>Is there a terrestrial analogue of Hazia? I always presumed it was like
>opium (because its addictive, intoxicating and smoked), but it sometimes
>seems to be used a little more like (modern day) grass.
I've always thought of it as being similar to cannabis.
>I've never heard about it being a 'mind-expanding' head drug (ie
>hallucinatory) which might have mystical significance-although I suppose
>that both beer and wine have a limited mystical significance to various
>Gloranthan cultures..
Just about every mind altering drug has a religious significance somewhere.
>Also-its illegal-any ideas why that is? There are usually
>socio-economic/cultural reasons for making certain recreational drugs
>illegal (ie marijuana being the recreational drug of unpopular immigrant
>Mexicans in the 1930s leading to the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, and the
>anti Chinese Opium Den Ordinance of 1875 in San Francisco). Who was/are
>the unpopular underdogs who were using or even imported Hazia to Prax/Sun
>county? Are the lunars the only ones to deem it illegal?
I think the Sun Domers are the origin of that law around Pavis. They don't want their young lads corrupted by a drug which discourages the martial spirit and work ethic. Some Dara Happen decided using Lunar authority to enforce it was a good idea. I'm doubtful that it is illegal throughout the Empire - there are too many cultures which would regard it as acceptable or tolerable. So the Lunar attitude to the drug would vary significantly depending on the individuals involved. Of course seized contraband doesn't always get destroyed.
As for who's using hazia. I'll suggest it grows wild in Prax and the nomads use it occassionally. Sartarite immigrants have started to farm the crop, initially for their own use and then as a cash crop which has vastly increased the supply.
>I've not addressed any of these questions in my games, but will probably
>have to soon, so any thoughts are gratefully received...
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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