The Forgotten Fungus

Recommended levels 6-7, Adjustable for levels 3-7

(This adventure can be adjusted to level 3-4 parties by removing two of the enemies from the bridge encounter and lowering the engineering door strength check DC to 17. For level 5 parties remove one of the enemies on the bridge.)

Two decades ago, a gnomish research vessel called The Gnorth Star departed on a scientific expedition to the Fey Realm. The crew of The Gnorth Star collected dozens of botanical samples during the journey before returning to the material plane. Unfortunately for the researchers, an unusually motile mushroom dubbed the Blue-Eye Cap slipped from its containment unit.

The mushroom made its way into a nearby air vent and soon Blue-Eye Cap spores filled the ship's life support system. In just under a week, nearly half the ship was infested with hostile hallucinogenic fungus. The remaining gnomes retreated to the escape pods and abandoned ship.

Blue Eye-Caps

Nearly every interior surface of The Gnorth Star is covered in Blue-Eye Cap mycellium and mushrooms. These mushrooms have white stalks and blue caps covered in yellow eyes. These eyes silently track the PCs as they navigate the ship, but most of the mushrooms are not motile with the exception of those in the bridge. The motile mushrooms have two stubby white legs that they use to run with. Blue Eye-Caps absorb electricity and any electric shock will cause them to grow.

While the mushrooms are not poisonous, they do have strange effects when consumed. Should a PC attempt to eat a Blue Eye-Cap mushroom, have them roll on the mushroom effects chart. These effects can be removed with the Remove Affliction spell.

Mushroom Effects

1- PCs Hair and/or Nails turn bright blue permanently

2- PC's Skin itches after a few minutes. A small blue mushroom sprouts from the PC's skin, detaches and runs away

3- PC hallucinates that their allies appear as giant talking mushrooms for eight hours

4- PC is covered in glowing yellow spots for a day

5- One week later the PC lays a blue and yellow spotted egg

6- PC hallucinates all words spoken near them as blue letters for one day

7- PC grows a blue and yellow spotted mushroom cap on their head that wilts and falls off after 48 hours

8- PC grows a yellow eyeball somewhere on their body permanently

The Gnorth Star

This adventure can take place on any starship map you have available. It will refer to different rooms commonly found on any ship rather than a specific map.

The party encounters The Gnorth Star floating abandoned in space. Scans reveal life signs aboard the starship, but there is no response to communication attempts. Life support is barely functioning and the ship's other systems are offline.

The Gnorth Star is a small vessel built for the comfort of gnomes. While most races can comfortably stand in larger rooms (such as the bridge, engineering and cargo hold), the halls and crew quarters are uncomfortable for taller creatures. Any PCs over 5' tall are flatfooted while standing in the ship hallways and crew quarters.

The power core aboard the ship is still functioning but the Blue Eye-Caps are siphoning off most of the core's electric output. As a result, the life support is barely functioning and the only light source aboard the ship is the occasional flickering of the emergency lights.

Hallways

The hallways of the ship are cramped, dark and covered in Blue Eye-Cap mushrooms, but otherwise unremarkable.

Power Core Room/Engineering

The Blue Eye-Caps near the power core are so overgrown that the room is difficult to enter. Forcing the door open requires a DC 20 Strength check. Failing this check means that the PC slips while opening the door and gets a face full of fungus. Have the PC roll once on the mushroom effects table.

Once inside the adventurers can clear enough of the fungus off of the power core to restore lights and limited power to the ship.

Cargo Bay

The cargo bay contains cracked sample containers that once held other fey plant samples. Most of these containers are overgrown with Blue Eye-Caps, their contents withered and rotten. Only one container is still intact, growing inside is a blood red rose with black thorns. The mushroom growth has avoided this container, there is a 3' diameter of clean floor around the rose.

If a PC attempts to handle this rose without wearing heavy armor they must make a DC 15 reflex save to avoid getting pricked. A PC who is pricked loses half their hit points as the rose drains their life essence. As this happens, the black rose blossoms into the most beautiful flower the adventurers have ever seen. It would fetch a handsome price with any botanist or collector.

Escape Pods

All of the Gnorth Star's escape pods have been ejected.

Crew Quarters

This is the only room that the mushrooms have not infiltrated thanks to a magic lock on the door. The door has a small window that allows a clear view into the room and a brass knocker resembling a rabbit. Peering into the room reveals a desk covered in trinkets with a holo-poster hanging above it. This poster depicts an orange coat of arms with four rabbits on it. Using the brass rabbit door knocker four times magically unlocks the door.

Inside the room are several gnome sized beds and a small desk covered in knick-knacks and miniatures. While most are worthless, a series of small porcelain animal figurines (dog, snake, grasshopper and eagle) are magical and function as fusion seals affecting weapons up to level 8. The dog figurine is a returning weapon seal, the snake is a venomous seal, the grasshopper is a deafening seal and the eagle is a seeking seal.

Hanging on the wall is a talking mounted badger's head named Lambert. He is extremely bored after 20 years of isolation and begs the party to take him with them. Lambert loves to tell dad jokes and is always eager to learn new material. He informs the party that the gnomish crew was forced to abandon ship quickly and he was forgotten during the rush to evacuate.

Bridge

The bridge floor is covered in a field of 3' tall Blue Eye-caps. Hiding among them are three mobile mushrooms. The mushrooms ambush the party when one of the PCs enters the center of the room. The Blue Eye-Caps prefer to keep their distance and fling their caps at the party, regrowing new ones immediately.

Blue Eye-Cap Mushroom (x4) CR 3 XP 800 CN Small plant (magical) Init +4 Senses Darkvision 60' Perception +8

Defense HP 40 EAC 14 KAC 16 Fort +7 Ref +5 Will +2 Unflankable Immunities: Plant immunities, electricity

Offense Speed 30 ft. Melee: Slam +8 (1d6+4 B) Critical- Mushroom Madness Ranged: Cap throw +11 (1d6+3 B) Critical- Mushroom Madness

Statistics Str +1 Dex +4 Con +2 Int +0 Wis +0 Cha +0 Acrobatics +8 Athletics +8 Stealth +13

Abilities Hallucinogenic Aura (Ex)- Any creatures within 30' are affected by hallucinogenic spores and see the mushroom as if it was under the effects of Mirror Image T2

Electricity Absorption (Ex)- When affected by electricity attacks, the Blue Eye-Cap takes no damage regains 5 hit points.

Mushroom Madness- If the Blue Eye-Cap lands a critical hit on an enemy, have them roll once on the Mushroom effects table.

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After the bridge and power core are cleared, the adventurers can restore enough function to the ship to open the air locks and purge the vessel. Doing so ejects most of the mushrooms out of the ship into the vacuum of space. The Blue Eye-Caps fix their eyes on the The Gnorth Star until they drift out of sight.