13th Age
Horrors of the Pelgrane Dungeon
Every year, Pelgrane Overlord Simon Rogers runs a 13th Age game for his long-running group, and every year, he commands me to come up with some distinctive custom monsters. Here’s this year’s mushroom-themed crop of horrors. They’re designed to behave as a monstrous ecology, moving gobbets of fungus magic called Mycorrhizal Pulses around. These pulses are drawn from the rot of living creatures and transmitted through the fungal network. Unless otherwise noted, a fungus can store one pulse at a time.
At the centre of this network is a Rooted Tree, defended by Shell Fungi and guarded by Stab Fungi. The rarer Parasitic Fungi and Spore Fungi only grow in areas near suitable humanoid hosts.
Fungi & The Icons
Archmage: Clearly, these guys are an experiment running rogue in Dire Wood. Magical experimentation could result in tapping mycorrhizal pulses for arcane energy – it’s not necromancy if there’s a fungal middleman involved.
Crusader: Maybe the heroes must battle a fungal-themed Hellhole – or the Crusader cultivates fungi to dispose of all the corpses created by his endless wars.
Diabolist: Hell Marsh is home to all manner of fungal creatures… and she likes it.
Dwarf King: The Underworld is home to all manner of fungal creatures. He really doesn’t like it.
Elf Queen: This corruption of the wood cannot be tolerated (Dark Elves: yes it can.)
Emperor: Of course parasitic fungi haven’t taken over half the nobility of the Empire.
Great Gold Wyrm: doesn’t really have an opinion on mushrooms, unless they’re evil.
High Druid: has many opinions on mushrooms.
Lich King: Know what’s cool? Zombie fungi.
Orc Lord: is dead. Know where fungi grow? On dead things.
Priestess: The fungal network is faith in microcosm; mourning leads to prayer leads to miracles. Contemplate this as you hack these monsters to bits – but not too hard, as it might lead you to thinking that the gods are giant mushrooms, which isn’t exactly true.
Prince of Shadows: would definitely have use for parasitic fungi spores.
The Three: cultivate these fungi in the swamp temples of the Black Dragon.
Rooted Tree
A tree infested with monstrous fungal growths.
3rd level leader [LARGE PLANT]
Initiative: +3
Vulnerability: fire
Flailing Branches +8 vs. AC (three attacks) – 5 damage
Natural even hit: The target pops free. If the rooted tree spends a mycorrhizal pulse, the target is flung far away and takes another 1d6 damage.
R: Mycorrhizal Infection +8 vs PD (up to 1d3 nearby or far-away targets in a group) – 3 damage, and the target becomes infected (save ends). An infected creature is vulnerable to the attacks of all fungal creatures; furthermore, if the infected creature fails a save to remove the infection condition, then they generate a mycorrhizal pulse.
Rooted: The Rooted Tree cannot move.
Eater of the Dead: If a non-fungal creature becomes staggered or dies near the rooted tree, or if a non-mook fungus with an unused mycorrhizal pulse is killed nearby, the rooted tree gains a mycorrhizal pulse.
Fungal Battery: The Rooted Tree starts the battle with 1d4 mycorrhizal pulses, and can store up to 13 pulses.
Rootweb: As a standard action, generate a mycorrhizal pulse, then move any number of pulses from any nearby or far away creatures to any number of nearby or far away fungal creatures (so it can take pulses off infected victims).
Cycle of Nature: If the escalation die is odd, the Rooted Tree can use Rootweb once as a free action that round.
AC19
PD13 HP 50
MD17
Parasitic Fungus
Sssh, it’s ok. Just lie down and go to sleep…
1ST level spoiler [PLANT]
Initiative: +4
Vulnerability: fire
Fungal Lash +6 vs AC – 8 damage
Natural even hit: The target becomes infected (save ends). An infected creature is vulnerable to the attacks of all fungal creatures; furthermore, if the infected creature fails a save to remove the infection condition, then they generate a mycorrhizal pulse.
Mind Control +6 vs MD (infected targets only) – 3 psychic damage, and the target makes a basic melee attack against a nearby ally.
Special: The parasitic fungus must spend a mycorrhizal pulse to use this attack.
AC17
PD15 HP 30
MD11
Stab Fungus
It’s a mushroom with a knife. Ain’t evolution wonderful?
1ST level mook [PLANT]
Initiative: +4
Vulnerability: fire
Stab +6 vs AC (3 damage)
Natural even hit: +1d4 damage
Stabby Stabby: The Stab Fungus may spend a mycorrhizal pulse to make an additional Stab attack as a free action.
Death Split: If a Stab Fungus dies with a mycorrhizal pulse on it, then create 1d4-1 new Stab Fungi.
AC17
PD15 HP 7 (mook)
MD11
Shell Fungus
They look fluffy and adorable. If these things weren’t eight feet tall and violent, every kid would want one. As it is, only Storm Giant kids keep these as pets.
2nd level blocker (plant)
Initiative +5
Vulnerability: fire
Thump +7 vs AC – 10 damage
Miss: 2 damage
Earthshaking Thump +7 vs AC – 15 damage
Miss: 5 damage
Special: The Shell Fungus must spend a mycorrhizal pulse to use this attack.
Intercept: The Shell Fungus may spend a mycorrhizal pulse to pop free and move to intercept as a reaction.
Armoured Shell: The Shell Fungus has Resist Physical Damage 16+.
If the Shell Fungus becomes staggered or suffers a critical hit, it loses this trait.
Regrowth: Spend a mycorrhizal pulse to regain Armoured Shell and restore 1d8 hit points.
AC20
PD13 HP 40
MD16
Spore Fungus
It is absurd to think that a fungus might want to swashbuckle. No mushroom has ever swung from a chandelier, or duelled three of the Cardinal’s guards at once, or leapt from the rigging of a burning ship. No, the spore fungus keeps those dreams secret, hidden away in the recesses of its fungal heart.
2nd level archer (plant)
Initiative +5
Vulnerability: fire
Swipe +7 vs AC – 10 damage
R: Spore Shot +7 vs PD (one nearby or far away creature) – 7 damage
Spend a mycorrhizal pulse: Create a Stab Fungus engaged with the target
Natural 16+: Create a Stab Fungus engaged with the target
C: Spore Cloud +7 vs PD (all engaged creatures) – 7 damage, and all targets become infected (save ends). An infected creature is vulnerable to the attacks of all fungal creatures; furthermore, if the infected creature fails a save to remove the infection condition, then they generate a mycorrhizal pulse.
AC16
PD14 HP 30
MD14