Mold Medicines

Utility

A large class of mold, fungi and parasites thrive in the grooves in and under the caverns that provide medicinal value in treating diseases, birth control, bodily enhancements, ailments and in fashioning special casts for physical injury.

Manufacturing

Tenders, harvesters and fermentors are trained and employed by the 'Mothers' and 'Fathers' on the Step. Not all the fungi found in the Blood grow wild. Great care is taken to accommodate the needs of different species while minimizing cross contamination.

Growing on Logs

1. Tree logs of high density, cut before the bud-break, are arrayed onto the blood floor as a rest-bed and source of nutrients.
   • It is also noted that the properties of trees species can make their way into the fungi growing on them. For example, fruit woods infuse fruity tastes and smell; spp logs imbue syrupy textures and manchineel trees poison whatever can grow on it.
2. Lay patches of the desired fungi evenly across the platform surface.

Bark is particularly important for growing molds because they control moisture loss from the log and latent tree sap. Logs with thicker bark dry out more slowly. Logs cut late in the rainy season when the sapwood is expanding have loose/softer bark which can dry out, crack and fall off the log and cause the log to dry out. The same log cut earlier is less likely to have the bark problems.

Growing on Grains

1. A cheap growing material cleaned in boiling water, cooled and stored dry.
2. Chop into short straw and pack into the tall bags.
3. Drain, break up grain spawn and sprinkle through out the straw.
4. Loosely cover or tie the bag necks.
5. Store at room temperature for 50 days.
6. Monitor the early growth stages.
7. Move to a cooler area, and cut slits in the bags in high humidity.

Growing on Nuts

Collect fresh grounded nuts or if collecting over a number of days store in the coolest parts to freeze. You do not want blue / green molds growing on the grounds.

Mix and Heat

1. When you have collected enough mix in low amounts with chopped straw or paper.
   • This will help soak up excess liquid and allow better aeration.
   • Avoid water drops appearing if you squeeze the mixture in your hands or from water settling in the bottom of the bag.
2. Place the mixture in growing bags or a growing container.
3. Heat to steam to pasteurize to reduce the numbers of wild fungi and spores in the mixture.

Cool and add spawn

1. Cool to room temperature before adding shroom spawn throughout the mixture in low proportions.
2. Mix well and loosely tie the neck of the bag to allow a little air exchange.

Place in a warm area

1. Deep in the caves is best for a quick colonization.
2. Over 45 days the mixture will turn white all over spawns.

Shock to produce fruiting bodies

1. Dropping the temperature and increasing air exchange, by moving it closer to the Blood Opening, will stimulate growth.
2. Either cut slits in the bag or open the top, then place in the coldest place for 2 days.
3. Allow the gases to escape around the spores which stimulates fruiting body growth.
4. Keep warm while misting with clean water several times a day to keep the humidity high
5. Lightly cover with a fleece or to maintain the humidity.
6. Light is needed at this stage or the molds will not develop properly.
7. In about seven days little clusters of dark pin-heads start to appear, keep lit.
8. Keep misting as they will die back in dry air.
9. After another seven days they are ready to harvest when they unroll and the gills are exposed.
10. Pick before spores are released.
11. Store in the cold for up to 14 days before using.

Growing on Compost

1. Rotting or well rotted organic materials laid over straw bedding which can include animal manure, chopped human bodies and leftover foods.
2. These beds are kept mostly wet to encourage decomposition in heaps packed firmly down. The rising gases make it too hot to touch.
3. Handlers turn the heap every 2 days for 2 to 3 weeks by forking the outside cooler manure into the middle, wetting any dry bits as they go along and is ready to be taken when it is brown and sweet smelling.
4. It should be just moist enough to be able to squeeze out a few drops of water.
5. Compost from old heaps cannot be reused due to the wild fungi, worms and other invertebrates which will compete with the mushrooms and mold to be grown in the future.

Children Technologies

• Plant Binding

Access & Availability

Most molds suitable for medicine grow only in the Mountain's Blood. But there are exceptions.

Discovery

Tuskin giants produced casks of substances to aid in treating their ailments, the knowledge of which crossed over to their human servants.

Choices

Supplements

• Hot Toad
• Gut Guard
• Turkey Tail
• Chicken of the Woods

Steroids

• White Lung
• Ice Star
• Hulks
• Smash
• Deer Spores
• Cuckoo Fungus
• Morphing Stink

Fabrics

• Caterpillar Foam
• Cotton Mane
• Gripper Moss
• Coral Fungi

Delicacies

• Egg Balls
• Black Yeast
• Maitake
• Wood Ears
• Shiitake
• Pearl Oyster

Industrial Uses

• Mad Fly
• White Incisor
• Bleeding Tooth