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A red tent at the crossroads

Tanria Traveling Teahouse

A traveling Ala Mhigan teahouse run out of a tent along the old caravan roads of Gyr Abania. Usually open second Saturday of the month.

Venue Address:
Adamantoise, Lavender Beds
Ward 30, Lily Hills Apt 72The teahouse is currently at:
Castrum Oriens, The Fringes
Next Open:
Nov 8, 2024
8 - 10 pm ET

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The endless road that leads to home

The Teahouse

Premise:
In the tradition of the old Ala Mhigan caravans that operated along the king's highway, the teahouse moves from spot to spot every month, serving merchants, weary travelers, pilgrims, and adventurers.The tea and snacks served at the teahouse reflect the current location, with some dishes, such as buckler stew, adapting to what ingredients are locally available.Guests are encouraged to sit on one of the many cushions and use the low tables to drink tea, talk business, and share stories with fellow travelers.

Venue Information:
All menu items and payment RP-only, tips welcome but not requiredAll RP set post-Stormblood after the liberation of Ala Mhigo; assumed timeline is "a few years after the war"Although most RP is centered around Gyr Abania, we cannot guarantee a spoiler-free say chat; all spoilers up to Endwalker patches are fair gamePlease keep say-chat RP casual and friendly; negotiate confrontational or heavier topics with participants out-of-character ahead of time

Ala Mhigan Mint
A classic black tea served hot with a sprig of fresh mint in each cup and beet sugar cubes on the side; slightly bitter with earthy-sweet notes provided by beet sugar and a subtle minty finishPairs well with: Corvos wedding cookies, saffron milk cake

Buckwheat tea
A strong brew of roasted winter buckwheat served either hot or chilled; a smoky, low flavor profile with a smooth mouthfeelPairs well with: tuzlu kurabiye, gagana manti

Karkaday
A dark purple tea brewed from Last Forest dried hibiscus flowers mixed with a dash of tomb honey, served hot or chilled; bright, sweet, and floral with a lingering, almost astringent aftertastePairs well with: Citadel sfouf, grilled melon slices

Sage tea
An aromatic Ala Gannha tea brewed from dried mountain sage mixed with bellflower root, best served hot; mellow, medicinal notes with a slippery mouthfeel, ideal for hoarse throats after a long day of shouting across the quarry or marketplacePairs well with: karniyarik, buckler stew

Tuzlu kurabiye
Small salty-savory butter cookies twisted into braids and topped with sesame seeds, black cumin, or poppy seeds

Corvos Wedding Cookie
Globe-shaped shortbread-like cookies with nuts, rolled in finely sifted sugar

Saffron milk cake
Spongy cake base soaked in saffron infused dhamlel milk and topped with honey and cream

Citadel Sfouf
A rich-gold turmeric cake baked from emmer and topped with sliced almonds and candied hibiscus; an Ala Mhigan variation of a traditional Bozjan recipe

Gagana manti
Savory dumplings filled with spiced gagana meat and boiled in bone broth; served five to a plate covered in garlic-yogurt sauce

Karniyarik
Smoke dried aubergine stuffed with minced garlic, tomato, pepper, karakul meat, and dried herbs, slow cooked in a clay pot

Grilled melon slices
Fresh local thundermelons sliced thick and grilled over an open charcoal fire, served with skewers and plenty of napkins

Regional Specialties

Buckler Stew (Rhalgr's Reach)
A hearty army stew made of Alliance provisions but with Gyr Abanian culinary sensibilities. Marmot jerky, pickled cabbage, and sunset wheat flour dumplings are boiled together in a buckler with a liberal addition of chili pepper, sliced Velodyna mushrooms, and loch salt.

Third Watch Tea
This stimulating brew is used by soldiers to get through the wee hours of the night when there's naught but hunger, desert chill, and the stars for company. Powdered tea-brick from Alliance rations and dried ephedra gathered from the Striped Hills are boiled with water during the evening and left to steep over the fire all night, resulting in a dark amber concoction that sets the heart racing, stills the gnawing of an empty belly, and keeps soldiers alert until sunrise.

Resistance rusk
Crispy slices of dried bread are smeared with margarine or dunked directly into stew for a quick but satisfying mid-evening snack. Today's tea tent rusks are made from walnut bread studded with dried currants, with a side of rosehip jam on request.

