MoldMother
It may remain
forever unknown whether the Ancient One who became MoldMother suffered The
Grand Transformation at the hand of a cabal of mad scientists or voluntarily
biohacked her way to immortality. Perhaps she was the victim of some accident
of self-experimentation that resulted in the amalgam of human flesh, circuitry,
and eukaryotic organisms of which she is now composed; a sort of biological
super-computer. In any case, those shadowed years don’t matter now. What is of
importance is the incontrovertible fact of MoldMother’s survival of the Great
Disaster. While most technology ceased to operate, and much of life with it,
MoldMother persevered. And still, She lives!
He who seeks knowledge about the Ancient
World from her lips will find her mute. She concerns herself with the present
and the future, rather than the past, and her followers are also
forward-looking, using the technology of the ancients as a tool to build the
colony for the future. Still, her goals are inscrutable – her erstwhile human
motivations garbled with the cold calculations of her bio-computer brain; the
whole electro-organic field subsumed under the soft silence of the enormous
gray fungal blooms that have enveloped her once-human frame. Veins of yellow
slime mold marble the gray heap of her form. Somewhere in that slow-shuffling
mound, a pair – or more – of once-human eyes might be seen peeking out from
under the eukaryotic cascade. In the darkness, MoldMother casts a slight glow from
the combined light of phosphorescent mushrooms that bloom at the surface and
the blink of co-processor indicator lights seeping out from within.
While MoldMother’s aims are alien and ultimately
unknowable, it is certain that she rewards faithful followers who do all they
can to spread the good mold of the colony, especially when it involves the
mating of mold, man, and machine.
Followers of the MoldMother are
collectively known as “Spore-riders”.
Invoke
Patron Check Results
12-13 MoldMother
is busy tending to her slime molds. A mycelial mat covers the shaman’s skin, giving +2 to AC and completely ablating
radiation for one turn.
14-17 A
column of mold spores arises from the ground, affecting the shaman’s enemies,
but not affecting the shaman’s allies. Enemies are blinded and cough violently,
suffering -4 to all attack rolls and moving at half speed for 1d4 rounds.
18-19 Hyphae
tendrils shoot up from the ground, wrapping around the feet and lower legs of
enemies. All enemies on the ground must make a DC 20 REF save or be immobile
for 1d6 rounds. The hyphae excrete enzymes that break down biological polymers,
causing a further 1d6 points of damage each round. This also damages
organically-based materials such as leather, plant fiber, etc.
20-23 Mycelium
shoots thrust up through the ground and into one target, causing an automatic 4d6+1d6
GL damage. If this kills the target, it causes the corpse to act as a minion
under the control of the shaman. The minion moves at ¾ speed of the
erstwhile-living host and any mutational or wetware-imparted abilities are at
half-strength in all regards. This mushroom-zombie is under the complete
control of the caster (who does not need to concentrate on the control –
MoldMother knows the caster’s bidding and will communicate all that is needed)
for 1d6 hours. It has Hit Points equal to half the Hit Points it had in life.
The Shaman can also opt to forego this effect, taking a lower Invoke Patron
check result, as desired.
24-27 Bright
neon-orange, highly phosphorescent mold spreads over the bodies of all enemies
in a 30’ radius. This mold completely covers the enemy’s skin/chitin/bark and
bonds to it. Completely removing the mold causes 2d6 of damage and a series of
DC 20 FORT saves to avoid passing out. A total of 10 removal “treatments” are
needed to fully remove the mold. If the mold is not fully-removed, it grows
back at the rate of an extra full “treatment” each day. It must be 100% removed
to be rid of. While subject to the mold, enemies are at -2 to Armor Class and
can never surprise an opponent, meaning that those skilled at hiding and
sneaking will always fail their checks. Those affected also leave behind
glowing footprints, fingerprints, and traces that last for a full five days.
The victim’s personality score also suffers a -3 penalty, as their visage
becomes obviously hideous, unless the victim is a disciple of MoldMother, in
which case they are granted a +3 bonus to personality. The Shaman can also opt
to forego this effect, taking a lower Invoke Patron check result, as desired.
