Fungal Grotto

The Seekers Guide to Twisted Taverns Pg. 172
Deep underground, tucked into the massive stump of an ancient sentient tree, the Fungal Grotto offers a safe, if somewhat off-kilter, respite for adventurers. Grown rather than built over hundreds (or perhaps thousands—the hosts certainly aren’t keeping track!) of years, this tavern gives new definition to the word “lively,” as almost everything, from the furniture to the walls and even the food on guests’ plates, is sentient. When people approach, they hear voices calling out in welcome from the various fungal faces growing on the tree. While the main tavern structure has been gently hollowed out from the tree stump, other rooms grew from the hollow interiors of morel mushrooms, and patios and balconies are constantly expanding as the flat polypores thrive. Long-lived patrons such as elves may notice slight differences from their last visit, but overall the changes are so gradual they are unnoticeable unless compared with antique depictions. The cozy, rounded rooms would give the Fungal Grotto a warm, homey feel, if it were lit by warm fires and candlelight, rather than cool blue-green bioluminescence. When the tavern is underground, there is very little difference between lighting inside and out, as it all comes from the same bioluminescent mushrooms. For overnight guests, a sleeping mask or draping a cloak over the bed is recommended. Note that the tavern can be moved above ground in high-magic settings. Despite their strange and almost alien appearance, the hosts’ open, friendly manner can win over all but the most suspicious traveler. There is very little here that is sinister… until one realizes that the hosts and most regular guests feed upon the dead. They are not predatory towards humanoids, however; in fact, they usually want adventurers to have a good experience and return with bodies, or perhaps merely the whereabouts of bodies. The philosophy of the mushroom beings is, “Kill one person, food for a year. Let a person live to kill others, food for a decade!” They are a gentle race and easily entertained by watching humanoids, who live at a much quicker pace and seem bothered by trivial things such as death. The hosts are not without their defense capabilities, however, and troublemakers will soon regret crossing them. Damage to the tavern is a particularly grievous offense, as it can take years for repairs to be complete. All of the sentient mushrooms are connected to each other, and thus they refer to each other as “they/them” rather than “he/she/it” and to themselves as “We,” whether referring to one being or twenty. A mushroom may refer to a brother or sister when talking to a humanoid, but that is mainly because of their years of fine-tuning translation from a language based on collective intelligence to a language based on individuals. This is an excellent “beginner” tavern; player characters level 1-3 can safely visit and enjoy some of the lower rooms. Player characters level 4-6 would be able to explore the entire tavern and fully unlock its secrets. The Fungal Grotto, as it is underground, is a perfect safe haven in a dangerous area.

Type

Bar