Curse of the Mycelium

The bizarre life forms that permeate the underground include fungi that have joined forces with bacteria and algae to create more robust forms of life. But the very same fungus can bond and bind to other living matter as well, spreading through the fiber of its very being as though a second circulatory system.
While afflicted with this Curse darkness causes your skin to bloom with mushrooms. If left untreated and unharvested it may become difficult to tell mushroom from mankind. Whenever the mushrooms are in bloom, you can communicate psychically with any other infected or myconid within 10ft of you.

Transmission & Vectors

Not truly a curse, this is more of a fungal infection. It is slow moving and transmitted only by touch. Once someone has been infected, they can transmit it to others. Extended physical proximity within 5 feet for an hour will trigger a DC 14 Constitution save to resist the infection. The save must be repeated every hour of extended contact.

Causes

Disturbing lichens on cave walls is not without risk. These particular lichens with a red rim and yellow speckles will burst in a cloud of spores when disturbed. Anyone within 5 feet who is breathing the air must make a DC 16 Constitution save or become infested.

Cultural Reception

This is treated as a kind of leprosy in some parts of the underdark.

Type

Fungal

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Extremely Rare