The Strange Bestiary
Hunting amid the thick, fibrous fungi of the grey forests of Ruk, fungalar prey upon creatures that rummage through the forest for food. Long tendrils constantly flailing about them, the predators sense via a complex mélange of smell, taste, and touch, literally smelling and tasting everything around them as well as feeling even the most subtle vibrations.
These same tendrils secrete a potent acid that breaks down flesh. A fungalar uses it to digest prey outside its body and then slurps up the liquefied remains. Its favorite prey is the floating, jellyfishlike krun that dwell in the shadowy recesses of the forests, but a fungalar will attack anything its size or smaller.
The creature gains its name from the fact that it is a strange amalgam of fungus and flesh, neither completely plant nor animal.
Rarely, victims of a fungalar attack sprout tiny, mushroom-like growths a few days later. Nothing much comes of this, especially for recursors—a single translation is enough to clear up the condition. But victims who can't translate and who suffer from a deprecated immune response might want to have the fungus looked at by a professional.
Motive: Hungers for flesh
Environment (Ruk | Weird Science): Solitary in the grey forests
Health: 26
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (5 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Short
Modifications: Perception as level 6; Speed dense as level 4 due to size.
Combat: The mere touch of a fungalar's tendrils is enough to inflict a moderate wound (5 points) from the acid.
As a single action, the fungalar can attack two different targets at the same time, or one target twice. Much of its body is covered in armor like a carapace, the result of hardened excretions that the beast secretes over years. In theory, a young fungalar might have only 1 or 2 points of Armor, while a very ancient specimen might have 4 or even 5 points.
If a fungalar suffers more than 15 points of damage, it likely attempts to retreat, seeking easier prey.
Interaction: Fungalar are just a bit more intelligent than typical predatory animals. The rare individual that has been exposed to intelligent creatures might learn to understand simple speech. However, they are motivated entirely by hunger and self-preservation.
Use: A fungalar hunting in a grey forest near Vun has killed and devoured an agent of the city's mayor. However, in doing so, it absorbed a message secretly encoded on the agent's DNA. The PCs must find this fungalar and bring it back to the city where the message can be recovered.
GM Intrusion: The fungalar's strike dissolves and destroys some bit of organic armor, clothing, or gear the character possesses.