Kaeth

Kaeth (or kaethae), also known as coffee, was a brewed beverage made from ground beans. Considered a rare delicacy in areas north of Calimshan, kaeth was relatively common in more southerly lands, as well as in larger cities such as Athkatla, Waterdeep, and Westgate.
==Production==
Kaeth was primarily produced in Maztica, the Anauroch desert, areas to the south and east of Durpar, Chult, and the jungle of Malatra. Around 1367 DR, it was claimed that coffee grew only in the Shining Lands of Durpar, Estagund, and Var the Golden, and coffee was the Shining Lands' most profitable export. However, coffee sold in Halruaa was said to come from Ulgarth, the land beyond Durpar, and it was said Ulgarth was where the only true coffee was grown.The Shining South (1993) contradicts itself several times on whether coffee comes from Durpar or Ulgarth. Since the sourcebook is introduced by a Halruaan, and all Ulgarth's produce comes through Durpar, the discrepancy is easily explained as an in-universe error, but not easily resolved. The flat, sunny plains of the Shining Lands were also suitable for growing coffee and other crops. 
Kaeth beans were harvested from short trees in mountainous areas, then sun-dried on rocks. The beans were also crushed and charred. Finally, the beans would be stuffed into cloth sacks, then the sacks would be stacked inside wooden crates for ease of transport.
Finally, when it was to be drunk, it was brewed into a black-hued beverage.
==Effects==
Coffee had a reputation for refreshing the imbiber's mind.
==Variants==
Kaeth beans originating in Maztica were typically red-brown and had a powdery quality. These were shipped across the sea, to Baldur's Gate, and typically distributed from there to Tashalar and Calimshan. Tashalaran coffee was renowned for its strength and was exported as far as the city of Arrabar in the Vilhon Reach. Kaeth brewed in Westgate was typically of a strong variety and was made from ground red beans. Westgate kaeth was popular outside of the Dragon Coast and could be found bottled and sold on the Sword Coast, as far north as the city of Luskan.
Anauran beans were smaller, harder, and so dark brown that they looked almost black. The nomadic Bedine people who cultivated the beans referred to kaeth as qahwa or simply qaw. After the return of Thultanthar, the Bedine consumed most of the supply themselves. As a result, the Anauran beans were extremely uncommon outside of their native region. However, thanks to the machinations of the D'tarig, a few merchants from Zhentil Keep were able to smuggle Anauran beams to Hillsfar and Sembia. Though most considered the Zhentish supply an unreliable and scanty source, Sembian traders had a high demand for Anauran kaeth in the 15 century DR. Traditionally, the Bedine made their coffee hot and salted in small silver cups.
The kaeth beans from beyond Durpar were larger, had a pronounced cleft or depressed line running their length, and were brown with a bluish hue. This variant was often referred to as Thondur's, named after the trader Thondur, who for a while had a monopoly on the kaeth trade reaching Calimshan, Tashalar, and the Vilhon Reach. This bean type was the most common in lands to the south. In the 15 century DR, Thondur's became cheaper thanks to the shattering of Thondur's monopoly.
On the plane of Bytopia, popular kaeth variants included "Krigala Supreme" from the Beastlands, "Mountain Majesty" from Mount Celestia, as well as "Devotion" and "Purity" from Elysium.
Amn was known to brew strong and bitter spiced kaeth that was described as being as dark as tar.
In the Domains of Dread, the Vistani were known to brew coffee that was described as being particularly bitter and thick.
==History==
Previously enjoyed only in southeast Faerûn, Durpari traders began large-scale export of Durpar-grown coffee around 1367 DR. Drinking coffee was just becoming popular in wider Faerûn at the time. It was drunk in Cormyr by Eleint of 1367 DR, even at the Bold Bard tavern in Ghars, but it was too costly for common folk. Coffee was regularly exported from the Shining Lands by 1373 DR.
In the 15 century DR, the kaeth trade was considered more popular and profitable than the tea trade.
