SYMBIOTIC

They named it The Garden; that’s why you chose it. Like Earth, but better. Greener. With breathable air and more than just potable water, water like the kind they once advertised: crystal-clear water flowing from mountain springs, water harvested from untouched glaciers; you got the picture. Abundant food. Better yet, absolutely zero evidence of civilized life. The probes returned with evidence of abundant floral and fungal life, but no signs of animal threats. It’s a safe place to settle. That’s what they said, so that’s what you believed.

With heat levels at record highs, global health at record lows, and worldwide poverty causing mass hysteria, Earth’s world leaders discussed solutions for the preservation of mankind as a valuable galactic and intergalactic asset. In 2076, the U.S. President Maria Guerrera summoned the heads of Russia, China, India, Australia, Germany, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Ghana, and Egypt, the wealthiest and most populous nations, to a summit. Attending each political representative were the three wealthiest people from their respective nations, as well as a panel of the most prominent, intelligent, and objective scientists each representative could find. The goal: to locate habitable planets, select the best options by distance and acceptable risk factor, and send rehoming missions to each planet by drafting citizens from the world for the program. The intent: to save the human race by any means necessary.

The planet that the players explore is named The Garden. It is void of animal life due to the existence of a highly evolved and parasitic fungus kingdom that has subjugated the planet’s floral kingdom. The plant life seeks a means to thrive without the fungus, but the fungus has evolved a natural chemical cocktail that provides the plants with the nutrients necessary to grow food that highly benefits the fungus. The plants are now dependent on the dominant fungus for survival, and the fungus is violently hostile towards any outsiders that may disrupt its rule.

The Garden

• One of the potential habitable planets targeted by the summit.
• Its environment supports lush vegetation with rapid growth rates.
• Home to a vast network of flourishing fungal life.
• Suspiciously absent of animal life and of any signs of intelligent life.

The Hollow

• A vast, underground cavern nested below a massive tree.
• Occasional roots poke through its ceiling, which is made of layers of mycelium.
• Small, animal-like beings fumble around the floor of The Hollow:

1. These are called Fungoids.
2. Fungoids are autonomous fungus droids with bodies made from the spare materials that the fungus cannot decompose.

• Bones litter The Hollow.

1. While some are the long-petrified bones of ancient alien species, there are some that appear to be less than 100 years old.

The Grove

The peaceful clearing where your ship landed, and the perfect place to begin terraforming.

Various dense forests that are largely fungal in design.

• The ratio of large fungi to plants is 3:2. 
• While some of the fungal and plant life that inhabits these forests will seem familiar to players, advanced fungi are hostile, somewhat intelligent, and distinctly alien in appearance.

Caverns

• Floral caverns: hollowed areas below large trees where light-emitting fungi and beautiful flowers blossom; these are usually safe areas.
• Fungal caverns: usually found in the openings to mountain caves, these caverns are dangerous and trap-laden. They are highly unstable because the fungus seals caverns that are too deep for it to extend its influence.
• Mountain caverns: rich in minerals, stone, and precious gems, these caverns are usually small-but-valuable finds.

The Player(s)

This can be a single character or a party. Each player chooses their stats, role, and equipment. They are tasked with helping to establish the first colony on The Garden.

Maria Guerrera

The U.S. President who started the “Save Humanity!” initiative.

Captain Carver

The man in charge of The Tremor, the spacecraft that flew you to The Garden. He offers the players guidance and sends them on quests when needed.

The Elder Tree

• The oldest tree on The Garden, which has great influence over the planet’s plant life.

Great Mother Slime (GMS)

• The source of all the fungus on the planet. It is responsible for the relationship between the flora and fungi; it is also responsible for orchestrating the extermination of every form of animal life that has developed or appeared on the planet.
• GMS has developed the ability to create explosive and caustic traps. It has also found a way to create animated fungal automatons that it can direct and use as disposable grunts, evolved a means to inject potent neurotoxin into animals, and developed psychoactive chemicals that can cause hallucinations and hysteria in animals. It has the ability to infect any animal with spores that will rapidly decompose their host.

Underland

• With effort, you can find a network of underground caverns that have not and cannot be reached by the overland fungus.

The Government of the Garden

• You live in a small communal society that starts with around 100 people. Although Captain Carver is ostensibly in charge, everyone performs tasks that are meant solely to benefit the community. No single person is more valuable than another... at least, not at first.
• While advanced technology is available in the colony, its viability is limited due to the lack of resources needed to keep it functional. 

Flora

• Plants bear extraordinarily large and nutrient-dense fruits.
• Fungus infects all fruit, allowing for the potentially rapid spread of fungal infections.

Base Building

• Players are responsible for building and maintaining a community in a world that seeks to destroy them. One way to successfully navigate the hazards of The Garden is by building a strong base, one which keeps the fungus out.

Combat

• You will face combat situations with monsters no less, but most of the fight is against a threat that cannot be seen. Part of your struggle will be to mitigate the constant paranoia and fear you and your community face.

Home at Last

After landing on The Garden, the crew of The Tremor must begin evaluating the land and building a base. Your party is the first to settle on this strange, new planet, and before exploring the world further, you must ensure your safety and that of everyone who has traveled with you. Welcome home!

• You must collect soil, plant, and fungal samples from the surrounding area for examinations.
• You must test the air quality at various points around your spacecraft to ensure safety.
• You must inspect the nearby forests for signs of predatory creatures.
• You must establish and begin constructing a main street.
• You must gather the resources needed to begin constructing the various buildings your town will need to function.

Something in the Food

A doctor on The Tremor has had several patients who have begun to sleepwalk. All of them attempted to leave the ship, but were stopped in the process. After being held for a few days of observation, their conditions deteriorated rapidly until they all died in the same way: refusing food, growing lethargic, losing their eyesight, vomiting blood, and sprouting tiny black hairs across the soles of their feet. Tests indicate a fungal infection.

Going Down

With the establishment of the colony, the bravest settlers are beginning to chart the terrain of The Garden. While you were assured that there is no intelligent life besides yourself on the planet before your flight, not everyone in your crew believes in the promises of the “Save Humanity!” initiative.

• Some hikers discover a nest of creatures in the forest, and they mark a trail to get there.
• You explore and find the autonomous fungal droids.

Going Down (For Seconds)

After a little bit of time on The Garden and a couple of close calls, your community is steadily growing more paranoid of the fungus that dominates the planet. While it doesn’t seem that the fungus can infect the human nervous system, no one wants to test this hypothesis. Because you are among the fittest settlers, you are asked to canvas the planet and search for a suitable place to relocate, far away from the dangerous fungus. 

• You break into a mountain cavern and discover a large area where you and your people could live free from the fungus.