Mushrooms in Middle-earth Role Playing

To flesh out the setting, Middle-earth Role Playing introduces many new types of mushrooms.

Bearded Fang

Bearded Fang (S. Fangarch, Q. Fangacarca) was a white, underground mushroom. It bore a 3-inch cap with a mass of beard-like fibers around the stalk, often speckled with harmless black spores. The fungus was considered a delicacy and valued for its rich nutrition, though the beard itself was tasteless and usually left on as proof of authenticity.

Black Cackler

Black Cackler (S. Morladhad, Q. Mornalalié), also called Duhhmaker, was a large black mushroom with an orange-spotted cap and a two-foot stalk ringed in orange. It grew underground. Though bitter in taste, its flesh induced uncontrollable laughter for several hours.

Camadarch

Camadarch (S. Fladluin, Q. Faltaluin) was a small cave mushroom found in caves in eastern Eriador and in the Under-deeps. Only an inch tall, with a cap marked by a black star pattern, it was the source of a dangerous poison. Taken in liquid form, it turned a victim’s skin blue before causing extremities to decay. When mixed with alcohol, it became an acidic contact agent capable of inflicting severe burns. Preparation was notoriously perilous, often as deadly to the handler as to the intended victim.

Deadly Akra

Deadly Akra (S. Cargurth, Q. Carnuru), also called Red Death, was a bright orange mushroom with yellow veil remnants, found underground. It grew in colonies of about a dozen, each with a 4-inch cap and 6-inch stalk. Its flesh was a potent poison, countered only by a tea brewed from slimy gorkin.

Deadman’s Eyes

Deadman’s Eyes (S. Luichin, Q. Loicohendi) was a rare white mushroom with red spots, found near Drûg campsites. When consumed, it enabled mortals to pass unharmed among the Dead, a property fiercely guarded by the Drughu. It also produced a powerful euphoria and sense of oneness with nature. The mushroom was highly toxic in excess.

Dung-Reveling Psarch

Dung-Reveling Psarch (S. Thauressil, Q. Sauriellé), also known as Crapola, was a large brown mushroom found underground. It bore an 8-inch cap and a tall yellow-brown stalk. When eaten, it caused a mild stupor and altered perception, dulling awareness while slightly sharpening intellect.

Hopper Mushrooms

Hopper Mushrooms (S. Mithgeryn, Q. Sindibwandi), also known as Tarnas (though distinct from True Tarnas) , were benign grey fungi growing on mahogany trees. The tea brewed from the nodules it formed treated organ damage, though also caused nausea.

Hopperfoot

Hopperfoot (S. Mithin, Q. Sindibendi), also known as False Hopper, was a small grey mushroom marked with black dots, found on tree bark in tropical forests. It resembled the true hopper mushroom but differed in effect: it could restore vitality and health, though it caused deep sleep and flatulence.

Luminous Vrak

Luminous Vrak (S. Culual, Q. Culuinacálë), also known as Helyt, was a brownish underground mushroom. Its gills glowed faintly orange in darkness. When processed into Orcish salves, the gills could staunch bleeding wounds, though exposure to sunlight destroyed their potency.

Madarch

Madarch (S. Arachwan, Q. Arnahwan), also known as Zûrumul, was a giant purple and orange mushroom, growing in great clusters underground harvested by Dwarves. It reached five feet in height, with a four-foot crown and tough fibrous roots. Its ridges yielded a juice called norechor, which healed cuts and vessels when diluted, though undiluted it could burst the veins of the drinker. The flesh was edible and sustaining in lean times.

Malodorous Milkcap

Malodorous Milkcap (S. Morvil, Q. Morcorma), also known as Stingdrop, was a foul-smelling white mushroom with black-ringed stalk, found underground. Its flesh was edible in small amounts, but in excess became mildly poisonous, with no known antidote.

Nightrod

Nightrod (S. Lebedmor, Q. Morilepsë), also known as Ebony Fingers, was a small, black, cone-shaped mushroom found in caves. It grew in clusters and was prized both as a mild healing fungus and as a delicacy, especially in Dwarven soups. A fresh nightrod cap could restore health, but it lost potency once dried.

Other Eyes

Other Eyes (S. Hengarn, Q. Carnihenda), also known as Spuky, was a slimy mass of many caps, each bearing a red eye-like mark. Found underground, it granted temporary sight of hidden things when eaten, though the effect quickly faded with repeated use.

Puff-Spice

Puff-Spice (S. Corodhrudh, Q. Rúlacoron), also known as Baldwort, was a brown, stalkless mushroom that grew directly on rotting wood. When squeezed, it released clouds of spores. Crushed carefully, it could be mixed into antidotes, though consumption led to temporary hair loss.

Shagu-Bitter

Shagu-Bitter (S. Erchalen, Q. Ellaica), also known as Shagu’s Butter, was a pale green mushroom found underground. Its gills, when steeped into paste, yielded a powerful paralytic poison used by Orcish trackers. Its only antidote was a tea brewed from slimy gorkin.

Skull Cap

Skull Cap (S. Gurthdol, Q. Nurucar), also known as Death’s Head, was a pallid white mushroom with a black-marked cap that resembled a human skull. It grew underground on two-foot stalks, and was a deadly ingestive poison, countered only by life-preserving herbs.

Temsanc

Temsanc (S. Nimmil, Q. Ninquellë) was a delicate white mushroom that grew in coniferous forests. Its essence was dissolved in liquor to heighten drunkenness threefold.

Traitor’s Goblet

Traitor’s Goblet (S. Saewylf, Q. Sangwayulma) was a strange, urn-shaped mushroom about a foot tall, covered in black hairs on the outside and smooth brown within. Found underground, its flesh was lethally toxic, striking so swiftly that no antidote can be delivered in time.

White Destroyer

White Destroyer (S. Nimdagnir, Q. Ninquenahtar), also known as Úrk, was a massive white mushroom with a red-ringed stalk and sac-like base, found underground. Its fluids were distilled by Orcs into a paralytic poison, countered only by slimy gorkin or the passage of time.

Witch’s Pie

Witch’s Pie (S. Orchtharas, Q. Orcohamna) was a large brown mushroom with a short stalk, found underground. It carried a delayed paralytic poison, striking its victim an hour after eating.

Zulsendura

Zulsendura (S. Horthor, Q. Hortar), also known as Dry-rot, Hurry-up, or Zilzendura, was a dark grey mushroom of volcanic caves, often growing on ceilings where it resembled stone. Though small, it granted bursts of supernatural speed to those who consumed it, followed by an exhausted deep sleep.

See also

• Funguses
• Plants in Middle-earth Role Playing