| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Sep 2014 : 21:32:57
|
Well, kinda.
This article may not be news to everyone, considering it was written back in 2007, but I just saw it and I'm guessing others might have missed it too.
I thought this was especially relevant: "Based on its current growth rate, the fungus is estimated to be 2,400 years old but could be as ancient as 8,650 years, which would earn it a place among the oldest living organisms as well."
Unfortunately there's no picture of the entire organism, because that isn't feasible due to its structure; it's a network of connected colonies. But it fits scientists' definition of an organism, or it did at the time.
Anyway, I think it's pretty cool, both as a justification (Yes, something as bat-dung-nutzo as Araumycos can actually exist even in the absence of magic) and as inspiration for other things; this is kinda how some Realms organizations expand and thrive, too.
|
|
|
eeorey
Seeker
Bulgaria
96 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2014 : 23:28:18
|
quote:
Originally posted by xaeyruudh
Anyway, I think it's pretty cool, both as a justification (Yes, something as bat-dung-nutzo as Araumycos can actually exist even in the absence of magic) and as inspiration for other things; this is kinda how some Realms organizations expand and thrive, too.
It might not be magical, but as far as I remember it did posses great psionic power. It would be cool if we had some explanation on whether the fungus developed the power as it grew, or it is something it always had. Maybe it came from somewhere else when the realms were being created and settled in. You know from space or the far realms or someplace like that. |
 |
|
|
George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6688 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2014 : 23:33:05
|
Or from Abeir ...
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
|
|
|
Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1253 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2014 : 23:55:27
|
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Or from Abeir ...
-- George Krashos
Please no. I really really like the Araumycos concept and hope one day to find out what is really going on. If I find out it's something from Abeir I might be a tad disappointed.
Not to contradict myself, but if it was some kind of primordial, that might be cool.
Maybe the fungus is hiding the rotten corpse of an ancient primordial in fact? |
Follow the Maztica (Aztec/Maya) and Anchorome (Indigenous North America) Campaigns on DMsGuild!
The Maztica Campaign
The Anchorome Campaign |
|
|
|
xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 02:40:33
|
Blarg. I started to say I can't imagine Araumycos not being related to the Dark Disaster, seeing as how it's under the High Moor... but it occurred to me to check the map and well, that changed things... so instead I'll observe that there is still much to learn about the High Forest.
Why did I think Araumycos was under the High Moor? Other than the potential of tying it to the Dark Disaster and thus corruption and thus making it an interesting vehicle for resurrecting Moander, I mean. Sheesh. I need to get better at separating actual Realmslore from harebrained plot ideas.
And yes, there's something somewhere about Araumycos having basically unlimited PSPs and I think the ability to use all psionic attacks and defenses. That could be ignored or developed in several different ways though; I don't think it has an Int score. |
|
|
|
George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6688 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 09:34:20
|
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
Please no. I really really like the Araumycos concept and hope one day to find out what is really going on. If I find out it's something from Abeir I might be a tad disappointed.
Not to contradict myself, but if it was some kind of primordial, that might be cool.
Maybe the fungus is hiding the rotten corpse of an ancient primordial in fact?
You see, that's the great joy of the Realms: there's room to agree and disagree. I for one dislike the presence of primordials in the Realms ... 
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
|
|
|
Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6446 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 09:47:55
|
Embrace primordials George, its just another name for quasi deity (i.e. something thats as powerful as a god but isnt actually a god).
The 4e implementation of them was really naff and the rules regarding them inconsistent (or non-existant), but if you call something a primordial people immediately imagine a unique and potentially powerful creature with a body that eats, sleeps, and can die (if someone kills it).
Call something a quasi deity and they think god. Once they think god they immediately want to know about its church what spells it grants what holy days it has, what plane it lives on etc, etc.
Primordial is a better term than quasi deity in this case as the word "deity" is misleading, its just a case of potAto and potato, same thing different name. Lurue was a primordial before she became a full fledged deity. Uthgar went around and beat up a whole bunch of quasi-deities. They were all unique and powerful creatures (some more powerful than others). Lurue gained enough worshippers to become a full fledged demi-power, the creatures Uthgar subjugated became his servants.
