Violet fungi were large, mobile mushrooms found most often in the Underdark and other subterranean places. Standing between four and seven feet tall, they moved slowly on root-like feelers, seeking fresh sources of decay to feed upon. Their appearance varied from dull gray to deep purple, sometimes speckled, but their most dangerous feature was the four leafy tendrils they extended to strike at nearby creatures. These tendrils secreted a poison that weakened flesh and, in earlier times, was believed to rot it outright. Though they relied on carrion for nourishment, many of the bodies they consumed were those of creatures lured too close and incapacitated by their venom.
Often mistaken for Shriekers, violet fungi shared a close relationship with them, frequently growing in the same patches. The shriekers’ cries would attract intruders, while the violet fungi struck them down to be consumed. Variants existed, such as a smaller type which formed a symbiotic bond with Treants, protecting their roots from bark-eaters with flailing tendrils. Dangerous to the unwary, they remained a persistent hazard for adventurers who wandered too close in the dark.