Ashfen Spice

Not only were the arches embraced by a million golden flowers, but the mansion was more like a castle than any noble's home I've ever seen! But that is not all. Not one step across the threshold could be taken before the glorious, sweet, mineral scent of Ashfen filled the air. That is when I knew, this evening was going to be one in a lifetime, I tell ya.

— -- Hurin Kor to his friends

Ashfen is the name of a earth-vine that winds like roots through volcanic fields. Though more prominent in active areas. it has been found where the magma has long since stopped flowing and turned to stone. But that does not matter to this vine. It is strong enough to grow through these kind of minerals and heat.

Once every five years the vine will break surface and jettison blackened, withered seedpods which in turn find purchase in the ground to continue the cycle anew. An eruption or an ashfall can speed up this process, however the area becomes more difficult for the harvesters to traverse.

Those who brave the shifting lava fields and toxic air are called blighters and are usually prisoners or desperate without much choice. Many perish in their task to bring this spice to the noble houses of Avaleen.

Sometimes things go quite awry. Like the time when an ambitious chef in southern Khorun bought Ashfen spice on the black market, and ended up with blaze instead. Which is the drug version of the otherwise innocuous spice. This chef used it for a royal feast celebrating the young prince becoming of age. The entire feast hallucinated the final moments of a forgotten battle that never happened, and the court historian wrote it down as a real event - creating an entire false record that to this day is incorporated into the nation's historical records.