Deep within the Ixchel Wilds, a new presence is beginning to bud and bloom, and with its steady growth awakens a deeper desire than mere survival; a desire for knowledge, a desire for words. And so, the Mycolyp realized what it must do. The fungus, an intelligence more intense and curious than most if not all plants behind its growth, surged throughout the Wilds. Trees soon became covered in its mushrooms, creating a network of fungus both beneath and above the soil that connected them all. Soon, the wildlife became something more, something greater, a union between flesh and fungus: the Overgrown, creatures who owe their loyalty to and are connected to the Mycolyp yet still hold much of their will and intelligence.

The Mycolyp speak many languages, for the Overgrown retain the knowledge they held before undergoing overgrowth, including the language they spoke. The Mycolyp itself knows all that the Overgrown know, such as those very same languages. However, communication between itself is far more complex than a mere verbal exchange. The Overgrown can exchange emotions with one another, always being able to sense a vague understanding of their emotional state telepathically, and they can receive and speak back to the Mycolyp within their minds. The Mycolyp itself can only communicate through the Overgrown, who speak for it to outsiders.

The Overgrown bear a similar physique to the one they had before overgrowth, except their body is covered with all manners of foliage and fungus. Bark and leaves replace skin as, in place of hair, vines and roots may drift down atop from their heads. Those with horns keep them, the horns now resembling a tree's branches. Mushrooms sometimes litter their skin in various amounts as a marking of the Mycolyp's influence, often subtly shifting independently as the Overgrown moves.

Naturally, the Mycolyp resides in the heart of the Ixchel Wilds. The most centralized gathering of the Mycolyp is located there, an area of intense growth as dozens of small Overgrown forest creatures quickly dart to and fro among the nearly towering specimens of fungus that grow among the tall trees of the jungle, which creates a landscape almost similar to a city of plants. Spores populate the air, drifting in whatever wind may be present in an attempt to further spread the Mycolyp's influence. Some Overgrown reside there permanently, simply serving as lookouts and guards, while others simply use it as a place to gather before departure. While other 'outposts' exist within the Ixchel Wilds and a small few on the outskirts of the Spine, this hub is the largest center of activity related to the Mycolyp.

The Mycolyp is adverse to desert terrain due to the unavailability of moisture and the large amount of sunlight that is commonplace within such a biome. Similarly, places that do not have much life or are incredibly cold are not the best locations for Mycolyp fungus.

All Overgrown are created through a process called overgrowth, in which an organism is made a host for the Mycolyp. A fragment of the Mycolyp is brought into the host's consciousness as the host's body is grown over and converted to bark, leaves, and fungus, as well as other types of plantlife. The Overgrown, once they wake up, awaken to feel a newly awakened loyalty to the Mycolyp as well as a connection to it themselves, as well as to the other Overgrown, although a weaker one.
They don't lose their free will nor do they lose their original intelligence and memories, with them still being able to act independently and think. However, they will experience difficulty in trying to actively harm or disrupt the Mycolyp directly. This difficulty is less extreme when the target of the harm is another Overgrown due to the connection being weaker, and is nonexistent when directed towards an unaffiliated person.

Overgrown also all have a penchant towards manipulating plantlife, namely the Mycolyp fungus. Those who were well-practiced in magic often have a greater skill towards controlling the new power, especially those who already had magic that allowed them to do the same. Those who are more physically gifted and talented compared to magic still have the ability, although the lengths at which the power can go are limited somewhat, but compared to other magic it is an improvement.

As can be imagined, the Mycolyp and its Overgrown are weak to fire, magical in nature or ordinary, sustaining more damage than from other sources.

The Mycolyp, as of this time, is steadily expanding its sphere of influence. For now, it has largely remained within the borders of the Ixchel Wilds, with a large number of small Overgrown present and a minor amount of humanoids beneath its banner, gained from its very first insurgence within a small town on the outskirts of the Spine. Very few sightings have occurred as of yet, with overgrown creatures such as birds or squirrels serving as scouts.

From Caelia's Journal,
I went gathering today. The harvest wasn't as good this year, so the town's wanting me to go out to find some herbs and food. I didn't find much in the way of food, although I did manage to find some herbs to treat any that might fall ill over the winter, which I hope wouldn't be many. I did find a few flowers to add to my collection, as well as a rather beautiful mushroom I saw growing underneath a tree. I would draw them if I could, but Solas is asking for me to go out in the morning for more. The town was slow, a lot of people were staying indoors to keep away from the snow. A lot of the plants were buried underneath it, and the cobblestone was nigh impossible to see.

I had a strange dream in the night, of me in the forest. In front of me was this old, withered tree, and it's shadow was crossing the ground around it. I was kneeling in front of it, and as I looked to the shadow of the tree I saw swaths of fungus growing within it. As the shadow crossed over me, I felt... Peaceful, happier than I ever felt before. When it passed me, the feeling immediately left me. I looked at my hands, and for a moment, I saw my hands covered in bark and mushroom. A moment later, it was gone. A voice was whispering to me. Then, I woke up, just like that. That day, I kept a look out for that tree, but I couldn't find any that looked like it or had magical shadows.

'Another night, another dream.' I think that's what Momma used to say, anyway. This dream was me in the middle of the town, and I heard that voice again, speaking in a calm yet ridged manner. As I looked upon the town, I noticed it was much the same as in reality. The voice was still speaking, wordless nothings in my mind's ear, like when Momma used to cradle me as a baby or when Pops would teach me about plants. Slowly, I was lulled to sleep, and I woke up. When I woke up, I felt more awake than I had ever felt in my life. I felt alive again, the bark on my skin becoming a warm comfort to me as I looked over the town. The town was as quick and alive as ever, towers made of fungus standing tall upon the snow as the other villagers waved their arms of roots at me. Regardless, I still need to go gathering.

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