Location Themes & Journal Entry- Camp culture and the quirks of Resistance tradition; how it's been observed, and how it's changed- The tenuous border between civilian and resistance life and what happens when they collide- What it means to be a hero of the homeland, and what homecoming looks like11th Sun of the Fifth Umbral Moon

Regional Specialties

Buckler Stew (Ala Mhigo)
Aromatic tomato-bone broth is tended over the fire for hours, or "the length of a palace guard shift." The broth is then ladled into individual bowls over a bed of rice and shredded lamb meat right before serving, garnished with sumac, mint, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Boza
A sweet, lightly fermented cereal drink of almost pudding-like consistency, served in a clear glass and topped with toasted chickpeas.

Simit
A hoop shaped bread encrusted with sesame seeds, often sold on the street of Ala Mhigo by vendors carrying the bread stacked on a pole or piled high on large metal trays.

Location Themes & Journal Entry- First time in the big city; the dizzying hustle and bustle of urban life as the girls set up shop near the airship landing- The fusion of cultures that results from the influx of Alliance soldiers, merchants, and travelers, and what that means in the context of hospitality work14th Sun of the Fifth Astral Moon

Regional Specialties

Buckler Stew (The Saltery)
Small dried anchovies are boiled with wild onion and arrow-root tubers to create a savory, starchy soup; left overnight, it thickens into a porridge which can be eaten for breakfast the next day.

Loch Seld Brine Tea
An unusual salty tea said to have been started by the workers at the Saltery, who steeped myrtle leaves and juniper berries in the distilled water boiled off of the salt pans; pungent, with a strong herbal flavor from the tough, salt-tolerant vegetation, and a metallic aftertaste from the dissolved minerals left behind even after salt has been removed

Roasted Fish Jerky
Strips of sun-dried ivory sole are taken from the drying rack and roasted over an open fire, shredded into bite-sized pieces, and served with a side of vinegar and olive oil; a casual and delicious snack to accompany drinks at the end of a work day.

Location Themes & Journal Entry- Daily life at the Saltery among the workers who tend the salt pans, the merchants who buy from them, and the food stalls that sell sustenance to both.
- Unrest on the byways, increased bandit activity in the face of burgeoning trade and exports10th Sun of the Fourth Umbral Moon

Regional Specialties

Buckler Stew (Porta Praetoria edition)
Salt-cured Abalathian pipira is taken straight from the preserving barrel and soaked overnight before being broiled into a hearty soup with roasted pepper and fennel.

Peak's Sunrise
Dried buds from the flower known as Rhalgr's Streak, mixed with orange peel and a touch of jhammel ginger. A specialty brew devised by the Tanria sisters to see friends off before a long journey under the auspices of the Destroyer and, gods willing, bring them safely back home.

Toasted Torreya Nuts
Green seeds from the torreya trees which grow near the old royal hunting grounds, plucked just shy of maturity and roasted over an open fire until the shell flakes off, revealing the rich nut meat beneath. Piled in baskets near the food table with a small tray of brass nut picks.

Location Themes & Journal Entry- Crossroads and gateways between regions, histories, and seasons of one's life
- Alliance militia life; the daily hubbub of soldiers, administrators, merchants, and sell-swords along this checkpoint of the Ala Mhigan highway8th Sun of the Third Umbral Moon
There’s ghosts sometimes I think no one can excise. How d’you separate a place from its history, after all, without destroying one or the other? Porta Praetoria is haunted by what she was before the Imperials, and haunted now by the soldiers still milling along her levels. But what will she be when they’re gone? Will the merchants who once used it as a waypoint return, or will the spirits of military occupation keep driving them away?The same, I think, is true for people. Each of us got some manner of ghost we carry around. Some use ’em as reason to spread kindness with their steps; some as excuse to cover ill deeds. Can’t take people’s ghosts from ’em, but hot tea and good food shared with an open heart often goes a way toward easing ’em.- Jemehra Tanria

Regional SpecialtiesBuckler Stew (Coldhearth edition)
Slow-simmered lentils, onions and carrots in chicken stock, spiced with cumin, coriander, and paprika, garnished with olive oil and mint.

Malted barley tea:
Winter barley grown in Coldhearth which has been sprouted, roasted, and steeped into a strong nutty tea that retains its flavor for several bells after brewing.

Menemen:
Sauteed pepper, garlic, and tomato folded into soft-scrambled farm eggs, topped with smoky paprika and a generous dash of fragrant olive oil. Served hot from the tea tent skillet to your table with crusty strips of flatbread.

