#i really like the cordyceps mushroom

[lycanw]

Did you know the cordyceps mushroom is actually a thing irl?

According to Wikipedia, they are endoparasitoids (parasites that eventually kill the host). They prey on mainly insects/arthropods and sometimes fungi. Its mycelium invades and eventually replaces the host's tissue.

It's generally safe to consume (with side effects/exceptions), and is thought to have health benefits such as improving immunity and helping fight cancer - though I'm not 100% on that, I haven't read any actual research on it.

The Pokémon Paras, I believe, was inspired by a type of cordyceps called the Ophiocordyceps sinensis, or the caterpillar fungus.

It's really cool!!!

Hey moldy are you ok? Is that mold painful?

Vvery Innnteresting! My full name is based offff the cordyceps fungus in the gamee and sshow. I llike both very muchh.

I do! Hmmmm... I think I like gobstoppers the most...? Something long lllasting.

he hee.. verrry funny.

t-thank you...

You and meee both..

@imaginationadventures @absolutelynothingdragonrelated @outofthedeck @ash19417

[arctic-hands]

There seems to be a fascination from multiple people on my dash about parasites and their role in the ecosystem as of late and I like biology and the ecosystem and live your life but holy hell I'm not phobic of anything medical these days EXCEPT parasites

[rebeccathenaturalist]

THIS IS SO COOL! So animals can get fungal infections, as can plants and even other fungi. We've seen fungi like Cordyceps produce fruiting bodies on insect hosts postmortem. But this is the first known observation of a fruiting body on a live host! And the frog apparently seemed to be in good health otherwise.

It's likely a situation with an opportunistic spore of Mycena landing in a wound or other small vulnerability on the frog's skin, and since amphibians have to stay wet, the fungus had plenty of water. I'm not sure what it's been consuming since Mycena normally is a decomposer of dead plant tissue; maybe dead skin cells and bacteria?

Before people start leaping to conclusions, this is NOT the start of some sort of zombie apocalypse. Mycena and Cordyceps engage with their hosts in very different ways, and neither are anywhere near related to any fungi that parasitize human hosts and which do not cause any sort of altered mental state of that sort. I find it kind of sad when people have to sci-fi a new scientific discovery in order to find it interesting enough to think about, instead of just appreciating how awesome, weird, and scary nature is all on its own.

Regardless, this is a really spectacular find, and we'll see if any other crop up or whether this was one of those once-in-a-lifetime discoveries.

[mushroominaforest]

Hello! Your banner says that if you ask about mushrooms, you can talk about them for hours, let's check. 1) What is your favorite mushroom and why? 2) What effects of mushrooms on both animals and people do you know? 3) From question 2, which effect do you like the most in terms of effectiveness? 4) What do you think of the cordyceps mushroom? 5) What is your favorite dish based on mushrooms or a dish where mushrooms are an additive?

!!WARNING!! I am not a mycologist or fungi expert! I'm just a girl who has been hyperfixated on mycology for three years and counting lmfao. My information comes mostly from books written by mycologists and expert foragers, but take this all with a grain of salt lol. I do not know everything, and there's a chance I'm straight-up wrong about some of this! I don't think I am, I would never intentionally spread incorrect information, but be careful just in case! anyways, mandatory warning out of the way, on to the potentially-partially-misinformed-but-I-don't-think-it-is infodump!!!

1)

Okay, I think this is the seventh time I’ve answered the question about my favourite mushroom 😭, I’ll answer again instead of just linking it this time lol.

I have a few favourites for a few different reasons!

The violet court/webcap (more than the viscid violet court, but I do love that one too lol) is one of my favourites purely because it is a beautiful rich purple to black colour- it’s really pretty! I also like the bluefoot bonnet, and the newly discovered Mycena subcyanocephala mushroom and the Stropharia caerulea mushrooms are also beautiful. Bioluminescent fungi are absolutely mesmerizing in the dark too! I couldn’t pick my favourite beautiful mushroom lol.

For sentimental reasons, the mica cap mushroom was the first one that I ever spore-printed, the prince mushroom was the first one I ever foraged and ate, and the king oyster was the first one I ever grew myself!

2)

…okay, I know a lot. I mostly just know of their effects on humans though, so apologies. I’ll rant about one particular poisonous example to start, the destroying angel! It’s a particularly brutal one, because the symptoms often won’t show up for hours or even days after you ate the mushroom, and a lot of times at that point it’s already too late. It also has a brief period where you think or feel like you’re getting better, before it comes back in full swing to kill you. Typical symptoms of a messed up stomach, along with kidney and/or liver failure. It’s brutal, and it’s very common for patients who are hospitalized by it to die, because by the time they feel bad enough to go to the hospital, the poison is well in their systems. It’s closely related to the death cap, and together they are known as the deadly duo. Another interesting one is the Alcohol Inky, Inky cap or Tippler’s bane mushroom! It’s edible- unless you have alcohol in your system. Even the tiniest bit before or after eating this mushroom (with a four-day buffer) will set off poisonous reactions! Hence the name “Tippler’s bane” lol. On a more positive note, there’s tons of medical mushrooms! Turkey tail has been used to strengthen the immune system of cancer patients. The agarikon has been used to strengthen lungs, treat asthma and help with coughs! Of course, a famous example of a medical fungi is the penicillin vaccine that saved polio patients, but I don’t know too much about that so I’ll try to avoid spreading false information lol. It is amazing though! Even psilocybe- magic mushrooms- have been used to treat PTSD, OCD, depression etc. (CLINICALLY of course, don’t do drugs kids lmao). Hallucinogenic mushrooms are a whole other story about their effects on humans and other animals, and I admit I’m not that knowledgeable about that side of the foraging appeal lol. LSD is kinda wack, to put it bluntly. You kinda have to do shrooms to properly understand the effects lmfao- You gotta be one with the mushroom, man.

3)

Personally, I haven’t experienced any of these effects myself. I have yet to poison myself, I tend to turn to Tylenol instead of fungi when I’m sick and I haven’t done shrooms lmao. I think that the poisonous mushrooms are very cool and effective, there are so many different ways that fungi can try to kill a human, and it’s very fascinating how they each go about it! The death cap in particular is a very effective killer, so props to it.

4)

ah, cordyceps. The inspiration for The Last of Us, one of the finest irl body horror parasites, an equally disturbing and fascinating fungi!

I think cordyceps is a very incredible fungi, although I’d probably have a different opinion if I was a particularly unlucky bug who got infected with it. For those of you who don’t know what cordyceps is, it’s a brutal parasitic fungi responsible for the horrors known as zombie ants. A mycelium system grows inside the ant and fucks up its head, in the simplest of terms. The ant suddenly has a very strong urge to climb, and so it does, typically to the underside highest leaf it can get to. From there, it locks it’s mandibles to the leaf and stays there until it dies (this can take a few days, which must really suck for the ant). The mycelium makes itself known, attaching to the leaf and making the ant appear white and fuzzy, and then a mushroom pops out of its body and spreads its spores far and wide to go commit more atrocities in the cordyceps family name.

cordyceps isn’t the only fungi that’s parasitic on insects, although it is perhaps the best known. Some fungi in this parasite branch are even parasitic on other fungi, while some are the boogeymen haunting the dreams of larvae, caterpillars, spiders and more. Luckily none go after humans, so we’re safe for now! Insects are simply smaller and easier to take over, and aren’t filled with as much blood, complicated organs, immune system defences and body heat. Fungi could probably figure out a way to do this to us, but it’s simply more convenient for them to not. There are tons of fungi that are parasitic to humans though, they just don’t turn us into zombies!