==Regional Customs==
Brewed kaeth was the most popular form in Calimshan, the Tashalar, the Heartlands, and the North. In some places, kaeth was mixed with medicines or mint leaves sprinkled over the surface, prepared by stewing the beans in a pot over a fire or a hearth.According to Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms, page 94, black coffee in the Realms is stronger than its real-world counterpart because of the preparation method. Some people also liked to chew beans while traveling or eat them roasted.
In Calimshan and Tashalar, kaeth was mostly consumed pure, although sometimes with the addition of powdered roots, nuts, or ginger. In Sembia and Chessenta, the preferred method of consumption involved mixing kaeth with chocolate or alcohol.
In areas to the north, kaeth was mostly served in cider mugs. In southern lands, it was more commonly served in small, flared bowls known as "kavvar".
Bad coffee was described using a handy repertory of oaths in northern lands, while in the South it was called ortulag (), a word derived from a defunct dialect meaning "warmed-over chamber pot rinse."
In some settlements, there were specialist shops known as kaeth houses, such as the House of the Lute in Baldur's Gate and over thirty known establishments in Waterdeep circa 1479 DR.
Maniacal Manny's Sensational Emporium of Sales in Procampur carried some specialty coffee blends from all around Faerûn, including Thayvian Cappuccino Mist, Sembian Dark Roast, and Waterdhavian Purple Late.
==Other Usages==
Coffee beans were a material component used to cast the chaotic sleep spell.
==Appendix==
===Notes===
===External Links===
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===Appearances===
===References===
Category:Spell components
Category:Food and drink from Toril
Category:Food and drink from Faerûn
Category:Food and drink from West Faerûn
Category:Food and drink from Southeast Faerûn
Category:Food and drink from Interior Faerûn
Category:Food and drink from North Faerûn
Category:Food and drink from Northwest Faerûn
Category:Food and drink from Southwest Faerûn
Category:Food and drink from the Sword Coast North
Category:Food and drink from the Sword Coast
Category:Food and drink from the Western Heartlands
Category:Food and drink from the Eastern Heartlands
Category:Food and drink from Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue
Category:Food and drink from Cormyr
Category:Food and drink from Suzail
Category:Food and drink from Ghars
Category:Food and drink from Sembia
Category:Food and drink from Baldur's Gate
Category:Food and drink from Luskan
Category:Food and drink from Calimport
Category:Food and drink from Calimshan
Category:Food and drink from the Moonsea
Category:Food and drink from Mulmaster
Category:Food and drink from the Vast
Category:Food and drink from Ravens Bluff
Category:Food and drink from Procampur
Category:Food and drink from Durpar
Category:Food and drink from Estagund
Category:Food and drink from Var
Category:Food and drink from the Shining Lands
Category:Food and drink from the Shining South
Category:Food and drink from Anauroch
Category:Food and drink from Malatra
Category:Food and drink from the Malatran Plateau
Category:Food and drink from Kara-Tur
Category:Food and drink from the Hordelands
Category:Food and drink from Maztica
Category:Food and drink from Zakhara
Category:Food and drink from the Chultan Peninsula
Category:Food and drink from Tashalar
Category:Food and drink from Arrabar
Category:Food and drink from Chessenta
Category:Food and drink from the Vilhon Reach
Category:Food and drink from Chondath
Category:Food and drink from Waterdeep
Category:Food and drink from Athkatla
Category:Food and drink from Amn
Category:Food and drink from the Lands of Intrigue
Category:Food and drink from Westgate
Category:Food and drink from the Dragon Coast
Category:Food and drink from Halruaa
Category:Food and drink from the Chultan Peninsula
Category:Food and drink from Chult
Category:Food and drink
Category:Food and drink from the Domains of Dread
Category:Food and drink from Bytopia
Category:Food and drink from the Beastlands
Category:Food and drink from Mount Celestia
Category:Food and drink from Elysium