I would make Araumycos a primordial, he is unique, powerful, seemingly immortal, cant grant spells, but has a physical body and therefore must be possible to kill. Sounds just like every other primordial detailed (albeit sparsely).
Because 4e did such a crap job i think we should claim the term "primordial" for ourselves, we can then define it properly and use it correctly. It certain adds another level of super powered beings to the realms. They may not have been necessary but they have always been there from the beginning. |
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions Candlekeep Archive
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 1
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 2
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 3
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 4
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 5
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 6
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 7
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 8
Forgotten Realms Alternate Dimensions: Issue 9
Alternate Realms Site |
|
|
|
eeorey
Seeker
Bulgaria
96 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 10:10:19
|
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
cant grant spells, but has a physical body
What if it could grant wild talents or psionic-like spells by having people integrate with it's physical form, I now have this idea of a cult that worships the thing as a "great old one" (Cthulhu, elder evil style) and it's members have disgusting fungal growths all over their bodies and each is able through them to gain different abilities. Mainly stuff like the 3.5 psionic powers - Assimilate, Fuse flesh, Mind seed, Form of Doom and such, you know the scary ones.
|
|
|
|
Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6446 Posts |
|
|
George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6688 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 11:41:52
|
Frankly, I find the omnipresent fascination with the deities, primordials, quasi-deities etc etc of the Realms to be ... well ... tedious. But I'm definitely in the minority on that one.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
Edited by - George Krashos on 25 Sep 2014 11:42:38 |
|
|
|
Gary Dallison
Great Reader
United Kingdom
6446 Posts |
|
|
Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1253 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 14:20:20
|
quote:
Originally posted by George Krashos
Frankly, I find the omnipresent fascination with the deities, primordials, quasi-deities etc etc of the Realms to be ... well ... tedious. But I'm definitely in the minority on that one.
-- George Krashos
Whether we like it or not, the gods have been the characters of a significant, if not majority of the novels and stories in the realms. Again, we might not always like them, but when we talk realmslore it is almost impossible to avoid as a subject.
I do agree though, I'd like to see more stories where they are in the backdrop and not the forefront. Araumycos could just be a massive, powerful and natural (or Far Realm unnatural) creature and I'd be plenty happy. |
Follow the Maztica (Aztec/Maya) and Anchorome (Indigenous North America) Campaigns on DMsGuild!
The Maztica Campaign
The Anchorome Campaign |
|
|
|
ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2089 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 14:34:03
|
quote:
Originally posted by xaeyruudh
Well, kinda.
This article may not be news to everyone, considering it was written back in 2007, but I just saw it and I'm guessing others might have missed it too.
I thought this was especially relevant: "Based on its current growth rate, the fungus is estimated to be 2,400 years old but could be as ancient as 8,650 years, which would earn it a place among the oldest living organisms as well."
Unfortunately there's no picture of the entire organism, because that isn't feasible due to its structure; it's a network of connected colonies. But it fits scientists' definition of an organism, or it did at the time.
Anyway, I think it's pretty cool, both as a justification (Yes, something as bat-dung-nutzo as Araumycos can actually exist even in the absence of magic) and as inspiration for other things; this is kinda how some Realms organizations expand and thrive, too.
If I remember correctly, that article or one like it was my inspiration for Araumycos when I was writing DDGttU. That, plus the fact, that literally nothing had been said about the Underdark about the High Forest other than the Endless Caverns.
--Eric |
--
http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
|
|
|
Cards77
Senior Scribe
USA
751 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 16:50:17
|
quote:
Originally posted by dazzlerdal
Well earlier editions allowed priests to acquire spells up to 2nd level without having a patron deity.
I personally like the rule as it explains why people would worship a non god, because they can still derive power without it being an actual god.
The number of people that actually attain enough experience to acquire 2nd level spells is very small (as a percentage) and so you probably wouldnt know the difference between a priest of a non god and the priest of a god (as neither would advance very far in level).
There are classes that allow you to derive powers from forming a bond with extraplanar creatures (warlock depending on edition) and dead creatures (binders i think they are called) so the precedent is certainly there to allow powerful beings to donate some of that power to other lesser beings.