5)

This Morel soup I had at a mycology convention once. It was so fire lmao.

[figgrrr0]

Hiii!! I love your writing, especially with Tighnari. He’s one of my favorites, and I love that you write for a dominant reader.

Can you please do a fic (plot) with Tighnari and a female reader who comes to the forest to study fungi, and they bond over being forest nerds? And then, he’s kind of pining for her, and when he confesses he admits he wants her to take charge, because he loves seeing her like that—and she uses a fungus to make him more sensitive when she does?

Want to skip the lead up? Look for the NSFW sign that marks the smut!

Cordyceps mishaps

Character: Sub!Tighnari // Reader: Dom!Afab

Genre: Smut // CW: Handjob, aphrodisiacs, slight teasing, brief masturbation, implied vaginal sex, slight power imbalance (he's your mentor)

Plot: Yes // Word count: 5.5k

When you'd made plans to come to Sumeru, this wasn't how you'd planned your first day to go.

With the climate being much hotter and humid than you were used to, it was understandably hard for you to acclimate to the differences fast enough to be totally comfortable. However, it all would be worth it for the new plant species that you'd get the see, the forests of Sumeru providing a scale of plant life larger than in any of the other nations.

Sure, you had read books about the trees, the flowers, the fungi; but words on paper were never a match for real-world experience. For years, you'd wanted to see them first-hand, to find them in the wild and study them to find your own consensuses. And now, you finally had the chance to do so. The only downside was that, since you didn't know anyone in Sumeru, you'd had no idea what to expect. Or where to go.

Which is how you got yourself lost within the first two hours of finally making it across the border of Liyue.

"Follow the paths." They'd said.

"Follow the paths." You'd repeated to yourself.

But, of course, through the gap between the trees, you'd seen an interesting flash of colour. Perhaps a new plant you'd never seen before? Maybe one from the sketches you'd seen in the books?

You didn't stay on the path.

And, now, half an hour later, you were lost, distressed and disappointed, because there was no flower at all. And from what you could tell, there was no one else around that could help. The silence in the air felt unnatural and precise, as though the forest itself was watching you, waiting on your every move, every thought, every breath. And with dusk not far from falling, you really didn't want to spend your first night here cold, alone and frightened of your surroundings, let alone lost.

... But there was nothing else for you to do. You'd tried turning back the way you'd came, but you still couldn't find the path. Plus, you didn't want to accidentally stay further into the forest. If you had any hope of being found by someone who could help, you had to stay at least close to the paths. Your common sense told you you'd be better off just staying exactly where you were.

Until you got distracted again.

Out of the corner of your eye, half hidden by the shadows cast down upon them by the surrounding trees, lay a patch of small orange mushrooms, all intertwined and reaching outwards in awkward angles. To you, they looked quite familiar... where had you seen them before?

Moving closer, completely focused on trying to identify these strange mushrooms, you pay no mind to the shadow shifting behind you.

From what you'd read in the books, there were no known species of fungi that were dangerous to touch, only causing problems when ingested. Taking mental notes of your findings, you examine them: the unusual slim and long form of the mushrooms set them apart from the common crowd of fungi, looking suspiciously similar to the cattail reeds which grew to the side of rivers and ponds. Putting on some spare gloves to prevent harmful juices or powders getting on your hands, you remove a small mushroom from the cluster, bringing it to your face while maintaining a safe distance and inhaling the scent that it emitted.

Cocoa.

... Well then. These were rare, that much you knew. And they weren't poisonous, either, from what you can remember – though you're hardly going to trust your memory when it comes to a plant you can't remember the name of. But you did remember the properties and effects. They were... interesting, to say the least.

"Cordyceps militaris."

"Agh-?!" You let out a shrill scream, whirling around on your feet and coming face to face with the man who had snuck up on you, an amused smile plastered on his face. Upon realising that he wasn't making any threatening advances towards you, you rest your hand on your chest as you calm down, your panicked breathing evening out.

Even though he clearly felt no shame in sneaking up on you like that and scaring you half to death, he was at least gentlemanly enough to allow you time to recover before he started talking again.

"This fungus is Cordyceps militaris. You should be careful interacting with it if you don't know what you're doing." He then proceeded to lean against a tree to the side, glancing down at the said fungus as if in thought.

"Excuse me? I know perfectly well what I'm doing!" You huffed, crossing your arms. Who was he, anyway? He finds a random girl in the middle of the forest who is obviously not from here, barely any daylight left, and instead of offering to take her somewhere safe, he wants to criticise your mushroom handling skills?!

"Oh, my apologies." He looked back up at you, tail flicking as though he were agitated with you, "I'd assumed that if you knew what you were doing, you would've worn appropriate gloves." He gestured to your hands, a humorous glint in his mischievous eyes.

Confused, you turn your own hands over to inspect them, only to be met with a glaringly obvious hole directly across the palm of the glove. Huh... must've snagged them on a branch at some point.

Embarrassed and left with little argument, you settle for staying silent, admitting defeat before you were further humiliated. It wasn't that bad, really. You just got caught out being a bit careless.

"...Anyway, mind handing that over?" He points to the small mushroom still held between your fingers, holding out a small pouch for you to place it into. Wordlessly, you drop it into the bag, stepping back upon doing so to create some more distance between you. "For a newcomer, you sure do know how to pick a good sample instead of just breaking it off at the base."

"I studied in some of the other nations, but Sumeru's variety was much more appealing. I thought I'd learn faster if there was more to see and do."

"I see. If I may, I think you made a good choice. Sumeru has lots to offer for both academics and plant life." He reaches out to take your hand, his gaze softening to be more friendly. "I'm Tighnari, Forest Watcher."

You hesitate slightly before placing your hand in his. "Y/N."

"Well then, Y/N, seeing as it's getting dark and you've been stumbling around the forest for the better half of an hour, what would you say to me taking you back to our main outpost? It's not much warmer, but the people there are friendlier than anything you'll come across in the wild late at night."

"...I'd say that I'd appreciate that very much, Forest Watcher Tighnari."

And so, without another word, you follow him to Gandharva Ville, where you stay for the night.

...

Tighnari couldn't believe how far you'd come in such short time. When you'd told him about your previous meticulous studies on wildlife –particularly plants and fungi – of course he'd believed you. He'd seen your proficiency that very same night that you met, discarding the... incident... with the gloves. Though he did still bring it up every now and then, just to keep you on your toes. He loved to see how flustered you'd get when he mentioned it, the little pout accompanied by the scowl you'd shoot him before the full sentence had even left his smiling lips making all of your sneaky little revenge plots well worth it.

However, that thought process had brought to mind the very serious problem that had been plaguing his mind as of late – or, really, since he had met you.

His feelings for you.

How passionate you were about learning the ways of the forest. How determined you were to improve at the job and impress the people around you (himself included). Even the way you held the other Rangers accountable for their mistakes, scolding them with no remorse, only to soften as you carefully explain the correct conduct, guiding them through with a gentle yet stern voice. He loved to see it.

He'd never say it out loud, except to himself, that your harsh words and strict voice had caused him to grow hot under the collar on quite a few instances. Even if he was just barely in earshot, he'd have to scurry away before you rounded the corner to see his blushing face, heading straight to his own quarters to... ahem... "make himself presentable."

