[Jim Kane]

I give Steve Jackson Games permission to use this material.

CONCEPT FOR NUISANCE CREATURE:

SIREN SHELF-FUNGUS

Siren Shelf-Fungus looks like ordinary Shelf-Fungus which appears in the forest/wilderness areas, as well as in some underground environments where roots and dead wood are present. Only by physically touching the fungus, and feeling it's vibrating state, can one tell it from standard Shelf-Fungus.

Siren Shelf-Fungus gets it's name from the same powerful enchanting ability which the Sea Sirens of Greek mythology would use to call sailors to their doom upon the rocky coasts of their island shores. However, instead of using song and voice, Siren Shelf-Fungus vibrates in even the lightest of winds at a specific frequency outside of the natural audible spectrum of human hearing; yet, is detected by sentient minds nonetheless. The soundwaves produced by the Siren Shelf-Fungus carry it's "call" over many miles in open wilderness - less so in dense forest - while being dispersed in multiple directions.

A party traveling through the radius of the soundwaves emanating from Siren Shelf-Fungus do not actually hear a sound, but rather, they unknowingly sense the sound with their minds - wherein it acts upon, and influences, the natural judgement and orientation centers of the brain - and tends to draw a party closer and closer to the location of the fungus; unaware.

The Siren Shelf-Fungus exists in a quasi-symbiosis with the creatures of the surrounding environment; as most animals, like: dogs, wolves, bats, and bears - who possess audible hearing far outside the range of human/inhuman creatures - are naturally repelled by the sound of the Siren Shelf-fungus, and avoid their location.

However, trolls know all about the ability of the shelf-fungus to lure human/inhuman-prey to a location, wherein the trolls will attack from ambush; and they guard the fungus with murderous zeal from those who would try to harvest it for their own objectives.

A party subject to the soundwaves of Siren Shelf-Fungus must roll 1d6 extra against "getting lost" in their direction - SEE TFT:ITL page 23-24, under: Lost in the Wilderness - and is compounded for each day an adventure party is subject to their soundwaves (day 2 would be +2d6, day 3 would be +3d6, etc).

A party which misses it's roll, becomes "lost" unaware, and travels in the direction of the fungus. So strong are the enchanting effects of the soundwaves against the mind, that once firmly under their influence, a party could end up backtracking in the direction of the fungus, and believe they are "on course", as the soundwaves affect their perception of direction.

Each day a party is "lost" while under the influence of the Siren Shelf-Fungus, a Naturalist may roll 4d6 to realize the minds of the adventure party are being influenced, and break the effect; while an Expert Naturalist rolls 3d6 to save.

Naturalists who break the spell of the Siren Shelf-Fungus my try to help other party members "snap out of it", by convincing the affected party members that their minds are being manipulated.

A figure who rolls a critical failure while trying to save against the effects of the Siren Shelf-Fungus, may have to be physically restrained by the other party members, or he will run mindlessly towards the location of the Siren Shelf-Fungus; and even fight their fellow adventures to obey the lure of the soundwaves.

Siren Shelf-Fungus must be burnt to be destroyed; hacking at it, will only splinter it, and will cause small spores to become airborne and spread.

A party held under the effect of the Siren Shelf-Fungus, and/or unable to break the calling-effects, will eventually be lead to the location of where the fungus is living... and, where the trolls lay in wait.

JK