest 4-Hit Dice/level myconid always assumes the role of the new sovereign. The sovereign must remain outside of circles to retain objectivity and to pay close attention to the duties of leadership. The sovereign animates guardians for the colony so the myconids need not commit violence. It coordinates the work schedule and pays attention to affairs outside the colony that could affect the fungus men. The sovereign also practices fungal alchemy, brewing special potions that may be useful in times of trouble. - In general, myconids are a peaceful race, desiring only to work and meld in peace. There are no recorded instances of disharmony, or any sort of violence or disagreement between myconids. If forced into combat, they avoid killing if at all possible; violence adversely affects their melding. - Accord has never been reached between fungoid and humanoid. Each views the other as a disgusting threat; humanoids see myconids as ugly monsters. Myconids view humanoids as a violent, insane species out to conquer anything in their path, destroy anything they can’t conquer, then go back down the path to make sure there isn’t anything they forgot to destroy or conquer. Myconids find it difficult to believe that humanoids are not going to immediately use violence against them, and so they are very reluctant to deal with them. Given population pressures in the underworld in which the myconids live, further conflicts seem inevitable. If the myconids are approached in peace, it is possible that they will communicate, though they will be suspicious. - Myconids live in Underdark regions, which are large cavernous underground areas that range in size form a large cavern complex to an entire secret continent beneath the ground. Myconids try to find isolated spots away from civilized areas. These communities will usually be near water, for they like dampness. Work details sometimes patrol the Underdark, looking for signs of battles and unburied dead, which they bring to the king to animate; these are the only myconids that will be found outside of their lair. A myconid community is arranged around mounds of moss-covered stones, on which the circle members sit when they meld, and on which they sleep. There will also be a large garden area; the myconids feed on water and small fungi, and the sovereign uses the garden ingredients to make his potions. Dead myconid sovereign are buried with honor beneath the mounds, while dead myconids are buried near the gardens. #### ECOLOGY - Myconids are an unusual species of fungi. They grow fungi, which later decay, and the myconids feed from these soil nutrients. - A myconid has a life span of 32 years. It takes four years to grow to each Hit Die. It requires a special regimen for a myconid to reach 8 Hit Dice (sovereign). - A myconid sovereign has the ability to brew magical potions from fungi. In addition to standard magical potions, a myconid sovereign can brew the following: - Potion of Fungus Growth: This is used in times of population shortage, when myconid circles need their young members to grow quickly. This potion increases a myconid’s Hit Dice by 1. It can only be used on a myconid once in its lifetime; repeated doses have no effect. - Potion of Fungus Healing: This potion only works on fungi. It heals 1d6+1 lost hit points. - Potion of Decay: This poison affects a humanoid creature as if it were a dead creature infected with purple fungi spores. The victim must roll a successful constitution saving throw or die, replaced within 1d4+1 days by a fungal intelligence friendly to the myconids, which lasts for 1d4+1 weeks before permanently decaying. A [greater restoration](https://angrygolem-games.com/spells-variants/dnd-5e-level-5/greater-restoration/) spell will prevent the victim’s death if cast within three minutes of the infection. The combination of a [greater restoration](https://angrygolem-games.com/spells-variants/dnd-5e-level-5/greater-restoration/) spell and a [raise dead](https://angrygolem-games.com/spells-variants/dnd-5e-level-5/raise-dead/) spell will bring back victims of the fungus disease after 48 hours. This potion is rarely used by the fungus men. - Powders of Hallucination: This is used when hallucinatory spores are in short supply due to the death of 4- and 5-Hit Die members of the circles. It is also used as a defensive measure when myconids are certain they are going to be attacked; a powder is bundled and placed on a spider-silk film inside the entrance to their circle. Creatures of medium size will break the powder free, affecting all creatures in a 20-foot radius as hallucinatory spores. - Potion of Anointment: This is the special regimen that enables a 7-Hit Die fungus to grow to 8 Hit Dice and become sovereign. Growth is immediate and painful. It affects a myconid only once. It is poisonous to humans. - Alchemists have found a number of uses for myconid spores, typically in poisons and potions of delusion. Other than their potions, myconids produce little of value to humanoid creatures.