Lifeforms · Flora · Underground
Choo Mold
Sometimes walking through a moldering old crypt can be a pleasure. With the smell of bone dust and ancient burial wrappings, almost like a library. Certainly as quiet. Until you step in a patch of Choo Mold.
Choo Mold
AKA: Dust Muffins, Sneezer Puffs, Goddam Crap Tickles My Friggen Nose!
The Choo Mold is becoming more and more common of a nuisance in ancient places of mystery and seldom visited vistas. Patches of miniscule translucent grey bubbles began to settle in the deserted places of the world after a strangely warm northern wind blew through the flatlands about a year ago. Their cause is still unknown, but their effect has been plaguing adventurers ever since.
When disturbed, usually by being stepped upon, Choo Mold bubbles will burst and release spore into the air that stink of soggy, stale bread. They spread into the air rapidly and assault the sinuses of every living being in the area, causing massive bouts of sneezing, coughing, wheezing, and runny noses. For the more sensitive this is typically followed by itchy, red eyes, prolonged breathing problems, and conjunctivitis (goo leaking from eyes, crusting over while the affected one is asleep, can be very painful to remove).
Some more careful savage humans and human-like beings have begun building their lairs with patches of Choo Mold between them and obvious entrances to their dwellings.
Plot Hooks and Roleplaying Challenges:
• The Great Choo - The source of the Choo Mold is actually a rather large, and rather grumpy, old Treant (Living Tree) by the name of Fhungkwoad. His poor hygiene has led to the breeding of Choo Mold and he is infected with various wood-eating insects. He has become a lonely outcast and seeks to make everyone else as miserable as he is, so he has been climbing mountains high in the north and shaking his molds into the wind.
• Choo-B-Gone - A Choo Mold repellant may have been discovered... Well... We have a few different methods you need to try. Take these various sprays, oils, and potions and figure out what one works.
• Choo-se Me! - The Choo Molds are getting worse, they seem to be causing delusions in those who inhale them. Your group's Fighter is freaking out because he thinks the Choo Mold can talk to him and is crying for help. Is it time for him to get some therapy? Or will the delusions subside after the other symptoms go away?
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Not all moulds need to be fatal. :) This is useful for pissing off adventuers in any world.
Burn Fhungkwoad or get allergy shots. Tough decision! Like it, like it because I was waiting for the reason why they were around and I love the treant idea!
If you can manage to collect some Choo without bursting them they add an excellent tangy zest to your local cheese.
A nice bit to add to a dungeon crawl. I agree with Strolen: I like the Treant idea very much.
I like it. As well as echoing Strolen's comment about the treant, I would think making the mold effects racially varied would be a nice touch. For example, if the mold causes uncontrollably seizures which are possibly fatal for dwarves, induces the hallucinations in elves, and acts as a repellant for halflings would be an interesting twist.
A good one - and I know a place to put them :)
I like it, stuff like this really adds another angle to a dungeon crawl.
Quirky, nice little details, and I like the Choo-se Me! plothook :-)
Also, the Great Choo should be a sub.