Sorcery: Fungus Spells V

Sorcery: Fungus Spells V

At last, the last three fungal spells! Seek Fungus locates the nearest fungus. Shape Fungus reshapes the fungus at the caster's will. Spore Cloud is an annoying area debuff spell.

Seek Fungus

Keywords: Information.

Full Cost: 21 points or 26 points.

Casting Roll: Per. Use IQ for analysis.

Range: Unlimited.

Duration: Instantaneous.

After casting, the GM rolls against the sorcerer’s Per, with a penalty based on the distance to the nearest fungus. The basic (21-point) version of this spell takes standard range penalties. The improved (26-point) one uses long-distance modifiers. If successful, the caster knows the exact distance and direction to the fungus, and may make a follow-up IQ roll (at no penalty) to learn basic details about it (e.g., “it’s a fungal mold” or “it’s a mushroom”).

Any known fungi may be excluded if the caster mentions them before casting.

Statistics: Detect Fungi (Precise, +100%; Selective Effect, +20%; Sorcery, -15%) [21]. The improved version adds Long-Range 1 (+50%) [+5].

Shape Fungus

Keywords: None.

Full Cost: 25 points/level.

Casting Roll: IQ.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: Indefinite.

You can shape and move a particular dead fungal matter. The higher your level of Shape Fungus, the larger the quantity you can affect. You can affect up to 10 x (level squared) lbs. of dead fungal matter in the form of a single object or amorphous mass. For example, Shape Fungus 3 would let you affect a 90-lb. cabinet made from a giant mushroom or even 90 lbs. of minced mushrooms in a heap . . . but against a foe with a 3-lb. fungal spear and a 4-lb. fungal shield you could only affect one target, even though the total weight is much less than your limit.

Shape Fungus doesn’t work on complex, manufactured artifacts unless they’re made almost entirely of fungal matter. You could affect a spear or a bow, but not a complex mechanism with only a few fungal parts.

If your target is already under someone else’s direct control, roll a Quick Contest. You roll against IQ; they roll against IQ if using Control or Telekinesis, their skill level if using a spell, and so on. You must win to establish control. Likewise, others can overpower your spell by winning a Quick Contest against your IQ.

After establishing control, you can reshape the target. Forming a simple shape (blob, column, sphere, etc.) requires a Concentrate maneuver but no die roll. If the result is meant to be beautiful or functional, though, the GM may deem the effort a long task (see p. B346) and require skill rolls against Armoury, Artist, Machinist, and so on. You can work without tools, but you must know what you’re doing.

You can also cause the target to elongate or flow at a Move equal to your Control level. This requires constant concentration. You can make a solid fungal object ooze, roll, or seep along the ground or a surface, and even reshape it in ways that defy gravity.

When you stop concentrating, you immediately give up control. Stable forms become permanent, while unstable ones collapse instantly.

Defensively, Shape Fungus lets you move or shape fungi to obstruct attacks. This requires a Concentrate maneuver. Such barriers give whatever cover the material normally provides. For instance, it might let you shape a giant mushroom head into armor with the DR of fungus by making an Armoury roll.

Offensively, Shape Fungus is more limited. By concentrating, you can move an existing fungal object to impede your enemy’s movement, like any object of that weight. In all cases, your foe can dodge.

If a foe is standing in an area where you control fungi, – or if you can move fungi onto him – you may inflict combat penalties on him. This requires flexibility on the GM’s part: Shape Fungus 10 might cause a mini-earthquake if your foe is standing on fungal floor good for -10 to attack rolls. Tricks like this require a Concentrate maneuver and an IQ or Tactics roll.

Statistics: Control Fungus (Ranged, +40%; Sorcery, -15%) [25/level].

  

Spore Cloud

Keywords: Area (Leveled).

Full Cost: 32 points for level 1 + 6 points/additional level.

Casting Roll: None. Use Innate Attack (Gaze) to aim.

Range: 100 yards.

Duration: 10 seconds.

You may fill a two-yard-radius area with irritating spores. This gives -1 to all vision rolls made through it. To place the cloud at a distance, use Innate Attack (Gaze), with normal range penalties, but at +4 for affecting an area. The initial attack roll places the effect. It then drifts from that point with the wind.

Additionally, every creature that inhales the spores, begins to cough (is at -3 to DX and -1 to IQ, and cannot use Stealth) for 3 minutes, if it fails a HT roll.

The basic (32-point) version of this spell covers a two-yard radius. For each additional 6 points, you may double this radius; e.g., four yards for 38 points, 8 yards for 46 points, or 16 yards for 52 points. The GM must determine the maximum level allowed; 128 yards is recommended. You may always choose to affect a lesser area.

Statistics: Obscure Vision 1 (Drifting, +20%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Ranged, +50%; Variable, Area, +5%) [4] + Affliction 1 (HT; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Coughing, +20%; Drifting, +20%; Fixed Duration, +0%; Link, +10%; Persistent, +40%; Respiratory Agent, +50%; Sorcery, -15%; Variable, Area, +5%) [28]. Further levels add Area Effect (+50%) to both advantages [+6].