– Most users reaction when drinking Horizon Tea for the first time

Tea, is defined by one dictionary on a certain world, as “…an aromatic beverage commonly prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves…”. Horizon Tea(HT)  is no exception. In Eatshalen it is not a regular drink one would have with say, your breakfast. But for those who need to think and expand one’s mental horizons, this tea is perfect for you.

History

Like many food and drinks, HT originated from a time before the Great Barrier , with the precise date unknown. The first known records of it came from the group of travellers that eventually settled and became known as Terrex . The tea itself, when first brought to Easthalen was not anything special, but like many other things, the high amount of natural background magic started to change and alter it, in subtle ways. The tea has been said to have a slight citrus flavour to it, making those who first taste it mistake it for a fruit infusion of some kind. A few think it tastes more like lemon than lime, but this can be disregarded as differences in the user mistaking the various flavours.  There are two versions of it, Prime and Secondary. Prime HT can only be grown in Terrex and has all the effects listed below in a potent form. Secondary HT can be grown practically anywhere , but the effects and flavour are less intense.

How to make/use

Traditionally, HT is made to be drunk to help both the user wind down and think clearly, to expand one’s thoughts and see things clearly, as they really are and not how the mind can cloud them with their own biases and existing prejudices.  For both Primary and Secondary the method of preparation is the same, with secondary being more flexible with regards to mistakes and so on being made. Primary HT (PHT)  brewing is almost an art form and thus a lot more expense when compared to the Secondary (SHT) version. The abbreviation for the second type of HT has lead to a rather obvious and vulgar word used by snobs when talking about it.

1. The leaves must be pulled fresh from the main plant and used as soon as possible
2. Once the leaves are removed, the water must be boiled to 106 degrees Celcius/222.8 Fahrenheit. For PHT this must be within 2 degrees celsius either way. Failure to do so will result in what is called “the essence” not taking hold in the boiling water
3. The now prepared leaves are placed in a silver or other non-reactive mesh container/strainer.
4. The water is poured slowly over the leaves until they are covered.
5. This part is most controversial amongst the tea drinkers. Some say you must wait precisely 68 seconds, with others saying it’s 86
6. The strainer is now removed and 1 leaf is removed and placed back into the tea
7. The drinker must now wait at least 1 minute before drinking. During this time, additions such as honey, sugar or cream may be added, but purists will sniff and look down on those that do this.
8. The tea MUST be sipped, especially if it is the PHT version as gulping or drinking too much in one go can cause problems for the drinker.
9. Biscuits or such items used in dipping into the tea can be used, but not for the first sip and they must be of the highest quality or the effects of the HT will be lessened or even negated.

Effects

On drinking the tea, especially the PT version, the mind is calmed. Stresses are still present, but they are, for want of a better expression pushed to the sides of the drinker’s mind.  Biases and the like are also dampened and clarity of thought enters the mind of the drinker. They begin to see things as they truly are and not as their mind has muddled things. Connections with people become easier and empathy is enhanced. It doesn’t remove deep hatred or disgust and similar effects, but does, for a short while, dampen it. On a magical world with illusions and such, this has had the added effect of allowing som users to, if not see through illusions, then make it easier to resist them or at least tell that “something is not right” about what they are looking at. However, there is one side effect that affects approximately one in 10,000 people who drink (or those who gulp the tea or drink too much).  The mental horizon-expanding effect crosses over from being one of empathy to paranoia. The user starts to see problems were none existed before.  Biases become amplified, things that are obviously fake, such as for children’s entertainment, become vividly real. The main effects of the tea last approximately 20 mins after drinking the first sip of the day, with a slight lingering effect (approximately 10% of what the user felt in the first 20 mins) lasting for another 24 hours or so. More cups after this may prolong the effect, but each becomes less and less effective as the day goes on and more is consumed.