At least, that was what he'd always said upon being asked, but it never made sense to you. He looked the exact same every time he came back! What could he possibly be doing in there that was so important?!

He hoped you wouldn't find out... not before he revealed the truth – well- half of it – tonight, resigning himself to whatever fate you had in store for his highly strung heart.

It had to be tonight. He couldn't drag this out for any longer.

...

One book; two books; three books; four. All stacked relatively neatly atop each other, placed next to a quill pen and subsequent pot of black ink.

Once a week, you meet up with Tighnari to go over all of your recent notes: mainly focused on any incidents or warning signs you find out in the field and comparing your new notes on the fauna with previous ones. This helped to tell if any differences were arising with the locale, and it made clear the progress you were making when it came to your studies on the plants.

Considering you were usually a bit later than agreed upon, Tighnari knew that he'd have a spare few minutes to prepare himself for your arrival. Perfect. His nerves had been catching up to him all day since he'd decided to finally talk to you about his feelings tonight. His hands were shaking, his tail stiff between his legs and his breath was hard to catch. Tighnari paced back and forth through the room, rethinking his plans as he straightened out his hair, which had gotten ruffled from his continuous gripping and pulling.

This wasn't like him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been this affected by someone. But... he was officially your mentor... was it wrong for him to have feelings for you of this nature? He'd rifled through his thoughts too many times to count, arguing with himself about how inappropriate it was for him to act like this around you, to think of you in this way, but all he could ever come away with was hardly comforting to his confused mind.

You were mostly on par with his own knowledge on the ecosystem, having almost completely caught up with him due to how eager you were and how often you insisted on having these meetings. It wasn't as if he were at much of a higher level than you, nor were your ages out of balance. Really, you were both the same. It was just the job title itself that separated the two of you and made him cast some doubt on himself.

However, the situation wasn't as big a deal as Tighnari's mind made it out to be. He knew it wasn't.

The other Forest Rangers and Watchers murmured and gossiped about the two of you near daily, that much he knew. They weren't very subtle, and they did know of his heightened hearing, so surely they didn't care if he heard or not? But... what if...-

Tighnari stood stock still in the middle of the floor.

What if they were all letting him hear on purpose to push him into confessing?

His face reddened slightly as he overthought every little interaction he could remember between the two of you, where the other Rangers had been able to see. Had he been too obvious all along?! Did you already know and by confessing tonight he would just make a fool of himself?!

*Knock, knock*

Tighnari sighed, his ears falling flat to the sides of his head as he tried to push the tension from his shoulders and creased brow.

He couldn't tell you.

...

Already, it was half way through the night. The candles he had set through the room had slowly dwindled until barely three remained alight: the first, on a shelf behind you, giving the perfect backdrop of warmth for him to see you in from his seat across the table. The second, on a counter to the side, directly between both of you, illuminating the profiles of his and your faces. The third, on the table you're both sitting at, on the far end at a safe distance from all the vulnerable paper, but close enough that it prevents your shadow from obscuring your vision of the paper in front of you.

When the final candle melted down to the last of the wick, you took it as your que to leave. It symbolised the night coming to an end, and really, by the time the candles had burned all the way down, you were too tired to continue. What Tighnari had hoped you didn't notice, was that throughout his year with you, he had been slowly introducing new candles to his home, until now, there were almost double the amount he'd started with.

You had noticed.

Currently, only a few note sheets remained to check through. You carded through them, rearranging the ones you'd already read into a neater pile, before picking up your quill and sprawling some more notes onto the paper on the table in front of you.

Tighnari watched as you wrote, your handwriting had slowly descended over time as you got more and more tired through the evening. At this point, I was messy and scratchy, and half of the page didn't match the other half. From where he was sitting, he couldn't read what you were writing. He knew for a fact that you wouldn't have a clue in the morning, either. But he didn't tell you, because you always came to see him again for further clarification. That, and he thought it was cute.

Just as he was getting lost in his thoughts, gaze caught on the movements of your pen, a flicker behind you caught his eye. When he looked up, his eyes finding the candle at the back of the room, the flame drew its last breath, dying out not even two seconds later.

His eyes catch on the scene, watching as the final drops of wax drip down the side of the candle –or what is left of it, at least. The room behind you has been swallowed by shadows, only a faint glow from the remaining two reaching across the floor. But when he drags his eyes back to you, you haven't even noticed, completely transfixed by your notes.

The quiet scratching of the quill against parchment lulls the both of you into a serene silence, feeling no need for conversation, just enjoying each other's presence. Even though he'd started the evening feeling more anxious than he felt he'd ever been, by now, Tighnari was completely comfortable and content to share his space with you. He's glad you feel safe in his company, too.

Waiting, in case you need any help with the papers, Tighnari gazes upon your candle-lit face. Your hair falls around you messily from the night of work, your mindless movements and adjustments making you look ruffled in the best possible way. The shadows of the room lay across your face, contrasting with the low glow of the candle light. It makes you look ethereal in his eyes, as if you would disappear should he close his eyes for too long... or maybe that's just the exhaustion from the day leaving its impression on his eyes. Either way, it left you looking nothing less than gorgeous in that very moment.

Off to the side, the candle on the counter slowly extinguishes itself, though neither you nor him take any notice. The candle left on the table casts enough light for you to still see your paper. Tighnari, so mesmerised by your peaceful countenance, takes no notice because of the sudden lack of warmth colouring your cheek, but instead because of how the waning in competition between the two flames allowed the one that won to reflect brighter in your eyes.

The spark glints and glitters in the shadows around your eyes, like a field of fireflies against the backdrop of the midnight sky. Tighnari leans forward in his seat, the play of the light inviting him to get a closer look. The rustling of his clothing against his seat disrupts the stream of your focus, and you look up to see what he's doing.

Finally looking into your eyes, having your focus entirely on him...

He has to tell you.

...

(Not the actual smut yet but there's a little bit here. Idk... be warned)

Tighnari's back meets the table, his hands coming behind himself to steady his balance. Your body is slotted against his own, keeping him tight to the wooden surface with no option to move away. His tongue eagerly meets yours, lips opening wider upon your prompting. With his eyes closed, it's so much easier for him to take in everything about you; to just feel the effects you have on him.

His sensitive ears pick up on every noise in the room around you. Your breaths, mixing in the short space between your intertwined lips, the slight creaking of the wood beneath his body weight... it all sends a shiver down his back, an itch being scratched by the tingling just within his ears, the odd sensation making his head fuzzy and clouding his senses further.

His heightened sense of smell relishes in the newfound closeness of your body, his careful and unsure hands coming to rest against your waist. His uncertainty is reassured when your own hands, smaller than his own, though surer in their actions, come to press his tighter to your body, his nails digging in at the display of your want for him. Like this, your scent swirls around him, giving him no choice but to get drunk of the essence of you that sticks to his clothes. Suddenly, his cheeks heat a deep shade of red – deeper than they'd already been just from the warmth of your body against his – knowing that the smell of you will cling even to the pages of paper that you'd held between your fingers just minutes before for days to come.

