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The Vorpal Tribble 10-06-04, 02:22 AM

Darkwater Fungus Darkwater fungus is a type of slime mold that lives in unlit areas of excessive moisture. It appears as a bubbly mound of rubbery, dark purplish slime with tiny pseudopodia sticking out all over its surface. The fungus can split into many separate pieces and combine again later at will. Combat: A darkwater fungus usually lies upon the floors of water, or, possibly, on roofs in places of high humidity. As a thinking creature passes above or under they fall or float towards it, smearing its substance against them. If it touches only armor it will then wiggle into any chinks in search of flesh. Disease, Dark Dream (Ps): Their function is to stick as residue to any living creature that passes and be absorbed through the skin unless a Fortitude check is made (DC 18). Unless it is washed off, it can try again every round. Wiping it off with another bit of flesh only succeeds in rubbing it into the flesh, with no save. Once within the skin they act as a disease, flowing through the bloodstream, and attaching themselves to critical organs and area such as the heart, liver, lungs, spinal chord and, most importantly, the brain. Once there it incubates and absorbs the faint electrical energy of the brain. As it multiplies it links up with the others in the organs and from that point the victim starts to act as if Insane as the fungus takes over all brain functions and starts to push out the identity of the mind it has infected. It takes two weeks for the fungus to incubate, and then every day after that the victim loses a point of intelligence, until at 0 they are merely a living, mindless husk that move sporadically and clumsily like a zombie, being kept alive as long as possible by the fungus until the body finally succumbs. If infecting psionic characters it only takes one week to incubate, growing quickly with the unusually nourishing mental energy. Once the body can no longer be kept alive, losing 2 HP per day until no life is left, all of the fungus seeps outwards and covers it, going into dormancy until the brainwaves of another creature passes by. Healing spells/psionics will not detect the fungus for not once does it actually harm its host, keeping it at peak health for as long as possible. In fact, it increases the host's health by a half point per day until it goes brain dead. Once the intelligence reaches 0 they are considered brain dead, and are only ressurectable via special means. The body itself does not die until sometime later (see above). Metamorphosis is one of the few ways to cure/kill it for it is so linked to the mind that when the subject changes, so does the fungus, for changing back means it goes to the 'original' form, and so the fungus is absorbed. Psionic attacks that effect soley the mind, such as Mind Thrust, also deals damage straight to the fungus, which in coating the brain, actually protects it for a time. Split (Ex): Weapons deal no real damage to a darkwater fungus. Instead, the slime mold is merely split into two separate colonies. For each square foot in size the mold has roughly 20 hit points. When it is hit each part has 49% of the original hit points (rounded down) and has a 50% chance of combining again. 2% of the slime sticks to the weapon and starts crawling up it towards the flesh. If it even merely touches the hand it is absorbed unless a successful save is made. A darkwater fungus with only one hit point cannot be further split, but is still able to infect. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a darkwater fungus must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it is stuck and can be absorbed. Skills: A darkwater fungus has a +10 racial bonus on climb checks, and can always choose to take a 10 on a climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Size and type: Small Ooze Hit Dice: 2d10 +8 Initiative: -2 (Dex) Speed: 10 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. Armor Class: 8 (+1 size, -3 dex) touch 4, flat-footed 4 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+12 Attack: +1 melee (no damage, only absorption) Full Attack: +1 melee (no damage, only absorption) Space/Reach: 1 ft./1 ft. Special Attacks: Dark Dream Disease, Improved Grab Special Qualities: Blindsight 80 ft., split, ooze traits, psionics Saves: Fort +8, Ref -6, Will -1 Abilities: Str 2, Dex 2, Con 19, Int -, Wis 4, Cha 0 Skills: Climb +10 Feats: - Environment: Warm Marsh, Underground or Aquatic Organization: Solitary (1), to Colony (+40) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: Standard goods, coins and items. Alignment: Always Neutral Advancement: 4-6 HD (Medium), 7-10 HD (Large), 11-19 (Huge) Level Adjustment: - --- Hows it hold up to standard oozes? Based it after an actual slime mold that infects insects and controls their motor functions