Mundane; material

Region: Dungeons, Feywood, Haunted Lands, Underland Realm (caves, old-growth forests, sites of necromantic magic)

To the uneducated, death cap mushrooms have a disconcerting resemblance to high-end culinary mushrooms, such as morels. Those who succeed on a DC 17 Nature or Survival check can discern the subtle differences between the two and identify these as unsafe to eat. Not everyone is so knowledgeable, however, and death caps can be used as a deadly poison on an unsuspecting victim, detailed below.

Death Cap
Rare, ingested, onset (30 minutes), Cost: 1,200 gold
Resembling a delicious morel mushroom, death cap mushrooms can be mixed into food by accident by those believing they have come across a culinary delicacy or purposefully by those with malicious intent. Creatures who ingest food laced with death cap mushrooms must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 33 (5d6) poison damage on a failure or half as much damage on a success.

Mundane; hazard

Region: Blasted Badlands, Fiery Hellscape, Parched Sands (hot deserts)

These low-growing, circular cacti have very long spines that help protect the plant from danger. It appears almost identical to its cousin, the canteen cactus , though this cactus is far more dangerous. A DC 17 Nature or Survival check reveals the slight differences between them.
When touched or otherwise brushed up against, the dartspine cactus suddenly unleashes its spines in a 15-foot cone in the direction of the motion. Creatures in the area of effect must succeed a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d8 piercing damage on a failure, or half as much damage on a success.

Mundane; hazard

Region: Feywood, Haunted Lands, Tangled Forest (warm, tropical environments)

Rare and slow-growing, this Large, bizarre-looking flower emits a horrible stench reminiscent of rotting flesh when it is blooming. Creatures with a 30-foot radius of a corpse flower must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. Creatures who are poisoned in this fashion have disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on smell until they are cured of the poisoned condition. Creatures who succeed on their saving throw are immune to a corpse flower’s stench for 24 hours.

Magical; material

Region: Restless Sea (shallow open waters)

This thick kelp grows in tall columns in shallow seas, where it produces circular, glowing fruits at random intervals. Creatures who consume a bubble kelp’s “bubble” gain the ability to breathe underwater for 1 hour. The bubbles can be harvested and brought to the surface, but they lose their potency after 1d4 hours.

Mundane; material

Region: Blasted Badlands, Fiery Hellscape, Parched Sands (hot deserts)

The canteen cactus is closely related to its cousin, the dartspine cactus  and shares an almost identical appearance. Low-growing and circular, it has long spines that help protect its flesh. However, a DC 17 Nature or Survival check reveals the slight differences in appearance, letting adventurers know that this cactus is safe despite its fearsome appearance.
A canteen cactus can be tapped for water with a DC 15 Survival check, providing enough water for 4 Supply. 
Adventurers who drink this water gain advantage on their next saving throw against the effects of extreme heat.

Magical; hazard

Region: Feywood, Tangled Forest, Unrelenting Marsh (forest clearings, groves marked by fey magic)

This ground-dwelling plant resembles a mundane lady’s slipper orchid, except its markings give it the appearance of a yelling face. Adventurers who succeed on a DC 13 Nature check recall that these magical plants emit a high-pitched whine when they are disturbed by Small or larger creatures, altering potential enemies to the presence of danger. A DC 15 group Stealth check enables a party to bypass an alarm orchid without triggering this ability. On a failure, the plant alerts all hostile creatures within a 20-foot radius (centered on it). If plucked or uprooted, it makes an even louder noise, alerting all creatures within a 60-foot radius. Plucked orchids lose all magical properties and make no noise.

Mundane; material

Region: Feywood, Tangled Forest (new-growth forests, the edges of dense forests)

This medium-sized flowering shrub has strong branches that grow unusually straight. Adventurers who succeed on a DC 14 Survival check can identify this property and harvest enough wood to craft one bundle of arrows (20).

Magical; hazard, material

Region: Feywood, Unrelenting Marsh (wetlands, sites of concentrated magic)

A Medium-sized plant often found in swamps and bogs, the tips of the caustic sundew’s arm-like foliage are covered in a sticky, acidic liquid that it uses to ensnare its prey. Adventurers who enter a square adjacent to a caustic sundew must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d6 acid damage and be grappled by the sundew.
An enterprising survivalist may be able to carefully harvest the sundew’s acid and distill it into a corrosive substance that can melt through wood and some metals. A successful DC 18 poisoner’s kit check harvests enough raw materials to create one instance of the acid, detailed below.

Sundew Acid (400 gold). The acid produced by the caustic sundew may be distilled into an acid that may be applied to surfaces to weaken or damage them. When applied to wood or a weaker metal like iron, the acid begins to eat away at it, inflicting a penalty to its AC. Wooden surfaces (such as doors) incur a –2 penalty to AC, while something sturdier, such as an iron door, incur a –1 penalty to AC

The world of plants and fungi is a wild and wonderful place, full of characteristics that can help or harm, provided you know what to look for. From the wildest places to the controlled environments of wizards’ labs, plants are everywhere—and for those curious enough, wonderful properties (and painful lessons) can be found among them. This article presents a number of plants, some real, some magically enhanced, and others entirely fantastical, that can provide benefits or pose obstacles to your players as they venture forth on their adventures.

Each of these fantastical flora are designed to be dropped into any campaign to provide Narrators with added environmental flavor, whimsical additions to exploration challenges, or merely a way to reward player curiosity and interaction with the world. While some of them can appear almost anywhere, others are tied to specific areas.

Each entry lists regions the plant or fungus is commonly found in, followed by a specific area or biome it favors. These regions are not absolute, however; as long as a region includes the correct biome, that form of endemic life can potentially be found there. For instance, a homeowner in an Urban Township may utilize a specialized garden as part of their security measures.

Each entry states whether it is mundane or intrinsically magical (which can be seen with abilities or spells such as detect magic), but there are also several other descriptors that may apply.

Boon. The plant or fungus provides some magical or mundane benefit.

Hazard. The plant or fungus poses some sort of environmental hazard and can be used in place of or in conjunction with an exploration challenge.

Material. The plant or fungus can provide some sort of harvestable material that can be sold or used in crafting.

Finally, the plants and fungi below, as well as m any of their materials, do not have a price assigned to them, as many have utility only in their natural habitats and several are either too delicate, too hazardous, or too magically connected to the land to be safely removed. If a material is commonly sold, the price is listed in its description. For similar mechanics, consult “Curious Creatures: Endemic Life" in Gatepass Gazette Issue #18.

Table: Harvestable Materials

Alarm Orchid || Arrowwood Viburnum || Bubble Kelp || Canteen Cactus || Caustic Sundew || Corpse Flower || Dartspine Cactus || Death Cap Mushroom || Elysian Sunflower || Frostbud || Gloweed || Lantern Flower || Lady's Favor || Pepperberries || Puffball Mushroom || Wisteria || Yarrow || Zombie Spit