DEVOURING MOSS

     The mosses are composed of two separate layers. The upper layer is composed of thousands of green "pellets", chemically bound together. On the surface, the pellets so strongly resemble an ordinary mat of moss that even a ranger or follower of Raiche has only a 20% chance of seeing through this disguise. This layer is 4 to 5 inches thick, with each inch representing one full 8-sided hit die of the creature.

Combat: When either animal flesh or any sudden weight of 50 pounds or more presses upon the upper layer, an instant chemical change occurs. The cohesion of the pellets vanishes beneath the point of contact, and the creature or object instantly sinks and comes into contact with the lower layer of the moss. From that moment on the creature is doomed.

     The strongly adhesive lower layer holds onto its prey with an effective Strength of 18, and the weight of the victim forces it to sink. Creatures of Size M or larger will sink at a rate of 4 inches per 100 pounds of weight when it first falls through, then 2 inches per 100 pounds every round thereafter. This rate is doubled if the victim struggles. The devouring moss waits until its prey is dead before digesting it.

     Though difficult, an attempt to pull the victim out can be made so long as the torso of the victim is still "above water". Assuming a rope is secured to the victim, any number of rescuers can grab the line and pull. The chance for success is the aggregate bend bars/lift gates % chance of everyone on the rope. A percentile is rolled; if the result is at or below the aggregate, the victim is freed. Note that success inflicts 1d3 points of damage upon the victim (from muscular and skeletal stress), as does every failed attempt.

     Getting a moss to otherwise give up its meal is problematic at best. Except for any magical bonuses they might have, slashing and piercing weapons do no damage whatsoever, and will become stuck in the glop as well. Bludgeoning weapons will inflict half damage (plus magical bonuses, if any)—but only on the first strike, when they too become stuck. Individuals with a 18 Strength or higher can free a weapon in 1d4 rounds.

     Other forms of attack fare far better. Acid, fire-based attacks (magical or natural), and magic missiles all inflict full damage, while magical cold-based attacks inflict half damage. Note that area-effect spells could do as much damage to the victim as the moss. DMs must decide on the effectiveness of all other forms of physical or magical attack.

     Charm plants, speak with plants, and hold plant have no effect on a devouring moss. Locate plants will detect its presence, however, and a trapped priest can free himself with a teleport via plant if he can manage to cast it.

     Damage to the moss affects the upper layer only. When a pellet is destroyed, it turns to dust, and living pellets immediately fill in any gaps. This is a survival mechanism, for when 81% to 92% (80 + 1d12) of the upper layer is killed, the lower layer is exposed to the open air. When that happens, the lower layer quickly dies, hardening from the top down at a rate of 1d3 feet per round until it becomes a solid mass of dry resin. Though the victim is saved, he must now be hacked and chiseled from the carcass, which takes a good 1d4 hours.

Habitat/Society: Devouring mosses can be found in any temperate forest. Some even find a home in the sylvan forests where unicorns and sprites and fairies live and play—where they become the only blight upon an otherwise idyllic landscape.

     Mosses reproduce by means of specialized airborne pellets. Released during the spring thaw, these grains waft through the air, searching for suitable hollows in the forest floor where water has gathered. The reproductive process is swift; a new moss can reach maturity in less than four months. Mosses have been known to survive for decades.

Ecology: The moss makes far better use of its food than most other predators. Its digestion is extremely efficient, and after a time even bones are dissolved. When it dies, a moss becomes a huge, slowly water-soluble deposit of natural fertilizer. If cut and ground into a powder, a moss carcass can fetch up to five gold pieces per cubic foot for use in horticulture.

     Desiccated glop from the moss' lower layer is a much sought-after component in the creation of sovereign glue.

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