Traveller: Character Challenge 15/31: OSE Mycelian

Sunday, January 15, 2023

Character Challenge 15/31: OSE Mycelian

As I have a magical mushroom mini, and rules for a Mycelian in Carcass Crawler 3, figured I'd generate one of these creatures.

Strength: 13, Intelligence: 13,Wisdom, 14, Dexterity: 11, Constitution: 10, Charisma: 8

They can be assassins, clerics, druids, fighters, illusionists or thieves. I kinda like the idea of a Druid Mycelian. Lots of spore magic maybe!

At level 3, they can emit spores that will make everyone within 20' passive for 1 round/level. Unfortunately, he's a level 1 so not particularly useful in many ways! He does have infravision to 60' but suffers a -2 on attack rolls in bright light as well as a -1 to their AC. Definitely a dungeon crawling character. They don't eat or drink but do need 8 hours in moist earth to rejuvenate. Having no mouths, they also communicate telepathically.

As a druid, he is neutral alignment. He is also cannot wear armor but can use a wooden shield. His staff will act as a stave. Their tough skin gives them a little benefit but not a whole lot. He will pray to nature to get his spells. There is also a +2 bonus to saving throws against electricity (lightening) and fire. He can identify all plants and animals and can discern pure water. There are some nice abilities he gains at higher levels, but he'll have to live long enough to learn those things!

An interesting thing is that if you play the Mycelian as a race/class (classic style), they get a d8 for their hit die. Druids, in the advanced rules, get a d6. We'll keep with the d6 as that is the rule set in use. Had a player chosen the race/class version, they would get the d8 and the other advantages that come with that particular rule set.

Franklin Fungoid, from the Deepest Caverns of Illuminositic Perils, has ventured forth on his walk-about. His tribe of Mycelians believe in order to learn, one must leave the mist caves and tunnels of their home. Then return home with new knowledge to add to the moss-books of learning. While his parent was a toadstool farmer, Franklin took that learning, and from wandering the caverns and tunnels, learned more of the underground animals. When he left the tunnels, he happened upon an elderly Druid who started to teach him things from above ground while Franklin shared his knowledge of the deep underground. The Druidic Order of the Fern has a language that Franklin is fluent in, as well as Gnome, Common and Deepcommon. Given a staff, Franklin has left the Druid and is seeking new things to learn.

Young and impressionable, Franklin takes a wait and see approach to many encounters. While short, perhaps 3 and a half feet tall, he is also round with a bright red cap and yellow. His is silent, speaking telepathically when necessary, but preferring the quiet of the deep woods or underground. His current spell, learned from his Druidic master, is the ability to speak to animals.