The Acradious Fruit (a-cray-di-us)

The acradious fruit comes from the Acradious Bush that grows only on the eastern slopes of the mountains that isolate Malminar from the rest of the continent of Halconiket. Many have tried to grow the acradious bushes in other places on the continent of Halconiket, without success. Even when the bushes do grow, they produce inferior fruit, or none at all, and require great expense to keep alive.
The Thwippit are symbiotic to the acradious bush, providing the means for pollination and seed distribution.
The acradia and other caffeinated products made from the acradious fruit are highly prized through out the world.  The export of this fruit has long been a great source of income for the Kingdom of Malminar, allowing the people there to live in comfort and peace for over 200 turns.  Even though the addiction to the caffeine is somewhat mild when compared to other addictive chemicals, most of the population of Halconiket are addicted and willing to sacrifice small comforts to get a cup of acradia most days.

Properties

Material Characteristics

The acradious fruit is deep purple when ripe, firm and fatter at the end that grows wiry, hair-like threads that are used by the plant to propagate itself by tangling in the fur of the Thwippit to be pulled from the plant and then fall off later to spread its seeds. The rind of the fruit is fairly thick and waxy and it contains a large amount of alkaline. When dried and powdered the skin is used in many healing tinctures and as an ingredient in several magic potions and magical experiments.
The flesh of the fruit is a lighter purple and somewhat opaque. It is not very juicy until the fruit has begun to rot. The smell is strong, woody, and nutty. The flesh is separated from the 2 to 5 pinky sized seeds and then cooked and powdered.

Physical & Chemical Properties

The skin of the fruit is highly alkaline. The entire fruit contains a large amount of caffeine. This is its primary value to the people of Rit.

Ripe Acradious Fruit

by Kbignell via Midjourney

Kbignell via Midjourney

Type

Organic

Odor

Woody, nutty with a hint of mint.

Taste

The fruit itself is bitter and basic, unpleasant until brewed into a creamy, bitter, buttery hot drink or blended with sugar and a thickener that makes a semi-soft sweet treat.

Color

The fruit is deep purple when ripe. The processed powder that is exported is dark purple bordering on black, with a slight iridescence in bright light. Processed skin of the fruit is bright purple and iridescent.

Common State

Through out Halconiket the primary state of acradious is acradious powder, used to brew acradia, a caffeine rich drink that is smooth, creamy, bitter and nutty. Many drinkers add sugar or honey to the hot liquid to consume. The drink is quite addictive.