Dear Diary,
Today, I have taken it upon myself to introduce the enchanting world of fungi into the fabric of the lands.
Fungi have profound significance in the natural world. They are the silent architects of life, connecting ecosystems and fostering symbiotic relationships that help sustain all beings. Fungi are most often recognized through their visible structures, that can take various forms such as mushrooms, toadstools, puffballs, brackets, cups, or corals. But fungi is more than meets the eye. Fungi are known for breaking down organic matter, forming mutualistic relationships with plants, which greatly improve plant growth, nutrient uptake, and overall ecosystem productivity. Mushrooms are a nutritious food source. We eat them! Unless they are poisonous, of course. Other fungi have the capacity to degrade or detoxify harmful substances and produce bioactive compounds with immune-boosting and health-promoting effects.
So, with great care and attention, I have planted these species in Mycora.
As players traverse the map, they will find fungi for food, fungi with healing properties, as well as other practical and powerful uses that they can harness in their lives, quests and adventures. The fungi are not static entities; they are alive and evolving. They grow, spread their spores, and interact with the environment and the NPCs and creatures that inhabit Mycora.
I expect the residents to develop a deep relationship with the fungi, but as I’ve introduced more spores and mycelium than I’ve created NPCs and monsters so far, many new NPCs will spawn into a world where fungi “just” exist. There’s a chance that many will take their existence for granted. Thinking of how parts of humanity have taken the natural resources of our world for granted and have used and overused them, with devastating long-term consequences, I wonder if players and residents will be able to keep the balance in Mycora? Shall we tame nature and cultivate the mushrooms? Will the limited number of certain types of mushrooms create envy and discord, will we hodl them, sell them, or trade them, and will their scarcity lead to humility and cooperation between us, or to epic wars among players, clans, and the countries of Mycora?
We shall see.
Also, remember that fungi are highly diverse organisms. Only around 150.000 fungal species have been formally described and named, while it’s estimated that there could be anywhere from 2,2 to 3,8 million fungal species globally. Some say that magic mushrooms even exist. Scientists continue to discover new species, particularly in underexplored regions and specialized habitats.
Until next time,
/apenzl