Puppetmaster

#alex 4/17/25

From Riga's Research in Nockmar

This mold is not natural. It is inherently magical, and carries a very slight scent of brimstone alongside decay that betrays its nature as something from the lower planes. She confirms this is linked to Zuggtmoy based on this. Additionally, it seems to function as one large colony. The more mold is connected, the quicker and stronger its reaction to outside stimuli.

She believes it functions similarly to cordyceps fungi, taking over the host's control over their nervous system, but with an added way to communicate between specimens, likely in a similar way as to Myconids and their spores. Therefore, it should be able to hijack both living hosts as well as dead ones.

She recalls reading of this in the archives. Some scholars have referred to this mold as the 'Puppetmaster', a demonic mold created by Zuggtmoy. It was named that due to requiring one creature to command the colony beyond their natural instincts to expand and lead their hosts to a high altitude. This also tells her of its weakness- the mold is susceptible to Radiant damage.