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Holly Akifal Microbe

You want to know my secret in keeping my coat so shiny and smooth?

I feed my house slime Holly Akifal every night.

Grandma Khandea
What is Holly Akifal?

Holly Akifal is a class of microbe that symbiotically lives on healthy subsurface corralum. The bacterium digests other microbes and detritus, and excretes a moisturizing film with a low pH level that helps protect fur.

Most Sazashi homes have at least one product containing Holly Akifal for their fur. Holly Akifal can also be cultivated and grown in the home in slimes.

Type
Biomaterial
Microbe Source

Natural, Cultivated

Uses
Hygienic, Medicinal, Ritualistic

It's the Smell!

Holly Akifal is a staple commodity because of its ease to cultivate and it's beneficial properties, but primarily it is popular because of it's pleasant aroma. This aroma is part of the bacterium's secretions released in the process of digestion.

The aroma can be fine-tuned and adjusted based on what is fed to them while being grown. Industries will tout their perfected recipes and library of cultivated scents, while individuals will grow their own with a scent that best represents them.


We wouldn't use it on our fur if it smelled like sewage, that is for certain.

— Sazashi Cosmetologist Historian Gransur Tor Molac
Journal Excerpt of Adventine Norse Anbride

Staying with our Khirmagne hosts gave us a definitive answer as to what sort of conditioner a Sazashi uses.


Most surprisingly, it came in the form of an amoebic slime that they treated almost like a pet. Both of us noted on how pleasant it smelled, as if mint and lavender had been ground up with just a bit of spicy rosemary.

"We call this one Hor'rus. They clean up round the house, get any crawlies that get in." Our gruff-voiced host noticed our interest, and walked over, patting the slime like one would pat a furless cat. "Ever get cut up or burnt? Just dab a hand on Hor'rus and rub it on the wound."

He showed his hand, now coated with a clear slime which he rubbed into the coarse auburn fur of his forearms.

"Great for the fur too." He gestured for me to feel by holding out his arm. I hesitated, since he was stood two heads above me. I relented to avoid feeling rude. Touching his fur wasn't an unpleasant experience, especially where he lathered in the oil. The stiff fur flowed softly through my fingers, already freshly moisturized.

"It smells so good too, it reminds me of flowers and herbs from my home." I complimented, relenting my hand from our hosts arms.

"It's Holly Akifal, but when we grow it on our house slime it means we always smell like home!"

You know when the Verin gave us fur, they did not consider our personal hygiene.

We had to find our own solutions to our forever coat.

— Sazashi Cosmetologist Historian Gransur Tor Molac

A Solution as Hardy as the Sazashi

Holly Akifal was first discovered in the Crescendo Era. The slimy substance was first documented by the Shejlt-Rajh who explored the understory of the Valuser'rh Region Corralum. After discovering it's beneficial properties, it spread throughout the mainland. Having an easy-to-grow pleasant fur conditioner to neutralize the high alkaline nature of Slog boosted the quality of life for all Sazashi.

As the Sazashi gained their independence, Holly Akifal became a household staple. Most Holly Akifal is sold by the bottle, where it stays shelf-stable for several months. Holly Akifal can also be grown at home on corralum microbiome kits and more traditionally the surface of a house slime.

Use in Home Care

Holly Akifal can be grown on Slimes, allowing the cultivation of lather at home. Once added to a slime, the Holly Akifal forms a symbiotic relationship, digesting what the slime ingests from its trips around the home.

Caring for Holly Akifal on a slime at home requires sanitizing the slime once a week, lest the microbome is compromised by other bacterium or dust.

Medicinal Use

The enzymes of the slime also help protect and disinfect. Applying Holly Akifal is a common remedy for burns, lacerations, and to protect skin that has been exposed due to a loss of fur.

Holly Akifal is also used as an application base, where it is combined with other medicial mixtures

Holly Akifal is perfect on a slime, this traditional combination cleans the house and it cleans the fur!



Cover image: ValuSelu Pact Default Cover by Ademal

Comments

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Jun 29, 2025 04:33

This is actually pretty cool. The idea of using a microbe as a material is both creative and a little unsettling. It feels like something that would have all sorts of uses, both helpful and probably a little dangerous if someone gets too ambitious. Makes me want to know what could go wrong with it. Nice work.

Jun 29, 2025 05:09 by Barron

Hmmm, I'll have to add a section of what happens if you don't care for your slimes microbiome hah!

Jun 29, 2025 13:14 by Keon Croucher

This is a really interesting concept. The relationship dynamics, the almost multiple layers to it (the slime, the Sazashi and the Holly Akifal) its like it has tiers or a cycle. I enjoy that its a more complex situation than just two species, there is that added third dynamic that can be applied. Add to that the fact that in the quote they name it, I do wonder how aware the slimes, especially those with the Holly hitching a ride, are? Like can they respond to affection in any way, recognize their name if your household gave it one? That's a unique little touch of narration that raises a lot of interesting questions about the depth of the dynamics at play here which I enjoyed a lot.

Keon Croucher, Chronicler of the Age of Revitalization
Jun 29, 2025 16:30 by Barron

I know Ademal and I will be exploring these as part of the symbiotic prompts we have this year! So I'm glad you picked them up!

Jun 30, 2025 00:06 by Chris L

This is already a great article. It'll be nice to revisit when I'm judging!

Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak.

Jun 30, 2025 21:37 by Barron

If you have anything you are specifically curious about or would love to read about in this article! I'd love to hear!   Thanks for reading!

Jun 30, 2025 13:25 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

I love this. I can just imagine the nice pleasant scent. Really unique take on a material, and I'm glad the sazashi have a way to keep nice and clean and conditioned!

Emy x
Explore Etrea | Summer Camp 2025
Jun 30, 2025 21:37 by Barron

Slimy yet Satisfying!   I'm glad you liked it, these slimes are gonna be a big part of our Summercamp seems like!