Lost in his thoughts, Tighnari separates from your kiss with a gasp, his eyes rolling back when your leg presses into the bulge between his thighs, already hard and twitching against you. A drop of spit slips from the corner of his mouth, glinting in the remaining candle light as his thighs clench around the one you pressed against him. Grinding insistently and slow, you draw low groans from his open mouth. You quickly take place with your head in the crook of his neck, nosing and kissing along the surface that becomes available to you when Tighnari stretches his head to the side, giving you complete access to his most vulnerable points. You take advantage of the opportunity presented before you, taking the skin between your teeth and nipping until he whines and presses himself further into your hold on his neck.

He wants the pain. Wants to be bitten, to be marked. He wants everyone to look at him and know that he's been claimed by you.

But you won't give it to him. Not yet.

While his tongue flicks over his bottom lip to collect the mess of your combined spit, he looks into your eyes, the difference between each other immediately apparent:

Tighnari, eyes wide and dark, pupils dilated while he tried to commit the way you're looking at him to memory.

You, leaning over him as you push him down against the table, lidded eyes boring into his own with a passion that would make him fold to your every command.

You're leaning forward then, intending to continue exploring and taking the moment further, when–

The last candle flickers out, and darkness falls upon the room – encasing you both within.

It feels as though someone had walked in on the both of you, rudely unannounced and uncaring of the moment they'd ruined. You both stood stock still, completely frozen as you took in the sudden contrast (as little as it was, considering it was only one candle). It brings the both of you back to the present, clearing the haze that had befallen your minds as you take in the compromising position you'd gotten yourselves into. Panting and flushed, rumpled clothing and tangled limbs, crumpled paper and ink knocked over; how had your study session, professional and calm, turned to this?

Hesitantly, being careful not to bump into anything, you take a step back. You look away, despite the fact that it would take another few minutes for your eyes to adjust enough to see the other, and clear your throat, clearly feeling awkward.

Tighnari straightens himself out too, no longer leaning on the desk as he allows himself to wait for your next move. His ears point forward, zeroing-in on your spiking heart rate.

"...Well then... I suppose I'd best get going. Long day of work ahead tomorrow, right?" You're cut off before you can continue, a yawn pushing through your lips before you can stifle it. Despite his disappointment, Tighnari can't help but look at you endearingly. "Or today, I guess?"

"...That seems more like it, yes."

You let out what seems to be a content sigh, turning to head towards the door, still in complete darkness. Tighnari moves with you, going to your side to prevent you from walking into anything. He even opens the door for you and allows you to pass through.

"Thank you for tonight, mentor Tighnari~ I really learned a lot!" Just from the tone of your voice, he can tell that you're purposefully trying to make him embarrassed. After all, you must've noticed his discomfort every time you called him that through the past year, and you'd definitely put the pieces together after his confession. "I'll meet you here again tomorrow night."

And then, the door shuts behind her before he can even start to think of a response. He stands in the darkness of his own doorway for a few long minutes, going over the events of the night. Eventually, he lights another candle, deciding to leave the mess on the table for tomorrow... or later today, he guesses.

The enticing scent of you dances on the air in his room, smothering him and pulling him further into his growing need for you.

That night, Tighnari goes to bed later than usual; his hand fisted tight around the base of his swollen cock, and the other pressing painfully into the mark you'd left on his neck, already bruised and aching. His mind retraces the silhouette that you left imprinted in the shadows of his room, playing the scene over and over again behind his dilated eyes, wondering what would have happened if your time together hadn't been cut short.

At least, now, he can rest easy, knowing that his time truly being yours was soon to begin.

...

That day, work just seemed to drag on and on and on...

The job that usually captivated Tighnari's attention only kept him from you for longer. The co-workers and lower-ranking rangers, whose presence he didn't mind so much as others, even they couldn't stop him from wanting to get away from it all. Tighnari grinded his teeth, looking out at the sky, just waiting for the sun to hurry up and make way for the moon to rise.

It didn't help that every time he'd see you, you'd shoot him a teasing wink accompanied by a sly smirk, only to leave without a word... At this rate, with how you were both acting around each other, it wouldn't be long until gossip starts to spread through the camp.

That's why, when Tighnari finally gets you into his room later that night, he couldn't possibly be more relieved, shutting out the rest of the world behind that door and instantly forgetting about everything but you.

No words are exchanged as you direct him over to his own bed with just a look, following close behind and pushing him to sit down upon arrival. Tighnari faces you, then, feeling the urge to shrink in on himself when he sees you towering over him, the light from freshly-lit candles flashing in his peripheral like the stars that he knows are just outside. Only, this time, the candles will last much longer than usual, and even if they do go out, there's no way either of you will be stopping. Not tonight – and probably not any other night after this.

From behind your back, you reveal a small bowl cupped perfectly in the palm of your hand, part of the mortar and pestle kit he'd gifted you early on into your partnership. Inside lays a fine paste, brown in colour, with that distinct scent that always reminds him of your first fateful encounter:

Cocoa.

Tighnari gulps. His tail gives away his excitement, thumping erratically against the bed behind him, and you have to stifle a laugh at the display, as well as the embarrassed smile that tugs at his lips.

"And you..." His head tilts inquisitively as he once again inhales the sweet scent, "You're sure you know what this is? You're absolutely certain you remember?"

You show a mischievous smirk. "Cordyceps militaris."

Damn... using his own words against him... that's just plain cruel! Though that is a large part of what drew him towards you... But Cordyceps are a natural stamina enhancer! Why would you need to use them this late at night? You'd already made it very obvious that you wouldn't be studying tonight. And he's a fox! He has plenty of energy to do... that... without the added aid of an energy booster–

Ohhh...

Tighnari's eyes darken upon realising your plan.

They're also a natural aphrodisiac...

You sidle closer, moving to straddle him upon the bed, your thighs on either side of his own. Tighnari shuffles further onto the bed to make space for you, silently welcoming your presence. Distantly, he notices you putting the mortar bowl off to his side, but he's much more interested in whatever you're reaching into the pouch you set beside it for.

He doesn't have to wait long, your hand displaying an orange mushroom, long and thin, before you take it between your fingers and cup his cheeks with both hands. Your thumb slides against his bottom lip, and Tighnari automatically lets his mouth fall open without a second thought. You share eye contact, dilated pupils showing the love and respect you have for each other, among other things, while you slowly push the small piece of raw mushroom onto his waiting tongue.

He bites down instantly. It's un-needed, really. He'd feel the effects of the Cordyceps after ingestion, regardless of how it was done; but he wanted the full experience of being with you. He wanted to know everything that you had in store for him.

That doesn't mean he enjoys the burst of salt that assaults his taste buds, or the nutty after taste, but he knows that what will come after is worth it.

He must've made a disgusted face, the twinkle in your eyes and amused expression showing that you'd expected his reaction. "How is it? As good as you'd imagined?" You ask, a laugh on the cusp of your lips.

He swallows down, the saltiness drying up his mouth and making his salivary glands overcompensate. "Bitter."

You move on, pulling him into a kiss as your hands tugged at his clothes, slowly removing them and letting them fall haphazardly onto the floor. You pull away briefly to breathe out, "Effects should start in about 10 minutes," before you take his tongue into your mouth once more, hands running over his skin as more of his body is revealed to you. Suddenly, you quickly move away, reaching for the mortar. "Think you can wait that long?"

