Speaking of Mushroom People, that was obviously a joke, for Herbert was familiar with this species.
The Mushroom People, or Fungus People, are a unique species somewhere between plants and animals.
They live in the Dark Territory, are naturally peaceful, adept at cultivating various mushrooms, and use them as food.
They resemble oversized humanoid mushrooms, preferring to live in dark places, avoiding light, moving slowly, yet their physique isn't weak, and their strength surpasses many creatures.
Mature Fungus People can even release various spores, and some toxic spores are aggressive, considered an extremely tough-to-defend poison mist.
Moreover, although they appear silent and their entire colony makes no noise, they're not mute in the strictest sense and are very skilled at telepathic communication with other creatures.
They are talkative but speak at an extremely slow pace, sometimes a single conversation can last for a whole month.
