[!]
A three paged report is pinned by the corner to the town noticeboard, in such a way someone could flip between the pages easily. The Council, Militia, and the Hermetic Assembly are all given several copies of the three paged reports for their record-keeping and to share amongst their members. Several copies are also made available for distribution to regular townsfolk at the Empty Cask.

A Preliminary Report on the Fungal Disease at Albern's

Background
On 22/13/1641, several of the townsfolk gathered to investigate the matter of a missing cow at Albern's Crossing. In the party were the following:

• Dr. Konrad Radziwill, of the Reach Hospital
• Isabis Kelgrae
• Daniel Vayr, of Albern's Clinic
• Icarus Lyall
• Khari
• Sgt. Eivor, of the Spire Militia

According to the farmer that had referred to the matter of the missing cow, another group of townsfolk that consisted of two mages and one doctor had come to treat several ill cattle several days earlier. The Farmer claims this earlier party managed to save the cows, but now one of the treated cattle was missing. For further details about the exploits of the prior party, the notices on the Community Noticeboard by Kaho Shizakawa and Az'tur should be referenced.

The missing cow was discovered down the hill from the usual roaming pastures of the cattle. It was discovered lying on its side, determined to be dead. Masks were worn by all except Icarus Lyall.

Initial Examination of the Deceased Cow
The missing cow showed all signs that it was most certainly deceased, including the lack of a pulse. However several unusual things were noted:

• Though dead, the corpse appeared to make breathing or breathing-like motions
• Other parts of the deceased cow made minor writhing motions, though life-like it is simultaneously unlike how a cow might move
• The corpse appeared bloated, though it should be noted it is common for rotting corpses to accumulate gas within the body resulting in a bloated appearance
• Some manner of black ooze leaked from the orifices
• Roots of an inexact nature could be seen growing underneath the body
• Isabis noted that power and unstable ether magic could be detected from the corpse

To further inspect the odd roots growing underneath the cow, an attempt was made to roll the body over, against the protest of Sgt. Eivor and Icarus Lyall. Upon lifting the cow, the roots were found originating from the cow's trunk, sprouting out from its side and into the ground below.

Upon closer inspection, the roots were not typical of tree roots or the roots of a flowering plant, but much closer to the root-like structure of fungi/mushrooms called mycelium. Notably the mycelium growing from the side of the deceased cow was reddish black in colouration.

When the cow's corpse was lifted, the writhing motion from the body suddenly ceased and briefly the corpse glowed a purplish-blue colour before exploding.

Post-Death Examination of the Deceased Cow
The creature that had erupted from the deceased cow was clearly fungal in nature and appearance. Within the remains of the creature was what could be described as a mycelial gestation pod. Said gestation pod was found in the center-mass of the remains of the deceased cow. Near immediately upon elimination of the creature, the gestation pod spit out a Muisi resembling a stinkhorn variety of mushroom. This Muisi that was born from the creature's gestation pod had several odd characteristics:

• Unlike most Muisi that let off spores, this lacked such
• Muisi resembling stinkhorn mushrooms of any variety are rare, or nearly unheard of
• The similar black ooze seen leaking from the deceased cow's orifices was leaking from the body of the Muisi
• Ether magic could be detected coming from the Muisi

To prevent further rogue Muisi from potentially spawning, the gestation pod was severed and disposed of. The Muisi born from said gestation pod is currently frozen and plans to safely dispose of it is being carried out.

The Disease and the Mycelium
During the course of fighting the creature in the deceased cow, Icarus Lyall was forced to approach the creature without proper protection, thus was infected by the disease it carried. Due to the fact Icarus was the only person infected amongst the party and because Icarus lacked an adequate mask, it is theorised this disease has the capacity to be airborne. This does not exclude other possible means of infection, however airborne would be by far the easiest way in which infection occurs. Patient Icarus showed the following symptoms shortly after infection:

• Plenty of coughing, occasionally coughing up blood
• Itchy throat
• Shortness of breath

Isabis cast several spells upon patient Icarus to no effect. However Daniel could hear ineffective breathing taking place in the patient's chest, attributable to a mechanical constriction of the lungs. With the permission of the patient, Daniel performed surgery upon the patient at Albern's Clinic to determine the source of the obstruction and extract it if possible. Such was successfully managed, resulting in the extraction of a small clump of reddish-black mycelium from the wall of the patient's lungs. The removal of the constricting mycelium from the patient's lung was relatively easy, despite the branching nature of mycelia.

Several observations could be made regarding the mycelium extracted from Patient Icarus:

• The mycelium appeared to actively writhe and pulse, doing so most actively when exposed to light
• The mycelium is capable of some movement, thrashing around within the glass jar it was sequestered in
• Shaking the jar the mycelium was contained it appeared to make it inert and begin to wither

Alcohol was introduced to the jar in an effort to preserve the mycelium in its original state, however it instead dissolved into what could best be described as "sparkles" contrary to the desired effect of preservation. Interestingly, this resulted in another set of findings most intruging:

• The alcohol dissolved mycelium had a palpable heartbeat, as if still alive
• Isabis could detect Ether magic still coming off from the dissolved mycelium

As of the time of penning this report, this jar of dissolved mycelium is being kept in a secure location, to be used for future experiments.

A Theory
Based on all the above findings, an image of how the unnamed disease spreads and its lifecycle could be theorised:

• The disease is magical in origin, specifically ether magic
• By way of breathing in the disease's miasma, one can become infected with the disease
• Once infected, the infected being becomes a host for the disease, resulting in mycelium growing on the wall of the host's lungs
• The lungs are targeted to constrict the breathing of the host, and it is very likely that several compounding health issues arise as the mycelium spreads
• The host is eventually killed by the spread of the mycelium, at which point the corpse most likely becomes both a barrier and source of nutrient for Muisi to gestate in a mycelial gestation pod formed within the deceased host
  • If the deceased host is disturbed in any way, the mycelial form reveals itself and attempts to protect the gestation pod within
• At some point, the mycelium roots into the ground, burrowing past the deceased host
• When the Muisi from the gestation pod is fully matured, it is released from the host's body
• The Muisi in some way or form then becomes a vector for this disease for the cycle to start anew
  • How exactly it acts as a vector is unknown

As of the time of writing, this is only a working theory, with the facts subject to change and more information yet to be researched. However this theory should act as a solid foundation, and a summary of all the information thus collected in this report.

A Name
Although our understanding of this unnamed disease is minimal, a name should be give so that in future reports and correspondence, one can easily refer to this disease without confusion. Due to the fungal nature of the physical manifestations of this disease, the formation and growth of mycelium that has apparent parasitic interactions with the host, I propose that this disease be named Parasitic Mycelioma.

Signed,
Dr. K. Radziwill