Bitter Water

Bitter is the taste of power.
~ Common saying of Imperial Nobles and Educated

Bitter Water is a mostly color and odorless beverage that possesses a characteristic bitter aftertaste. With the exception of the recycled "Swamp-Broth" drunken by the lower classes, Bitter Water is by far the most common type of beverage consumed within the borders of the Vitreous Empire.
Originally a side product of the Amber-Guilds "Waterfire Project", it was later turned into an edible substance by the Alchemists of the Emerald-Guild.
While the taste of early batches of Bitter Water was barely regarded as an improvement over that of the Swamp-Broth due to hiccups in the initial production process, these faults have longe since been ironed out, which enabled Bitter Water to become the go-to drink for Empire's middle and upper class.

Manufacturing process

An with these little adjustments the water should no longer be exploding...I guess.
~ Lord Clamera, after the presentation of the revised Clamera II-Process.

Bitter Water is created from seawater through an alchemical procedure known as the "Clamera II-Process", which is a modified version of the "Oxidan's Flame-Cycle" utilized by the Amber-Guild to transmute noncombustible liquids into fuel for their numerous incendiary weapons.
While the exact details of the Clamera II process are highly classified and only known to the Educated Watermasters of the various production sites, the overall aim of the process is the alchemical transformation of the dissolved salts into a bitter-tasting, non-toxic component known as "Bitter Spit".
Unlike its predecessors, the Clamera I and Clamera I-B process the modern Clamera II process also transmutes numerous of the minerals and organic particles contained within the seawater in order to prevent unwanted cross-reactions between them and the Bitter Spit, which among other things can cause the Bitter Water to spontaneously combust or solidify.
In addition to minimizing the risk of the Bitter Water suddenly exploding these auxiliary transmutations also enable the production of a far greater range of possible flavors, which proved crucial in order to establish its popularity among the Empire's nobility as they had initially refused to consume it, out of fear that doing so would create a dangerous precedent-setting case for the ostensible equality between them and the Shardcrosses of the middle class, which in turn could potentially endanger the structure of Empire's rigid cast system.
Given that the cyclic nature of the Clamera II process allowed the creation of clearly distinguishable grades of taste quality this perceived danger was lowered to such a degree that the epicureanism of the nobility was finally able to gain the upper hand over its rampant paranoia.

Packaging

Just a single marble of "Selta Seven", my dear for while I value its exquisite taste, I fear that its potent aroma might overshadow the vibrant yet delicate flavor of the "Gerol Grande".
~ Maxillian Bruton, Bitter Water Connoisseur

Bitter Water is available in numerous different packages which differ significantly in both size and shape. The following is a list of the most common types of packaging.

Marble (20-40 ml)

Marbles are small, hollow glass sphere filled with a small volume of usually high-grade Bitter Water.
They are primarily utilized to spice up larger volumes of lower grade Bitter Water or to top off the taste of already expensive drinks.

Bottle (0.5-2.5 L)

Glass bottles are by far the most common and widespread type of Bitter Water packaging. While they come in a great variety of sizes and shapes - with most production sites possessing one or more characteristic bottle shapes- they can generally be divided into two distinct categories based on their form of bottle closure.
The first category is the so-called "Codd-neck bottles" in which a small glass ball seals the opening of the bottle. Given that Codd-neck bottles can't be closed again after they have been opened, this type of bottle closure is usually only utilized for smaller sized bottles.
The second category is the so-called "Plug bottles", in which a glass plug -which is often fixed in place with multiple small bands- is utilized to close the bottle opening. Given that these bottles are easily resealable they are the preferred bottle type for larger bottles as well as high-grade brands of Bitter Water.

Jar (5-10 L)

Bitter Water Jars are easily recognizable due to their cubic shape, which allows them to be more easily transported than the often awkwardly shaped bottles or carboys. Given that they are primarily used to supply the Educated commanders and strategists of the Empire's Glass Legion with Bitter Water, this fact is more than welcomed by the Legion's logistic officers.
In addition to their unusual shape, these Jars are also constructed from a rather thought type of glass known as "Mirrornite", which is able to absorb significant amounts of kinetic or thermal energy, which allows them to be delivered via airdrops or low powered artillery pieces. Which especially in the early times of the Legions has proven to be quite helpful for the continued supply of either encircled or besieged troops.
Once the Bitter Water within them has been used up, the now-empty Jars can be utilized to construct a great number of improvised structures such as makeshift barriers, cobblestone roads or pontoon bridges. Furthermore, the Jars can also be refilled high explosive gels, incendiary liquids or caustic gases in order to create improvised explosive devices such as mines or blasting charges.

Carboy (20-60 L)

Carboys are bulgy glass containers which are surrounded by a mesh of glass fibers in order to protect them against physical stress and prevent them from shattering. They can be considered the civil version of the Legion's Water Jars given that they are mostly utilized to supply taverns, guild houses, cathedrals, and noble drinking clubs.

