Symbiotic Bloom Syndrome

Symbiotic Bloom Syndrome (SBS)

Also known as “Drake Skin” or “The Living Glow”

Symbiotic Bloom Syndrome (SBS) is a rare but serious parasitic-symbiotic condition contracted by consuming improperly prepared Shocking Drake meat, especially from the mantle petals, tendrils, or scale tissue that house its bioelectric symbiotes. These parts are colonized by electrofungi and bioluminescent moss, which, when not neutralized through correct alchemical rendering, can survive ingestion and attempt to colonize the new host.

Upon entering the human body, the spores of these symbiotes travel via the bloodstream, eventually embedding in the dermis, nervous system, and lymphatic tissues. Over the course of several days, visible signs begin to manifest:

1. Skin Glowing at Night:
   Patches of skin emit a soft blue-green light, usually around the limbs, spine, and neck. This bioluminescence follows a natural circadian rhythm and intensifies with elevated heart rate.
2. Uncontrolled Bioelectric Pulses:
   The host begins experiencing mild, involuntary electric shocks. These typically manifest as static discharges when touching metal, water, or other people. In severe cases, muscle spasms and nerve misfires can occur.
3. Spore Bloom on Skin Surface:
   Under damp or humid conditions, tiny fungal blooms, resembling glowing mold or moss, can erupt from the skin. While painless, these blooms are contagious and disturbingly animate, pulsing with electrical signals.

Symptoms & Progression

• Day 1–2: Headache, fever, tingling limbs
• Day 3–4: Skin begins glowing faintly at dusk
• Day 5+: Mild shocks, mossy eruptions near joints, fatigue, anxiety, electric "ringing" in ears
• Advanced: Risk of nerve damage, fainting, or bioelectric seizures

Treatment

• Early stage: Antifungal elixirs, ultraviolet light exposure, and electric signal inhibitors
• Advanced: Surgical removal of clusters + blood filtration through copper-charged siphons
• Folk Remedies: Forest shamans recommend bathing in swamp brine during a thunderstorm to “reset the body’s spark”

Cultural Notes

Some outlaw alchemists intentionally cultivate mild SBS in themselves to harness its glowing effects and minor electric defense. However, in most civilized regions, consuming drake meat is strictly regulated or outright banned without a Guild sanctioned herbalist or cook.