Shrieker (/ˈʃriːkə/)
The Banshee of the Abyss
The creature looks like a multi-headed snake with two arms. The creature has A human-sized mushroom, with a gray-white top and a reddish stalk.
A shrieker is a human-sized mushroom that emits a piercing screech to drive off creatures that disturb it. Other creatures use the fungi as an alarm to signal the approach of prey, and various intelligent races of the Underdark cultivate shriekers on the outskirts of their communities to discourage trespassers.
Fungi. With its sky of jagged stone and perpetual night, the Underdark is home to all manner of fungi. Taking the place of plants in the subterranean realm, fungi are vital to the survival of many underground species, providing nourishment and shelter in the unforgiving darkness.
Fungi spawn in organic matter, then break that matter down to consume it, feeding on filth and corpses. As they mature, fungi eject spores that drift on the lightest breeze to spawn new fungi.
Not needing sunlight or warmth to grow, fungi thrive in every corner and crevice of the Underdark. Transformed by the magic that permeates that underground realm, Underdark fungi often develop potent defensive mechanisms or abilities of mimicry and attack. The largest specimens can spread to create vast subterranean forests in which countless creatures live and feed.
The Mighty Menagerie fought some in the entrance of Beholder of Skola Vale's Mines cavern
Basic Information
Anatomy
A shrieker was a variant of the violet fungus known for the strange and loud noises it emitted to attract prey.
Description
Shriekers were human-sized mushrooms. They were similar in appearance to violet fungi, but they lacked the ability to move and did not have tentacles with which to poison prey. They could produce a loud, piercing, screaming sound that tended to attract curious creature (or adventurers) to the area. They were immune to the poison of violet fungi.Sub-Species
Hedgehog shrieker
Endemic to the caverns beneath the Storm Horns mountain range, these shriekers were distinct from the standard variety in three ways. First, their stalks were covered in fur similar to that of a hedgehog, which tasted like sugar. Instead of reacting to motion or light, they only elicited their namesake shriek in the presence of medusae. It was thought that hedgehog shriekers had evolved a natural defense against them as a result of the medusae's fondness for all varieties of fungi. Finally, hedgehog shriekers thrived equally as well in sunlight as they did darkness.Ecology and Habitats
Habitat
Shriekers thrived in dark underground environments. Besides being found in large numbers in the Underdark, shriekers also grew on the illithid homeworld. The Flooded Forest was a dark enough environment for shriekers to grow there as well. By the late 14 century DR, shriekers filled the Nemessor Tunnel, an ancient highway in the Underdark that was once part of Shanatar.Behaviour
Behavior
Shriekers could sense nearby motion or light and would respond with their namesake shriek. Each such screaming sound lasted between five and fifteen seconds. A patch of shriekers relied on violet fungi to kill prey with their poison, since a shrieker could not attack or move on its own. Like violet fungi, shriekers gained their nourishment from the breakdown of organic matter that had fallen nearby.Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Uses
In the Underdark, shriekers were sometimes placed intentionally to act as intruder alarms. House DeVir planted a shrieker among every fifth mushroom surrounding its compound to ward off potential attackers. Shriekers were poisonous to most creatures as food; however, the stomachs of hook horrors had adapted to digest them without issue. They were also known to be eaten by purple worms, shambling mounds, and medusae. Cultists of Moander could consume shriekers without being affected by their poisonous flesh. The cultists who resided within the ruined city of Yûlash in the 14 century DR grew shriekers as a food source. Some considered their spores to be a vital ingredient in brewing a potion of plant control. In Cormyr, mushroom hunters often glazed fairy caps with the fur of hedgehog shriekers, making the mushrooms fetch twice their normal price.Harvesting
Instructions
Instructions: Because this creature is an Plant, the player should roll a Nature Check using the DCs in the table below. On a success, the player is able to harvest the item. On a failure, the item cannot be harvested (either because the character is not skilled enough, or because the item is ruined). The DM should note that many of the items have an expiration, and can not be sold or used after the expiration has passed.
| DC | Item | Description | Value | Weight | Expiration | Crafting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Shrieker Spores (pouch) | Shrieker spores are light, round, puffy yellow balls about a millimeter in diameter. They are highly valued among underground societies, as they provide a natural alarm system for a community. | 5 gp | 1 lb. | 30 Days | - |
This kind of creature does not normally carry treasure. This kind of creature does not normally have or collect treasure. However, the creature may have a lair full of bodies, or reside somewhere that treasure already exists.
This creature produces 2-12 pieces of Harvested Meat, weight of 4 lb each. DC: 5, Expire: 1 day, Value: 2 sp each. A plant-like creature doesn't have any actual meat, but may be composed of edible plants and fungi. Dungeon Master's discretion.
Civilization and Culture
History
Around the 14 century DR, some time prior to 1367 DR, the Waymoot town of Minroe discovered the sub-species known as hedgehog shriekers. They domesticated the fungi by feeding them a paste of beetle larvae and decayed choke creeper vines. They became a staple in the town's gardens, acting as an alarm system against medusae. And the town's mushroom hunters often carried them into the region's medusae-infested caves. Over time this caused a decline in the nearby medusae population.
Sources
Source(s):
- Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 137–138. ISBN 978-0786965614.
- Teos Abadia (April 2021). “The Ecology of the Vegepygmy”. Dungeon #201 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 6.
- Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 112–113. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 120. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- Gary Gygax (December 1977). Monster Manual, 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), p. 87. ISBN 0-935696-00-8.
- Stephen Inniss (October 1989). “The Dragon's Bestiary: All life crawls where mind flayers rule”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #150 (TSR, Inc.), p. 12.
- Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 297. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 120. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “The Settled Lands”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 25. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
- R.A. Salvatore (September 1990). Homeland. (TSR, Inc.), p. 12. ISBN 0-1401-4372-6.
- Michael Persinger (March 1988). “The Ecology of the Hook Horror”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #131 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–46.
- Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 121. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- Jeff Grubb and George MacDonald (April 1989). Curse of the Azure Bonds. (TSR, Inc.), p. 47. ISBN 978-0880386067.
- Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 125. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Plantea, Fauna, Fungus (Shrieker)
Origin/Ancestry
Plant (Humanoid Fungus | Shrieker)
Lifespan
treants can live up to 200 years and some may even reach 400 years of age.
Conservation Status
There is no protection for such creatures, and are often hunted when discovered. Some do grow them for alarms though.
Average Height
30 ft (9.1 m)
Average Weight
4,500 lb (2,000 kg)
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
5E Statistics
Shrieker
| Size | Medium |
| Type | Plant |
| Alignment | Unaligned |
| Challenge Rating | 0 |
General Information
| Vision | Blindsight |
| Homeland(s) | Underdark |
Session Reports
See Also: Shrieker on Forgotten Realms Wiki