Adventure: Food of the Gods (DM: ryryguy, Judge: renau1g)

[ryryguy]

"Hello. My name is Azryah. I am, indeed, a Deva. You must be Castofle. I must confess I overheard a bit of your conversation with my friend Jynxx as you came down the stairs. I'll be happy to answer your questions, but perhaps it would be good if we got out of this cramped hallway and sat down somewhere. I'd hate to block the way for anyone else who may be coming down the stairs."

She bowed slightly, indicating that perhaps they should proceed into the bunk area.

"You may be more at home in the kitchen, but I think we will find more comfortable seats in here."

"Sure!" Castofle heads towards the bunkroom.

// Everybody else, feel free to come on down, or stay up on deck. The voyage isn't that long, but long enough that everyone who wants to should have a chance to speak with Castofle at some point during the trip.

"Now, to your question: The Astral Sea. It is true that my spirit once resided there, but it has been many centuries, or perhaps longer, since then. I'm afraid that my memories of that place are very dim and lie mostly in emotion that would be very hard to describe."

Castofle looks disappointed. "Oh! Too bad! So you don't remember what you ate there? How about any flavors, or smells? No?" He scratches his beard. "Emotions, huh? Eating can stir emotions! Can you recall, um, any food-related emotions? Or drink-related maybe?"

 

[OnlytheStrong]

Jynxx nearly laughs as an idea pops into his head. He decides to leave the Deva and the chef alone, and heads up to the deck to see if he may be of any use.

 

[Mewness]

Papolstaanas, having been urged onto his feet by Kaeysari, stumbles into the bunkroom and falls exhaustedly onto one of the lower bunks. He doesn't appear to notice Azryah or Castofle.

 

[Mezegis]

Quickly growing impatient with the lack of speed from the Bluebell Lady, Chaku looks around for any of his party mates on deck, calling out to them, Since we seem to have a bit of time before we arrive at the Isle, perhaps we should discuss tactics and have a basic battle plan. Lets head below deck and get the others.

Heading below deck himself, he finds moving around quite difficult as ships are not built for men of his size. Hunched over and obviously uncomfortable, Chaku attempts to group up the party, asking Papolstaanos if he is awake enough to talk, and inviting Castofle as well since he seems infatuated with the deva. Assuming he manages to get most of the group together, he leads off the discussion. I asked us to gather since we are currently going on our first adventure together and who knows what manner of beastie we’ll find. Yes, we all heard a little bit when we described ourselves to that snotling, I think a much better discussion should be had since our lives will depend on each other.

I can strike pretty hard with my maul, but I can also weaken the initial blow, and unleash a thunderclap that can hit a few people close the my target. I am pretty easy to strike, but being one with the mountain, I can shrug off hits that would pierce lesser men… Looking around at Azryah and Kaeysari, or women. Given the armor we wear, I would think Kaeysari and Papolstaanos would run point, with Azryah and Jynxx covering mid. I’ll take rearguard since I’m probably the least sneaky or persuasive member of the group.

His ideas done, he looks to the group for their ideas regarding his plans, or offering some of their own. It may occur to some, that outside of stories with a set path, discussing battle and tactics seems to be where Chaku is most comfortable talking.

 

[Charm]

The wind/fire genasi rushed down the pier as fast as her legs would carry her. "Wait!" She shouted at the ship but the Bluebell Lady had already cast off. Sighing she stepped off the pier and finished her trek in air, floating gently to set her feet upon the deck. Mumbling to herself, about being a fool for sleeping in, she glances around hoping to find the one she was searching for. After a few moments of not seeing her target she turns to the closest person. "Excuse me, but have you seen a male kalashtar about this tall?" She places her left hand just a few inches above her head. "He tends to hide his unruly hair in a tasteless brimmed hat? Seems to be an eversmiling fool? Does that sound familiar to anyone?" She makes eye contact with as many people on deck as she speaks her voice also fills with amusement and affection. In a poor sing-song voice she calls out. "Oh Big Br'therrrrr Where are youuuu?" She snickers softly as she can't wait to see if he could hear her.

[sblock=ooc] Hello, Charm here, friend..yea friend of OnlytheStrong. Cilla has gone through several changes so her sheet is a WIP at this time, sorry. Trying to get it all worked out asap. It's nice to be here and I can't wait to see where this all goes. [/sblock]

 

[Mezegis]

[sblock=OOC]Welcome Charm! Welcome to the party, I'll try to make this adventure as painless as possible for you, though I'm sure ryryguy has a weeeee bit of pain set up for us. Silly DM's for putting enemies on adventures LoL.[/sblock]

 

[LadyLaw]

Castofle looks disappointed. "Oh! Too bad! So you don't remember what you ate there? How about any flavors, or smells? No?" He scratches his beard. "Emotions, huh? Eating can stir emotions! Can you recall, um, any food-related emotions? Or drink-related maybe?"

"Hmm...well, mostly I remember a coolness, but I don't know that it was related to food. I will try to meditate on it and see if I can remember anything specific. It is hard sometimes to call up memories from so very long ago. If I do remember something, I will let you know."

Azryah is happy to see more of her companions now coming down the stairs and into the bunkroom. She wonders if the kobold is always so tired in the morning, or if he was up late, but decides it's better not to ask such things. At least, it's best not to ask them right now.

When Chaku begins to discuss his plan she listens carefully.

Given the armor we wear, I would think Kaeysari and Papolstaanos would run point, with Azryah and Jynxx covering mid. I’ll take rearguard since I’m probably the least sneaky or persuasive member of the group.

