The Hungry Folk

Thaumiel Nerub over on Google Plus was asking about Mushroom PC races for Basic / Expert D&D. Here's a project I've had kicking around in a design notebook for a while, but have yet to post. It's written more for Blueholme Prentice Rules (Holmes Basic), but hopefully he can find some use of it.

The Hungry Folk

Creeping forth from hidden subterranean demesne and foliage choked jungles, the Hungry Folk are a race of roughly humanoid fungi.

As varied as more mundane fungi, no two Hungry Folk share the same shape or coloration.

Classes: Most Hungry Folk are fighters, while a rare, gifted portion become Moldshapers (see below).

Strange Hungers: Not being as man, or even mammal, the Hungry Folk derive sustenance from the earth itself. At night, the Hungry Folk must find  a satisfactory patch of rich earth. There, the Hungry Folk puts out fibrous runners from their feet, drawing in nourishment throughout the darker hours.

Spores: Once per day, the Hungry Folk may choose to violently disperse a cloud of choking spores that fills an area some 15ft cubed. Friend and foe alike caught in the cloud must make a Save vs Poison or suffer the effects of a Sleep spell.

Thick Skinned: Their thick, fibrous skin imparts a natural AC of 7.



Moldshaper

Level	Hit Dice	XP	Molds per day
1	1d4+1	1	0
2	2d4+1	1,501	2
3	3d4+1	3,001	4

Moldshapers are those Hungry Folk versed in the language of their monstrous fellows. By consuming the spores of their less civilized kin, the Moldshaper is able to take on their traits. Hungry Folk may not use any armor, and are limited to blunt weapons only.

A Moldshaper may consume any number of spores, but may only manifest the abilities of any fungus so consumed a number of times per day as shown in the preceding table. The physical changes of a Moldshaping are slow, taking 2d10 minutes each.

Example Molds:

Violet Fungus - The Hungry Folk's skin takes on a mottled purple hue, much like an ugly bruise. Slender, antleresque protrusions grow from the Hungry Folk's skin, each some 6-36 inches long.
The Hungry Folk's spores impart a rotting touch. The victim takes 1HP damage per turn as the caustic spores eat away at their flesh. This ends when a successful Save vs. Poison is rolled.

Purple Haze - the Moldshaper is cloaked in an obscuring mist of deep purple vapours and accompanying sitar music. Save vs. Breath Weapon or like... totally trip out, man.

Shrieking Toadstools - The Hungry Folk's cap  folds in on itself, producing a megaphone-like funnel. The Hungry Folk loses his spore attack, but gains a sonic blast with a range of 30'. Up to 4 Hit Die of creatures caught in the blast must save vs spell or be stunned, losing their next initiative phase.

Red Cannon - No apparent change. When taking damage, the Hungry Folk explodes, dealing 1d4 damage to all creatures within 10'. The Hungry Folk regrows in 10 minutes.  (This  Shape may only be used once per day).