The Moldy Cave

Hex 21.8. A largely unexplored tunnel network north of Firedamp. Many of the strange occurrences around Firedamp and nearby villages are blamed on the Moldy Cave and its vile inhabitants.

Two decades ago, a group of miners working for the now-defunct Azimuth Corporation discovered the Moldy Cave on a routine survey mission. Only one miner lived to tell the tale, and the horrors he described have been told and told again in taverns ever since. Over the years, many brave and foolhardy folks ventured into the cave on a dare or desire to destroy whatever lurks in its depths, but none succeeded. They mostly end up dead, or if they're smart, running home with their tails between their legs.

In recent years, the things that dwell in the Moldy Cave have become more brazen, venturing out into Firedamp and nearby villages at night, causing havoc and mischief.

ELLA SKRUNCH

A shrym botanist studying a strange green mold associated uniquely with the Moldy Cave. Ella has followed tales of the mold's medicinal properties and hopes to use the substance to synthesize medicine.

• Traits: Altruistic, greenthumb, frazzled by visitors.
• Motivation: Find a cure for a local shrubling community afflicted with a rare disease.

TUC'TUC

A MUSHRUM living within the Moldy Cave. Tuc'tuc developed an alchemical recipe to resist the mold sickness, but Tuc'tuc's colony has become more aggressive under the rule of Mung Lord, and they believe something must be done.

• Traits: Forthright, logical, fascinated by humor.
• Motivation: Rid the Moldy Cave of the Mung Lord.

ZORB

A BLEMMY who kidnapped two children to end his loneliness. Quick to anger and child-like, Zorb is dangerous but is ultimately just seeking friendship.

• Traits: Blubbering, awkward, smells like cheese.
• Motivation: Find true love from his own kind or at least make a friend.

quests

THE MOLDY SURVEYOR

Ella Skrunch can't get far into the cave without encountering FUNGHOULS and hostile MUSHRUMS. She believes the mold, which is harmful to folk, might actually have medicinal properties for other creatures and wants to use it to help a community of nearby shrublings ill

rumors

• Presumably a myth, the Mung Lord is often evoked as a kind of boogie mung to youngins in the Used T'Be forest. As the story goes, the Mung Lord is a titanic slime creature that devours everything in sight.
• Children have been kidnapped recently by a hulking creature, wider than two well-built men, that supposedly dwells in the Moldy Cave.
• The cave is lined with deadly mold spores that can kill a person within days or leave a lasting affliction called the Mold Sickness.
• Aggressive MUSHRUMS live in the cave and attack passing travelers.
• Jericor the Felmog Outrider broke his leg exploring the Moldy Cave and narrowly escaped with his life. with root-stoop. Use her hazmat suit and get a mold sample from deep within the cave. In exchange for a good sample, she'll pay 2 pouches of Copper Coins.

lair layout

AREA 1: THE MOLDY ENTRANCE

A haze of green spores obscures the entrance, emanating from furry mold covering the rocks.

• Whenever anyone without a hazmat suit enters a new area of the Moldy Cave, Vitality Check or they become WEAKENED.
• Mushrooms cover the ground. They appear harmless, but when approached reveal themselves as attacking FUNGHOULS.
• Beyond the FUNGHOULS lies a dead weorg, skewered with spears and covered in mold.

AREA 2: THE CENTRAL CAVERN

A huge cavernous chamber, littered with large, mold- covered rocks. The air is warm and oppressive with fungal spores.

• Four MUSHRUMS (L3-G) hide behind the rocks, waiting to ambush the PCs.
• The MUSHRUMS of the Moldy Cave cower under the oppression of the Mung Lord that dwells here. They do its bidding and worship it as a god, despite being deathly afraid. They attempt to capture the PCs and bring them to the Mung Lord as tribute, but run away if the battle goes poorly.
• A dark, silent tunnel leads to Area 3.
• A blubbery groaning echoes from a tunnel to Area 4.
• A dark hole near the ceiling of the cavern leads to Area 5. It looks like one could reach it by climbing the rocky wall, but it is covered in mold (Disadvantage).

AREA 3: THE MUSHRUM TUNNELS

A small eastern tunnel winds in circuitous fashion as child-like whispers echo from within.

• Eventually, the PCs find themselves surrounded by a small colony of MUSHRUMS. They, too, want to bring the PCs to the Mung Lord as tribute.
• Before things get violent, one called Tuc'tuc addresses the PCs. They admit they know nothing about kidnapped children, but suspect the BLEMMY is behind it. They are aware of the mold sickness, in fact, Tuc'tuc collects the green mold and uses it to make a tea that helps MUSHRUMS prevent sickness.
• Against the wishes of their people, Tuc'tuc is open to Parley. If the PCs defeat the Mung Lord, Tuc'tuc leads them to the source of the green mold, and the BLEMMY in Area 5.

AREA 4: THE MUNG LORD'S HOLLOW

Thick green slime plasters every inch of the cave walls, and a rhythmic gurgling echoes within. Surprisingly, there is no mold here.

• The MUNG LORD (L3-C) is the size of a small house. Fat with tribute, and drunk with power, the Lord has no need to leave the hollow since the MUSHRUMS bring it food everyday.
• Anyone ENGULFED by the MUNG LORD becomes POISONED, because within its oozy body is a CURSED ring. Blightfinger: Make a Vitality Check every day to resist being POISONED. On a 6+ melee Hit, the target is POISONED.
• The MUNG LORD adjusts its considerable girth and leans forward ready to squish towards any intruders to consume them. It rather delights in a chase, but will not leave the Moldy Cave.
• The MUNG LORD sits on a small crevice leading to Area 6. It also sits on an Ancient Hoard (+0) covered in slime, but due to the nature of MUNG, everything except Magic items have been destroyed.

AREA 5: THE BLEMMY'S DEN

Loose rocks line an apparently hand carved tunnel. A faint light glows up ahead.

• At the end of the tunnel is a broken table, where two children and a BLEMMY (L3-B) sit on broken chairs drinking tea from a dirty teapot. The children seem fine, but they're covered in filth.
• The BLEMMY called Zorb just wants company, and so kidnapped the children. And although the children like the BLEMMY, this Moldy Cave is obviously no place for them.
• Zorb will match force with force. The children tell the PCs not to hurt him. Although aggressive, Zorb can be persuaded, especially if the PCs show him friendship. He would also appreciate a makeover. Deep down, he yearns for companionship from his own kind, but he doesn't know where to find other BLEMMIES.
• There are BLEMMY caves in Trollridge.
• If Zorb joins the PCs, he is prone to eating all the Rations and resorting to violence when insulted. Not many common folks like BLEMMIES!

AREA 6: THE GREEN WATERFALL

Beneath the Mung Lord's Hollow through a tight, claustrophobic crack, echoes the sound of running water. Eventually, it opens into a black subterranean lake rife with green mold.

• The petrified husk of a huge, strange looking BEAMKIN sits half submerged in the pool. Green mold pours from its agape mouth like a waterfall. This is the source of the mold sickness.
• Tuc'tuc refers to the creature as Oo'Roo of the Life Blood. The MUSHRUMS once lived in harmony with the Oo'Roo and drank from its waters. But one day, Oo'Roo fell sick, and rapidly perished. That is when the Mung Lord arrived.
• The Mung Lord's toxicity killed Oo'Roo and corrupted the BEAMKIN'S life force, creating the horrible mold sickness spewing from their heart. In fact, Oo'Roo is still half-alive and will stop producing the mold if put out of their misery.