I imagine the powers donated are in the form of spell like abilities but there is nothing to say it could not also be psi-like abilities. I would have thought a class that allowed this would allow greater numbers of an more powerful abilities as you increase in level.
Before magic was widely known and researched and before there were gods (way way before the Days of Thunder) this was probably the safest and most widely used method of gaining magical powers. Just my personal thought anyway.
What you're describing has existed for quite a long time, it was called the Ur Priest IIRC. |
|
|
|
Cards77
Senior Scribe
USA
751 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 17:07:10
|
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
quote:
Originally posted by xaeyruudh
Well, kinda.
This article may not be news to everyone, considering it was written back in 2007, but I just saw it and I'm guessing others might have missed it too.
I thought this was especially relevant: "Based on its current growth rate, the fungus is estimated to be 2,400 years old but could be as ancient as 8,650 years, which would earn it a place among the oldest living organisms as well."
Unfortunately there's no picture of the entire organism, because that isn't feasible due to its structure; it's a network of connected colonies. But it fits scientists' definition of an organism, or it did at the time.
Anyway, I think it's pretty cool, both as a justification (Yes, something as bat-dung-nutzo as Araumycos can actually exist even in the absence of magic) and as inspiration for other things; this is kinda how some Realms organizations expand and thrive, too.
If I remember correctly, that article or one like it was my inspiration for Araumycos when I was writing DDGttU. That, plus the fact, that literally nothing had been said about the Underdark about the High Forest other than the Endless Caverns.
--Eric
There was also some research some years back that indentified the largest living organism on earth: an aspen clone.
http://www.9news.com/story/life/2014/07/02/aspens-colorado/12051273/
though it sounds like that may now be tied with the fungus above.
These have always made me think of the High Forest, and I too always thought it odd that the Underdark has always just basically said: Aramycos covers everything under the High Forest, THE END.
I was hoping for more to be revealed, as it's a fantastic location for adventures, including Underdark adventures. |
|
|
|
Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1253 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 17:19:54
|
| Yes I am with the previous post 100%. More information on Araumycos with some adventure possibilities and hooks would be amazing. Perhaps something in the 5e Book of Psionics since FR is the default setting now. |
Follow the Maztica (Aztec/Maya) and Anchorome (Indigenous North America) Campaigns on DMsGuild!
The Maztica Campaign
The Anchorome Campaign |
|
|
|
ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2089 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 17:39:11
|
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
Yes I am with the previous post 100%. More information on Araumycos with some adventure possibilities and hooks would be amazing. Perhaps something in the 5e Book of Psionics since FR is the default setting now.
Well, when I created Araumycos for DDGttU, nothing had been said about the Underdark of the High Forest.
The key idea for the DM is that the fungus can grow and shrink as the DM wishes. So basically, anytime you want to unveil a long-forgotten city hidden beneath the High Forest, you just have Araumycos "withdraw", allowing passage to the PCs. This gives you the added benefit that there may well be inhabitants (either original or trapped later) within such "cut-off" cities, just waiting to kill the PCs. <evil grin>
|
--
http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
|
|
|
Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1253 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 18:53:25
|
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
Yes I am with the previous post 100%. More information on Araumycos with some adventure possibilities and hooks would be amazing. Perhaps something in the 5e Book of Psionics since FR is the default setting now.
Well, when I created Araumycos for DDGttU, nothing had been said about the Underdark of the High Forest.
The key idea for the DM is that the fungus can grow and shrink as the DM wishes. So basically, anytime you want to unveil a long-forgotten city hidden beneath the High Forest, you just have Araumycos "withdraw", allowing passage to the PCs. This gives you the added benefit that there may well be inhabitants (either original or trapped later) within such "cut-off" cities, just waiting to kill the PCs. <evil grin>
I remember reading that when I bought the book. I can't believe I haven't used that since it leaves open an endless possibility of home brew. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts as to what might be revealed when the fun guy recedes. |
Follow the Maztica (Aztec/Maya) and Anchorome (Indigenous North America) Campaigns on DMsGuild!
