Dustspice

Dustspice
Type	Spices
Tech Level	TL–0
Cost	Cr10
Size	3.0 g
Weight	3.0 g
Also see	Narcotic

Dustspice (Fteahrao) is a rare euphoric spice used for seasoning food, especially fruit. Harvested from the bark of the geki bush, a desert scrub-plant native to Romar (Spinward Marches 2140), this seasoning is popular with humans as a mild recreational spice with effects slighter than, but similar to, alcohol. Certain non-human races (notably Aslan and Vargr) find dustspice a much more powerful euphoric; it is in constant demand by those peoples.

Taste and effect varies with growing conditions and the dustspice from different worlds vary considerably in value. Dustspice from Romar is especially valuable to the Aslan. Among worlds other than Romar that are known for producing dustspice is Keanou (Spinward Marches 2411). Ftulrois, meanwhile, is the chief supplier of Dustspice for the Glorious Empire.

Variants

A variant, commonly called neo-dustspice, was recently created by accidental exposure to certain microbes found in the tainted atmosphere of Zugrora (Lishun 1914). It produces not only euphoria, but also a neurochemical imbalance in mammalian bodies that causes mild cravings. Imperial authorities have been studying the possibility of classifying neo-dustspice as a banned substance.

The cold near-desert world Keanou, in the Lanth Subsector of the Spinward Marches, is the source of an unusual variety of dustspice called ice-spice. Rarely, however, is this commodity available in quantity.

History

In 336, the pleasant taste and mild euphoric effect of the bark of the Geki Bush was noted by a Scout expedition to Romar (Spinward Marches 2140), which eventually led to the Dustspice Wars.

References & Contributors (Sources)

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Marc Miller. Twilight's Peak (Game Designers Workshop, 1980), 43-44.
• Marc Miller. Merchant Prince (Game Designers Workshop, 1985), 9.
• Herb Petro. "Small Cargo." Imperium Staple 08 (1986): 14.
• Peter G. Celella, James Holden. Solomani & Aslan (Digest Group Publications, 1991), 54,63.
• Gary L. Thomas. The Travellers' Digest 18 (Digest Group Publications, 1989), 24.
• Andy Slack, David Thomas, David L. Pulver. Alien Races 2 (Steve Jackson Games, 1999), 21,38.
• Nick Robinson. Compendium 2 (Mongoose Publishing, 2011), 66.
• Colin Dunn. Library Data (Mongoose Publishing, 2011), 18.
• Seven Vices for Hard-Living Travellers by Michael Brown; JTAS-SJG-2003-1124.3
• Author & Contributor: Hans Rancke-Madsen