Myceli

Myceli are a mushroom that grow in the deep caves of Dwarven territory known as the Grey Cavity. This is the land where people like the Dark Elves live.
They are incredibly dangerous fungi, believed to be one of the most dangerous things in the Grey Cavity, which is saying quite a lot, as the beasts within are often said to be "indescribably horrific" and other descriptions that contradict that account by simply existing.

Myceli were discovered by the Dark Elven adventurer known as Mecatl Olein, who never returned from his journey. All that was ever found was his journal, detailing his horrid journey to find the Myceli. Bits and pieces of this will be throughout the article.

Mecatl Olein by Jarhed

"I have made my way further into the cave than has ever been recorded before. My men are wary, but I have assured them that we will be safe. What is progress without adventure? Would Chadzar Dalarune have discovered the Stemine had he not ventured into the forest? No. Therefore, we will venture."

— Mecatl Olein's Journal

Location

The Myceli grow in an area of the Grey Cavity known as the Rave Land, a place filled with luminous plants and ravenous beasts.
This is a place that most people try to avoid, due to its reputation. However, no one had ever returned from there to inform Mecatl Olein of this fact.

"These caves are twisting more than any cave closer to the surface. Things are getting stranger, which always means we're on the verge of finding something. My men have been trying to turn back, but I've convinced them to keep going. We'll find something soon."

— Mecatl Olein's Journal

Growth Conditions

The conditions that Myceli grow in are not unique. The cave gets quite hot at times due to external stimuli that is required to keep the beasts in it alive. Therefore, the heat given off by the cave allows these Myceli to grow when small bits of flame combusts on the ground, creating the Myceli. Any hot environment could be used to grow Myceli.

"It's getting hotter in these caves... strange. The further we go down and in, it should be colder, no? Unless... are we reaching the core of the planet? or... worse? What could be in this cave?"

— Mecatl Olein's Journal

Etymology

The term Myceli comes from the word Mycelium, the threadlike fungus that grows out of the Myceli. They reach incredibly far, and while they do not have the properties of a Myceli proper, they do protrude out of the ground, creating a pathway that leads to them.

"I knew we wound find something. I'm not sure what it is, but there are these lines in the ground. They're all leading in the same direction: further in. My men were ready to revolt, and I'm sure they aren't fully sated yet, but now my theory is true. We've found something... we only need to figure out what it is. Lord, the twisting path, matched with these twisted roots, are worrying me. it makes my skin crawl. But I know we'll be fine. We have to be."

— Mecatl Olein's Journal

Physical Description

The Myceli have long mycellium-like roots extending from them. The roots are the same colors as the Myceli itself.
The Myceli is a flourescant blue color, with a green outline. It is biolumiscent, being bright enough for a single Myceli to light up an entire cavern.
The Myceli itself is quite short, only up to the ankles of an average Dark Elf, so it is around 6 inches tall.

"We found it. A giant cavern filled with all sorts of beasts. We were able to fight back the beasts, though we did lose some men. But we've been able to rest. Gladly, the cavern is quite lit up with these... strange mushrooms. I'm not sure what they are, but they were the things that the roots connected to. I suppose it wasn't roots then, more of a mycelium. But what were they leading us to? Why to these Myceli? Were we... always meant to go here?"

— Mecatl Olein's Journal

Value

Myceli are valued fairly high on the black market. They are believed to be one of, if not the greatest, known weapon of war. The only problem is that there is not a single person who has been capable of extracting Myceli from the Grey Cavity. This only makes the price one would gain for getting one even higher, as they would be defying death itself to bring forth the greatest mass killing in Totanian history. One life for millions.

"My men keep telling me they have headaches. They keep getting dizzy and falling before we're able to leave, so we always have to stay. We've been here for a month now, I think, and rations are running low. Earlier, some of them started showing these... rashes. No, not rashes... burns. What's causing this? And why... why every day that passes do I want to go closer to the Myceli? And... where did I get that name from?"

— Mecatl Olein's Journal

Properties

Myceli are intensely radioactive. Prolonged exposure longer than five minutes in close proximity will kill someone instantly, and being in the same general location as it for about a half hour will begin to give radiation poisoning.
The mycellium-like roots emit a pheromone that draws people in to it, as the Myceli want more and more people to die near them. These pheromones, combined with the radiation, have been known to cause hallucinations.

"I thought they were fine. My men were sick and then they seemed healthy. They were talking about seeing their loved ones around them, about seeing Gods, about seeing home. Hallucinations... How would I have known that they'd drop dead the minute we left the cavern? How was I to know that the radiation poisoning doesn't just... go away? Dammit... I know the Myceli did this. I know they killed my men, but... I can't help it. I can't help but go near them. I want to touch them..."

— Mecatl Olein's Journal

This is the final entry in the journal. Or at least... the final entry written in this handwriting. There is one final entry in the journal, and that entry relates to...

Sentience

Myceli are living creatures that are just as sentient as Draconians or Humans. The only difference is that they are rooted to the ground and cannot move.

Mecatl by Jarhed

However, they can lure in corpses to die to their radiation. After this, the roots begin to dig into the body, decomposing the skin and removing the organs, leaving only a highly irradiated skeleton. This skeleton is then covered in the roots, which dig into it slowly turning it into the same color as a Myceli as the Myceli itself burrows into the skull to sit where the brain once was. Now, the Myceli controls the body, and can move around freely.

"I do not know what this is... nor why this skinbag had it. But it appears to contain a tale... I read it. It was interesting. I will leave this at the cave entrance... I will let people know we are here. We are here... and we are hungry."

— Mecatl Olein's Journal

Grave Rave

Despite the horrific nature of these Myceli, they do not intend harm to all. Once they pilot the body, they have been known to only party. For this, they are left alone, mostly because disturbing them would certainly kill the one that does so, and could spell doom for all people on Totania.
They host a Grave Rave every year, leaving fliers at the entrance to the Rave Land for people to find and be tempted to come. They then party with the Myceli, getting the hallucinations and such before dying and becoming new hosts. All led by none other than the first Myceli to roam the ground... Mecatl.