Camel hump water tea
| |
| National status | Official drink of Bassaridia Vaeringheim |
|---|---|
| Core liquid | Camel hump water
(drawn from pack camels of Jangsong Province) |
| Herb blend | Dune-sage, crimson gorse flower, twice-cured juniper bark |
| Sweetener | Cave-bee honey or wisp-sugar *(optional)* |
| Primary origin | New South Jangsong – herds managed by Camel Herders of the Jangsong Province |
| Flavour profile | Earthy, faintly saline, resinous, lightly sweet with honey |
| Key benefits | Hydrating, mineral-rich, promotes alertness |
| Traditional service | Unglazed clay kettle, porcelain cups, simmered not boiled |
| Ritual role | Offered during council sessions, dawn prayers, and long-road blessings |
| First recorded use | Caravanning age, 32nd era PSSC |
| Modern reach | Caravanserais, council halls, festival markets across northern Keltia |
Camel hump water tea is the national drink of Bassaridia Vaeringheim, prized for its earthy depth, subtle mineral sweetness, and ability to revive weary travelers. Brewed from the naturally distilled water drawn from a camel's hump and steeped with hardy desert herbs, the tea carries a pale amber hue that darkens to copper when finished with wild honey. In roadside caravanserais and government council halls alike, a steaming pot of camel hump water tea signals hospitality, endurance, and clear thought.
Description
Camel hump water is harvested during routine veterinary care of long-range pack camels raised by the Camel Herders of the Jangsong Province in New South Jangsong. The liquid—already filtered by the animal's internal reservoirs—contains balanced electrolytes and trace minerals that lend the tea its softly saline undertone. Sprigs of dune-sage, crimson gorse flower, and twice-cured juniper bark are added during a slow simmer, releasing aromas of resin, dry earth, and distant rain. A spoonful of cave-bee honey or crystalline wisp-sugar is often stirred in just before serving to round the brew's sharp herbal edge.
Cultural Significance
Since the caravanning age of the 32nd era PSSC, camel hump water tea has been regarded as liquid endurance. Merchants crossing the salt flats outside Pelagia credit it with sharpening the senses; nomads in the canyonlands of Acheron sip it before dawn prayers to embolden the lungs against dust-laden winds. Within the halls of the Council of Kings, silver teapots circulate during protracted negotiations so that delegates remain alert yet calm. In Reformed Stripping Path lore, the tea is said to steady the heartbeat of those who must weigh order against chaos.
Ingredient Provenance
The Camel Herders of the Jangsong Province maintain selective line-breeding programs that produce animals with especially clear, mineral-rich hump water. Desert herbs are foraged at first light, when their oils are most potent yet untainted by midday heat. Honey, if used, is traditionally sourced from the Grand Cave Bee Meadery south of Mylecia; its dark, floral sweetness mirrors the tea's own balance of austerity and indulgence.
Preparation and Service
Tradition dictates that the tea be brewed in unglazed clay kettles over a low juniper-wood fire. The liquid is never allowed to boil; instead, it is coaxed to a shimmering tremble, ensuring the volatile herb oils remain intact. Once ladled into handle-less porcelain cups, the tea is inhaled before it is tasted. Drinkers describe the first sip as tasting like cool air rising from sun-baked stone. When conversations stretch toward dusk, fresh herbs are dropped directly into the pot, and the tea darkens with each pour, evolving from crisp to smoky.
Reputation and Legacy
Across northern Keltia, camel hump water tea is synonymous with Bassaridian resolve. Foreign physicians prize it as a natural rehydration tonic; poets call it "thought made liquid". During the Festival of Long Roads in Norsolyra, travelers line the central market holding steaming cups sky-high to honor the camels that carried their fortunes. Contemporary chefs infuse the tea into broths and pastries, yet purists insist its finest expression remains a plain clay cup, a pinch of sage, and the hush that follows the first swallow.
