Fungi

With its sky of jagged stone and perpetual night, the Underdark is home to all manner of fungi. Taking the place of plants in the subterranean realm, fungi are vital to the survival of many underground species, providing nourishment and shelter in the unforgiving darkness. Fungi spawn in organic matter, then break that matter down to consume it, feeding on filth and corpses. As they mature, fungi eject spores that drift on the lightest breeze to spawn new fungi. Not needing sunlight or warmth to grow, fungi thrive in every corner and crevice of the Underdark. Transformed by the magic that permeates that underground realm, Underdark fungi often develop potent defensive mechanisms or abilities of mimicry and attack. The largest specimens can spread' to create vast subterranean forests in which countless creatures live and feed.

Gas Spore

The first gas spores are thought to have been from dead beholders, whose moldering corpses fed a parasitic fungus with aberrant magic. Having long since adapted into a unique plant creature, a gas spore grows quickly and purposefully out of any corpse, creating a malevolent-looking mockery of the most feared denizen of the Underdark.


Eye Tyrant's Form A gas spore is a spherical, balloon-like fungus that resembles a beholder from a distance, though its true nature becomes. increasingly obvious as one approaches it. The monster possesses a blind central "eye" and rhizome growths sprouting from its upper surface, superficially resembling a beholder's eyestalks.


Death Burst A gas spore is a hollow shell filled with a lighter-than-air gas that enables it to float as a beholder does. Piercing the shell with even the weakest attack causes the creature to burst apart, releasing a cloud of deadly spores. A creature that inhales the spores becomes host to them, and is often dead within a day. Its corpse then becomes the spawning ground from which new gas spores arise.


Beholder Memories A gas spore that sprouts from a beholder's corpse sometimes carries within it memories of its deceased parent. When the gas spore explodes, its deadly spores cast those memories adrift. Any creature that inhales the spores and survives inherits one or more of the beholder's fragmented memories, and might gain useful information about the beholder's former lair and other nearby places and creatures of interest.

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Armor Class	5
Hit Points	1d10-4
Speed	0 ft.	Fly 10ft. (hover)
Strength	5 (- 3)
Dexterity	1 (-5)
Constitution	3 (-4)
Intelligence	1 (-5)
Wisdom	1 (-5)
Charisma	1 (-5)
Damage Immunities	Poison
Condition Immunities	Blinded	Deafened	Frightened
Paralyzed	Poisoned	Prone
Senses	Blindsight 30ft. (blind beyond this radius)	Passive Perception 5
Languages	---
Challenge	1/2 (100 XP)
Special 1	Death Burst	The gas spore explodes when it drops to 0 hit points.	Each creature within 20 feet of it must succeed on
a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or	take 3d6 poison damage and become infected	with a disease on a failed save.	Creatures immune to the poisoned condition are
immune to this disease. Spores invade an infected	creature's system, killing the creature	in a number of hours equal	to 1d12 + the creature's Constitution score
unless the disease is removed. In half that time,	the creature becomes poisoned for	the rest of the duration. After the creature dies,	it sprouts 2d4 Tiny gas spores
that grow to full size in 7 days
Special 2	Eerie Resemblance	The gas spore resembles a beholder.	A creature that can see the gas spore can
discern its true nature with a	successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check
Action	Touch	Melee Weapon Attack	d20+0 to hit
Reach 5 ft., one creature	Hit 1 poison damage,	and the creature must succeed on	a DC 10 Constitution saving throw
or become infected with the disease	described in the Death Burst trait

Shrieker

A shrieker is a human-sized mushroom that emits a piercing screech to drive off creatures that disturb it. Other creatures use the fungi as an alarm to signal the approach of prey, and various intelligent races of the Underdark cultivate shriekers on the outskirts of their communities to discourage trespassers.

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Armor Class	5
Hit Points	3d8
Speed	0ft.
Strength	1 (- 5)
Dexterity	1 (- 5)
Constitution	10 (+0)
Intelligence	1 (- 5)
Wisdom	3 (- 4)
Charisma	1 (- 5)
Condition Immunities	Blinded	Deafened	Frightened
Senses	Blindsight 30ft. (blind beyond this radius)	Passive Perception 6
Languages	---
Challenge	0 (10 XP)
Special	False Appearance	While the shrieker remains motionless,	it is indistinguishable from an ordinary fungus
Reaction	Shriek	When bright light or a creature is within 30 feet of the shrieker,	it emits a shriek audible within 300 feet of it.
The shrieker continues to shriek until the disturbance moves	out of range and for 1d4 of the shrieker's turns afterward

Violet Fungas

This purplish mushroom uses root-like feelers growing from its base to creep across cavern floors. The four stalks protruding from a violet fungi's central mass are used to lash out at prey, rotting flesh with the slightest touch. Any creature killed by a violet fungus decomposes rapidly. A new violet fungus sprouts from the moldering corpse, growing to full size in 2d6 days.

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Armor Class	5
Hit Points	4d8
Speed	5 ft.
Strength	3 (- 4)
Dexterity	1 (-5)
Constitution	10 (+0)
Intelligence	1 (-5)
Wisdom	3 (- 4)
Charisma	1 (-5)
Condition Immunities	Blinded	Deafened	Frightened
Senses	Blindsight 30ft. (blind beyond this radius)	Passive Perception 6
Languages	---
Challenge	1/4 (50 XP)
Special	False Appearance	While the violet fungus remains motionless,	it is indistinguishable from an ordinary fungus
Action 1	Multiattack	The fungus makes 1d4 Rotting Touch attacks
Action 2	Rotting Touch	Melee Weapon Attack	d20+2 to hit
Reach 10ft., one creature	Hit 1d8 necrotic damage