Monk's Head (herb)

A toadstool with the capability of reducing the degree of infection of diseases affecting a creature's hormonal organs or breathing by 0-3 points when used by a physician. Monk's head, if eaten, can also suspend the need for the system shock survival roll that would normally be required for shape-changing (placeholder for future links to druid ability to transform into animals and polymorph spells). Normally only one dose is necessary for any of these benefits from eating the toadstool.

For the druidic sage ability, mushroom hunting, Monk's hood is found in mixed woodlands, especially in grassy clearings. It can form fairy rings, some of which can be up to a quarter mile in diameter. One fairy ring in France has been measured at over half a mile in diameter and is more than 400 years old. Only young monk's head are eaten; the older ones lose their pleasant taste.

The monk's hood most useful quality may be its ability to drive away lycanthropes. It is purported that lycanthropes will not attack creatures that possess monk's hood: this is only partially true. If a lycanthrope attacks, it will prefer those creatures that it can attack that do not possess monk's hood; however, if all its potential victims are equally equipped, than the lycanthrope will merely attack with -4 to hit.

See Equipment Notes