Realm of the Karrnath: The Fungal Forests of the Glittering Empire

The warm, moist caverns beneath the Cruth Mountains have given rise to great tracts of fungi, of the normal and giant varieties. Some formed naturally, others were the result of untended fungal gardens left to run amuck. It is not known if the rapid growth of the fungi is the result of magical tampering by dwarven magewrights, a property of the caverns themselves, or something else entirely.
Whatever the cause, many smaller roadways and villages have been swallowed up, leaving the fungal forests dotted with ruins.

The main roads are kept clear by orc and goblin hatchet crews. If it weren’t for the regular cutting and burning, it would only be a matter of months before the molds and fungi grow over the paving stones and iron railways.

The vegetation is not the only aggressive thing in the forests. The groves are home to vermin of all sorts, those of the giant variety usually found among the oldest growth. This is also where the best stalks for felling and treating to make into cavern-timber.

While most lumbering expeditions do not leave the towns without a heavily armed escort, every now and then a team leaves equipped with sleep-dust pots and nets.

Attempts have been made to domesticate several species of the giant spiders, in order to harvest their silks. These have only met with limited success, with the spiders either weakening and dying in captivity, or having to be put down when too many of the goblin silk-handlers get eaten.

Parties venturing away from the main roadways are likely to encounter the forest denizens. Check three times during overland travel, twice when the PCs make camp). The PCs will encounter any of the following on a roll of 1 or 2 on d6. This can be cut to a 1 in 6 chance if the party is using a halfling blackflame lantern.

d%	Light Forest	d%	Heavy Forest
1-10	Ape, White (RC 158)	1-10	Black Pudding* (RC 161)
11-20	Centipede, Giant (RC 163)	11-20	Gray Ooze (RC 181)
21-30	Dwarf (RC 174)	21-30	Lizard, Giant Tuatara (RC 189)
31-40	Gray Ooze (RC 181)	31-35	Shadow* (RC 203)
41-50	Halfling (RC 182)	36-40	Slug, Giant (RC 204)
51-60	Orc (RC 199)	41-65	Spider, Giant Crab (RC 206)
61-70	Shrieker (RC 203)	66-79	Cave Toad (RC 209)
71-80	Spider, Giant Crab (RC 206)	80-95	Troll (RC 210)
81-90	Stirge (RC 208)	96-00	Yellow Mold (RC 213)
91-95	Weasel, Giant (RC 212)
96-00	Yellow Mold (RC 213)