Hmmm.... nope. At least, not how I introduced it. <g> The original campaign idea was that troll PCs (who didn't necessarily have a clue the stuff existed) would encounter it in the wild: the token party human <g> builds a fire with the brush, the smoke wafts out... you get the picture. (In human-dominant parties, the same trick would be using the brush, and watching the token troll go nuts.) So I needed it to be brush (I mean, who builds fires out of fungus?)
Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way (as with so many of the best laid plans...). Anyway...
If it's a fungus, I'm assuming that a troll PC will be more likely to know about it, and it would be easier to obtain. I kind of prefer the idea of grizzled troll hunters sneaking batches of it into the caves, PCs stumbling on it unawares, little moral lectures from the Kaarg's Son about being careful with some of the weird food on the surface, etc. A good way to increase player interest in obtaining more knowledge about the outside world. (Then again, I suspect uzcentric parties are somewhat rare). Also, provides the Aldryami with a weapon of sorts... Underground complex of trolls got you down? Stuff a couple tons of this down their ventilation shafts and throw a torch after it. That'll learn 'em. <g> I suppose the Mostali could distill it and use it as well.
(On _that_ thread, I'd be interested to hear comments about how Elves use, er, biological warfare. I suspect the bits about the Poisonthorn vs. Hellwood elves in D:LoD are only the tip of the iceberg... considering how long-lived some trolls can be, as well as Dwarves, I'd think elder race conflicts in general have several "fronts" beyond standard combat.)
Then again, there's nothing to prevent there from being a fungus of the same sort. I assume there are many fascinating magic mushrooms of the Black Elves yet untouched by human lore...
James Frusetta gerakkag_at_wam.umd.edu Department of History University of Maryland, College Park http://www.wam.umd.edu/~gerakkag ========================================================================== ------------------------------
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