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[Kruniac]

I was reading a random thread just now that explained how to get cave fungus to grow for grazing purposes. Open the caverns, dig out some large areas, and wait for the fungus to grow. What if this could have the chance of Bad Things fun?

I know it wouldn't be a priority by any means, but what if toxic spores were added? Maybe 1000 year old spores trapped in a pocket of a cavern, only to spread horrible lung rotting fungus when accessed?

What about a kudzu like growth that spreads from tile to tile, gradually consuming everything it occupies?

Killer plant life could be awesome, and using the existing Underground spore system that's already in place could be a Fun way of implementing it.

[Jeoshua]

Well, it's possible.  If you had a plant with a touch syndrome that only existed in the third layer of the cavern, with very low frequency, until you pierced the third layer it could not grow in your fort.  Once the third layer of caverns was pierced, however... look out.

[Setharnas]

I like it, but what should be possible counteractions? Sending sacrifice woodchoppers? Submerging in water/magma? Something new?

[Jeoshua]

That's the rub.  There would be no countermeasures possible.  You could always magma the whole field... but no way to make that evil plant not grow and potentially hurt your dwarves.

Only option would be to send dwarves you don't like to pick your flowerpatch.

[Kruniac]

Well, I think what we need is a less vague spore system, then.

For instance, if a chamber is accessed on Z -5, then a tiny mineshaft unconnected from anything save the surface level on the far corner of the map should have no chance of the spores affecting that area.

In this way, one could contain the breach (after it is discovered that the Killer Spores were unleashed. Then it may be too late), and deal with any infected dwarves before it spreads. Likewise, uninfected dwarves could be placed in safe areas away from the breach, and a new fort could possibly begin.

As the system stands now, spores have infinite reach, infinite lifespan, and only need a flag (Spore=active) to spread. We would need actual logistics, even if they are simplified, to have this kind of feature.

Even better - the spores themselves could infect a dwarf's lungs, and upon death, the corpse could sprout the contagion's fungus to release new spores. While inside a dwarf, the spores don't spread?

And as for the plant monster idea, that's really beyond the scope of syndromes and so forth. Just the thought of having to seal away an entire established fort due to an infection (plant based) which stemmed from a forgotten cavern is awesome. Imagine a reclaim party/adventurer accessing the abandoned/sealed fort, only to find out that it would have been best left alone.

Anyways. I don't know. It just came to me while I was reading about cave fungus for grazing, and I'd figure I'd throw it on here to get other DF folks to think about it.

[Lord Vetinari]

Even better - the spores themselves could infect a dwarf's lungs, and upon death, the corpse could sprout the contagion's fungus to release new spores. While inside a dwarf, the spores don't spread?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8

[Bobinater]

I like the Idea but I don't think it should be deadly, there should definitely be adverse side effects but unavoidable death even with the most extreme counter measures would be kinda tough.

[Kruniac]

I like the Idea but I don't think it should be deadly, there should definitely be adverse side effects but unavoidable death even with the most extreme counter measures would be kinda tough.

Well, a 100% chance of THAT fungus being discovered would be kind of tough. I mean there isn't to say that even the lethal fungus couldn't have counter measures. Magma. Surgery.

Multiple types of fungus would be a good idea, for obvious reasons.

Maybe it's the kind that turns your lungs into fuzzy goo which spreads via the air.

Maybe it's the kind that causes sneezing and spreads only in cold, dry areas.

Maybe it's the kind that doesn't infect living creatures at all, but spreads itself when in contact with water, and eventually consumes nonliving matter in it's path?

[Jeoshua]

I will not sleep at night.  Death by infestation is a horrible thought, and gives me the absolutely willies.

Nightmare Fuel much?

A bit extreme, but very much within the feel of this game.

[NW_Kohaku]

Here's the thing about caverns:

The instant you reveal the caverns, ALL of the soil in your embark starts spouting cave moss.  Cave moss grows in the stockpiles you have in soil layers.  Cave moss grows on your workshops.  You don't need a dwarf exploding in spores of deadly cave moss to spread the disease.  Cave moss grows everywhere.

There are no actions you take that can prevent cave moss from growing anywhere and everywhere in your fortress, even if you completely airlocked off the miner who opened up the caverns.  The poison spores would affect everyone, not just the woodcutters.

In order to have something like a poisonous spore, you need to have a game whose plant-growing system is sophisticated enough to allow you to actually discourage the growth of certain kinds of plants or fungi, or else it's just an unmanageable problem, because no matter what you do to heal a dwarf from fungi, and fight away the spores that already exist, more spores just grow infinitely and without any way to kill them off for good.

To have a way to actually kill off, or somehow otherwise contain the spores, you need to have a system where spores aren't just a boolean flag that creates omnipresent toxic spores, but something where you can quarantine the spread of the spores, and try to eradicate the parasites.  You might want to read the Improved Farming thread on this, especially the section on invasive species, where there are models for how to have triggerable conditions for "invasions" of unwanted pests and weeds.

[sockless]

I am suddenly reminded of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuKjBIBBAL8
But also of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWB_COSUXMw

It would be interesting to have behavior modifying fungus and pathogens in DF, like in the below link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasmosis#Behavioral_changes