Location Themes & Journal Entry- Village life, local farming, and traditional herbalism; spring fever season
- The ties that bind; the strength and perils of tight-knit communities and what it means to forge your own path while not losing hold of where you came from11th Sun of the Third Astral Moon
"When Jemehra and I were fifteen summers, our mama gave us a linen sack and told us to go pick Rhalgr's gold on the north side of the mountain. Look for at least three days, she'd told us, before giving up and going home.""Of course we didn't find it, out of season, in the rain shadow. It wasn't till we returned to see the dust trail of an Imperial convoy that we understood what she'd been trying to do. There weren't a lot of young folks in the village when we were growing up — fewer, the closer you got to Ala Ghanna. Recruiters can't take children they don't know are there. Young girls can't pick flowers in places they never grow. All of us, returning empty handed.""There are no hidden mountains to run to in Coldhearth — Radiata to the north, Ala Ghiri to the west, Castrum Abania to the east, rockslides to the south. Perhaps that is why only old men visit the tea tent, resting weary bones after a day in the sun. Perhaps that is why the woman who sold us barley could only speak of her son as a memory, forever a young boy running, running, away from home."- Temenha Tanria

Regional SpecialtiesBuckler Stew (Radiata edition)
Dhammel jerky soaked overnight and boiled with wild carrot, mountain popoto, and highland parsely until it's pull-apart soft. Toasted eruca larvae can be added on top on request.

Castrum Honeybush
A tea made from the leaves of a Corvosi shrub that's followed in the footsteps of imperial soldiers. Often found outside of castrums, this foreign plant has been adopted as a soothing tea by those living near imperial settlements despite its mixed reception.

Kara Lahana Soup
Highland collard simmered with white beans, cracked corn, ground dhammel, and Garlean garlic. Topped with goat butter and paprika and served with a slice of hearty bread.

Location Themes & Journal Entry- Imperial salvage and life post-occupation for those living in the shadow of the castrums
- Forgiveness, acceptance, and who is considered worthy of it13th Sun of the Second Umbral Moon
"I came back to Radiata to find Jemehra laughing with one of the village girls, helping her move munition casings onto a table so she could use them as candle molds. Despite the grim shadow of Specula Imperatoris above, I've heard that few people have actually left. I'll admit I can't imagine wanting to stay, but then again, I have somewhere to go back home to, don't I?""I've heard what some down in Ala Ghiri say about those who were indentured — I'll not write it here, for ink costs coin, and I do not have a mind to waste it on hot air. But it is strange to gather flowers for a grave and know the one buried there would have tried to put my brother there instead, if they'd met on the field years ago."-Temenha Tanria

Regional SpecialtiesBuckler Stew (Ala Ghiri edition)
Whitefish broiled whole in curried tomato broth with mugwort and wild chives, garnished with toasted pine seeds and olive oil.

Five blossom tea (Festival of Love Special)
A festive tea popular at Gyr Abanian weddings and among young lovers, brewed from flowers symbolizing romance, fidelity, and eternal love; orange blossom, jasmine, osmanthus, marigold, and rose hips blend together for a delicate, floral brew that lingers on the tongue

Sulaimani Tea
A clear, fragrant tea brought to Ala Ghiri by caravan traders and adopted by local merchants as a symbol of hospitality and goodwill. Ginger, cardamom, clove, and black tea brewed to a rich amber color, sweetened with palm sugar, and served with a squeeze of lemon.

Hawawshi
A half-moon of pita bread stuffed with minced gagana, onions, pepper, and chilies and baked until warm and crispy; a no-fuss street snack that can often be found in-hand as people hurry through the market.

Location Themes & Journal Entry- Nostalgia, memory, and old stories turned new in the retelling
- Homecoming for those who left and those who were left behind
- Preservation and restoration of that which has fallen into disrepair and yet is still loved and usedA newspaper clipping from the Aether Entertainer, Vol 3 is carefully pasted to the page, with a note written next to it — "Mister Ruckus wrote an article on us!"9th Sun of the Second Astral Moon
"I've heard the capitol is a grand, grand place, but when I think of a city, I think I'll always think of Ala Ghiri first — its worn walls, its dusty flagstones, the cries of merchants and carts rumbling through the square. I had never seen one like it before, sitting like a wine cup at the base of Mount Yorn. They say it used to be the jewel of the caravan roads back before the Wall, now a flower long since faded.But there is beauty in faded things, I think, and new life to be found in desert blooms long thought dead. At the very least, a faded blossom can still made fragrant tea. Here is the city where I met my brother, lost to us long ago. Here is the gate we walked through when we saw him, now a man grown. Here is where my sister and I learned to love a place where we were not born."-Temenha Tanria

Regional SpecialtiesBuckler Stew (Emprise edition)
A light soup of hornbill breast stuffed with dried dates and buckwheat kernels, boiled in a clear broth until tender. Topped with chives and a sprinkle of loch salt.

