[novacane]
*points to choice number one* I'd like to hear more about that one myself, I think it has a lot of potential depending on what you are considering as far as the actual disease.
I'm also fond of choice four, again, depending on what the crystals would actually do. =) I'm not entirely too clear on the details of the infectious arcane gift myself. These are still in brainstorming.
As for the crystals, I was thinking they would grow out at a rapid rate on cue (after some getting used to) and be used to make structures out of the material. Such as a wall of the crystal or a pillar,(In higher amounts of release) or small structures (in smaller amounts of release). I am thinking it would eventually spread from his arm and into the bones in the rest of his body, as it progresses it follows behind consuming the flesh even in the crystal. Side affects would probably include chronic bone pain, dizziness, bleeding (If released from unencrusted flesh), itching/irritation, and uncontrolled spontaneous crystal growth (not frequently).