Fungal Folk

Anthropomorphic fungi.

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Caipin

Anthropomorphic psilocybe mushrooms.

• Alignment : Fey
• Lifespan: 200 years
• Diet: Decaying matter
• Habitat: Tropical and subtropical grasslands
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

They appear to be hominid forms with pointy pellicles as the tops of their heads. They come in many colors, but mostly white, grey, and brown. Some have spots on their caps. About half of them turn blue if they are injured. They stand about 4' tall.

All caipins have the ability to generate psilocybin and release it into the air around them in a 10' radius. Anyone who breathes it in rolls STR and AWA against at least an 8 (some caipins are more powerful). Failure on STR makes them sick; failure on AWA makes them hallucinate.

If the STR roll is a normal failure, the target is nauseated for the next hour. If the roll is a special failure, the target is nauseated to the point of vomiting immediately (effectively LNA). If the roll is an exceptional failure, the target is nauseated to the point of violent vomiting, rolling an STR roll every subsequent round until they succeed the roll, being effectively stunned. On a critical failure, it is the same as an exceptional failure, but they also experience the physical equivalent of a normal wound (-1).

If the AWA roll is a normal failure, the target has mild hallucinations (rippling waves, faint sounds, flickering, auras, distorted thinking) for an hour. On a special failure, they see very intense hallucinations for six hours, often seeming very real. On an exceptional failure, they see what the caipin dictates. On a critical failure, they lose complete touch with reality and believe anything the caipin tells them. They roll must WIL to break free, with penalties based on failure rate (-1 N, -3 S, -6 E, -9 C).

Caipins are not immune to the hallucinatory properties of their spores, but they are immune to the poison. They can control their own hallucinations, as if in a lucid dream.

Caipins originally dwelled in the forests and fields of Endruin, but many were brought to the cities and towns to work as servants after the conquest. Their culture was one of deep spirituality, ceremonies, and magic. They dwelled between reality and dream, often going on dream journeys and quests for special wisdom. Their spiritual leaders were the leaders of their entire community, and they would often go on collective dream quests.

Each stage of their lives was dictated by a dream quest. Their first would be at the age of 12. Then every six years, they would have another. These quests would determine their new role in the community, culminating with their ascension to spiritual leader (before retirement). The more of these quests they undertake, the greater their psilocybin spores became.

In the colonies, they are deeply discriminated against, often used for their hallucinogenic powers, and rigidly controlled by the ruling class. Many of them escape into the criminal underworld because of this.

PRO 8 ATH 9 STR 6 AWA 11 WIL 11 PRS 7 STH 9

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Chihat

Anthropomorphic mold.

• Alignment : Eldritch
• Lifespan: Unknown
• Diet: Omnivore (ominously)
• Habitat: Underground
• Socioeconomic Status: External

Chihats are 3' tall mold people, slimy mounds that vaguely take on hominid shapes. They have no feet, instead ending in a trail of molded ooze.

Chihats are toxic. Anyone animal or plant who touches them or stands near them and breathes in more than a few seconds will be poisoned (STR vs. power of poison). The poison will cause lung damage and nausea. Any sugary liquid they touch will be fermented; it becomes highly alcoholic, and metals are decayed under their touch.

Those who drink any fermented liquid they create will have visions of the Eldritch, of doom, or of unreal landscapes. They will be maddened.

Their slime bodies are very resistant to physical attacks.

Chihats have a hive mind.

Chihats live underground and worship ancient powers no one truly understands. They communicate silently with one another or through strange growls and gibbers. They are part of an ancient religion worshiping the cosmic powers that ensure the end of the whole universe, which they believe will bring their ascension to a higher state of being. They often witness it through the hallucinations they permanently experience.

They dwell underground, coming up only to plunder magical objects. They are not part of any class; they exist in their own culture and society, waiting for the end. They are effectively a species-wide cult.

PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 4 vs. Physical 19 AWA 10 WIL 10 PRS 4 STH 9

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Goikam

Anthropomorphic oyster mushrooms.

• Alignment : Celestial
• Lifespan: 200 years
• Diet: Decaying mattr
• Habitat: Subtropical to temperate forests
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

They have white flesh bodies with broad, gilled pellicles at the tops of their heads. They stand about 5' tall.

All goikams have one of three powers: the power to heal with their flesh, the power to nourish with their spores, or the power to communicate via dreams. All goikams have a connection to one another that allows communication regardless of dream power.

Goikams originally lived in the forests and fields, mostly working as farmers and foragers. They lived peaceful lives, helping to provide for their wide communities, constantly communicating with one another. They lived in democratic communities where they shared everything, and thus had little understanding of the violence to come when they were conquered.

In their culture, communication is a primary virtue, and they strive to always be connected. They build deep bonds with one another to the point where they can understand thought and emotion with a glance at another goikam.

In the colonies, they were enslaved and nearly exterminated. Those who have gained freedom find work on farms or doing the lowest paid work in the cities. They are extremely oppressed and often confused for their caipin cousins.

PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 7 AWA 9 WIL 9 PRS 7 STH 8

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Myconian

Anthropomorphic fungi of all kinds.

• Alignment : Elemental
• Lifespan: 200 years
• Diet: Decaying matter
• Habitat: Anywhere
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

They have a wide variety of forms, as they resemble many different kind of fungus. Those who resemble mushrooms with caps always have the caps as the tops of their heads. They range in height from 2' to 8', though the larger ones are very rare.

Some form colonial minds and bodies together, forming a single multiperson organism.

In the colonies, they are mostly 4' to 5' in height and usually capped mushroom folk with light violet flesh.

Every myconian has a wide variety of powers, depending on the kind of fungus they resemble. Some powers include but are not limited to

• Control of fungi: mentally control non-sentient fungi with a touch.
• Hallucinatory spores: release spores that cause intense, uncontrolled hallucinations.
• Poisonous spores: release spores that cause major physical poison damage.
• Nourishing spores: release spores that have enough nutrients to replace three meals.
• Mind control: release spores that puts the target under the control of the myconian.
• Mycellium connection: connect to any other myconian nearby, fully sharing emotions and thoughts.
• Instant cloning: create an instant clone of oneself that is fully grown, but with no knowledge.
• Lifedraining: drain the lifeforce from a target with their acidic spray.
• Magic absorption: absorb elemental energies directed at them.

Myconians live in great colonies in secluded spaces all over the world. Though there are many different nations, most share some common features, such as their devotion to protecting nature. They worship a deity that gave them the task of preserving the world, and they take it very seriously, even those who are not religious. Their colonial minds and sometimes bodies are seen as spiritual leaders.

In the colonies, they are mostly individualized and oppressed, enslaved, and/or impoverished. They live in secluded parts of the area, trying to avoid violence, for they are often attacked by those who fear them. They work low paying jobs such as street cleaning and so on.

PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 7 AWA 9 WIL 9 PRS 7 STH 8