Hazards: Slime, Molds, and Lichen

Hazards: Slime, Molds, and Lichen

Here I convert hazards, such as supernatural molds, slime, and lichen from Dungeon Master's Guide for D&D 3.5. In addition, I convert similar hazards from Frostburn.

Brown Mold: Brown mold feeds on warmth, drawing heat from anything around it. It normally comes in patches 2 yards in diameter, and the temperature is always cold in a 10-yard radius around it. Living creatures within 2 yards of it lose 2 FP per second. Treat all FP lost this way as if it was lost to extreme cold. Fire brought within 2 yards of brown mold causes it to instantly double in size. Cold damage, such as from a Cone of Cold, instantly destroys it.

Coldfire: Coldfire is a swirling, viscous fluid of pure cold energy, a half-gas, half-liquid mixture that flows like a river, but can travel in any direction, regardless of gravity. It is a luminescent blue-green in color. Coldfire originates in the most frigid reaches of the Elemental Planes of Air and Water, but on rare occasions may be encountered in other areas of the frostfell.

Coldfire deals 1d-1 non-incendiary burning damage per second of exposure, except in the case of total immersion (such as when a character falls into a river of coldfire), which deals 3d non-incendiary burning damage per second. Damage from coldfire continues for 1d seconds rounds after exposure ceases, but this additional damage is lower than that was dealt during actual contact (this is, 1 point or 1d per second).

Coldfire is treated as cold for the purpose of Vulnerabilities and DR.

In addition, characters damaged by coldfire are at risk of contracting coldfire ruin.

Green Slime: Green slime devours flesh and organic materials on contact and is even capable of dissolving metal. Bright green, wet, and sticky, it clings to walls, floors, and ceilings in patches, reproducing as it consumes organic matter. It drops from walls and ceilings when it detects movement (and possible food) below. A single hex of green slime deals 1d-2 corrosion damage per second while it devours flesh. During the first 5 seconds of contact, the slime can be scraped off a creature (most likely destroying the scraping device), but after that it must be frozen, burned, or cut away (dealing damage to the victim as well). Anything that deals cold or fire damage, sunlight, or a Cure Disease spell (difficulty penalty -2) destroys a patch of green slime. Against wood or metal, green slime deals 1d-1 corrosion damage per It does not harm stone.

Phosphorescent Fungus: This strange underground fungus grows in clumps that look almost like stunted shrubbery. Drow elves cultivate it for food and light. It gives off a soft violet glow that illuminates underground caverns and passages as well as a candle does. Rare patches of fungus illuminate as well as a torch does.

Snowflake Lichen: Snowflake lichen is a magical plant that resembles snow and is commonly found on rocky surfaces. Its slow-acting drain of heat numbs the fingers and feet of those passing over its terrain, causing climbers to slip and fall, and sometimes causing mounts or wanderers to freeze and die in large areas of snowflake lichen, creating “snowflake graveyards” where dozens or hundreds of sets of bones attract scavengers. In midwinter, these can resemble a medusa’s garden of frozen statues, complete with frozen crows and frozen wolves.

Snowflake lichen easy to spot in arctic summers. It is much more difficult to spot in midwinter, when it is covered in snow or appears like the usual icy terrain, requiring a Survival (Arctic) check to spot.

Snowflake lichen leeches heat from creatures nearby. Any creatures within 3 yards of the plant loses 1 FP per second. Walking on or climbing over snowflake lichen (rather than just walking near it) is more deadly. Treat all FP lost this way as if it was lost to extreme cold. Losing 1/3 FP to the lichen gives the victim the Numb disadvantage until he heals above this threshold.

Yellow Mold: If disturbed, a hex of this mold bursts forth with a cloud of poisonous spores. All within 3 yards of the mold must make a HT roll or take 1d toxic damage. Another HT roll is required 1 minute later—even by those who succeeded on the first roll—to avoid taking 1d+2 toxic damage. Fire destroys yellow mold, and sunlight renders it dormant. This is a contact agent.