Tighnari huffs, looking annoyed that you keep depriving him of your kiss to speak more – even if he did previously encourage your teasing. "Seems to me that you're the one that has to worry about waiting. I wonder how long you've been planning this?" You ignore him, removing the last layers of his clothing until his cock, already half hard, is revealed to your hungry gaze. You take him into your hand, stroking him as he hardens further under your touch. "Look at you, you can't even keep your hands off me~" The Cordyceps must've been starting to work, beads of sweat beginning to form on his flushed skin proving that he was not as unaffected as he showed.

At this, you look up, an unimpressed expression on your face. "When this kicks in you'll be desperate for my touch. You'll be begging and writhing in the sheets of your own bed, all with the risk of me leaving you alone to try and deal with it yourself."

That manages to shut him up, his eyes widening with the threat in your tone. The expectant silence urges you to move, scooping a dollop of the brown Cordyceps paste from the bowl and lathering it over your palms.

Tighnari's breath hitches when you take his dick in your hand again, the coating feeling odd against the sensitive skin. Already being room temperature, the mixture warms quickly between your fingers, soon becoming pleasurable and aiding the slide of your hand. Meanwhile, your other hand spreads the paste across his inner thighs, working it into the skin.

Soon, Tighnari is showing more and more symptoms brought on by the mushroom, his eyes clouding and breaths coming shorter and more laboured. His eyes clench shut and he flinches when you nip the soft plush of his thighs, the pain blurring into bliss by the time the shocks make it to his brain. He's too overcome to make much noise, only small hums breaking through the silence, except for the slick noises coming from below.

He's starting to feel unusually hot where the mixture touches him, the sensation gradually growing as you continue your ministrations, but he doesn't speak up, doesn't complain. Because, the longer he puts up with this... the better it feels. The warmth on his cock, on his thighs, and even the occasional drop that had splattered up to his navel on the downward 'slap' of your hand, it all multiplied the pleasure he was feeling. It kept building and building, overwhelming him the longer it lasted.

Every time Tighnari thought he was going to cum, thought that it couldn't possibly get any more intense, the constricting heat in his loins would double, his muscles getting impossibly tighter, until–

He came, suddenly and without warning, pushing into your hand. His cum spouted from the slit, dribbling over to meet the brown paste, leaving a sticky mix of brown and white to pool at the base of his cock, like paint dripping down a fresh canvas. The picture he paints is lewd to the very meaning of the word.

Having to focus all of his energy into collecting his ragged breaths, he holds onto you with an arm thrown over your shoulder, relying on you to keep him up. Of course, it wouldn't be a problem were he to fall, the welcoming and familiar pillows obviously being cushioned enough to break the landing. But it's so... cute, so endearing, to see Tighnari, the Head Forest Watcher, completely reliant on you to take care of him during the most vulnerable moment you've witnessed him in to date.

Broken from his reverie, Tighnari stirs in your hold, his eyes lighting excitedly at the rejuvenated energy he feels running through his veins. His cock, still messy and lewd from his orgasm, hasn't gone down, only growing harder as the Cordyceps that he'd eaten finally takes its full hold on his mind.

He thrusts up into your hand that still encases his cock, whimpering when you lift yourself up and line him up with your hole, already wet from the high of seeing what a needy heap you'd reduced him to. Looking down at the sight with lust-fueled awe, he's only pulled away when your hand grips his chin, making him look up at you. His tail starts wagging again when he sees the dangerous look in your eyes and the hint of your teeth when your lips pull back into a mocking sneer.

"You're not gonna stop cumming until I've milked you dry... we've gotta get that aphrodisiac out of your system, right, mentor?"

Want to send a request/brainrot with me? Check my rules!

Thank you for reading! 🩷

[bakingcakeroll]

...cosmo, i've read this in a book before, and you may not like what im about to say, but there is a fungus that grows in ants. the fungus is called the "zombie-ant fungus" or Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, or cordyceps. it takes control of the host (the ant) and takes the ant to an area where the fungi can properly grow in, and makes the ant bite a major vein on the underside of a leaf.

it stays there until the ant's death, which then the mushroom grows out of the ant itself. ready to spread its spores to more ant victims... -🌘

- @2-toons-2-twists [ Thank you google and wikipedia ]

" ..I-- " [ 🍰 ] ~ He's too stunned to continue. " Th-- " "I.. Wh-- I'm not an ant thou-- I.. " [ 🍰 ] ~ Surely it's just a lie?? I mean, of course there's still the afterpain of ripping that vine off.. " ..oh my god.. " [ 🍰 ] ~ He's slowly descending into dread and despair, making it even more easier for ichor to worm its way through Cosmo's immune system. [ 🍰 ] ~ And so, Cosmo really does just start seeing that it's gonna be the end soon. ..maybe that's why there was a countdown. He's not gonna accept that, though.

[eddwardtheseventhspacewizard]

Can’t sleep, gonna rant about Sozo.

Also this is a long ass post and I tried my best to break it up. It’s mostly speculation about menticide tbh.

So I’ve been thinking about how the menticide is obviously based on cordyceps, we already know that but, I was thinking about how when he becomes Sozonius he has no memory of what happened while he was infected. The thing is cordyceps doesn’t actually control the brain really. It more so cuts the brain off from the rest of the body and controls the body. In fact there was a study focused on the mandibles of infected ants and there was fungus in them and affecting them. It’s because the cordyceps will make an ant move to a higher space under a leaf or something and then the ant will clamp down on it so even after they die they stay firmly in place and the fungus can fully mature and spread more spores to the unsuspecting ants below. Fungi are very picky about temperature and that’s why they move to a higher space. That’s also why cordyceps doesn’t infect humans. Also the ants infected are typically carpenter ants.

Anyway back to menticide. I believe the menticide is not entirely dependent on a host for spreading spores. While the shrooms we pick in Anura very well could’ve sprouted from corpses (maybe even ones sacrificed to Heket) we can take them back to our own farm and grow them no corpses required and I doubt they’re catching spiders at night. They don’t get quite as large as the ones in Anura though. It could be that those ones are years old but I doubt that because Sozo. There could also just be more desirable growing conditions in Anura leading to the larger fungi which is much more likely I think. Those growing conditions may or may not include a sacrifice but the most we can do right now is speculate and headcannon.

I also would like to think that our followers end up being fine after the brain washing ritual because they take smaller doses (much smaller than Sozo takes) and due to the cool down they take it way less frequently. Also the position of the cult in that sorta valley region likely does no favors for the menticide, this can be backed up by the farm as I mentioned just before.

I think Sozo’s followers end up being “fine” after his rituals because they themselves are mushrooms. Not just mushrooms but clearly also menticide. I put fine in quotations because there is an implication of cannibalism but also we get to commit cannibalism in our cult too so it probably actually is fine in the game. Anyway I don’t think a menticide mushroom would infect itself but that does bring to question why it would brain wash itself and why there even are shrooms with brains in the first place.

I saw another theory (I don’t remember who posted it, I’m so sorry) that proposed that the Mushroomos may be the result of sacrifice in Anura. Remember when I mentioned the shrooms there and how they’re larger? Maybe some of them do sprout from corpses and if left to grow they gradually become more humanoid and then eventually, Mushroomo. Maybe the shrooms we collect already produced a Mushroomo. I don’t know but there’s some interesting speculative biology there. I’m still not sure why the menticide has any effect on them though seeing as Dr. Sozonius mentions that they offered him some. That kinda implies that they already ate it unless they intentionally infected him. But why would they do that?

