Astral Pod

The Astral Pod is the only remaining piece of the Astral Bloom after its destruction, and is the core piece and control center of the astral infection. So long as the pod exists, the astral infection will continue to spread, and remain a threat.

Surviving contact: When a creature makes physical contact with the Astral Pod, that creature must make a DC18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature instantly progresses to the critical stage of astral infection. On a success, they are able to safely touch the pod, and therefore attune to it.

Attuning to the Astral Pod: When a creature has survived contact with the Astral Pod, they are asked telepathically if they wish to become one with the pod. If the creature answers no, nothing happens. If the creature answers yes, the attuning process begins. Over the course of a minute, the pod will extend its roots to the creature's chest, violently ripping open the creature's chest, before tearing out and replacing the creature's heart with itself, as the creature drops to 1 hit points and falls unconscious for 1d4 hours. During this time, the wound is closed with Astral Roots. Once this process is complete, attunement is finished.

Difficulty Challenge, Spellcasting & Weapon Attacks: While attuned to the Astral Pod, you are able to affect creatures in various ways with both attacks and spells. When performing a weapon attack from the Astral Pod, your attack bonus is your proficiency bonus+your Constitution modifier. Additionally, while attuned to the Astral Pod, if you are a spell caster, it becomes your spellcasting focus, your Spellcasting ability becomes Constitution, and your base spell DC becomes 10 (instead of 8, so 10+proficiency bonus+CON Modifier). When using features from this magic item that require a saving throw, use your spell save DC.

Manipulating the Infection: While attuned to the Astral Pod, you gain near unlimited control over the astral infection, able to manipulate the roots in various ways:

• You have complete control over your own infection stages and mutations, and do not suffer the negative consequences of having Astral Infection. As an action, you can change the stage of your body's astral infection or choose to don or doff a mutation. 
• You have the partial control over other creatures' astral infection. As an action, you can attempt to dominate the infection inside a creature. That creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw. A creature can choose to fail this saving throw. On a failure, you are able to control their infection for 1 hour in a manner identical to controlling your own (they will still be affected by the negative consequences of infection stages).
• You can cast the spell Dominate Monster as an action, without spell components, if the target has astral infection. On a success, the duration is set to 24 hours without needing to concentrate. Once used, this feature cannot be used again until the next dawn.

Root Attacks: You gain the ability to project roots from yourself in various attacks to spread the infection:

• Projection: Melee Weapon Attack: _ to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: (3d12) piercing damage and (2d8) fire damage. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or contract Astral Infection.
• Entangle: You target one creature with a flurry of roots and attempt to constrict them with astral roots. That creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take (5d12) fire damage and become grappled and restrained. 
• Siphon: You target a creature within 5ft. of you that is grappled, and constrict them with life-draining roots. That creature must make a Constitution saving throw, taking (10d12) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save. The target's maximum hit points are reduced by the damage taken, and you regain hit points equal to the damage dealt. If this damage brings the creature to 0 hit points, they instantly die as they are overtaken by roots. Once used, this attack cannot be used again until the next dawn.

Controlling the Roots: You have the ability to grow astral roots at will in the environment, and use them to your advantage in traversal, protection, and more. For example, you could make an improvised staircase or ladder, create a usable wall for cover against attacks, and more. Communicate with your DM when you want to perform unique actions with astral roots. Get creative, but accept that some things may not be possible.

Manipulating the infection (detailed): When it comes to manipulating the infection stages inside of a creature, you may have more capabilities than what is listed on the Astral Infection page in a way that is not directly harmful. For example, you could manipulate the infection inside a creature to cover their mouth, eyes, or other various means. This is especially the case for non-humanoid creatures. Communicate with your DM when you want to perform unique actions with the infection, and accept that some things may not be possible or comfortable for other players or the DM.

Curse & Removal: Once every 7 days after attuning to the Astral Pod, it will attempt to blossom inside of you. You take 16d12 necrotic damage as it siphons your life force away, and you must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, your maximum hit points are permanently reduced by the damage taken. This can only be undone by hit points gained from the Siphon attack, where you will gain maximum hit points equal to half the damage dealt only if you are at full hit points. If this effect reduces your maximum hit points to 0, you die as a small astral sprout grows out of your chest, and starts the new life cycle of an Astral Bloom.
To un-attune from the Astral Pod, it must be removed from the body, whether surgically or via a more brutal method. However, once the Astral Pod is removed from your body, you die. 

Destroying the Astral Pod: While the Astral Pod is not actively attuned to a creature, it is vulnerable to being destroyed. It is immune to all damage except dragonfire. If it comes into contact with or takes any damage from dragonfire, it instantly bursts into flames and burns away to ash, permanently being destroyed. Once destroyed, all forms of Astral Infection crumble away to dust.

Notes: creature who has survived contact with the Astral Pod