Deep Mold

Written by Lokrow

Deep mold is a fungi which originally came from the Darklands. How exactly it came to be found in the Dirt Sea is unknown. However, one theory is that it was brought up from the Darklands along with the mass displacement of darklands species caused by the dwarven Quest For Sky. Another supposes it was brought up to be used as biological weaponry in the region that would become the Dirt Sea.
Nevertheless, the most important aspect of Deep Mold is how its long evolutionary history and potential biological tamperings has rendered it able to digest most organic matter. Which makes it yet one more source of danger in the Dirt Sea.

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

Much like its name suggests, this fungi thrives in the subsurface layers of the Dirt Sea which are far less turbulent than the layers above. Its effective range is between 3 meters and 30 meters below the surface approximately. Higher and the highly turbulent and hot sand renders it inactive or crushes the tendrils and lower the higher pressure of the ground makes it hard for the mold to extend its tendrils into it
The high humidity, low heat and prey-rich environment provided by the ground within its effective range makes it the best environment for the mold to thrive and expand in.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Deep Mold extends tendrils into the ground in an attempt to trap some of the many creatures which 'swim' below the surface of the Dirt Sea. If it manages to latch on, the mold will induce paralysis in the creature in order to burrow into it and consume the organic tissue.
Most often, only the skeleton of the creature will remain, which the mold then uses as further foundation to extend further tendrils.
In the rare cases that a creature is immune to the mold's neurotoxin or too fast for the mold to deliver a sufficient dose, the creature will often break off parts of the tendrils and carry them along.
When this happens the mold caught on the creature will continue to try to consume the creature even while it moves. If successful, the mold slowly takes over more and more of the host's body by consuming it. This leads to a new mold colony forming, genetically identical to the one it broke off from. If unsuccessful, the mold might still manage to expand around the creatures body and attempt to latch onto anything it might come in contact with. This may not affect the host but it renders it extremely dangerous if encountered.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

As a result of the mold trapping and accumulating the corpses of its preys, the surface layer of sand above a deep mold colony gains greater structural integrity. Effectively, the fungi contributes to creating 'islands' amidst the quicksand. Whilst these islands may be settled on, they can be dangerous to linger on. Indeed, at night or if the unpredictable climate of the Dirt Sea would turn to make conditions favourable, deep mold can expand towards the surface and attack unsuspecting dwellers.

Ratfolk Settlements

The only known example of successful settlements on deep mold islands are the Ratfolk settlements in the Dirt Sea. Usually settled along with other species, here the ratfolk live alone and mostly undisturbed. They not only inhabit the surface but in fact favour burrowing into the ground occupied by the deep mold itself to form networds of tunnels and caves for them to live in.

Resilience to the mold

The ratfolk are resilient to the mold's neurotoxin and as such can live around it and are even known to eat it at times of scarcity. They mainly eat smaller prey caught by the fungi, stealing it before it can be consumed. However this relationship is not symbiotic as the mold can still consume ratfolk and be carried by them. The ratfolk simply are careful with their exposure to the mold and clean and groom each other often to prevent an infestation.

Poison and recreational drug

The ratfolk which live in these settlements have developped a method to use the mold's neurotoxin to craft a strong poison with the same effect. A derivate product from that poison is a mild calming drug which ratfolk use recreationally.