A New Beginning
The city streets were filled with people and noise as vendors hawked their...
The city streets were filled with people and noise as vendors hawked their...
Battle Chef: A Cooking/Dungeon Exploring Adventure
- Thread starter Emperor Toast
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
- Created
- Status
- Ongoing
- Watchers
- 130
- Recent readers
- 0
- Threadmarks
- 16
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Statistics (16 threadmarks, 26k words)
User Total Emperor Toast 16
A New Beginning
- Location
- United States
A New Beginning
The city streets were filled with people and noise as vendors hawked their wares besides the teeming masses of the city. Among them were many ability users, who were heading into the city center to enter the towering spire that served as a staircase into the labyrinthine structure that floated in the skies above.
The floating fortress shaped in a cone was known simply as Skyhold. Composed of a hundred floors with the widest at the bottom, it was filled with treasure and danger alike. Each floor was a little smaller than the last but with a diameter of nearly fifteen kilometers at the bottom, every floor still covered a massive amount of space. Skyhold's size was such that the entire city below it was bathed in perpetual shadow, and so the city was named Umbra.
She woke up one day to find herself in a new, fantastical world with something called the Transcendent Cuisine system appearing in her mind. Her age and body regressed to when she was about twenty as well, shedding the aches and pains of a lifetime of work in the process. She didn't understand what the full extent of its capabilities were, but it appeared to be geared towards making her a great chef and a great warrior.
On the second day the system either acquired or made her a restaurant. She wasn't sure which.
A small two story attached home with about 100 square meters of space on each floor, it was decorated in the medieval European style that was prevalent in the city. The exterior was a bit shabby though very clean and a large door served as the entry way.
The first floor was divided into the kitchen and dining area. Unlike most of the kitchens she had worked in, it was quite oversized versus the amount of dining space available. At about fifty square meters it evenly divided the floor.
The dining area was tiled with dark slate and was very sleek. The furniture was made from hinoki cypress wood that was sanded smooth and took the form of a long counter table with chairs for ten and one small table against the right wall with a pair of chairs. The counter had a direct view into the kitchen, allowing patrons to watch her cook. Most of the dining room was empty but she figured the system did this on purpose to force her to grow in capability.
Settling into the upstairs floor, she was surprised to find it filled with modern amenities that she would have sorely missed. A full bathroom suite and a huge soft bed along with a desk and enough book shelves for a large library were all present. It was temperature controlled too as it was much cooler than outside.
Showering and dropping off into bed, she thought about her life and her path now. Was this reincarnation? She didn't think she had merited rebirth.
She would hardly call herself a good person. Reformed perhaps but good? No.
Born to a Japanese father and French mother, she was the subject of envy and ridicule alike. Her ancestry made her a target for bullies at school in Tokyo, while her beauty drew all kinds of unwanted attention. Embittered and angry, she threw herself into learning martial arts to fight her enemies. This of course got her kicked out of school and the subsequent fall out with her parents saw her leave home. What followed was a decade of struggle as she fell in with increasingly dangerous criminals. She saw it as a challenge though, to thrive in the masculine world of violence and crime. It wasn't until her mother passed away and left behind a letter bearing her regrets and hopes for her wayward daughter, that she finally found a way out of a life of crime.
As a former criminal that didn't even complete high school, there were not a huge number of jobs she could take. Certainly plenty of easy ones existed where she could have flaunt her beauty to make money hand over fist, but she was unwilling to go down this path. Her pride would never let her. Eventually she found herself cooking and fell in love with it. She threw her whole heart into it and worked her way up from line cook to executive chef and owner of a
[X] Sushiya - A traditional edomae sushiya on the outskirts of Ginza, it was basically a hole in the wall that seated ten. Fighting against tradition and clawing her way up, she dedicated her life to mastering the art of sushi. In time, she was able to shake off the perception that women could not succeed as a sushi chef, attaining three Michelin stars and a reputation as one of the best sushi masters in Tokyo.
