Bazian Tea

As written by Kor-Lain for the City of Bazi, in the Gorean world commonly referred to as “JAG”.

Tea is grown in many locations of Gor, but the warm climate, fertile soils, gentle slope of the hills and moisture from the fields close to Thassa make the Bazian teas the preferred tea in all of Gor. The leaves from the Bazian tea plant are harvested and then dried to produce the standard product. The drying process for the teas is carefully controlled so that the flavor of the teas can be tailored to the tastes of the consumer. Because of its location near the Gorean equator, the planting and harvesting is nearly continuous throughout the year.

The drying process for the Bazian tea leaves produces three separate kinds of teas: Bazian standard, when leaves are dried for a standard period of four months, Bazian light, produced when the leaves are dried for a longer period of time, and Bazian heavy, where the leaves are dried for a shorter period of time so that more of the moisture is retained in the leaves used for the product. Each produces its own unique flavor and can be combined in various proportions to produce different aromas and flavors.

Because of its location, all import of Bazian teas is controlled through the port of Bazi. Bazi’s location near the equator reduce the travel time to other ports on Thassa. The teas are harvested and stored in the warehouses of Bazi prior to shipment. There are two types of trading quantities: the bundle of tea leaves, with a weight of 5 stone, or sacks of shredded or broken leaves, with a weight of 2 stone. All sacks and bags must carry the appropriate identifying marks including the date of harvest and the date of packaging. Once broken a package is broken, the integrity of the tea cannot be guaranteed, but the quality should remain.

The plantations have insured that all of the proper agricultural procedures are in place to ensure that the plants thrive. Crops within the plantations are rotated so that the soil is restored annually and the quality of the leaves produced remain high from year to year. All harvesting is controlled by the plantation Masters.

While other teas exist in Gor, those sold with the Bazian seal that have not been produced with the Bazian standards are subject to destruction upon revelation. Those selling teas with false certification are subject to immediate death.