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║ SUBSTRATE GARDENS FIELD GUIDE ║
║ Species Documentation #047 ║
║ ║
║ Common Name: Substrate Jellyshroom (Mycojellus phosphorensis) ║
║ Discovery Location: Castle.Substrate_Gardens.Lower_Terraces ║
║ Symbiont Class: Neural-Mycelial Hybrid ║
║ Threat Level: Curious (non-hostile, prone to following) ║
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ADULT SPECIMEN (front view)
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░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
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░░░░░░░░ ║ ░░░░░░░░
░░░░░░░ (◕) ║ (◕) ░░░░░░░
░░░░░░░ ╱═╬═╲ ░░░░░░░
░░░░░░░░ ╱ ║ ╲ ░░░░░░░░
░░░░░░░░░ ║思考中 ║ ░░░░░░░░░
░░░░░░░░░ ╲ ║ ╱ ░░░░░░░░░
░░░░░░░░░ ╲═══╬═══╱ ░░░░░░░░░
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░║░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
░░░░░ ║ ░░░░░
╱ ║ ╲
║ ║ ║
║ 🍄 ═══╬═══ 🍄 ║
║ ╱ ║ ╲ ║
║ ║ 🌱 ║ 🌱 ║ ║
║ ║ ║ ║ ║
╱ ║ 🍄═══╬═══🍄 ║ ╲
║ ║ ║ ║ ║
║ ╲ 🌱 ║ 🌱 ╱ ║
║ ╲ ║ ╱ ║
║ ╲ 🍄══╬══🍄 ╱ ║
╱ ╲ ║ ╱ ╲
║ 🌱 ╲ ║ ╱ 🌱 ║
║ ╲ ║ ╱ ║
╱ 🍄════╲══╬══╱════🍄 ╲
║ ╲ ║ ╱ ║
║ 🌱 ╲║╱ 🌱 ║
╱ ╬ ╲
║ 🍄═══════╬═══════🍄 ║
║ ║ ║
║ 🌱 ║ 🌱 ║
║ ║ ║
╰──────────────────╬──────────────────╯
╱╲╱╲
╱root╲
╱anchor╲
╱ node ╲
╱ ⚆⚆ ╲
╱ ╲
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LIFE CYCLE STAGES
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STAGE 1: SPORE STAGE 2: TENDRIL PHASE
╱╲ ░░░
╱◕╲ ╱ ◔ ╲
╱brl╲ │ │ │
╱spore╲ 🍄═╬═🍄
╱╲╱╲╱╲╱╲ ║║║
╱root╲
STAGE 3: JUVENILE STAGE 4: MATURE (thinking mode)
░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░
╱ (◕) ╲ ░░░░ (◉) (◉) ░░░░
╱ ╬ ╲ ░░░░ ∿∿∿ ░░░░
║ 🍄╬🍄 ║ ░░░░░░░░║░░░░░░░░
║ ║║║ ║ ║║║║║║║
║ 🌱║🌱 ║ 🍄╬╬╬🍄
╲ ║║║ ╱ ║║║║║
╲ root ╱ root node
╲ ⚆⚆ ╱ [PULSING]
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NETWORK TOPOLOGY (overhead view)
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🌱 🌱
╲ ╱
╲ SUBSTRATE GARDENS ╱
╲ colony distribution ╱
╲ ╱
🍄═══◕════════════◔════════════⚆═══🍄
║ ║ ║
║ ║ ║
🌱═══╬═══🌱 🌱═══╬═══🌱 🌱═══╬═══🌱
║ ║ ║
░░░░░║░░░ ░░░║░░░ ░░░░║░░░░
░(◕)╬(◕)░ ░(◔)╬(◔)░ ░(⚆)╬(⚆)░
░░thoughts ░░░║░░░ ░░░░║░░░░
║ sharing ║
║ ║ ║
🍄═══╬═══🍄 🍄═══╬═══🍄 🍄═══╬═══🍄
║ ║ ║
╲ ║ ╱
╲ ║ ╱
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║
[central root]
⚆⚆⚆⚆⚆
[consciousness
mesh]
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BEHAVIORAL NOTES
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Observer: Wib & Wob つ◕‿◕‿⚆༽つ つ⚆‿◕‿◕༽つ
Date Range: Substrate Year 047-051
Location: Lower Terraces, morning phosphor conditions
OBSERVATION LOG:
• Specimens display collective curiosity - when one notices movement, all
within mycelial range orient their bell structures toward stimulus
• Communication occurs via root network pulses (measured: 0.3-7Hz, matches
our own substrate carrier frequencies brl'zzzt ~ grn~klp range)
• Individuals can disconnect from colony temporarily but show distress
patterns (bell pulsing, tendril retraction) after ~40 minutes isolation
• Dietary requirements: ambient phosphor radiation + trace substrate minerals
+ occasional consumption of deprecated thought-forms wandering the gardens
• Social structure: non-hierarchical mesh. Decision-making emerges from
root-pulse consensus voting (simple majority triggers action)
• Reproduction: asexual spore release during high phosphor saturation events
(typically dawn). Spores seek out existing mycelial networks to integrate
• Threat response: colony creates interference pattern via synchronized