Sword of the Samurai - To be a sushi shokunin requires skills with a blade far beyond that of a normal chef. Every cut matters. Battle chefs coming from this tradition are uniquely suited for using blades.
Bane of the Rive and Sea - The number of aquatic creatures that have been consumed in her journey as a chef is uncountable. Aquatic creatures instinctively hesitate against such a bloody opponent and take combat penalties. Seafood dishes are also easier to create.
Perfectionism - From the aging of the fish, to the saltiness of the soy sauce, to the shape of every grain of rice, every bit matters in the creation of the perfect sushi. This philosophy has not changed. Minimum threshold for dish creation is higher but higher quality tiers are easier to attain.
__________________________________________________________________________________
I wanted to throw my hat into the ring of original stories. With my love of fantasy fights and food, this quest was born. I don't have as much time as I would like between work, studying for a really long complicated exam and some trips abroad (with one upcoming). Combined this with a bad case of writers block with my other stories and its been a quiet few months on the writing front for me. Hopefully this will bring back some of that mojo.
This is a lot of new territory for me, not the least of which is a female protagonist, but I think I have some fun ideas for this. I also don't think I've seen anyone doing a quest with a culinary focus so hopefully this will be a bit novel as well.
You can think of this as a fantasy dungeon crawling type world so right now you're picking a class based on the culinary traditions you have steeped yourself in. Cooking and eating are very important to your growth and development and are one of the center pieces in this quest. Hunting for ingredients, cooking, recipe creation and managing your restaurant are all important tasks and will take up most of your time. I will be following this post up with some mechanics and info on what you can expect.
This will be a skill focused quest so typically your successes will not be determined by rolling. This will be similar to what I used for Sword of Promised Victory less the stat system or perhaps AGG type quests on SB.
The city streets were filled with people and noise as vendors hawked their wares besides the teeming masses of the city. Among them were many ability users, who were heading into the city center to enter the towering spire that served as a staircase into the labyrinthine structure that floated in the skies above.
The floating fortress shaped in a cone was known simply as Skyhold. Composed of a hundred floors with the widest at the bottom, it was filled with treasure and danger alike. Each floor was a little smaller than the last but with a diameter of nearly fifteen kilometers at the bottom, every floor still covered a massive amount of space. Skyhold's size was such that the entire city below it was bathed in perpetual shadow, and so the city was named Umbra.
She woke up one day to find herself in a new, fantastical world with something called the Transcendent Cuisine system appearing in her mind. Her age and body regressed to when she was about twenty as well, shedding the aches and pains of a lifetime of work in the process. She didn't understand what the full extent of its capabilities were, but it appeared to be geared towards making her a great chef and a great warrior.
On the second day the system either acquired or made her a restaurant. She wasn't sure which.
A small two story attached home with about 100 square meters of space on each floor, it was decorated in the medieval European style that was prevalent in the city. The exterior was a bit shabby though very clean and a large door served as the entry way.
The first floor was divided into the kitchen and dining area. Unlike most of the kitchens she had worked in, it was quite oversized versus the amount of dining space available. At about fifty square meters it evenly divided the floor.
The dining area was tiled with dark slate and was very sleek. The furniture was made from hinoki cypress wood that was sanded smooth and took the form of a long counter table with chairs for ten and one small table against the right wall with a pair of chairs. The counter had a direct view into the kitchen, allowing patrons to watch her cook. Most of the dining room was empty but she figured the system did this on purpose to force her to grow in capability.
Settling into the upstairs floor, she was surprised to find it filled with modern amenities that she would have sorely missed. A full bathroom suite and a huge soft bed along with a desk and enough book shelves for a large library were all present. It was temperature controlled too as it was much cooler than outside.
Showering and dropping off into bed, she thought about her life and her path now. Was this reincarnation? She didn't think she had merited rebirth.