The Maztica Campaign
The Anchorome Campaign |
|
|
|
xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 22:26:30
|
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
This gives you the added benefit that there may well be inhabitants (either original or trapped later) within such "cut-off" cities, just waiting to kill the PCs. <evil grin>
And if you happen to like connections with the Far Realm, one of those hidden cities might be a kaorti cyst.
Not saying that's my plan, or even that I like connections with the Far Realm. Just saying it's a decent spot to put one. The kaorti don't need or want contact with the outside world, and they can expand unnoticed within Araumycos.
Veering off in a different direction, I think the interior of Araumycos would be a decent place to hide the Vault of the Thaalud.
Or additional ruins of the Ba'etith. And what if the Ba'etith are the reason for Araumycos' existence/presence? Maybe it was summoned/created as a guardian, and it's been growing ever since? Or maybe the members of the Ba'etith transformed themselves. Either of these options could explain its psionic powers.
And there's bound to be some leftover nastiness from Aryvandaar contained within the fungus. Old crypts breached and cleaned out by the fungus, their contents absorbed and pulled down the tunnels. |
|
|
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36965 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 23:30:18
|
Given the psionic abilities of Araumycos, I like some psionic connection in its origin... Perhaps Araumycos is connected to (or originated from) some community that was heavily psionic, to the point of having a hivemind. Maybe it was an illithid city, and somehow a fungus caused the elder brain to mutate. Or maybe there was a psionically-sensitive fungus in the area of the city, and the presence of the elder brain caused it to grow from a harmless fungus into the ginormous growth it is now -- and somewhere at its heart are the fungus-entombed ruins of this illithid city; its inhabitants becoming part of Araumycos long ago...
Or perhaps it originated with a psionic equivalent of the Ba'etith...
Another idea that comes to mind: perhaps Araumycos has a special kind of spore it can release, allowing it to take over the minds of sentient beings. It uses these spores to take over unsuspecting humanoids, so they can act as its eyes and hands elsewhere.... |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
|
|
|
Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1253 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 23:49:58
|
quote:
Originally posted by xaeyruudh
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
This gives you the added benefit that there may well be inhabitants (either original or trapped later) within such "cut-off" cities, just waiting to kill the PCs. <evil grin>
And if you happen to like connections with the Far Realm, one of those hidden cities might be a kaorti cyst.
Not saying that's my plan, or even that I like connections with the Far Realm. Just saying it's a decent spot to put one. The kaorti don't need or want contact with the outside world, and they can expand unnoticed within Araumycos.
Veering off in a different direction, I think the interior of Araumycos would be a decent place to hide the Vault of the Thaalud.
Or additional ruins of the Ba'etith. And what if the Ba'etith are the reason for Araumycos' existence/presence? Maybe it was summoned/created as a guardian, and it's been growing ever since? Or maybe the members of the Ba'etith transformed themselves. Either of these options could explain its psionic powers.
And there's bound to be some leftover nastiness from Aryvandaar contained within the fungus. Old crypts breached and cleaned out by the fungus, their contents absorbed and pulled down the tunnels.
Brilliant. Now I need to figure out which to use!
I think I see a bit of a combination within your thoughts...
It's always claimed that the elves were the first to open a breach into the Far Realm. Well, perhaps they got the knowledge of that magic from some old Ba-Etith lore which they used for themselves.
Perhaps the Ba-Etith opened a breach long before the elves and instead of having the world get gobbled up with Far Realm energy, they used the natural magic that was the precursor to [forgot what they were called, the Cerulean Keepers or something like that] to contain it with their creation, Araumycos.
The elves of Aryvandaar in fact, located this magic during one of Araumycos' periodic revealings and it is they who became kaorti.
Could that work? |
Follow the Maztica (Aztec/Maya) and Anchorome (Indigenous North America) Campaigns on DMsGuild!
The Maztica Campaign
The Anchorome Campaign |
|
|
|
xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2014 : 23:59:49
|
I like the elder brain idea too. I haven't put too much stock in the psionic aspect because all sorts of creatures were given some psionic ability back in the day. Gray oozes and yellow mold had psionic power. 
