Dangerous Encounter: Green Thumb

About a week ago, a local villager returned after a fruitful day of scavenging the nearby wastelands. Unbeknownst to all, one of the items she brought back was highly radioactive, and in the time since she returned, all in the village have come down with acute radiation poisoning. The village healer has asked the party (who have yet to show any signs of sickness) to venture to an Ancient “indoor garden” where rumors circulate of a plant that abundantly grows there. This plant’s red and white berries, when properly prepared, have radiation-purging properties. The party is assigned to bring back as many of the red and white berries as possible.

It takes nearly a day’s walk to reach the indoor garden (in actuality, a dilapidated greenhouse). Very little remains of the actual structure, appearing more like a rotting wooden framework with occasional panes of glass still in place. Large trees jut through the roof of the building.

Unless the party is actively searching the area as they approach, they will miss seeing the Screech Bush (MF rulebook, pg. 93) that has taken root near the greenhouse entrance. The Screech Bush will immediately shriek the moment any PC gets within 5 feet of the greenhouse’s main entrance.

Screech Bush (1) (AL N, MV None, AC 9, HD 2, #AT 1, DG 2d6, SV L2, ML None, Mutations: shriek)

If the Screech Bush sounds off, it will signal a small pack of Rot Dogs (MF rulebook, pg. 92) that lurk nearby. The Rot Dogs have found that the Screech Bush is a good signaler of fresh prey in the area. Being rather ravenous, they will attack anything they see, staying far enough away from the Screech Bush so they are not affected by the plant’s shrieking.

Rot Dogs (3) (AL N, MV 120' (40'), AC 7, HD 4, #AT 1 (bite, rot), DG 2d6, 1d10 per week, SV L3, ML 12, Mutations: toxic weapon)

Once the Bush and Dogs have been dealt with (or if the party finds a stealthier way in), they are free to investigate the greenhouse’s contents. Wild plants and vines have run amok throughout the building. Although there are many unusual varieties of plants, all of them are harmless and are not worthy of note except for two:

• The red and white berried plants grow wildly throughout the greenhouse just as the healer described. However, the plants are fairly sparse, yielding only a handful of berries - not nearly enough for the entire village.
• There is, however, one large bush filled with the red and white berries - more than enough for the village. As would be expected though, two Morningstar Plants (MF rulebook, pg. 85) have taken root on either side of the bush, swinging their club-like vines menacingly toward any party member who approaches.

Morningstar Plants (2) (AL N, MV None, AC 8, HD 3, #AT 3, DG 1d6 (1d4), SV L1, ML 12, Mutations: natural vegetal weapons)

The party should be warned that using fire or poisons against the Morningstar Plants is ill-advised since they could easily hit the valuable berried bush in the middle. Once the Morningstar Plants are dealt with, the party may collect the berries from the bush and return to the village.

If the party decides to poke around the greenhouse, they will find three small cans labeled “FUNGICIDE” which will instantly kill any normal fungus or mold, and will deliver 1d6 damage to any mold/fungus-based creature. Also, within the drawer of a crushed rotted desk, the party members will also find 14 silver and 5 copper pieces (spare change from before The Fall), a handful of ballpoint pens (none of which work), and a looped chain with a yellow plastic card threaded on it. The words “Project Revivification - Access” are stenciled on the card. There is nothing in the area that appears to use this access card. The Mutant Lord may use this as a future adventure hook.