Level 2 - Mushroom Grotto

Created using Dungeonscrawl

The following generator was used to create the name of the nearby Elven settlement.

Inspiration was also taken from Glynn Seal's Slight Less Shit tables in Midderzine and Fungi of the Far Realms.

Below the fungus infested ruins of Mistreach village is a series of natural caverns where the fibrous growths have grown to fill the existing space and have also widened cracks in the rocks opening up new areas.

Areas marked with an arrow (<,>,v,^) on the map below lead to other areas which will be defined in future maps.

Wandering Monsters

Roll 1D6 every other turn, there is a 1-in-6 chance of an encounter. Encounter distance, etc should be determine as normal using your system of preference.

1D6 roll	Encounter
1	1D3 Fungus creatures (see notes below for stats).
2	3D6 Giant Rats.
3	1d8 Oil Beetles.
4	1D4 Crazed Villagers (use stats given in Location 4 below).
5	2D4 Veterans (other adventurers attempting to explore the caves, see OSE books or online SRD for stats).
6	1D3 Fungus creatures (see notes below for stats).

Fungus Creature AC 8 [11], HD 2 (9 hp), Att 1d6, THAC0 18 [+1], MV 60' (20'), SV D12 W13 P14 15 S16 (1), ML 12, AL C, XP 35

• Guardians: Always attack on sight.
• Initiative: Always lose (no roll).
• Immunity: Unharmed by all attacks but fire (a burning torch does 1d4 damage).
• Repelled by alcohol: Although not harmed by it, the creatures can be warded off by the smell or touch of strong spirits.
• Spore cloud: 50% chance of releasing spores if touched (or damaged): releases a cloud of spores affecting all within a 10’ cube area.
• Choking: Save versus death or die within 6 rounds.
• Erosion: Wood or leather in contact with the mould will be eaten away.

Mushrooms in Abundance

Every cavern in this area (unless specifically noted) is lined with mushrooms and fungus of a bizarre hue, they have been influenced by the polluting emanations of the strange element that Stilwell Carls bought back from the nearby hills and hid deeper within the cavern system. If someone should pick and eat some of the mushrooms rolls on the table below to see what the effects are:

1d6 Roll	Effects of consumption
1	The characters tongue feels too big for their mouth and they have trouble speaking.
2	The PC suffers hot and cold spells for the duration.
3	The character becomes increasingly paranoid, hearing whispers & seeing shadows at the edge of their vision.
4	The PCs begins talking incredibly loudly for the duration of the effect.
5	The character feels sated and will not need to consume any rations for 1D4 days.
6	The PC is violently sick for 1D4 rounds, losing 1HP but any poisons currently affected them are purged.

Please note: These effects are roleplay-based and represent the psychoactive effects of the fungus, unless otherwise noted the effects last for 2D6 hours.

Location 1 - Below the Nursery

Hole in the ceiling (through which the thick roots of a large fungal growth have plunged, the roots can be climbed leading to location 5 on the Mistreach map). Large fungal trunk (breaking through the ceiling and with multiple fibrous rootlets plunging into myriad cracks in the rocks). Damp and humid (caused by the presence of the large fungal tree).

• Northwest: Natural passageway to location 2, occasional creaks and groaning of rock can be heard.
• Northeast: Natural passageway that splits and heads to location 3 and 4, sound of falling rocks can be heard (from location 3).
• Southwest: Natural passageway.

Location 2 - Cracked Cavern

Fibrous roots (lining the walls and plunging into the floor). Cracked floor (made unstable by the rootlets).

Unstable Floor

The floor is this cavern has been made unstable by the out of control fungal growths, each turn a character spends moving through here there is a 1-in-6 chance that the floor collapses beneath them (2-in-6 chance for heavily encumbered characters) plunging them into a 10' pit (inflicts normal falling damage of 1D6).

If the PCs can find some way to spread their weight or hug close to the walls of the cavern they can avoid this.

• North: Narrow natural passage, PCs will have to squeeze through it in single-file.
• South: Natural passageway, the air gets damper as the PCs move down it towards location 1.

Location 3 - Collapsing Ceiling

Cracked and unstable ceiling (thickly veined with fibrous roots). Falling rocks (small rocks and dust constantly falls from the ceiling, made unstable by the fungal roots).

• North: Narrow natural passage, PCs will have to squeeze through it in single-file, it eventually connects to the passage running north from location 2.
• South: Natural passageway, it splits and leads to both location 1 and location 4. The air gets damper as the PCs move down it towards location 1 and crazed muttered/gnawing of bones can be heard from location 4.

Falling Rocks

There is a constant trickle of falling pebbles and dust from the unstable ceiling in this chamber, for each turn that PCs spend in here there is a 1-in-6 chance that a larger rock will fall from the ceiling, the unlucky PC must make a save vs petrification or take 1d10 damage from the falling rock.

Abandoned Treasure

Several of the villagers from Mistreach attempted to flee into the caverns below the town when the fungal infection of their home village became obvious, they were harried on their journey by some of their friends and neighbours who had previously been over come by the mushroom madness (as they called it). One unlucky villager was crushed by a falling rock as he fled through this chamber, his skeleton now lies partially beneath the rock, if it can be moved the PCs will find a pouch containing 200SP.

Location 4 - Crazed Villagers

Filthy habitation (signs of rotting clothing, filthy bedrolls, etc). Possible cannibalism (several suspicious looking piles of bones are dotted around the floor of the small cavern).

• East: Natural passage leading to location 7, occasional dripping sounds of water can be heard as one moves down the passage.
• West: Natural passageway, it splits and leads to both location 1 and location 3. The air gets damper as the PCs move down it towards location 1 and the sound of falling rocks and debris can be heard from location 3.