Sahlab
A thick winter drink made of powdered orchid bulb gathered from the banks of Grymm and Enid ponds; mixed with milk, honey, and rosewater, and served in a shallow cup with crushed pistachios sprinkled on top. Popular among foragers in the Last Forest.

Tortilla Emprisela
A thick pancake of whisked egg batter, sauteed wild onions, mountain popoto, and paprika, fried over an open-fire skillet until golden brown. Popularized by soldiers at the Reach when rations were scarce, now a beloved local classic. Served by the slice.

Location Themes & Journal Entry- Ala Mhigan ruins and the rebuilding of old temples
- Foraging, herbalism, and the flora of the Last Forest
- Crossroads, chance meetings, and finding that which has been lost10th Sun of the First Umbral Moon
"We pitched the tent in the shadows of Emprise's ruins, at the mouth of the mountain tunnels leading to the Reach. To the east lies the Last Forest; to the south the twin ponds of Grymm and Enid. They mix Resistance rations with foraged foodstuffs here, the travelers that make camp at this spot. It's a somber air beneath the pillars. I wonder if the masons that built this place met those that first built the temple back home so long ago — whether they stood under these trees and broke bread and shook hands."-Temenha Tanria

Regional Specialties

Buckler Stew (Ala Ghanna edition)
Spiced goat meat, mountain popoto, carrots, and wild leek slow cooked in a shallow buckler-style pot, served with a dash of cream.

Location Themes & Journal Entry- New beginnings, new faces, and the excitement of starting a journey
- Local economy, village gossip, rural life in the northern regions of the Peaks
- Revival and revision of old traditions post-occupation13th Sun of the First Astral Moon
"Today is our first day opening the tea tent! Jemehra and I are nervous but excited to leave home and start traveling the old caravan roads. But how does one revive caravan traditions in a land bound behind the Wall? And how does one connect villages with roads which have been left broken?"-Temenha Tanria

Daughters of the Spinner

The Tanria Twins

Two sisters run the teahouse, leaving their remote childhood home in the mountains of Gyr Abania to earn coin for their family and travel the continent

Jemehra Tanria

Bright, cheery, and outspoken, Jemehra is the older sister by five minutes. The teahouse may have been Temenha’s idea first, but the two of them have worked side-by-side to make this dream a reality. She’s the main cook of the teahouse; everything that’s served here has probably passed through her hands at least once on its way from gathered ingredient to completed dish.

Temenha Tanria

Temenha runs the accounting and business side of the teahouse, bartering with local merchants and securing supplies for her sister to use in the kitchen; scholarly and ambitious in nature, she still has a lot to learn about the world outside the local village. She writes the tea house travelogue to document their journeys.

Dawn-Eye Tea
(500 gil)Citron peel, ginger, and dried East End loquats are preserved in honey and mixed with hot water to make this refreshing tea, perfect for sipping during a chilly evening at the docks. Named for Ganzfrynn, a patient fish puller and steadfast friend of the teahouse.

Kombe Cookies
(500 gil)A delicate, rounded cookie covered with sesame seeds, filled with walnuts and date sugar, and imprinted with a wooden cookie mold to create floral patterns over the dome

Corvosi wedding cookies
These globe-shaped shortbread-like tea cakes rolled in finely sifted sugar have a decadent, nutty taste and a penchant for scattering white sugar powder down the shirt fronts of all those who partake

Desert Saffron Tea:
(500 gil)
A mulled herbal tea of pearl ginger, cardamon, mint, and vibrant threads of Thanalan saffron, steeped to a rich amber and sweetened with honey. Served hot in fluted glass cups.

Caravan griddle cake
(500 gil)
A thick cornmeal skillet cake stuffed with nuts and brown sugar, cooked over an open fire, and topped with whipped cream, dried currants, and rolanberries.