Yellow mold

Yellow molds were a relatively common variety of underground fungal mold.

Description
Specimens of this mold were found to display a wide range of yellow hues, ranging from pale to golden. They were most commonly found as patches, though far larger patches were known to exist.

Behavior
Being a fungus, yellow molds had no intellect. On rare occasions, colonies that grew to encompass at least would begin to form of collective intelligence.

Biology
Anything touched one of these molds had the chance of causing a patch to release a cloud of asphyxiating spores,  in a  radius. Sentient colonies could willingly project a spore cloud from as far away as they could sense a creature.

Yellow mold was very vulnerable to fire, both natural and magical. Both natural and artificial sunlight, such as that produced by the spell continual light, were known to drive yellow mold into a dormant state. In some cases, sunlight could outright destroy a patch of it.

Senses
Yellow mold colonies that had obtained a form of collective intelligence could sense creatures from varying degrees of distance, typically from.

Abilities
Yellow mold colonies that obtained collective intelligence displayed a number of unique abilities. They had a psionic sense, allowing them to detect the use of psionic abilities at varying degrees, typically in a range of.

Twice per day they could psionically compel other creatures in a manner similar to the spell suggestion, except those affected had a chance of being permanently drained of a small degree of their intellect. These yellow mold colonies also possessed the telepathic abilities of mindwipe and id insinuation. Scholars once believed that these colonies needed to rest for one to four days after using their psionic abilities before they could employ them again.

Yellow mold colonies could not be attacked psionically unless there were a third-party, such as a cleric, who could telepathically communicate with plants. Said party was needed to channel psionic attacks into a form that could affect the colony's vegetable intelligence.

History
Circa 1370 DR, yellow molds were one of the many fungal exports of the drow city of Ched Nasad.

In 1372 DR, yellow mold could be found infesting the crypts of Dordrien. .

Habitats
These creatures were typically found underground, in areas that were dark and moist. Yellow molds were one of the many hazards that adventurers could encounter in parts of the Underdark. Two such places were the Whorlstone Tunnels beneath Gracklstugh and the Undermoor, the Underdark reaches beneath High Moor. Yellow mold could also be found growing in the sewers of Waterdeep and in some of the many dungeons throughout Kara-Tur.

Outside of the Prime Material plane, some encountered yellow mold growing in the land of Barovia and some parts of the Abyss. Especially those ruled over by the demon lord Zuggtmoy and Ghaunadaur's aspect Jubilex.

Usage
Some creatures would hide yellow mold inside a sack to act as a form of trap.

Some liches would grow patches of yellow mold in the entrances of their secret lairs to act as a first line of defense against any potential intruders.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * City of the Spider Queen • Curse of Strahd • Out of the Abyss • Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus
 * Magazines
 * Dungeon #21, "Jammin'" • Dungeon #40, "Khamsa's Folly
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * It's All in the Blood
 * Board Games
 * Betrayal at Baldur's Gate
 * Card Games
 * AD&D Trading Cards