Marasmian
by Cab Davidson
Armour Class: 4
Hit Dice: 3*
Move: 180’(60’)
Attacks: 1 weapon or special
Damage: By weapon or special
Number Appearing: 1d8 (10d10)
Save As: Fighter 3
Morale: 8 (12)
Treasure Type: Zero (M)
Intelligence: 12
Alignment: Lawful
XP Value: 50
Marasmians are among the few Myconids found on the surface of Mystara and indeed in the Hollow World. They are tall (6’-7’) pale brown myconids, with spindly bodies, long, thin legs and slender arms, topped with a flattish, gilled cap. To most they give feeling of geniality, of friendliness, and this comes of having an aeons long relationship with the fairy folk.
Marasmian Myconids grow in circles from a parent Marasmian Myconoid, which itself takes the form of a ring in a woodland or field. The ring will start small, but over many years can grow to colossal form, many hundreds of yards across. Marasmian Myconids appear to grow from small mushrooms to mighty mushroom-men in the space of around a fortnight, typically after extensive rainfaill and in warm conditions. After a day, although still bound to the Myconoid, they are around 1’ tall and sentient, and able to communicate or even defend themselves (in a rudimentary fashion). Upon reaching maturity they wander off and go looking for rotting, decaying vegetation, animal faeces, etc. which they carefully break up and arrange around the outside of their Myconoid. Having completed their tasks in daylight, they return to their rings and spend the nights enjoying everything that is good in a mushrooms life, releasing spores, dancing and singing in their circles, and for the most part bringing nothing but joy to those lucky enough to see them. Their delightful performances attract the attention of the fey, and pixies, sprites, and others of the fair folk are often to be found dancing with the Marasmians on moonlit nights. Indeed, in so much as a Myconoid can ever make friends with anything, the Fey are friends to the Marasmians.
If threatened, a Marasmian may pick up a weapon and fight. Over many years successive Myconids bring weapons back to their Myconoid and store them nearby, and aggressors may be surprised by the lethality of their arsenals. While the larger, mature Marasmian myconids will typically fight with weapons, any group of more than 6 Marasmians (mature or immature) may, each round, cast a special form of the Dance spell. Anyone inside the circle of or within 30’ of their Myconoid must make a saving throw vs. Spells or begin to dance in a circle around the ring, being subject to the same detrimental effects of Dance as the spell. The group may use their Dance attack every round, in addition to any other attacks they make. The victim may make another saving throw once every 6 rounds, but is immediately vulnerable to the same effect again. The victim will fall the ground, unconscious and exhausted, after their constitution score in rounds (either continuously or after making a saving throw and failing another subsequent save). Typically Marasmian Myconids will ignore any dancing enemy and simply back away, continuing to use their dance effect each round until the targets fall to the ground exhausted. Once all enemies are thus captured, the Marasmians will search them for anything useful, entertaining or interesting, and carry them to a point at least a mile away, to be deposited in the most humiliating pile they can envisage.
Marasmians are not aggressive or hostile, and cannot easily be provoked into violence. Treasures possessed by the Myconoid are buried in the centre of the circle, and will be defended, as will the habitat upon which the Marasmians and their fey allies depend. Marasmians will do all they can to avoid a fight, but they will defend their homes or their allies to the death.
Marasmians are now a rare species. Formerly they were common in Elven lands such as the Sylvan realm and Alfheim, now they are restricted to the forests of the Shiye and a few hidden locations in Norwold. In the Hollow World there is rumour of a strange floating island that is sloped to a strange degree, Tir Na Nog, populated solely by Marasmians long lost races of fair folk, living a joyful and oblivious life dancing and drinking ale under the perpetual sunset of a red sun.
The Science Bit: Marasmius oreades is, I should think, the most likely first candidate most mushroomers think of when they think of a fairy ring. Ususally called the fairy ring marasmius. I shouldn't think I need to remind anyone of the cultural significance of this. And yes, I'll be returning to fairy rings with more of the uncommon species of Myconids...