A [SPORE MAN] for all seasons.

SPORE PEOPLE (#18/31, #77/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: Spore People resemble normal people except they are covered in a mass of scarlet mushrooms that grow directly from their skin. Their spore sacs resemble spherical, scarlet mushrooms.

Distribution: Wet underground areas, jungles and marshes across Titan.

 

Effects: Spore People are an aggressive type of fungal humanoid. 1-3 spore sacs can be harvested from a dead Spore Person. These spore sacs can be thrown in combat as an improvised weapon. If they hit, the spore sac explodes, releasing a cloud of reddish spores into the victim's face. Roll on the following table to determine the effects of the spores:

Roll Spore Sac Effect

1-2 Choking Spores: The victim coughs and splutters on the dry spores causing a -2 penalty to any use of a Magic Special Skill.

3-4 Blinding Spores: Itchy, rough spores make the victim's eyes water and blink and they must suffer a -2 penalty to their SKILL score for one Attack Round.

5 Burning Spores: Acidic spores burn into the victim's skin, causing 2 STAMINA points of damage.

6 Infectious Spores: Cloying spores infect the victim if they fail a Test versus Luck, and they will turn into a Spore Person themselves within 1-6 Attack Rounds, as scarlet mushrooms rapidly spread across the victim's body. This can be cured with a priest's Cure Disease power.

Cost: City 40gp, Town 50gp, Village 60gp (per spore sac)

Availability: Rare

 

SPORE PEOPLE (#19/31, #78/365) [OOTP IV]

 

SKILL: 6

STAMINA: 10

ATTACKS: 2

WEAPON: Club or Spore Sac (see below)

ARMOUR: Medium Armour

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Ruins, Dungeons, Towns, Towns (Sewers), Caves, Jungles, Marshes

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Fungi/Humanoid

REACTION: Unfriendly-Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: High

SPORE PEOPLE are humans and other races unfortunate enough to be corrupted by a parasitic type of mushroom that controls their every movement, and what passes for thought in whatever is left of their fungus-infested brain. In appearance they initially resemble a large example of their type, dressed in rough furs or tattered rags and armed with a club. Roll on the table below to determine their Ancestry:

Roll Ancestry

1-3: Human

4: Dwarf

5: Halfling

6: Child of Hashak (roll: 1-2 Goblin, 3-4 Orc, 5-6 Troll)

All Spore People in a group will be of the same type. All Elves and Half-Elves are immune to the fungal infection that causes one to become a Spore Person.

Shambling closer in the dim light, one can see the person has been infested with a terrible disease that has caused scarlet mushrooms to burst out and grow across their skin! The Spore Person's eyes gleam with a wild madness and as they lurch towards their victim spores burst from them with each shuddering step they take.

As the Spore Person fights with their club, they can also reach and grab mushroom spore sacs and hurl them at an opponent. In addition to the normal weapon attack, the Spore Person makes a thrown weapon attack with the spore sac. If it hits, roll 1d6 for the effect:

Roll Spore Sac Effect

1-2 Choking Spores: The victim coughs and splutters on the dry spores causing a -2 penalty to any use of a Magic Special Skill.

3-4 Blinding Spores: Itchy, rough spores make the victim's eyes water and blink and they must suffer a -2 penalty to their SKILL score for one Attack Round.

5 Burning Spores: Acidic spores burn into the victim's skin, causing 2 STAMINA points of damage.

6 Infectious Spores: Cloying spores infect the victim if they fail a Test versus Luck, and they will turn into a Spore Person themselves within 1-6 Attack Rounds, as scarlet mushrooms rapidly spread across the victim's body. This can be cured with a priest's Cure Disease power.

Spore People are typically found in the same habitat as their fungal relatives; warm, damp, unpleasant places such as stinking marshes, sunken ruins, and dank tropical caverns. Here they may congregate around a larger vegetable predator - roll on the table below to determine what:

Roll Predator Type

1 Blood Vines

2 Giant Venus Fly-Trap

3 Carnivorous Plant

4 Man Trap Plant

5 Giant Slime Beast

6 Flower of Chaos

Being part fungus means they are unbothered by the bigger plant monster, and can scavenge scraps from whatever their 'host' catches and devours. Spore People will fight to the death to defend such a monstrous plant-host. They are adherents of the fungus god Myknosis, determined to spread and sprout spores in that deity's name, and are known to be an occasional menace in the city of Ludria (see Adventure Creation System, p. 324).