Kholabin

Kholabin is a substance extracted from the venom glands of the spiny-nose sculpin, a fish native to the Gulf of Adwa. This venom causes great pain and swelling if injected under the skin, but is not typically lethal. Processed kholabin is a mild stimulant and, more importantly, a dyestuff that produces a beautiful and unique shade of celestial blue. This blue is highly coveted and items dyed with it quite expensive, and so it is a great source of revenue for the Sirdabi Caliphate. All aspects of kholabin production and trade are strictly regulated by the caliphate, and only registered agents of the government are allowed to possess, produce, or trade in it, or to operate a kholabin dyeing industry. The Blue Dyers' Guild is the officially sanctioned entity responsible for most kholabin production and dyeing.

Harvesting Kholabin

Venom must be harvested from the spiny-nose sculpin before it can be processed into kholabin. The sculpin is found almost exclusively in the Gulf of Adwa, typically in sheltered tidepools and calm reefs just a short ways off the coast. Its venom is not highly toxic, but when injected through contact with one of the fish's spines it does cause extreme pain and swelling as well as nausea. The venom glands are small sacs located on on either side of each of the fish's spines. When a spine punctures the flesh of another creature, it instantly injects a large amount of venom that causes instantaneous but long-lasting pain.

Spiny-nose sculpin may be killed and the glands extracted, or they may be "milked" for their venom. The latter technique, though more dangerous, is more sustainable since the fish may be released afterwards and potentially caught again. Given the sculpin's rarity, milking is the preferred technique, and highly skilled venom milkers have a special prestige in their local communities. The largest of these is located in the fishing town of El Gedz on the southern Raziyan coastline.

Processing Kholabin

After harvesting from the sculpin, the yellowish looking venom is dried until a crusty powder is all the remains. This is then mixed with fresh water and exposed to sunlight for several days, at which point it finally turns a deep midnight blue. It is only at the this point that the harvested venom is truly considered to be kholabin. Fabric that is soaked in kholabin is dyed a vivid celestial blue, the likes of which can be found nowhere else. The kholabin dye industry is a hugely lucrative one in the Sirdabi Caliphate, and both possession and trade of the drug are restricted to the caliphate and its approved agents.

Kholabin as a Drug

Despite its highly regulated status in the caliphate, kholabin does sometimes find its way onto the black market as a drug. Small pastilles of kholabin powder can be placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve, producing a feeling of energy, focus, and general well-being. While one might achieve similar results from strong coffee or qat, those who use kholabin say that it does not produce the same nervousness or jitteriness, but rather a sense of calm attention. Certain scholars in particular often attempt to obtain kholabin because they claim that under its influence their thoughts feel faster and more capable of making new and unexpected connections.