Berserkers

A trio of villagers who attempted to escape the encroaching doom of Mistreach fled into the underground caverns seeking refuge, unfortunately they have since been cut-off and have been forced to survive down here. With only madness-inducing fungus and filthy water to sustain them they have reverted to a feral state and now brutally attempt to attack and devour anyone who enters their lair.

Crazed Villagers x 3 AC 12 [7], HD 1+1 (5 hp), Att 1 x weapon (1d8), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 120' (40'), SV D12 W13 P14 15 S16 (1), ML 12, AL N, XP 19

• Fungus fever: +2 to hit humans and similar humanoids (e.g. orcs, goblins). Rage sometimes makes them attack their allies.

One of the villagers stole (and now wields) a sacrifical knife from the abandoned church in Mistreach before fleeing to the caverns, it counts as a +1 dagger, however it was never meant to be used for combat (only for solemn ceremonial purposes) and so it emits a soft weeping sound whenever it inflicts damage in combat.

Location 5 - Scouts from a Nearby Settlement

Side cavern (breaking off from the main system). Picked mushrooms (observant PCs will notice that a large number of mushrooms hear have been picked, severed neatly by some sort of blade instrument).

• North: Passage splits to the east (leading to location 1) and to the west (leading to location 6). The air gets more humid and damp as a person heads towards location 1.
• East: There is a small tunnel to the east (leading to location 7) but it has been blocked by fallen rocks and debris, it can be cleared in 2d6 rounds (subtracting a round for the combined strength modifiers of everyone involved) however doing so is a noisy affair, during such an operation the GM should roll for wandering monsters every turn rather than every other turn.

Pixie Scouts

To the west of Mistreach lies the hidden Elven settlement of Caelcalen (to be detailed in future posts) who had distant but non-hostile relations with the people of Mistreach, only very occasionally trading with them but always monitoring them in-case the villagers attempted to press into forbidden parts of the forest. However--when all contact with Mistreach was lost following the infection--they send a group of Pixies as invisble scouts to find out what was going on and if any danger was posed to Caelcalen.

Currently the Pixies are exploring the cave system and have stopped to rest hear, cutting several of the interesting species of mushroom to take back to Caelcalen.

Pixie Scouts x 6 AC 3 [16], HD 1* (4 hp), Att 1 x dagger (1d4), THAC0 19 [0], MV 90' (30')/180' (60'0 flying, SV D12 W13 P14 15 S16 (Elf 1), ML 7, AL N, XP 13

• Invisible: Naturally invisible, but may choose to reveal themselves. May remain invisible when attacking: cannot be attacked in the first round; in subsequent rounds, may be attacked at -2 to hit (locatable by faint shadows and air movement).
• Surprise: Always surprise, if invisible.
• Limited flight: Small wings only allow 3 turns of flight. Must rest 1 turn after flying.

In addition to satchels full of mushrooms the Pixies have 8 EP and 5 GP between them.

Using the Pixies The Pixies have been exploring the cave system and have managed to piece together some of what has occurred in the village, how far they have ranged and how much knowledge they have is left up to individual GMs. The Pixies can be used to help hint at further encounters or opportunities in the area or--should the PCs make a favourable impression--allow access to Caelcalen.

Location 6 - Sinkhole

Collapsed floor (sinkhole leading down to the Underground River Area - to be detailed in future posts).

• South: Natural passageways sloping down to Underground River Area, the sound of flowing water can be heard.
• East: Natural passageway that splits and leads to location 1 and 5, the air gets damper as you moved towards location 1 and occasionally muttered whispers from unseen mouths can be heard from location 5.
• West: Natural passageways sloping down to Underground River Area, the sound of flowing water can be heard.

Location 7 - Stagnant Pool

Damp (moisture and condensation arising from the pool).

• North: A passageway leads to location 4 but it has been blocked by fallen rocks and debris, it can be cleared in 2d6 rounds (subtracting a round for the combined strength modifiers of everyone involved) however doing so is a noisy affair, during such an operation the GM should roll for wandering monsters every turn rather than every other turn.
• East: A blocked passageway sloping down to the Fallen Star Chamber map (to be detailed in a future post), it can be cleared using the procedure described above.
• West: A natural tunnel leading to location 5, unless already cleared the other end is blocked, but can be cleared using the same procedure as above.

Strange Waters

Stagnant pool (water covered with a filmy layer of spores and dust). Glittering specks (multi-coloured specks of dust from the fallen star fragment that passed this way glitter in the water giving it many strange properties).

• Below the waterline: Anyone brave enough to risk diving into the pool will find a hidden passage below the water than eventually slopes upwards into location 8.
• Drinking the water: The fallen star fragment was taken this way by Stilwell Carls and some dust from it settled in the water giving it strange properties, anyone drinking the water should roll on the table below:

1d6 Roll	Effect
1	Characterer gets older or younger (equal chance of each) by 2d6 years.
2	Character gains or loses (equal chance of each) 1D4 strength for a day.
3	Character feels drunk for 1d6 hours.
4	Character either gains a +1 bonus to attacks or a -1 penalty (equal chance of each) for the rest of the day.
5	Character must add a point to one attribute and remove a point from another, this effect is permanent.
6	Character's hair either turns the unhealthy grey colour of fungus or becomes a dazzling rainbow of multiple bright colours (equal chance of each).

Location 8 - Odd Echoes

Strange murmurings (can be heard come from the natural stone stairway to the south).

• South: A natural stone staircase leads down to the Fallen Star Chamber map (to be detailed in a future post).