28-29 Within
a 40’ radius, a large Yellow Slime Mold rears up from the ground and attacks
the Shaman’s enemies. Each is 10’ X 10’ and suffers half damage from cutting or
piercing weapons. They are immune to radiation and electricity regenerates them
at the rate of 1 Hit Point per point of electrical “damage”. When they first
appear, each enemy must make a DC 20 REF save or be fully enveloped by the
slime. The slime inflicts 1d6 points of dissolving damage each round the target
is enveloped, from enzyme-induced polymer breakdown. Also, all
plastic/plasteel, glass, and metal objects on or held by the target are
destroyed if the yellow slime mold is not removed within three rounds. An
opposed strength roll vs STR 16 is required to break free or to take any
action, once engulfed. Once freed, a subsequent “to hit” result of 19 or 20
means that the target is once again engulfed. The Yellow Slime Mold may also
attack using its two pseudopods for 1d4 damage each + 1d6 acidic damage. For
every five points of damage the Yellow Slime Mold inflicts, it grows 5’ square,
gains another pseudopod, and gains 5 Hit Points. Each Yellow Slime Mold fights
until either it or its target is dead. Those who flee the fight will be pursued
by their “assigned” Yellow Slime Mold until one or the other is dead. If a
Yellow Slime Mold kills its victim and another of the shaman’s enemies remains
alive, that Yellow Slime Mold will join with another member of the colony to
fight remaining enemies. If these enemies flee, the combined Yellow Slime Mold
will pursue them until either they or the targets die. Those who invoke this
level of wrath from the MoldMother tend to sleep with one eye open, as the slime
will slowly, inexorably pursue the offender to their doom. Some victims have
been known to have been attacked years later by a Yellow Slime Mold that they
had completely forgotten in the intervening time since their initial encounter.
All are well-advised to stay out of the path of these children of the
MoldMother! (Yellow Slime Mold: Init (always attacks last, except on initial
summoning), Atk 2 x pseudopod +4 melee (1d4 +1d6 acid damage); AC 10; HD 2d8;
MV 5’, climb 5’; Act 2d20; SP: half-damage from slicing and piercing weapons,
envelop attack, polymer-dissolving enzymes; SV: Fort +6; Ref -8; Will -6; AL
N). The Shaman can also opt to forego this effect, taking a lower Invoke Patron
check result, as desired.
30-31 The
MoldMother sends an avatar to aid the shaman (MoldMother Avatar: Init +6; Atk 2
fists +12 melee (dmg 3d8+6) or mycelium tendril shoots +10 missile (dmg 2d8+10,
range 100’) or spore cloud or scare. AC 17; HD 12d10; MV 40’; Act 1d24+1d16;
SP: Spore cloud, crit on 20-24; SV: Fort +12; Ref +6; Will +12, AL N). The
Avatar rolls ono the Giant Critical Hit table if she hits with a 20-24 on the
attack die. She can choose to attack twice per round with two fist, two tendril
shoots, or a spore cloud, but may only use the spore cloud once per round. The
spore cloud is a choking cloud of acidic organisms that shoots out from the
avatar to a distance of up to 200’ away, where it expands and envelops all
within a 30’ radius. For 3d4+6 rounds, targets in the cloud suffer -4 to all
attack, damage, skills, mutations, and save rolls. They also take 8 points of
damage each round and must make a DC 12 Fort save when first exposed or be
poisoned (-3d4 Agility, -1d4 Strength, and -1d4 Stamina for 1 full day). The
Mold Mother Avatar may also, once per day, exude an airborne fungus that
spreads 100’ from her body, which automatically frightens all creatures of 2 HD
or less. Others receive a Will save of DC 30 to resist the effect. Frightened
creatures suffer 1d4 points of damage from shock and flee at top speed for 3
turns. They will be unable, form utter terror, to go in the direction they
encountered the MoldMother Avatar, for one full day. Because of the avatar’s
use of electrically-charged and enhanced fungus, these effects work not only
against organic opponents, but inorganic enemies, such as robots, as well. The
Shaman can also opt to forego this effect, taking a lower Invoke Patron check result,
as desired.
32+ The
Great Bloom awakens! The shaman has found such high favor in the eyes of
MoldMother that she declares the ground on which the shaman and their allies fight
sacred, a place worthy of growing a new colony! She sends her Avatar (as in
result 30-31) and three of her Yellow Slime Molds (as in result 28-29) to
secure the area and rid it of her enemies. She weaves a great mycelium mat, approximately
100’ in radius, on the ground and all objects on the ground. A forest of giant
mushrooms, from the height of a man to the height of a tall building, springs
up in the area. Any structures in the area are partially (in the case of
skyscrapers and their ruins) or totally (in the case of four-story or smaller
buildings) embedded with mushrooms large and small. Clouds of spores (harmless)
float in the air, and any detritus of corpses are immediately covered in
quick-growing hyphae tendrils that eat the dead and weave themselves into the
colony’s great mycelium mat. Shamans of the MoldMother in this area are at +2
AC, are immune to radiation of any strength, and gain +5 to all patrol AI check
results while in the area. If the shaman and his allies leave the area, they
trail spores in their footprints behind them for another 200’ beyond the border
of the colony. Within 3 turns, these spores bloom, fruiting into giant
mushrooms and extending the colony’s area even further. Unlike many other
results, the shaman cannot forego this effect. It is the MoldMother’s will,
which is all the shaman needs to know.
