Hammerhammerfungus

Hammerhammerfungus is a species of large, walking mushrooms. Walking mushrooms are not an uncommon sight in any of the Darks, but this species is only known to reside in the Underdark, where it lives in damp, forestlike places. As carrion-eaters, they are usually not predatory in nature, but can be if they go without food for too long. Their spores produce severe hallucinogetic effects in humanoids and other mammals, often rendering them incapacitated or otherwise unable to fight. Is it because of this that the hammerhammerfungi have very few predators.
The Root Basin, a known location where hammerhammerfungi reside, has very strong Similarity with the Feydark, which means that they encounter Fomorians reasonably often. Fomorians can be seen punching and kicking a hammerhammerfungus, which releases a greater amount of spores to the air, which the fomorians then inhale. Fomorians have a greater resistance to the spores the hammerhammerfungi emit, but it leaves them in a "hammered" state comparable to heavy alcohol use. This is the origin of one part of their name.
The other part of their name stems from their typical way of self-defense. Hammerhammerfungi use their thin fronds to slap enemies. A flick of such a frond, while seemingly whiplike, impacts like a blacksmith's hammer however, oftentimes knocking enemies out. Hammerhammerfungi do not distinguish between dead and knocked out creatures, and these unfortunate attackers often end up as food for the hammerhammerfungus. They are otherwise relatively docile in nature, and do not attack unprovoked unless they went without food for a long time.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Standing about as tall as a human, Hammerhammerfungi feature a broad volva with two to four short legs, that they slowly waddle around on. Their stem ends in a large, red cap which is shaped like a broad, shallow funnel with spines at the rim. Sometimes smaller red caps grow on the side of their body, without a funnel. A hammerhammerfungus has a number of thin fronds, thay they use to grapple food with, which they then stuff down the funnel in their cap so it can slowly be dissolved in acid. Their gills constantly produce spores, which linger around the hammerhammerfungus.

Ecology and Habitats

Hammerhammerfungi proliferate in damp foresty areas, which are rather scarce in the Underdark. One known location is the Root Basin, where they dispose of cadavers.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Hammerhammerfungi are primarily carnivorous carrion-eaters. When they go hungry however, they sometimes opt to 'create' carrion, by beating something or someone to death. Hammerhammerfungus has trouble with food that retains its shape too much, as the funnel at its cap is relatively narrow at the bottom, where the acid is. To accomodate for this, they often stamp their food to a pulp with their legs and volva by jumping on it, sometimes for several minutes. They then use their fronds to stuff the food down their cap. This can be a pretty gruesome sight, as one can imagine.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Hammerhammerfungi have tremorsense that they use to perceive enemies with, and use their fronds to find food. It is not known if this is done by smell, or some other form of sensory feedback. They are considered relatively short-sighted, for lack of a better term given their lack of eyes.

Scientific Name

Fungus malleus malleus

Origin/Ancestry

Walking Darkfungus

Conservation Status

Not protected.

Geographic Distribution

• Underdark