What would be the motive? Is it because he’s an ant? Are ants better hosts? Did that want him to spread the spores? Why wouldn’t the Mushroomos use his corpse for anything? Is it respect? Is it disrespect?! Why where we able to plant a mushroom get an ant and then remove the mushroom from the mushroom ant!!?? Is that guy in our cults really Sozo or does it just believe it is Sozo?

There were no signs to show Sozo was old. It is undeniable that Sozonius is elderly. Maybe the menticide does have some anti-aging properties but as soon as the shroom is removed the affect is reversed. Maybe it also has healing or regenerative properties. Maybe that’s why we were able to “grow” Sozo. Maybe that’s why his follower form is also so small and lacks some limbs (totally not just a convenient game design thing or anything lmao) anyway I think when we remove the shroom from Sozo’s head it does have him on it so when we plant it it regenerates him from that little bit. That does technically make him a sorta clone seeing as his corpse is still back at Spore Grotto. This theory also means that if he stayed in the ground a bit longer then maybe his whole body would’ve gone back to how it was before. Or maybe not though. Maybe the regeneration from the menticide is limited. Maybe it would still regenerate him out of the ground but we removed it so he won’t fully grow back now (keeping with 100%ing the story of course. I know some of you don’t because you think Sozonius is boring, which is sad but fair. From a story perspective though the lamb does cure him though so I’m going with that)

Also if ants are better hosts and they wanted him to spread the spores imagine if accidentally got his whole colony killed. I’m starting to enter fanfic territory lol.

Sozo manages to spread the menticide and gets his colony wiped out. He either has a higher tolerance or compatibility or something or the Mushroomos are intentionally keeping him alive. I don’t know why. Uh cheap answer is vague prophecy I guess? Anyway you know when you read Sozo’s mind while he’s in jail and he thinks “ where is Mimi?” I don’t have a screenshot rn sorry. But who the fuck is Mimi? And imagine the devastation Sozonius would feel knowing he got them killed. Sozo and Dr. Sozonius remind me of Ice King and Simon so like what if Mimi is almost his Betty or something?

Oh shit! I almost forgot about how I mentioned that cordyceps doesn’t actually control the mind but menticide does. I just thought that would be interesting to explore because what if Sozo what still somewhat conscious as Sozonius while having no real control over his body. Terrifying as shit.

[odditiesnoctobermidnightroad]

Words from Fluffy: “ Hi there. Hello. So if you like plants -growing them, drawing them, eating them- I’m YOUR bun! Kind of. I mean- I know all about different kinds of plants. Also fungi too, which are not plants. But they are in the ground and can be creepy too, so I let them in --this is a prompt-tober for ‘artists’.

Acorns and falling leaves. (note: are dangerous to horses)

Cordyceps Fungi. They zombify bugs. 

Fly agaric mushroom. Don’t touch

Wolfsbane flowers. Don’t touch. 

Eye of Newt. It’s mustard. 

Toe of frog. It’s buttercups

Wool of bat. It’s holly leaves. 

Tongue of dog. It’s Houndstongue. Don’t touch. 

Deadly Nightshade(s). So many. Don’t touch.

A lush-green lawn- wait for it; in a place where it has no place being well kept. 

Corpse Flowers. They’re big and that’s really what their name is!

The good-old venus flytrap. Treat them well. They’re friends for life. 

Tomatoes. They’re on the attack. 

A house plant. Like the lawn, imagine one being in a place it really should be. 

Cactuses. Work best in desserts, obviously!

Pomegranates. And their seeds. 

Dracula Orchid. Yes, these are real. They’re all black too. 

Roses. With thorns. The best way to show someone you’ll do anything for love. 

Foxgloves. Because I think foxgloves are neat!

Bleeding Tooth Fungus. 

Droseras! Also called sundews. They’re my favorite! 

Willows. The greatest tree of them all -no take-backs.

Rafflesia flowers. So disgusting. 

Giant Water Lilies; in case the water wasn’t scary enough. 

Wolf apple bushes. They grow in South America. 

Poppies! They’re also poisonous. 

Pitcher Plants. Be it trumpet or toilet. 

A still life of fruit. (note: fruit rots)

Calla Lilies. You see them at funerals all the time!

Pumpkins, Gourds and Beets. You can carve them out. 

Marigolds. Also known as Calendula flowers, the flower of October. 

Draw each fungi/plant listed for every day of October and see what grows out of these nifty ideas. Please.” - Fluffy.

[mushroom-madness]

🍄 ROUND 5: SEMIFINALS: MATCH 1 🍄

🍄 Vote for your Favorite Fungi! 🍄

Descriptions Below ⬇️

Leif

"Leif is one of the protagonists of Bug Fables, they're a cordyceps fungus inside a moth host. They've been in some other tournaments (notably the graveyard gambit tourney, for zombie characters). There are other cordyceps in Bug Fables but since Leif is a protagonist they're the most qualified for polls in general. They're an ice wizard who uses plural pronouns (we/us/our), has Fungus Autism(tm), and their favorite things are food, cute creatures, and card games. They had a wife and kids, they don't know what glasses are, and sometimes they speak in keysmashes. Not to be biased but they're the best character ever made' - Submission 46

"*slaps roof of moth* This mans is SO full of 'shroom (which is. A major spoiler for the game, but hey! He's a fungus (cordyceps) and I lobve himb)" - Submission 67

"He may not look like a fungus, but he's actually a moth zombie reanimated by Cordyceps fungus. He is both bug and mushroom:) - Submission 104

"Lief sweep let's gooooo" - Submission 139

Todd (From Mario)

"Todd is a baby possum who has a Mushroom on his head. He is a precious darling with big, soulful eyes, and is one of the most popular characters from Drawfee." - Submission 118

"You know who he is

You said none of the examples were not gurenteed and I really want Todd in there so submission here :]» - Submission 188

Timestamp ~ 1:25:00

[hypnotisedfireflies]

Six Summer Fics for Tessjoels

... confused? Well, it's summer here, and that means summer reading! Here's some of my favourite Tessjoel stories that are in progress right now, and have been updated within the last month.

These are just unfinished tales - here's some of my finished favourites from the last year.

Taste your beating heart by @beerandyarn I can't tell you what this story is really about without spoiling it. The mystery is way too much fun. But let's just say it's a TLOU AU set in the early days of Tessjoel and there are ... other mysterious things than just Cordyceps out there. The characterisation is fucking awesome and this is the slow burn of slow burns. Like, part of me wants to shake elfin for making me suffer and the other part of me can't get enough.

Of Artists and Architects, by @oliviassunrise It's kind of hard to transplant characters from the TLOU universe into a modern AU without losing them in the mix. You have to really understand them so as not to shed their personalities while building a softer, mushroom-free world around them. Kayli does this beautifully and you still feel like Tess is Tess and Joel is Joel. This is no basic repackaging though - there's so much soul to this story, you can really feel the care and love with which it is written.

A Soul for Sale or Rent, by @bumblepony I don't want to give too much away about this one because it's full of surprises and takes a concept that could be ridiculous but ends up being so clever and heartbreaking and heartwarming. Ellie is a ghost and only Joel can see her. While Tessjoel isn't the focus of the story the way it's included is so clever and haunting (I think about it randomly, ok) that you've gotta check it out. So original.

deep red bells by melforbes Subtle queen. All this author's stories are like poetry, but they manage not to divulge into aimless whimsy and are always anchored with a strong story and pathos. This is an AU where Joel's daughter is abducted and Tess is a young cop with a tantalising dark past. The magic is in the dialogue. It's dark, but not heavy, and I'm pretty sure it's going to kill me.