Patron Taint: MoldMother
When Patron Taint is indicated, roll 1d6 on the table below. When a
shaman has acquired all six taints at all levels of effect, there is no need to
continue rolling any more.
Roll Result
1 Any
food touched by the shaman immediately spoils, covered with gray fuzzy mold. He
may eat it, but anyone eating it who is not a follower of the MoldMother must
make a DC 20 Fort save or grow violently sick for 1 hour, unable to do anything
but vomit and groan in pain. The second time this taint is rolled, all food
that comes within 10’ of the shaman is so affected. The third time this taint
is rolled, all food that comes within 50’ of the shaman is thus affected.
2 The
shaman’s hair falls out and scores of tiny mushrooms sprout up on his scalp.
The second time this taint is rolled, the tiny mushrooms spread to cover the
shaman’s face like a mask and the entire head and neck, dropping the
personality score by -1 permanently. The third time this taint is rolled, one
large mushroom cap covers the shaman’s head like a hat, further lowering the
personality score by a point.
3 Hyphae
form under and on the shaman’s skin, spreading into permanent masses of
mycelium. If this taint is rolled again, mycelium branch out from the shaman’s
body whenever he is motionless for more than a few seconds. After a full sleep
cycle, the shaman must literally peel himself up from his bed or the ground,
suffering one Hit Point of damage. If this taint is rolled a third time, any
flesh or organic material that the shaman touches begins to decompose, causing
a sharp, stinging sensation to any living being he touches.
4 Black
mold spots dot the shaman’s eyes. The second time this taint is rolled, the
eyes become completely black. The third time this taint is rolled, the eyes
remain black and the shaman becomes permanently blind.
5 Gray
spores are continuously discharged from the Shaman’s pores. The second time
this taint is rolled, the spores are jettisoned out, creating a cloud of spores
surrounding the shaman’s body at a distance of 1’. Anyone who comes within this
cloud begins sneezing uncontrollably until they leave the cloud. If this taint is
rolled a third time, the mass of the shaman’s muscles become a loosely-bound
cloud of spores orbiting the skeletal structure. Movement is halved, the
shaman’s personality score drops by 1/3 (round down) and actions that require
grasping or physically manipulating objects become impossible. Any previous
changes to the shaman’s physical form are superseded by this one, as the body
has effectively become a mold spore cloud gravitating around a skeleton.
6 Yellow
slime mold oozes out of the shaman’s ears, nose, mouth, and tear ducts. The
personality score permanently drops by one point. The second time this taint is
rolled, yellow slime mold crawls between the orifices and all over the shaman’s
body, permanently dropping the personality score by another point. The third
time this taint is rolled, any attempt to speak is accompanied by yellow slime
mold vomiting forth from the shaman’s mouth and nose, permanently dropping the
personality score by yet another point.
Patron Wetware:
MoldMother
Spore-riders
eventually download three unique versions of wetware, as follows:
Level 1:
Agar Affinity
Level 2:
Sporecloud
Level 3:
Quantum Meld
Glowburn: MoldMother
MoldMother
is munificent to those who are dedicated to the growth of the colony.
Spore-riders who are willing to “lose themselves” for the greater good of the
whole will be rewarded.
Roll Glowburn Result
1 Hyphae
tendrils shoot up from the ground and into the supplicant’s feet and legs
(experienced as stat loss)
2 The
shaman is granted the glowburn bonus, but sacrifices a chunk of flesh, which
drops to the ground and immediately tunnels into underground mycelium and
sprouts mushrooms, forming another toehold for the colony (expressed as stat
loss)
3 A
cloud of spores blows past and rakes the shaman’s body, tearing microscopic
bloody troughs across his body (expressed as stat loss)
4 A
portion of the shaman’s inner psyche is decomposed and the resulting quanta are
redistributed to nearby fungi and molds in the soil (expressed as stat loss)
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ReplyDeleteAs soon as I started reading your article, I thought of this Radio Lab episode. Awesome stuff. Keep up the good work!