Location: Mycodia

Mycodia (Also known as Tripwood)
Danger: Special
Inhabitants: -

Mycodia is notable for it’s fungal population – where there would normally be trees, flowers and grass, there are instead colossal, strangely coloured toadstools, twisted arches of bizarre fungal growth, and a “carpet,” of flat, fleshy mushroom. Its appearance is thoroughly strange and alien, enhanced by the spores of the various fungi which are constantly floating in the air. These spores tend to flash erratic and random colours, filtering the area with disorientating, psychedelic light.

More importantly, the spores have an odd and distinct effect upon the brains of all living creatures – upon entering the area, any being, regardless of size, species or diet, will find themselves rendered physically incapable of eating anything but mushroom.

Many of the mushrooms in Mycodia are edible and perfectly safe, some with considerable and varied nutritional value that far exceeds that of ordinary mushrooms. Others, however, upon ingestion will trigger the intense and incredibly realistic hallucinations the area is known for, distorting and changing the individual’s perception of time, space, and physical matter. Again, the type and intensity of the “trip,” resulting from eating these mushrooms varies from one species of mushroom to another. It is as possible to witness your companions increasing in size until they are ten times your size as it is to become convinced that you can fly (or perhaps, if you happen to be a harpy, convinced you can’t.) The differences, however, between normal and psychoactive mushrooms is notoriously difficult to gauge.

The trips experienced upon eating psychoactive mushrooms are not always unpleasant; indeed, some giant predators visit Mycodia for the specific purpose of allowing themselves to escape into these strange, distorted realities, either for the sake of high-intensity recreation, or with the aim of experiencing a deep spiritual trance or realization. However, experimenting with Mycodian mushrooms has dangers beyond the obvious hazards that may arise from viewing an illusionary reality. Traces of the fungus may remain in the individual’s brain, either causing irregular “flashback,” hallucinations for years afterwards, or, in some cases, resulting in an eternal trip, from which the individual never returns.

For those sharp-eyed and well-researched enough to tell the various fungi apart, it is possible to live in relative safety in Mycodia, as, indeed, do the area’s local wildlife (although those sensitive to flashing and sometimes strobe-like lighting should avoid the area.) The fact that all living beings are rendered incapable of eating one another here adds to this fact, making giant predators slightly less of a problem – though it is still perfectly possible for a predator simply to pick up a human, carry them outside the range of Mycodia and its spore-infested air, and eat them there.



I'm surprised a place like this doesn't already exist xD

I wasn’t sure where to suggest it could be on the map, but it strikes me as probably situated somewhere in the Fairy Kingdom. (Fairies are always drawn traditionally sitting on toadstools after all.)

I left the inhabitants section blank for now as well – it would probably have a few endemic, specially evolved species, such as creatures that either have a pig-like sense of smell... or an ability to exist in a state of neverending highness.

I remember having a similar idea long ago, but this sounds far more interesting

Makes me think on Matango, but with mind-raping hallucinations instead of laughing mushroom people

A place similar to this does exist - look on Karbo's large map of Felarya and on the wiki for Mycoria Forest and the Malyra Fen. It's not the same, of course, but it is close. Perhaps you could incorporate your idea as part of Mycoria Forest.

Interesting Idea. You mentions halucinating growing larger all smaller what if there was also a chance of finding a mshroom that actually did that, turning you into anouther species even, someone could walk in and pull an "Anna" or even the opposite.

parameciumkid wrote:

A place similar to this does exist - look on Karbo's large map of Felarya and on the wiki for Mycoria Forest and the Malyra Fen. It's not the same, of course, but it is close. Perhaps you could incorporate your idea as part of Mycoria Forest.

They don't seem even remotely related as far as I can see. I don't think this particular area would fit well in Mycoria forest - the hallucinations have nothing to do with dimensional instability, and Mycoria forest has no particular link with fungi. (The names do sound a bit too similar, though.)

Not a place I'd like to visit - but then I don't really like mushrooms. It's an intriguing, imaginative idea, with the prospect of people going there for its relative safety, or for the hallucinations. Somewhere you might encounter some very strange people... but also potentially have a civil conversation with a giant pred who feels no appetite to eat you.

This is a great idea!

...until shit like this starts going down:

I would clarify "Physically incapable of eating anything but mushrooms" though... Do they get violently sick after eating, say, a human? Do their throats close up? That's the only thing I can see wrong with it.

I would put it somewhere more accessible than the fairy kingdom too...

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.. going there for its relative safety, or for the hallucinations. Somewhere you might encounter some very strange people... but also potentially have a civil conversation with a giant pred who feels no appetite to eat you.

Yes, this are exactly the kind of scenarios I had in mind when coming up with the idea.

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I would clarify "Physically incapable of eating anything but mushrooms" though... Do they get violently sick after eating, say, a human? Do their throats close up? That's the only thing I can see wrong with it.

Hm, I was thinking more that they would be unable to actually eat the human in the first place. More of a mental effect (essentially, a kind of minor hallucination in itself.) Upon going on there, should you feel hungry, you will only feel a desire to eat the mushrooms. You will just feel like you simply can't eat anything else. A giant predator will have no appetite to eat a human - they may well find it puzzling, but it will feel like their own will, rather than an external factor. (It doesn't just apply to living creatures, as well - you literally cannot eat anything except mushrooms in this area.)

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I would put it somewhere more accessible than the fairy kingdom too...

Accessible? To who? Humans, you mean?

TheArchvile wrote:

This is a great idea!

...until shit like this starts going down:

I really like this idea
It's well described, it's original and it presents an interesting dynamic : it's safer than others zones but it comes at a dangerous cost. great job ^^

GlobFish wrote:

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I would put it somewhere more accessible than the fairy kingdom too...

Accessible? To who? Humans, you mean?

No, probably to Fairies. You know how crazy they get - this could be a partial explanation to their dreaded "Fairy Logic" that will run circles around any scholar and drive them into madness.