I Saw the End, it Looked Just like the Middle, by @elpickett A new Tess lives series, and it has a really interesting narrative structure. As with the stories above, I don't want to spoil that, but there's some insight into FEDRA which I really enjoy. I love to read different ways Tess Lives Truthers fix explore the canon and bring her to Jackson. You can tell the author has really put a lot of thought into how this is going to work and how to 'save' Tess in a believable way.

Let the Burial Rite be Read, the Last Funeral Song Sung, by @stephpuppet An AU with a dark and gentle premise - Grim Reaper!Tess! Ever since I saw Meet Joe Black and Dead Like Me I've had a yen for this kind of tale, personifying Death as a sympathetic and empathetic, a wise creature who maybe experiences emotions they do not understand. ANYWAY. I love different interpretations of this theme and combining it with my hyperfixation is a treat for the new year. Grab your tissues, the first chapter is devastating.

[ratcandy]

also whats weird is like, that mushroom gotta be like ATTACHED to his brain?? no way he doesnt have brain damage from that. also its not hard to imagine that with all his intense mushroom use, that he'd have some sort of substance use disorder. and he is, suddenly, in a DEATH CULT. actually. i dont feel like anyone talks about the last part. ?? doesnt anyone wonder how hard it would be to adjust just suddenly. being in a cult? we dont really know how his life was before but if he wasnt in a cult beforehand then id imagine all the Cult Stuff would be at least a little uncomfortable.

I guess it would depend to what extent we're leaning into the parasite actually being a cordycep. Because if we're going full throttle on that, teeechnically cordyceps don't attach to the brain at all and only control the musculature; hence why I always hc'd that there's two different mushrooms involved, with the menticide doing the brain fuckery and the cordycep doing. The everything else

But at the same time it could very well just be advanced cordycep and we can make up whatever rules we want ! But YES, regardless, there is some brain nonsense happening that would ABSOLUTELY have everlasting effects on this ant. Not to mention if the cordyceps DID have control of his muscular system, then his entire body has got to be feeling the effects of it as well.

So he's here, in a death cult, probably having to re-learn how to walk and suffering extreme withdrawal symptoms as well as memory loss.

ANd no nobody ever considers the full ramifications of the death cult because everybody is a coward and won't consider how horrifying cults actually are!!!!!! And to be a disabled old man suddenly thrust into a scary ass scenario where people are being sacrificed and brought back to life around you while you can't even remember how old you are or where you've been the past few years because time was fucked while you were Shroomed, it HAS to be HORRIFYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But at the same time it really just works out from a cultist perspective. He's already isolated, vulnerable, and probably only halfway lucid at any given point. He'd be extremely easy to manipulate and keep dependent on the cult. After all, they're keeping him safe there, it's dangerous out there. (Not to mention him just feeling some inherent loyalty to the Lamb upon becoming sober, which certainly wouldn't do him any favors)

Like what's he going to do? Leave? Stumble out, suffering withdrawl, into the Lands of the Old Faith?? As an old man??????????

He has no CHOICE but to make peace with where he is. Despite all the questions about if his FAMILY is even STILL ALIVE. Despite having no idea what he DID while under the influence. Despite the HORRORS around every CORNER

It's FUCKED!!!!! It's AWFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[secondhandbagofholding]

I am LOVING The Last Of Us, but I’m really bothered that they attempted to use fungus as a zombie vector, but basically ignored how cordyceps generally act in a host. Like how badass would the final stage of the infection being masses of them just climbing tall buildings and fruiting to spread spores over a wider area. Come on. Also half the fruiting bodies on the infected aren’t cordyceps. I understand it has to look cool for audiences, but why are oyster mushrooms coming out of people. AND why is the mycelium acting like tentacles. Mycelium are single called strands of organic fiber they grow, they don’t flex. Furthermore, having the mycelium be mycorrhizal (even though parasitic cordyceps aren’t, generally) would answer the “hive mind” question. They just communicate through the plants and different mycelia etc etc etc.

I am able to suspend disbelief for this though, a fake mushroom can do what it wants I guess. Honestly the fungus is only the vector for the story, so, like less important than people give it credit for.

[randomcollection-o-stuff]

I saw your tags on the mycology tumblr post - I challenge you to scare me with a mushroom fact. I’ve harvested and eaten wild mushrooms a few times, I’ve got my share of guidebooks and worked on research my university did on suede boletes. I’m no spring chicken of the woods but i’m also far from an expert. Scare me with the Deep Mushroom Lore

Woaaaah this got a bit lost and im a bit late, yikes! Anyway it looks like you were focusing on the Basidiomycota phylum which is where a lot of the frontliners and popular ones are. But let's look at the Ascomycota, lots of scary stuff there, lord there's so much but baseline ig is cordyceps which everyone knows about now. They can alter and control insects, a big example is bullet ant behavior to makes them climb as high as they can and bite onto the grass or whatnot to secure themselves until the host dies. They go as high as possible so when the cordycep actually grows the fruitbody the spores can spread as far as possible. Luckily for us human nervous systems are way too complex for the cordyceps....for now.

I mean any parasite that controls it's host is crazy and I 10000% recommend looking into it.

There's another fungus Laboulbeniomycetes that grows exclusively on arthropod exoskeleton.

A lot of fungal diseases make me shudder, there are probably fungal spores in your lungs right now! Pneumocystis is the genus of a yeast that loves your lungs and you guessed it, causes a strain of pneumonia that's very hard to diagnose! Yippee! Mostly because it is very hard to culture.

Let's look at everyone's favorite yeast Conidida. This guy is DIMORPHIC so it can be a yeast or invasive hyphae depending on environmental triggers/conditions, and wouldn't you know it, lives at human body temp. This guy causes yeast infections and the like.

Aspergillus is one that ferments soy products BUT can also cause Apergillosis which can cause an allergic reaction and eventually a fungal ball growth in your lungs, aak!

In a different phylum, Mucoromycota, Mucormycosis is probably my least favorite as the group USUALLY targets your fruits and is that pesky mold. Well another version of it will target the sinuses of immunocompromized diabetics. These are sugar loving molds so uhhhhh, no bueno. I recommend looking at pictures with CAUTION it is gross. The eyes can get really messed up, black lesions can show up on your face really really nasty stuff.

Anyway, Ascomycota cool group, lots of human diseases (many of which are hard to cure because of how close fungi are to animals so we target very specific things in their cells but OOPS resistance is on the rise), have fun with this info ::)

[robo-drake09]

I was looking up references for a future drawing, and I think I might've found Cordelius' name origin!

Meet the Cortinarius Violaceus, the violet webcap. Definitely gonna be using these are reference when working on my Cordy designs + dragon version.

Additionally, a mutual told me about a mushroom called cordyceps (PLEASE be wary of googling, I got spooked because they're a bit funky. They're also called caterpillar fungus for a reason!)

I think this name fits him more, but I found it cool that the purple mushroom in particular had a name like that! Brawl Stars is really neat with their naming heh.

[azuremliam]

Question!

Does the cordyceps fungus exist in Bug-world?

((btw i LOVE your world building!! :D its very well made!))

