Glitterstim

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.

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"Been hitting the spice too heavily, I see, Moruth. Always gets the eyesight first."

―Han Solo^[1]

Glitterstim was produced by the . — Glitterstim was produced by the Energy Spider.

Glitterstim was a potent variety of the drug family "spice" that was mined on Kessel. It gave the user a brief, yet pleasurable, telepathic boost and heightened mental state. It was a very valuable spice and tightly controlled by the Galactic Empire.^[1]

Production and properties

It was produced from the webs of spice spiders only on Kessel. The spice was photoactive, so it had to be mined in total darkness or it would be ruined. After it was mined, it had to be packaged in an opaque paper to prevent accidental activation.^[1] Exposure to light radiation triggered a chemical process where it acquired a golden sparkling effect, when it had to be consumed.^[2]

While in use, blue sparks could sometimes be seen around the cheek and mouth area. "Cutters" prepared the spice for sale.

Sources gave varying accounts of the true effects of glitterstim. It has been widely lauded to give a temporary telepathic boost, and with some concentration the user could feel sensations and emotions of others.^[2] Han Solo felt their effects firsthand and knew the telepathic powers to be true, but others, such as Corran Horn, felt that the increased abilities were merely imagined by the spiced users.^[1] In reality, Force-sensitives and telepaths did not benefit from glitterstim.^[2]

Glitterstim was quite addictive—casual use could quickly lead to full-blown addiction. Glitterstim addicts were sometimes called "glit-biters." Excessive use degenerated the nerves in the brain, resulting in loss of sight, twitching, nervousness, and paranoia.

History

During the Cold War between the Galactic Republic and the reconstituted Sith Empire, Getzo claimed to have invented glitterstim.^[3]

The Republic first made use of glitterstim, considering it a medicinal substance, and volunteers mined it on Kessel. With the fall of the Republic, criminal organizations diverted it to the black market.^[4]

Glitterstim users frequently overdosed on the spice, sometimes resulting in death. This led to at least one dubious casualty: HoloNet News and Entertainment current-affairs pundit Hirib Bassot was found dead at home from alleged abuse of a contaminated batch of glitterstim shortly after questioning the accuracy of the Republic's inflated estimation of Separatist battle droids during an HNE broadcast.

During the Imperial Era, Kessel, the only known place where glitterstim was created, belonged to the Galactic Empire, which nominally owned all glitterstim production. The spice was mined by slaves, criminals who were convicted there by the Empire. However, illegal miners were able to extract some amounts on Kessel and skim them to the black market.^[2]

Most of it was distributed by the Empire to the Intelligence service ISB in order to be used by security agents and spies as well as select officers (sometimes using it for personal amusement). A smaller portion was auctioned off to client states and affiliated corporations. Some amounts leaked from the chain of distribution and found their way to the black market in exorbitant prices.^[2]

As a result, an illegal dose of glitterstim costed 6,000 Imperial Credits.^[2]

Glitterstim played a key role in convincing Bria Tharen to abandon her religious life on Ylesia. She was given a vial of the drug by Han Solo, who suggested she use it to read his surface thoughts and verify he was telling the truth about the fraudulent nature of the Ylesian priesthood. Instead, Bria ingested the spice during the Exultation ceremony; despite being bombarded by the induced pleasures of every worshiper around her, she read the mind of the t'landa Til priest Teroenza and found there no religious belief at all, but the thoughts of a swindler. Teroenza reacted to the telepathic presence, and Bria fled.

Grand Admiral Miltin Takel and the Bith musician Figrin D'an were glitterstim addicts. Figrin readily accepted contracts where glitterstim was available nearby.

Glitterstim was the basis for other spice variants, such as glitteryll and tempest.