Yaala Leaf

Natively known as: depvet yaala

Yaala is a leafy plant with blue flowers. The leaves are typically dried and then smoked in clay pipes. Yaala grows best in marshy areas, and not every village in the Realm is able to produce it. When smoked, yaala leaf acts as a mild stimulant and causes mild euphoria. The leaves are not physically addictive, although some people become dependent on the drug's euphoric effect. Overuse of yaala can lead to headaches and irritability.

Use and Distribution

Yaala leaf is mainly used by the Night Watch to stay awake while on patrol. Guards typically share a pipe before their shift starts, which acts as a bonding ritual as well a way to consume the stimulant. The effects of the leaves last 6-8 hours, or about as long as a Guard's shift.

Other Uses

Yaala leaf's stimulant effects are also used for ritual and spiritual purposes, as well as recreational purposes. Most Gachnifs use yaala to stay awake and focused during extended periods of meditation. It is also used during fasting as an appetite suppressant. Outside of spiritual applications, the leaves are most commonly smoked at festivals as a social activity.

Distribution

Yaala is usually dried as soon as it is harvested. The dried leaves are then transported in bundles by traders to other villages. The leaves are ground for smoking immediately before being used.

Significance

Because yaala leaf is widely used by guards, but is relatively difficult to produce, it is a very valuable commodity. Villages producing yaala tend to be able to support a higher standard of living, and most Gachnifs cannot afford to use yaala recreationally outside of special occasions. It is one of the duties of a guard captain to maintain an adequate supply of yaala for the watch, which can be expensive and time-consuming.

Item type

Drug / Narcotic / Medicine

Current Location

The Southern Realm

Current Holder

Ðupyaf

Related ethnicities

• The Gachnif People

Rarity

Uncommon