@bringerofmilk Ngl your ask has perfect timing because I was actually just working on stuff for Cordyceps in Bug World! (And thank you!!!!!!!! :D)

Liam has gotten into a bit of an argument with Scarab about said fungus actually! The fungus wouldn't infect him (his kind may look like bugs but they're they're shapeshifters) but Liam has seen what it does to insect people and hates the thought of Scarab winding up like them.

More drawings and big time infodumping/elaborating about it under the readmore! :)

Cordyceps in Bug World is common in certain areas, mostly near sections of giant fungal forests! It doesn't infect humans, or most mutants changed by the mushroom (lol) war toxic wastes.

It does 100% infect the giant humanoid insects changed my Myriaxanthus' primordial magic however. It's not frequent- but those that choose to live near the fungus forest have high infection rates.

You'd think, "why do some insect folk choose to live near there if there's a high fatality rate because of it?"

Other mushrooms tasty- a more elaborate explanation: Generations of insect people have history of farming safer fungus, and just simply live with the risks! Some, however few, species have developed a natural immunity to the fungal take over- but not many boast the same ability.

Healthier and younger insect folk have more likely instances of their antibodies neutralizing the spores on the other hand. So older or sick bugs living near it tend to be the most frequent infected.

Those on the outskirts of the fungal forests who get infected, slowly start to forget things. Until all the remains is the urge to go into the fungus filled forest and climb to the highest point.

Those infected wandering into the forest are allowed in without a fuss by the guards. It's a painful thing to go through for infected, but said pain diminishes when within the depths of the forest.

It's not very studied by the denizens of Bug World, but its all agreed that allowing them passage within the forest is the kinder option because of the numbness gained for those slowly growing the new mushrooms breaking out of their bodies.

It's very common with the ants farming edible fungus living nearby.

Depending on the progression of the infection, some can still slightly recognize and communicate with other's passing by. Mostly simple gestures and words, like "hello", "go this way" "dangerous" and a very, very common word said by infected "goodbye".

The spires of mushrooms tower high, and if looked closed enough at, bare shapes of those unfortunate to get infected, now completely consumed by the fungus.

Liam hates mushrooms because of this, and will never eat any despite what anyone says if they're safe eat. This paranoia sticks with their Cosmic self too!

And also, despite their phobia, they have to traverse through said forests to deliver packages occasionally to the mushroom farms.

The hate it- but it's their job and they gotta do it. Especially when only non-insectoid couriers are allowed passage through. It makes them really sad when they pass by any unfortunate insect aimlessly wandering about though.

The outfit Liam is wearing is co-made by the Fire and Candy Kingdoms! The insides keep the wearer cool, while the outer is hot enough to incinerate any floating spores that come in contact with it. It's a requirement for all couriers seeking passage at checkpoints through fungal forests.

Said checkpoints surround a one mile radius of the fungal forests and are managed by the Fire Kingdom! There's Death warning signs outside of the literal fire wall for precautions during high winds.

When gusts of winds kick up the guards stationed there flare up the said fire wall installations and keep the flames up and running until it calms down. They also do "trimming" to the towers of mushrooms- they can't exceed the height of the fire wall (which gets pretty high up in the sky!)

It's especially dangerous (for bug people at least but any person with spores getting on their clothing can spread it unintentionally) to be near during rainstorms. So hives and towns don't tend to be near any of the farming areas at all.

Even the giant golden beasts tend to avoid the fungal forests!

[ijustscrollhere]

Crawling Cordyceps Pt. 1/?

I shared the link to my Ao3 to this, but thought it would be a good idea to share here as well. Still a work in progress, but I've decided to make my own little X-Men fic. I really love Kurt and many others, but it will be mainly focused on Kurt and my OC's interactions. Idk yet where it will go, so *shrugs*

!Edit! Reposting for the updated version. Added some more at the end to make it feel more like a part one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There were few things in this world that made Kurt feel uncomfortable. Growing up and traveling as a circus performer makes one a little numb to things many would consider taboo. But the scene before him made his hair stand on end and his skin crawl. Perhaps there needs to be some exposition about how and why he was here in the first place.

               Kurt didn’t quite know where the information had been obtained, but he and a few others were sent to investigate a claim that a scientist, or at least someone claiming to be one, had been kidnapping people who may or may not be mutants. The details were a bit fuzzy, and Scott was of no help since he wasn’t given much information either, but it gave Kurt an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. His usual blasé attitude was replaced with a grim expression as he left with the team; preoccupied.

               It wasn’t so much the news about people going missing that bothered him, not that it didn’t bother him, but it was more the fact that this was the fourth mission the X-Men in general had been sent on for similar claims and they all ended up being a ablenkungsmanöver. Much time and energy had been wasted scouring woodlands and mountains in search of something with almost nothing to show for it. The only thread of intel any one of them had found that could shed some light on the possible situation was a strange circle of mushrooms that Hank later discovered did not belong to the area. Kurt didn’t think much of it at the time. Little did he know just how important those fungi ended up being.

               It was nearing sundown when they all finally landed. A small clearing in the trees made it possible for them to hide their vehicle and potentially take whatever or whomever by surprise. The knot in Kurt’s stomach tightened and he frowned again, still not sure why he felt so uncomfortable and uneasy about this mission. If it was anything like the previous missions, he had nothing to worry about. So why did he feel like there was something wrong?

               They decided to split up. Not exactly Kurt’s favorite idea, but it did offer some comfort that he wasn’t alone in thinking this whole mission was a bust. That was, until Colossus comm’d in that he had found something. Nestled amongst the fir trees was a small facility that looked long abandoned. It looked like a single floor compound, the type the government would use. Discreet grey concrete with no identifiable marks. The outside was pitted from acid rain and weathering. There was a single door at the front with chipped and faded paint. You could see bare rusted steel showing through. The lock looked to be an old key card reader but was dangling by frayed wires and electronics.

               “Are vee sure zat zis is a good idea,” Kurt voiced his concern. The pit in his stomach grew larger and his tail flicked with slight agitation.

               “It’s unfortunately the only lead we have,” Iceman shifted his weight, “I don’t like it any more than you do, but we’re going to have to go inside.”

               Colossus nodded in agreement and began to walk forward. “Let’s hope that it’s only one floor.”

As they entered the building their eyes adjusted to the low lighting. It was an open floor about the size of a basketball court. Stainless steel shelves lined the walls, now mostly broken down from rust and neglect. A layer of dust and debris coated the floor and there were boxes and old equipment near the floor and shelves that appear to have been ransacked. The only other thing that stood out was a tarp haphazardly laid on the floor.

It wasn’t too long after Colossus’s statement that Kitty discovered that it wasn’t, in fact, just one floor. Kurt had made a quick round around the outside to confirm that there was only one building and room, ruling out any possibility of a secret passage via the walls. Bobby made a passing comment that they should check the floor for a door, and Kitty knelt, phased her head through the floor, and popped back up.

“Hey guys…. I hate to break it to you, but I found stairs.”

Once Kitty was back on her feet, the tarp was moved to reveal a trap door with the very stairs she had found leading down into the depths of the Earth.  Kurt shivered as cold air wafted up from the depths and his tail instinctively wrapped itself around his torso. The rest of the team exchanged looks before Peter spoke, breaking the silence.

“I had to make jinx it didn’t I,” he said in a feeble attempt to lighten the mood and positioning himself to go down the steps first. Kurt watched as he and the others descended, the knot in his stomach grew so tight it made him feel sick. Something about this wasn’t right. He whispered a quick prayer and followed his three teammates.