Gatza

(drug)

A particular drug of the Mawakel peninsula is gatza, harvested from the livers of particularly large predatory fish from the Endless Ocean. Originally used by the lizardfolk of the salt marshes and tidal flats as part of spiritual ceremonies of communion, gatza gives those who take it the power to hear and even speak with the spirits of the dead. When taken in small doses, as part of a controlled ritual in lizardfolk communities, this is a powerful way to receive visions of those lost and explore the spirit world of the ancestors. 

But like many things, gatza can be abused. The visions of the spirit world that those who use gatza receive can be complex and alluring, yes. But the true addicts are typically drawn in by a deep grief over one who has died, a longing for lost loved ones, or a deep obsession with the powerful spirits of the past. The more one takes gatza, and especially when not taken in a controlled way, the more one hears the voices of the dead one obsesses over. But whether these are really the dead spirits one seeks, or malevolent forces seeking to take advantage of weak minds, is not always clear. 

Some people have even been known to get lost in gatza dreams, following their obsession to the bitter end, losing track of time and wasting away from thirst and starvation, locked in the visions of a different realm and unable to escape.

Gatza is taken in different forms. Most commonly, it is distilled and processed into a tarry mash that is smoked in gatza pipes.