But that being said, tying psionics into its origin does neatly account for it having PSPs. |
|
|
|
xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2014 : 00:07:12
|
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
Could that work?
Definitely. I wasn't trying to suggest using all of them, but that sounds like the makings of a slick campaign arc. Stronger than some published adventures I've seen. |
|
|
|
xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2014 : 00:14:43
|
quote:
Originally posted by ericlboyd
If I remember correctly, that article or one like it was my inspiration for Araumycos when I was writing DDGttU.
I wondered if you had read something about this. I mean, I know Realms authors have twisted (err gifted) minds, but Araumycos seemed inspired. 
Anyway, I like what you did with it. A bunch of little fungus colonies spread over a huge area, and mostly underground... interesting but not campaign-worthy. A gigantic fungal entity, though, with a mind of some sort even if nobody understands it... that makes people ask questions, and trying to find answers to those questions can uncover new lore. Most awesomely, the questions are suggested, but not answered, which leaves a bunch of us throwing ideas out there, which can be cherry-picked and developed by everyone else. One seed, many ideas. Hopefully there's many more things to come like this. |
|
|
|
Seethyr
Master of Realmslore
USA
1253 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2014 : 04:24:48
|
quote:
Originally posted by xaeyruudh
quote:
Originally posted by Seethyr
Could that work?
Definitely. I wasn't trying to suggest using all of them, but that sounds like the makings of a slick campaign arc. Stronger than some published adventures I've seen.
Now to throw in psionics to boot! |
Follow the Maztica (Aztec/Maya) and Anchorome (Indigenous North America) Campaigns on DMsGuild!
The Maztica Campaign
The Anchorome Campaign |
|
|
|
Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
Posted - 29 Sep 2014 : 10:24:19
|
quote:
If I remember correctly, that article or one like it was my inspiration for Araumycos when I was writing DDGttU. That, plus the fact, that literally nothing had been said about the Underdark about the High Forest other than the Endless Caverns.
That's so amazing! |
SiNafay Vrinn, the daughter of Lloth, from Ched Nasad!
http://zireael07.wordpress.com/ |
|
|
|
Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8032 Posts |
Posted - 30 Sep 2014 : 00:31:22
|
| Planescape made things so much simpler. God or Goddess, Immortal, Eternal, Divine, Primordial, Deity, Power, or Quasi-whatever ... it has the power and attributes of god or it does not. Whatever you call it (whatever it calls itself), it is a being of some higher order in the cosmos, categorically incomprehensible to mere mortal minds. Beings of this sort might be able to sort each other out in a variety of hierarchies, but it would be as impossible for us to understand as it would be impossible for ants (or bacteria) to understand what we really are and how we interact amongst our kind. |
[/Ayrik] |
|
|
|
althen artren
Senior Scribe
USA
780 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2015 : 04:34:04
|
So, think about this cats and kittens.
So how much of the of the original Weave from the dripping heart of Karsus did Araumycos absorb? Can this be part of the reason that the fungus is bonded to the High Forest and anchors part of the Weave? Did concentrated Weave fluid cause the massive growth or maybe the sentience? Stuff I wanted to throw out there. |
|
|
|
Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2015 : 05:02:59
|
| Just throwing this out there, but considering Araumycos is a Weave anchor, perhaps it was put in place or anchored then to contain the High Magic abuses during elven rule. Like a lightning rod to draw in the bad to avoid imploding the Weave when the Dark Disaster hit or various other horrible spells they were slinging around that time? |
Edited by - Eilserus on 07 Sep 2015 05:04:24 |
|
|
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36965 Posts |
Posted - 07 Sep 2015 : 17:08:10
|
quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
Just throwing this out there, but considering Araumycos is a Weave anchor, perhaps it was put in place or anchored then to contain the High Magic abuses during elven rule. Like a lightning rod to draw in the bad to avoid imploding the Weave when the Dark Disaster hit or various other horrible spells they were slinging around that time?
I would think it more likely that Araumycos was something else and became changed by High Magic abuses, as opposed to being created to counter them. It would make more sense to simply block High Magic than it would to let it continue but use a countersink. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Real-Life Araumycos
