Randumz from my campaign

Loch Belthadd · March 23, 2009, 04:27:43 PM

I'm going to post some random things here. If you have something to say about my randumz go right ahead. Also don't water your reviews down.

1. Boomcaps. These small fungi explode if stepped on. Unlike other fungi, these have a taproot, which has two seperate compartments. One is filled with highly compressed air, and the other is filled with a liquid which ignites on contact with oxygen. When stepped on both compartments burst. The air-filled one shoots the now flaming liquid straight up, onto who/whatever stepped on it. The Boomcap is a small, round fungus that is a dull gray with small, bright red spots on it.The average size for boomcaps is about a 2 inch diameter. The largest specimen ever found was 3 feet wide, and had a taproot twice that size. Smaller boomcaps are harmless but may startle anything that steps on them unknowingly. A boomcap of about 6 inches may blow an arm off, but are usually noticed beforehand.

Nomadic · March 23, 2009, 04:46:32 PM

What purpose does the explosion serve? Are its spores heat activated? Is it a defense mechanism? If so how have animals adapted to get around it. Can the boomcaps do this more than once?

Superfluous Crow · March 23, 2009, 05:10:27 PM

Defensive mechanism + spreading of spores perhaps?

Loch Belthadd · March 23, 2009, 06:48:57 PM

The boomcap can only do this once, after which it dies. Spores are heat resistant. Basically what crow said. Animals that live in the same area as the boomcaps instinctivley know to avoid them. The Goblin tribes in the area use them as weapons by using the taproots as sling bullets. They also enjoy using them as fireworks. Because of their tendency to be careless many goblins in this area are missing fingers and toes. They grow in fairly rocky soil, which means you have to use a tool to dig them out. When harvesting boomcaps you have to be careful to not accidently hit the taproot or the main body part. Just touching a boomcap won't set it off. Only pressure or puncture can activate it.

Raven Bloodmoon · March 23, 2009, 06:55:22 PM

Reminds me of a living punji foot trap with fire. Nice. Perhaps some animals have learned to nibble the cap gently without disturbing the taproot?

What happens if you get a face full of spores? Just how pressurized is that air if it can take off a finger? Has anyone worked out a way to use one as a primer for a projectile weapon?

Loch Belthadd · March 23, 2009, 07:06:38 PM

The air itself is not all that powerful, but the fact that it's blasting liquid fire straight up means that it is dangerous. If the animal is careful it could nibble on the cap, but they probably wouldn't unless there was no other food source nearby.
The only people who regularly use them are the goblins, and they are somewhat closed minded about new ideas. There was one goblin, Grunbunk Sheeldo, who thought up a primitive cannon, but the rest of his tribe thought it would "make gods get real mad, cause big boom boom boom!!!" and they promptly threw boomcaps at him until he died.

Loch Belthadd · March 23, 2009, 07:11:54 PM

Boomcaps are like gernades when out of the earth, and like fire fountains when in the earth. The taproot is fairly hard, but when activated it basically becomes a fragmentation gernade.

Nomadic · March 23, 2009, 08:19:03 PM

Fragmentation grenade? How hard is it exactly?

LordVreeg · March 23, 2009, 08:45:04 PM

[blockquote=Loch Cheetos]They also enjoy using them as fireworks. Because of their tendency to be careless many goblins in this area are missing fingers and toes.[/blockquote]
Best line so far. Your goblins sound somewhat fun-loving. Which is cool.

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