Myconid Mother
I have gone to visit the famous Myconid Mother in her refuge amongst the trees of the Ki-rin Forest. Even though she has just awakened, I find her to be immensely deep, wise, and inscrutable. I believe that her intelligence spawns from an ancient source. We have much to learn from her.
Of course we all love the Myconid Mother, but did you hear that she's banging a tree?
The Myconid Mother is a mushroom colony who recently gained sentience underneath Thane McDrakon's Prison. She was originally a mycelium colony transplanted from deep under the dwarven city of Kul to a mushroom farm underneath the prison in the Tortoise Conclave.
At first the overseer, Grag Ragmus Randar, was overjoyed when the transplanted crops mutated into Hexocybin Mushrooms. They were used as a valuable crop in the production of Psychic Beer, netting them incredible profits. He was less happy when his best crop woke up and began crying.
When a Mushroom Loves a Tree
The new sentient's cries for help were answered by the arrival of the Oak Father, an ent from the nearby Ki-Rin Forest. He was the only being to hear her calls and understand that they were a cry for help. He burst through the walls of the prison and went to her, entangling his roots with her mycelium. He shielded her from the punishing sun with his foliage.
I remember the desolation of her cries crawling up my roots and into my sap.
They began a months long conversation, one vast and ancient intelligence to another. The Oak Father patiently waited for the Myconid Mother to unknot the tangle of personalities and impulses that had awoken with her. Part of her desired to leave the Prison with her savior immediately. Another part of her wished to remain as part of the harvest, content with her place in the circle of life. Another deeper part of her had thoughts all of its own.
Escape From the Grags
Eventually, the Zone Authority Police (ZAPs) sent a squad looking for the missing Oak Father. They tracked him to Thane McDrakon's Prison. They discovered that the dwarvish grags were holding the new sentient without any charges or crimes commited.
After a pitched battle with the grag's forces and the ZAPs, the old ent smashed through the prison walls. Released from prison, she now resides in the Ki-rin Forest, mingled with the Oak Father, her great new love.
ZAP Report, 01-07-3221
Unlawful Imprisonment of Fungal Sophonts at McDrakon's Prison
Zone Authority Patrol TG9 entered the grounds of Thane McDrakon's Prison to find a newly sentient female myconid imprisoned by Grag Ragmus Randar. Subject was released into the custody of Oak Father of the Heavenly Council of Ki-rins.
What Lies Beneath
I sense a powerful being has entered the world, both newborn and ancient. Even deep in the earth, her body felt the pull of seven moons. She is a rare thing, a mortal soul older than me.
As she enjoys her new life and her new freedom, the Myconid Mother's sleep is troubled by dark thoughts. The longer she lives her new life, the more she realizes that she has lived before. Her memory goes back into the depths of time. She remembers seven moons in the night sky. She rembers a time before the gods. She remembers when the egg was formed.
She struggles with her nature and her newfound love. She fights with what her nature wants her to do and what she wants to do. She wants only the best for her love and for the world he protects. She fears what she is.
That was weird. Cool weird! I really like the idea of a mushroom colony becoming awake. And then finding out this is not the first time it has happened to them...
It's been a lot of fun! It came from a game I did earlier this month. I had another group of players interacting with them directly yesterday.
Take a look at my Institutions of Learning challenge article.
Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!