The Mushroom Plague

15-16 Eleasis, 1502 DR

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A druid in Silverymoon by the name of Jacob summoned help from the Glassfang Syndicate. His partner, a drow man named Venel, confirmed the sudden growth of mushrooms in the area to be from the Underdark. Lately a different drow, a wizard, had caused issues including corrupting Shiitake the Dryad in the Evermoors. Our team of Lief, Snap, Tova, Wuyon'e, and myself (Sylk) set out to explore the source. Teleported into an area with controlled burnings, the druids cast a circle spell to ensure our safety from poisons. Then, we marched.

Early on we discovered the bodies of drow soldiers, perhaps a hint of what was to come. Upon investigation the soldiers animated, spores frothing from every orifice, but their souls clinging on. Despite some initial trouble, we cut them down and moved forward. Then by a shack, a field of mushrooms greeted us. Lief leaped into action, and plants attacked, but Tova's fire ignited the shrooms and timmask spores (which cause poison and confusion). Most of the plants went up in the fireball. The others attacked and attempted to absorb myself. But thanks to everyone's efforts, I was not made into fertilizer. We rested then pressed on.

In the depths of the woods, shambling plants lured us in. An ambush, as a massive plant creature attacked and swallowed Snap. But our beloved friend fought from within. We dealt with the other plants and pressed in on the large foe until it toppled, revealing the source of everything. A cave, filled with magical spores, and a breeze suggesting a further distance beyond.

I dispelled the magic, then we returned with news that the job was complete.

-Sylkran "Sylk" Teke'zynge

Report: The Mushroom Plague

Date: 15 Eleasis, 1502 DR
Location: Silverymoon, Moonwood region, Underdark-connected site
Party: Snap, Sylk, Wuyon’e, Lief, Tova
Patron: Jacob, druid of the forests surrounding Silverymoon

The Syndicate received a request from Jacob, a druid near Silverymoon, regarding strange mushrooms spreading through the surrounding woods. According to him, they had first seemed harmless, then spread far too quickly and into places they did not belong. He had heard the Syndicate had dealt with something similar before and asked for assistance before the problem grew worse.

We met Jacob and Fennel at the Unicorn’s Horn. From there, we learned the infection was believed to be strongest near the Moonwood. Arcane and divine magic in the area were not behaving properly. Teleportation was unreliable, divination was not useful, and the closer we got to the problem, the clearer it became that this was not normal fungus.

We were transported through a tree and arrived in an Underdark-connected area where people were trying to hold the mushrooms back with controlled burns. That worked about as well as one might expect when dealing with magical mushrooms that absolutely should not be on the surface.

We found drow on the ground, barely breathing, with fungus growing from their mouths. They attacked us. One was killed, and Sylk used one of his abilities to raise a specter from it. The specter helped us, though I will admit it was a bit unsettling. Useful, yes. Normal, no.

Further in, we crossed a field of red and orange mushrooms. Important note for future parties: fire and strange mushrooms are a terrible combination unless you are hoping to make the situation louder, worse, and covered in toxic sludge. I sent a burst of fire toward a large fungal creature, and the red mushrooms ignited along the path of the spell. They exploded and caused the orange growths to release some kind of poisonous sludge.

The creatures we fought were large, corrupted, and made of bodies, fungus, and plant matter. One managed to engulf Sylk at one point, which I did not appreciate. Lief was extremely effective throughout the fighting. I do not know where that man gets his stamina, but I respect it. Sylk’s magic was also impressive, especially when one of the creatures was marked by the light of his smite. Snap, as usual, threw himself directly into danger with very little concern for his own survival.

The final fight was rough. I used Spellfire Storm to try to catch multiple enemies, and later placed a Fireball carefully to avoid Snap while he was caught by one of the creatures. Unfortunately, the fungal growths amplified the blast and sent fire back through the area, damaging him anyway. That kobold is fearless to the point of concern.

I used what healing I had to keep people standing, including Aura of Vitality and Cure Wounds. We eventually cleared the field.

Afterward, we found a strange portal connected somehow to Menzoberranzan. I am almost certain I still cannot say that correctly, but I am trying. Sylk kept his distance from it at first, and Wuyon’e was clearly concerned about whether it could lead home. Sylk cast Dispel Magic, and the portal collapsed, leaving a cave entrance behind. That appears to have ended the main source of corruption we were sent to deal with.

I recovered a stone from the site in case it proves useful for future investigation or connection to the location.

Results

The mushroom corruption near Silverymoon was investigated and cleared. The unstable portal was dispelled. The party returned alive, though not without injury and several moments of questionable judgment involving fire, fungus, and proximity.

Recommendations for future work: avoid fire around unknown fungal fields, expect magic to behave strangely near similar corruption, and keep Snap away from anything large enough to swallow him unless someone is ready with healing.

Signed,
Tova

Another mission where I am so, so close to home... And yet so far. I managed to sneak in and out of Silverymoon undetected. These masks that Azrael uses are quite impressive. And Sylk offered me a hat as well, which may have been useful, but I did not wish to cast Disguise Self just yet. We were on a time crunch for this. We only had ten hours to go in to the fray, and come back alive. It took us five hours to get to the epicenter, where we discovered a portal home. I didn't know where it'd spit me out on the other end... so... regrettably... i did not go in, after Tova talked me back to my senses and prevented me from making a hasty decision. Sylk closed the portal.

I never saw Snap with so many injuries before. They are an impressive combatant, but our enemies are now growing far, far stronger. There were times I couldn't even touch them from a distance, because the magical corruption made it dangerous to cast anything above the cantrips I knew, and the cantrips I knew were necrotic. They were immune, yet not undead, so I couldn't turn them.

Lief was here on this mission as well. They are inspiring and efficient for a human. I quite like the bloodshed they are able to contribute to. It makes me want to hit things harder.

I am curious, if this siege on Silverymoon is somehow related to the siege I was on previously... i suppose only time will tell.

15th of Eleasis, 1502 DR

Myself, Slick, Torva, Wu'yone, Lef

This one was horrible.

We were sent to Silverymoon to investigate and clear out a growth of strange mushrooms in the woods. In terms of what we accomplished, there is little to say from my end, in part because I don't understand all these Underdark related things.

First, we fought undead drow warriors. Bloated with spores, they were moving on their own. It was a pretty simple fight.

Then, we found a patch of weird mushrooms. Me and Lef identified they would explode in a big radius, but it wasn't until Torva threw a bolt of fire we learned they explode when fire is in proximity. They all blew up, alongside twigs. But the larger spore husks lived, the same ones that once grafted me to them, though there were more. I took many, many, MANY spore bombs and nearly fell, but Torva had my back. We freed Slick from one and killed them all. At the end of this, I was terribly bruised, on death's door twice, and needed to rest.

Finally, we arrived near the center, where the mushroom spread came from. After Torva cleared the field from more mushrooms, we moved in to what we expected to be an easy last battle. Two mounds of plants. Then, a third, enormous one rose from the earth. As I hit hard, I was its main target. Worse than being grafted, it engulfed me. I couldn't see, I couldn't fight back, I was stuck. I screamed as loud as I could, to no avail... until Slick's mental pull finally freed me. Terribly bruised once again. I thought I wouldn't make it, but I trusted in myself and my team. We did it.

Then was a cave. Apparently, it lead down to the Underdark. I believe Slick managed to close the portal and end the spore spread, but I was sick, physically and emotionally.

With resolve,

Snap