Yasht

Yasht is a beverage brewed from the dried and ground seeds of yashtoma gourds, particularly those long cultivated in the Sayashto township of Axis, which is named for the plant.

Preparation

To prepare yasht, grind several yashtoma seeds and brew them in simmering water. Brewing and consumption techniques can alter the drink's character, leading connoisseurs to develop many complex methods involving changes to heat, pressure, and timing of the brew.

Different varieties and origins of yashtoma can also produce different flavors. Sayashto's yashtoma is renowned for its rich flavor, with tasting notes of salt, beets, and aged wine.

Effects

Yasht fortifies its imbiber's mind against confusion for four hours after drinking a cup.

In society

Yasht is often consumed as part of social activities, with many traditions having sprung up around the practice. Several cultures within Sayashto associate yasht with familial intimacy and business transactions, and after drinking it attempt to read fortunes from its gritty precipitate.

Yasht is featured in the Old-Mage Jatembe story cycle Jatembe's Legacy, specifically the tale "Grandfather Traveler and the Iron Hag", in which a wizard tricks a hag into accepting a cup of the drink instead of a lake of souls in a bargain.

In trade

A pound of ground yashtoma seeds can brew 50 cups of yasht, and different grades and varieties can cost between 5 and 50 silver pieces per pound. A brewed cup of yasht can cost as little as two copper pieces.

Sayashto exports yasht to its neighboring districts in Axis as well as to other planets. These contracts include Castrovel, where lashuntas of Qabarat provide a growing market for yasht and manufactured goods imported from Halgrimard.

In history

Sayashto's history with the gourd is documented at the Striped Palace, a museum dedicated to the plant.