FREQUENCY: Uncommon

FREQUENCY: Common ([Dungeon Level IV])

NO. APPEARING: 1 patch
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVE: 0"
HIT DICE: --
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 ~ *****
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison spores
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Non- (see below)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S to L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil (see below)
    Attack/Defense Modes: Nil (see below)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: *****

    ***** Monster not rateable.

Yellow Mold: A more common underground fungus is yellow mold, which
is pale yellow to a golden orange in color. Any creature which touches this
mold is attacked by its enzymes. It also affects wood, albeit more
slowly. It does no harm to metals or stone. If the substance is contacted
roughly, there is a 50% chance per contact that the colony will release
spores. These deadly spores shoot out in an asphyxiating cloud, 1" by 1"
by 1", originating from the center of impact. Any creature which is within
this cloud will die, its lungs filled with yellow mold growth, unless it makes
a save vs. Poison. A cure disease and a resurrection are
necessary within 24 hours to save such victims.

Yellow mold is affected only by fire based attacks -- flaming oil, a fire
elemental, etc. Continual light will cause it to become dormant for 2-12
turns, but thereafter the mold will grow over the light and obliterate it.

Collective Intelligence, Psionics: When formed into great colonies of at least 300 square feet in AREA this
growth will form a collective intelligence about 1 time in 6. If this should
happen the yellow mold will be aware mentally and psionically. It will
attack by spore cloud if it senses the presence of other life forms (range of
sensing will vary from 10' to 60') or psionically if such abilities are used
within from 20' to 120' (random determination of sensing range). If it
attacks psionically, it will await the approach of the life form and then
loose an attack which is equal to the most powerful form of id insinuation.
It cannot be counter-attacked psionically unless a cleric who has the power
to telepathically communicate with plants is on hand, for he will be
needed to channel such attacks into a form which will affect the vegetable
intelligence of the mold colony. Otherwise, the yellow mold must be
phvsicallv attacked and destroyed. The colony has sufficient power to
make from 1 to 10 psionic attacks within as many turns, and after resting
for 1-4 days it will thereafter be able to again attack in this manner.

<    ***** — Spores shoot out in a 10’x10’x10’ cloud if the mold is
hit— any creature in the cloud dies 80% of the time (minus 2% per
constitution point over twelve) and can only be saved if Cure Disease
and Resurrection are used on the body within 24 hours. Monster Mixing, Dragon #49>