Five Fanciful Fungi

What can I say, I like little lists like this. There'll probably be more of them in the future, if I can collect enough notions --

Earthsblood: A strange, deep crimson branching fungus with tiny, almost spherical black caps, earthsblood resembles coral in appearance. It is found in deep forested areas, and -- oddly enough -- in the depths of the undercaverns.

Earthsblood will raise Strength by 2 for an hour if eaten, but when the effects wear off Dexterity is lowered by 2 for four hours.


Aabraia: Aabraia grows in thick, fleshy ruffles in cracks and on walls, its flesh a pale nondescript colour tinged with blue along its crimpy edges. It prefers dank, rough or crumbling stone and thus is best known in dungeons.

Consuming an "ear" of aabraia grants Invisibility as per the spell, including the chance of breaking it, for five turns.


Sightdust: A species of puffball the size of a man's eye, sightdust has a dusty-brown, papery outer skin enclosing coppery spores. It grows in small numbers wherever old magic has been seeping, and may even infest scrolls and spellbooks given the chance.

One "ball" of sightdust spores sprinkled over an object or area (no more than five square feet) will act as a Detect Magic spell on the said object or area.


Neshti: Squat, thick-stemmed mushrooms with equally thick caps as wide as a man's hand, neshti are a dull blackish-brown with reddish gills. Unpleasantly, they grow in graveyards and other places where many dead lie under the ground.

One neshti will nourish for twenty-four hours, though water is still required.


Jade Mushroom or Jadecap: This long- stemmed, broad-capped, brilliant emerald green mushroom is extremely rare. It is most commonly found growing in the protected corners of destroyed temples and other such ruins.

A jadecap will heal 2-16 hit points or any disease or poison affecting the individual who eats one, but they are hard to preserve without a jealously-guarded alchemical formula. The emerald-black spores must be removed before the mushroom is eaten, as they are exceedingly poisonous.