"Keep in mind that there is to be a guide of some sort with us. Presumably he would be leading in truth."

 

[ryryguy]

"Hmm...well, mostly I remember a coolness, but I don't know that it was related to food. I will try to meditate on it and see if I can remember anything specific. It is hard sometimes to call up memories from so very long ago. If I do remember something, I will let you know."

"Oh, I'd appreciate it," Castofle responds. "Even if you just remember that you did eat - I mean, I'd love to hear some recipes! Love it! - but I really just want to know, was there food there at all?"

Without waiting for an answer, Castofle continues with rising excitement, gesturing frequently with his hands. "See, this may sound silly, but... back when I was a student, learning how to cook, we - me and the other students - would sometimes talk about what food might have been like in the Astral Sea, in 'the time before time'. Just sort of playing around, you know, speculating. Some people thought that maybe there was just one perfect type of food, that combined all the qualities of all the food that there'd be in our world. Eating it would be like eating everything all at once. That doesn't make sense, I mean if you just throw everything into a stew, the best case is everything'd kind of cancel each other out and it'd be totally bland - best case! Actually it'd probably just be horrible!

"So they'd say, maybe the perfect food didn't blend everything, it just was the one dish that was the absolute best dish you could possibly make? But I had a different idea. What I thought was, it'd be more like there'd be a perfect cuisine, see, that made use of every type of ingredient and spice and technique and presentation that would ever come to be. It would fuse together all those things into unimaginely heavenly food! Things would be brought together from different cuisines that have never met, will never meet in our world! And there'd be like a huge, never-ending banquet table with all these amazing dishes, where all the gods and angels and primer-, primo-, um, primordials could feast whenever they wanted - "

Castofle stops short and makes a sour face. "Once our teacher heard us talking about this. He said what we were saying was ridiculous. He said, if the time before time and the beings who were there were truly perfect, they wouldn't have eaten anything. Because if they were perfect, and there was no time, they'd never hunger, or thirst. He said - I remember his exact words - 'That is why though we strive for perfection, we can never completely achieve it. A truly perfect dish would melt away on the tongue, like a mirage. The diner would not need nor want to eat ever again.'"

He pauses, and for the first time, the chef appears a bit self-conscious. "Like I said, pretty silly," he says defensively. "I'm no philosopher! But since then I've just been curious about that."

I asked us to gather since we are currently going on our first adventure together and who knows what manner of beastie we’ll find. Yes, we all heard a little bit when we described ourselves to that snotling, I think a much better discussion should be had since our lives will depend on each other.

I can strike pretty hard with my maul, but I can also weaken the initial blow, and unleash a thunderclap that can hit a few people close the my target. I am pretty easy to strike, but being one with the mountain, I can shrug off hits that would pierce lesser men… Looking around at Azryah and Kaeysari, or women. Given the armor we wear, I would think Kaeysari and Papolstaanos would run point, with Azryah and Jynxx covering mid. I’ll take rearguard since I’m probably the least sneaky or persuasive member of the group.

Castofle listens with an interested though baffled expression. Clearly he's rarely, if ever, considered such matters. At the end of Chaku's words, he brightens. "Oh! I get it! What you're saying, it's, it's kind of like a recipe! Hmmm..." He scratches his beard. "But if the ones with armor are sort of like your crust, then shouldn't they go on last? No? Well, I guess if it's like a popover..." Looking around at the adventurers' expressions, the chef stops.

"Sorry. Um, by the way, I meant to say before I got distracted, thank you all for coming and going to get those beans for me. I'm sure it'll be nothing, Hedra's just paranoid. Ummm..." he turns towards Chaku. "Mister, I didn't get your name. Are you from the north of Ea? We get some great fish from up there, good pork too. It hasn't been coming in as much the last few years though, too bad." Obviously, Chaku is not the only one with a preferred subject of conversation.

 

[ryryguy]

[sblock=ooc]Welcome aboard Charm and Cillani! [/sblock]
The sailors are quite startled when the genasi comes floating down on their ship. But with a bunch of adventurers already on board, they shrug and take it in stride, especially when she starts asking about Jynxx. One of them points her in his direction. (which I'm not sure where it is, but I think he came back on deck anyway...)

Progress through the harbor is a slow due to heavy traffic. Captain Jardin flings curses at a few other boats that get in the way, loud enough to be heard by those below. But once the harbor is cleared, the Bluebell Lady raises its other sails and rapidly picks up speed. Daunton falls away behind. The ship cuts through open water, bouncing gently over some of the larger swells. The sailors relax a bit, sitting around joking and playing dice.

The Isle of Opposition is just barely visible as a faint smudge on the horizon, slowly but steadily growing in size and definition.

[sblock=ooc]I ought to be able to post later tonight with your arrival at the Isle. Feel free continue with roleplaying posts, it's been great so far![/sblock]

 

[Mezegis]

Chaku erupts in a huge belly laugh as the chef compares the party to a pie. You are correct in a manner of speaking, myself and those with tougher armor would be the protective crust to keep the soft berries, as he glances toward Jynxx from being squished prematurely.

Yes, I hail from the northern area of Ea, Surtyr to be specific. It's nice to meet someone who has heard of it. Funny you mentioned the fish, my favorite dish was Blue-tailed spinefish flavored with a bit of local iceberries with a side of salted meat. The salty sweet flavor after a long day on the tundra was near paradise.