Barrel (150 L)

Glass Barrels are the largest, standardized type of Bitter Water packages that are widely constructed. They are mostly used to supply far off colonies, that can't be easily reached and which are too far away from natural saltwater sources in order to synthesize their own Bitter Water.
Additional these Barrels can also be found on the numerous larger vessels of the Empire's Splinter Fleets, where they serve as the primary Bitter Water source for the Non-Effigy parts of the ship crews.

Significance

Hard the work, tough the day, bitter our pay.
~ Shardcross Toast.

Shortly after the first bottles of "safely" consumable Bitter Water appeared within the Imperial Markets, the bitter-tasting beverage managed to become one of the most prominent symbols of the Empire's middle class, given that no Mudcross slave or Blotcross handler would ever be able to save up the necessary amount of Shards in order to buy even a single cup of Scoria-grade Bitter Water ¹.
Due to this great symbolic importance, the Shardcross developed numerous traditions centered around the consumption of Bitter Water, which besides thousands of diverse toasts naturally also includes numerous types of drinking games.
The most rackety and insouciant forms of these games usually take place on the various ships of the Broken Armada, given their at least perceived safety from the spying eyes and ears of the Empire's secret polices. Though given how wild these contests tend to get it can be assumed that numerous substances far more potent than mere Bitter Water are involved in them.
According to sporadic rumors even the odd Educated or Starvein noble has partaken in these games, but given that even such seemingly harmless questions about the private lives of the Empire's upper-class act as a potent attractant for the agents of the Empire's secret police, these rumors are unlikely to ever be confirmed.
The presence of this extensive Bitter Water-related drinking culture was also the primary reason as to why the Starvein Nobility was so hesitant to add Bitter Water to its own drinking cabinets. Yet once they did, the nobility quickly developed a drinking culture so elaborate and eccentric that the one of the Shardcross looked like mere child's play in comparison.
Due to this, it is not uncommon for the numerous highly passionate Bitter Water Connoisseurs within the ranks of the nobility to lead seemingly endless debates about the proper way in which to drink the hundreds of different brands of Bitter Water and in which way these exquisite drinks are to be combined with numerous additives like Sour-Tartrate, Blueleaf sap or Salt candy.

---

1) The fact that both Mud- and Blotcrosses aren't even eligible to receive monetary wages might also play a role in their inability to acquire Bitter Water.

Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink

Manufacturer

The Vitreous Empire

Rarity

Common to extraordinary rare, dependant on the quality.

Base Price

6 Grit Shards/ Liter (Scoria-grade Quality)
4 Smoke Shards/ Liter (Refine-grade Quality)
5 Ribbon Shards/ Liter (Vein-grade Quality)
2 Mirror Shards/ Liter (Throne-grade Quality)

Notable Wells

Basfal Gerol

Due to being by far the largest production site for Bitter Water, the name "Basfal Gerol" has become practically a synonym for the word "Bitter Water".
Due to its ubiquitous nature, the members of the Empire's nobility usually place great emphasis on the fact that their Bitter Water doesn't originate from this particular well.
Ironically one of the most expensive types of Bitter Water, the "Gerol Grande" originates from Basfal Gerol and sells for the astronomical price of 20 Star Shards per bottle.

Selta Seven

Constructed as part of the larger Selta Bitter Water Mining Complex, the Bitter Water produced in this particular well is regarded as insiders' tip in the Bitter Water community of An Hylaria.
According to rumors circulating within these exalted circles the metallic tasting water of Selta Seven is also a personal favorite of the current occupants of the Mirror Thrones.

Furdove's Nest

Located at the shores of the Uthil salt lake, Furdove's Nest is the source of the highly popular "Bitter Brown" water.
The reason for its popularity is the fact that the brownish colored water of this well possesses a pleasant cinnamon-like aftertaste, which makes it the only source of this particular flavor affordable by the Empire's middle class.

Helbera

The Bitter Water Well of Helbera is so far the only production site that utilizes the experimental Clamera III-Process in order to transmute freshwater instead of saltwater into Bitter Water.
Given that this process is still early in its development the safety of the created "Hellbera's Blue" can not fully be guaranteed, which is the reason why it so far is only handed out to the inmates of the surrounding prison colonies.
Within these prisons, it has become known as the "Blue Hangman", given that the first group of "volunteers" that consumed it suffocated due to the unexpected vitrification of their windpipes.

Water Throat

He who wants to taste perfection sometimes has to burn his tongue.

Water Throat or Gourmet's Tongue is the name given to a relatively common condition associated with the overconsumption of certain types of high-grade Bitter Water.
The condition usually only causes mild symptoms such as a swollen tongue, a sore throat or an increased feeling of thirst, though in rare cases it might cause more severe symptoms such as laryngopharyngeal bleedings, abscess-forming laryngitis or partial necrosis of the tongue.

Bitter Water Export

While Bitter Water is still primarily consumed by the citizens of the Vitreous Empire, more and more species have begun to overcome their understandable distrust of the Empire's alchemical concoctions.
Out of all species, the Golotian are by far the ones, which have taken the greatest liking to Bitter Water and therefore frequently utilize it in order to "refine" their own questionable beverages.