The use of various substances in
Mizra'aki is widespread, but not an overwhelming problem overall. Certainly, different urban locations have drug-fueled slums, and individual abuse is not uncommon, but as a whole there are social pressures to limit excess, ranging from the simple challenge of just existing (after a hard day of farming, it's hard to get the energy to head out for a rave) to the severe penalties that can come from throwing up on the wrong person's cloak.
This list is not exhaustive, but it should add some flavor. Over time, more of the substances may receive a full treatment on their own page: the goal here is to list them, and help set some of the economy around them.
I know the categories are wildly inaccurate for our world. But remember, there are lots of different physiognomies
in Alemi, as well as magical effects. I've tried to list things where they
make sense over where they fit, medically.
Here are ten things to watch out for in
Alemi, plus some more info on alcohol ...
Alcohol
Predictably, alcohol is the most common drug in Alemi, with all varieties well represented, from distilled spirits to wine to beers and ales of staggering diversity. For additional details see
Vineyards & Winemaking in Mizra'aki
Fuisce & Lesser Spirits
Pulling Mugs: Ales, Beers, Lagers, Stouts, and Pilsners.
Cost of Alcohol
Cheap ale costs 1 - 3 cp; the best microbrews will push between 1 and 2 sp.
Wine, of course, varies more dramatically. At the low end, a mug of wine will run a handful of copper, but it can easily be several silver for a good wine, and several gold for a glass of truly exceptional vintage. Bottles tend to cost about 5x the cost of a glass, so roughly 1 sp for a bottle of cheap wine and maybe a dozen gp for the high end stuff. See
Vineyards & Winemaking in Mizra'aki for more detail.
Spirits are comparable with wine: the local rotgut is a few coppers at most, a refined glass of whiskey may run you a handful of silver, and the 38 year old specially aged rum several gold.
Depressants
Druid Dreams
Legend says these originated as a closely guarded secret of the
Druids, which may be true. Now, however, they are a fairly commonly available sedative available in pill form, usually "over the counter," although their sale is more rare in
Slovan countries.
In general, they cause a few hours of "happy drunk," with the user becoming increasingly comatose, until they fall into a few hours of deep sleep filled with highly idyllic dreams.
They are not physically addictive, although they are a real danger for the easily bored.
Druid Dreams are relatively cheap, usually costing 2sp per pill.
Hallucinogens
Beholder's Tears
Look, you don't want to mess with Beholders. Not even their tears. But if you do ...
Using a pipette to apply a drop of
Beholder's Tears to each eye will trigger both intense hallucinations and
truesight for a few hours. However, there is also a very significant chance at long-term madness and paranoia with every dose.
A small vial with 20 doses wil cost 2,500 gp.
Ember Berries
These dark berries are very rare. They glow faintly silver when
Phobas is waxing and, if harvested when glowing, can be dried and brewed in a tea. When drank, after a few minutes, they generate a visible flame around the body. If you stay calm and focused throughout, they do no harm and, in some cases, are rumored to allow some small flame-related magic for a few days.
They are used, in weaker distillations, as dares among the leisured class; in stronger doses, some
Druid Circles and
Monastic organizations (and others groups) use them as part of initiation tests.
Due to the labor involved,
Ember Berries are relatively expensive, costing several gold for a light dose. The market is flooded with cheap imitations, most of which either do nothing or cause very intense GI distress.
Forget Me Nots
A wildflower with an intense, almost pulsing, yellow flower,
forget me nots bloom in a wide area from
Yalihon through the northern half of
The Lōka Matribuni and into
The Aven Caliphate.
They can be dried and used as an ingredient in baking, or steeped as a tea. When consumed, the user suffers a profound hallucination of having a totally different life, with little if anything in common with their actual reality.
The effect is relatively short-lived, although it can be quite psychically and/or emotionally disturbing, and can have other implications, depending on the user's actions while under its effects. Indeed, most legal systems in the northern half of
Alemi have special statutes covering crimes committed while under the influence of
forget me nots (in
The Aven Caliphate, the punishments are harsher; in
Yalihon, more lenient).
Khrat
Khrat is the most common drug in
Mizra'aki.
It is legal in some places (
The Lōka Matribuni, many of the
Myr states) and banned with severe penalties for its possession or use in others (throughout most of the
Avenian countries, although its use is more tolerated in
Kurch).
Where tolerated, it can be quite cheap, with a cigarette costing only a few sp. That would mean an oz could go for 25 - 50 gp, depending on market conditions and quality.
Scurva
Relatively harmless,
scurva is the result of processing a mixture of fluorescent fungi, producing an iridescent liquid. When consumed, colors become far more intense, at the expense of near blindness in dim light, and a great reduction in physical abilities.
A vial of
scurva will last about half a day, and cost about 100gp. It is seen as a wasteful, recreational drug for the rich and bored and, as such, is often sold far in excess of its value.
Narcotics
Saltweed
Only available along the northern coast of the continent,
Saltweed is an algae that grows in cold and rocky environments that can be dried and smoked. It dulls the mind, but enhances the senses for about fifteen minutes.
After repeated use,
Saltweed is mildly addictive, although most cannot afford enough doses to reach this point.
It's very hard to find, costing around 30gp for a single dose.
Stimulants
Esh b'Tara
Sometimes referred to as
dwarf fury,
esh b'tara is a sour smelling moss that grows in deep caverns. When smoked by
Dwarves, it allows them to stay alert, awake, and physically active for hours beyond their usual endurance, although there is quite a crash at the end.
For non-
Dwarves,
esh b'tara is essentially a poisonous substance.
Us
Pronounced
eush,
us is a deep red mineral powder that can be ground into a fine dust and snorted. It is initially euphoric, and then, 2-3 hours after ingestion, produces a highly billigerent and violent set of effects which are exacerbated for certain indivdiduals (
Barbarians for sure, but others as well).
Us is a problem in some
Dragonborn communities, where it is known as
dyal.
Many brawlers and fighters will try to use
us to gain an edge in battle or in tournaments; luckily for organized competitions, it causes a red rim to appear around the pupil, making it relatively easy to screen for if desired.
Us is pretty expensive, costing about 40gp for a dose. It is mined largely around the western third of the
Vanahrut Mountains, and
Dwarves seem to be immune to its effects.
Watchroot
The root of a swamp dwelling tree similar to a mangrove can be chewed in its raw state. One root lasts about 3 hours, during which the user will vomit violently several times.
However, during that period, they will also be hyper-alert to their environment.
Repeated use stains the teeth and lips a deep red, making it easy to spot addicts; additionally, the impacts fade over use leaving the only impact for those that are addicted being the vomiting. It's a nasty ass drug, but may be force-fed to sentries or foot soldiers in times of war.
Watchroot is common in swampy lands, especially in
Kema, the western parts of
Awira, and much of the
Esmos coast (indeed, in
Esmos, it is often used as an inducement for what amounts to slave labors in some of the
Khrat farms).
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