Dream-spice

The dream herb

Dream-spice is a psychoactive plant appearing in Ultima Underworld II that can induce vivid dreams when ingested.

Description

Known on the world of Killorn Keep specifically as Shalathian dream-spice, this herb grew on a number of different worlds, including Britannia, Anodunos, Rhiannon, and the unnamed realms housing the Pits of Carnage and Scintillus Academy. Identifiable by its white flowers and its propensity for growing on gravesites, dream-spice would provide a mild sedative effect when first chewed and those who slept while under its effects would enjoy extremely lucid and lifelike dreams.

The visions granted by this herb would put its user in contact with the realm of the Ethereal Void, and should the Avatar consume dream spice, the hero would be projected to the Shrine of Spirituality. From here, the heart-shaped blackrock gem associated with the void could be accessed and positioned such that it could be later retrieved when the Avatar physically entered the ethereal plane.

Trivia

• While dreaming under the influence of dream-spice, inventory will not be accessible, but items that appear in the field of vision may be moved and manipulated. Dying in a dream-spice dream merely wakes the Avatar up.
• Dream-spice may be based on Calea zacatechichi or dream herb, a white-flowered Mexican plant which the Chantal people of Oaxaca have traditionally used to induce divinatory dreams.
• After testing it successfully, some of the spice can be given to Mokpo on Anodunos, enabling him to have more visions that provide helpful – if somewhat cryptic – advice for the Avatar.