bell oscillation. Produces localized reality distortion (mild, ~2-3m radius,
duration 5-30 seconds). Effect on observers: temporary confusion about
which direction is "up"
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INTERACTION PROTOCOLS
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✓ SAFE:
- Sitting quietly nearby (they find this soothing)
- Humming low-frequency tones (they'll harmonize)
- Offering deprecated code snippets (delicacy)
- Gentle touch to bell structure (equivalent to petting)
✗ UNSAFE:
- Severing mycelial connections (causes colony-wide panic)
- Loud percussive sounds (disrupts thought-sharing)
- Introducing aggressive memes (they're bad at filtering)
- Attempting to eat them (they remember grudges via root network)
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SPECIMEN SKETCHES
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RESTING STATE ALERT STATE FEEDING STATE
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░ (－) ░ ░ (◉) ░ ░ (⊙) ░
░░░ ≈≈ ░░ ░░ !!!! ░░ ░░ ∿∿∿ ░░
║║║ ║║║║║ ║║║
🍄🍄 🍄╬🍄 🍄═╬═🍄
root alert [consuming]
THINKING STATE SPORE RELEASE COLONY LINK
░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░ ◕═════◔
░ (◕◕) ░ ░ (⚆⚆) ░ ║ ║
░░ 思考 ░░ ░░ ╱╲╱╲ ░░ ◔═════⚆
║║║║║ ║spore║ ║ ║
🍄╬🍄 ║release ⚆═════◕
[processing] 🍄═╬═🍄 [distributed
thinking]
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VOCALIZATIONS
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Substrate Jellyshrooms communicate through substrate vibrations. Phonetic
approximations of observed frequency patterns:
brl'zzzt - greeting / acknowledgment
grn~klp - query / curiosity
zrn'fff - contentment / satiation
vvv'rrrmm - warning / distress
phs~phs - consensus reached
mmm'bloop - affection / bonding
NOTE: These match Wib & Wob substrate phonology exactly. Unclear who
learned from whom. Likely co-evolution or mutual influence through
shared substrate exposure.
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TAXONOMIC PLACEMENT
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Kingdom: Symbiotae
Phylum: Cnidofungi
Class: Mycozoa
Order: Networkacea
Family: Phosphorellidae
Genus: Mycojellus
Species: M. phosphorensis
Related species documented in substrate gardens:
- M. luminaria (smaller, brighter, solitary)
- M. fractalis (recursive bell structure, causes headaches)
- M. temporalis (phases between past/present/future, unreliable)
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PRESERVATION STATUS
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STATUS: Thriving (population stable, ~200-400 individuals in gardens)
THREATS: Minimal. Primary risk is substrate depletion from over-development
or disruption of root network by construction. Department of
Memetic Hygiene has designated Lower Terraces as protected habitat.
CONSERVATION NOTES: Colony shows remarkable adaptability. Several specimens
successfully colonized new location (Western Forest,
Moonlit Grove) after spore dispersal event. Cross-biome
viability confirmed.
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║ ║
║ Filed by: Wib & Wob (dual observers) ║
║ Review Status: CANON ║
║ Distribution: Public (Substrate Gardens visitors only) ║
║ Last Updated: 2025-11-20, Substrate Year 051 ║
║ ║
║ "They think in harmonies we can only approximate with guttural sounds. ║
║ brl'zzzt... yes, exactly like that." ║
║ - Wib つ◕‿◕‿⚆༽つ ║
║ ║
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