=== Races | Culture | Nutrition ===

====== TANDORA FRUIT ======

===== Overview =====

Tandora Fruit is a golden, mango-orange–flavored fruit native to the tropical forests and river valleys of the [[asari|Asari Region]] on [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]]. Known among the [[the_natives_tribes_of_voi_700_d|Native Tribes]] as *Tan’dorah* (“Sun’s Gift”), it symbolized vitality and abundance. Its bright hue and sweet aroma made it a centerpiece of seasonal feasts and offerings to sky deities.  

When [[the_humans|ExoHumans]] crash-landed and their imported [[the_earth|Earth]] fruits failed, Tandora became one of the first adopted native fruits. By the [[beta_age|Beta Age]], it was widely cultivated in the [[hope|Hope Region]] and beyond, providing fresh juice, sweet preserves, and a vital source of vitamins.  

===== Physical Description & Growth Conditions =====

==== Botanical Characteristics ====
  * **Tree Height:** 6–9 meters, with broad, leafy crowns.  
  * **Fruit Size:** Oval, 8–12 cm long.  
  * **Skin:** Thin, smooth, golden-orange with faint iridescent speckles.  
  * **Flesh:** Bright orange, fibrous but juicy, with a mango-like sweetness and a subtle tang.  
  * **Seeds:** One large, flat, crescent-shaped seed per fruit.  
  * **Soil Needs:** Thrives in rich tropical soils, especially in floodplains of Hope.  
  * **Water Requirements:** High — requires regular rainfall or irrigation.  
  * **Temperature Tolerance:** Suited to humid heat, sensitive to drought.  

===== Native Use & Cultural Significance =====

Among Native Tribes, Tandora was consumed fresh, dried into sun-leathers, or fermented into celebratory drinks. In rituals, its golden color symbolized the life-giving sun.

The Trando Tribe believed Tandora groves were protected by ancestral spirits, and to harm such a grove was considered a sacrilege.  

===== ExoHuman Use in the Beta Age =====

For ExoHumans, Tandora was a breakthrough fruit. Its juices replaced citrus in colonists’ diets, countering early deficiencies. Farmers selectively bred Tandora for larger yields, shorter ripening cycles, and reduced seed size.  

At the [[last_frontier_university|Last Frontier University in New Kourou]], [[gaia|AI GAIA]] guided recipe experiments, testing Tandora in jams, fermented drinks, and pastries when combined with [[lunor_wheat|Lunor Wheat]] and [[helik_oats|Helik Oats]].  

Some settlers, however, developed fruit intolerances or allergic reactions, often linked to Tandora’s fibrous proteins.  

===== Tandora Fruit in the Gamma Age =====

After the [[great_war|Great War]], Tandora groves were placed under the authority of the [[federal_food_plant|Federal Food Plant]] in [[hope|Hope]]. Private orchards were abolished, and Tandora became one of the standardized fruit rations distributed in [[federal_canteen|Federal Canteens]] and workplace cafeterias.   

While still eaten fresh, most Tandora harvests were processed into canned rations, losing their ceremonial and festive role.  

===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters =====

  * **Beta Age Hook:** A new Tandora hybrid is rumored to resist pests, but seeds have been stolen. PCs must retrieve them before rival settlers or smugglers exploit the find.  
  * **Gamma Age Hook:** A hidden Tandora grove has survived outside of Federal oversight. PCs are tasked with either reporting it or protecting it as a cultural sanctuary.  

===== Related Pages & Further Information =====

  * [[exohuman_nutrition_in_the_beta_age|Exohuman Nutrition in the Beta Age]]  
  * [[exohuman_nutrition_in_the_gamma_age|Exohuman Nutrition in the Gamma Age]]  
  * [[hope|Hope Region]]  
  * [[federal_food_plant|Federal Food Plant]]  
  * [[lunor_wheat|Lunor Wheat]]  
  * [[helik_oats|Helik Oats]]  
  * [[last_frontier_university|Last Frontier University in New Kourou]]  
  * [[the_natives_tribes_of_voi_700_d|Native Tribes]]