She would hardly call herself a good person. Reformed perhaps but good? No.
Born to a Japanese father and French mother, she was the subject of envy and ridicule alike. Her ancestry made her a target for bullies at school in Tokyo, while her beauty drew all kinds of unwanted attention. Embittered and angry, she threw herself into learning martial arts to fight her enemies. This of course got her kicked out of school and the subsequent fall out with her parents saw her leave home. What followed was a decade of struggle as she fell in with increasingly dangerous criminals. She saw it as a challenge though, to thrive in the masculine world of violence and crime. It wasn't until her mother passed away and left behind a letter bearing her regrets and hopes for her wayward daughter, that she finally found a way out of a life of crime.
As a former criminal that didn't even complete high school, there were not a huge number of jobs she could take. Certainly plenty of easy ones existed where she could have flaunt her beauty to make money hand over fist, but she was unwilling to go down this path. Her pride would never let her. Eventually she found herself cooking and fell in love with it. She threw her whole heart into it and worked her way up from line cook to executive chef and owner of a
[X] Sushiya - A traditional edomae sushiya on the outskirts of Ginza, it was basically a hole in the wall that seated ten. Fighting against tradition and clawing her way up, she dedicated her life to mastering the art of sushi. In time, she was able to shake off the perception that women could not succeed as a sushi chef, attaining three Michelin stars and a reputation as one of the best sushi masters in Tokyo.
Sword of the Samurai - To be a sushi shokunin requires skills with a blade far beyond that of a normal chef. Every cut matters. Battle chefs coming from this tradition are uniquely suited for using blades.
Bane of the Rive and Sea - The number of aquatic creatures that have been consumed in her journey as a chef is uncountable. Aquatic creatures instinctively hesitate against such a bloody opponent and take combat penalties. Seafood dishes are also easier to create.
Perfectionism - From the aging of the fish, to the saltiness of the soy sauce, to the shape of every grain of rice, every bit matters in the creation of the perfect sushi. This philosophy has not changed. Minimum threshold for dish creation is higher but higher quality tiers are easier to attain.
[ ] French Brasserie - After her mother passed, a feeling of longing and emptiness filled her heart. She went to Lyon, her mother's hometown, to learn to cook in the hopes of recreating the tastes of her childhood. She attended Institut Paul Bocuse, founded by perhaps the greatest French chef of the past century. She went on to open her own brasserie and dedicated her life to Lyonnais cuisine. At the height of her career she maintained a two Michelin star rating and the highest placement by a female chef in the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, placing at number 14.
Thousand Techniques - Sauteing, braising, roasting, poaching, baking, curing, grilling, on and on. The methods and techniques of French and Lyonnaise cuisine is far ranging and diverse. Battle chefs of this cooking tradition are best suited for controlling many diverse elements and magic; blending them together to create something even greater and more powerful.
Terroir of the Land - Lyon's geographical location made it a center of many culinary influences from France and beyond. Local farmers supplied everything from beef to fish to poultry to vegetables and wine. Recipe creation and ingredient adaption within the confines of existing recipes is easier.
Traditionalist - Her life was dedicated to the pursuit of the flavors of her childhood. A journey that is forever tinged by the lense of nostalgia. As a consequence there is a great adherence to tradition. Learning new cuisines and techniques is harder.
[ ] A modern American restaurant - She needed something new, a clean break from her past life. So she flew across the world and settled into New York City. At the forefront of the foodie revolution in the United States, it was essentially a battle ground in a never ending war for influence, fame and money. The cuisine defied categorization and fell under the catch all term of modern American and she was one of innumerable entrants bringing her own culinary history into play. French technique paired with Japanese precision and American ingredients to create a cuisine all her own. She took influences and cues where she thought it was necessary and blazed her way through the city. Lauded by city critics including a New York Times four star review, she was nonetheless continuously snubbed by the Michelin guide.
American Revolution - Her food was loud, crass and unrefined. Lacking the embellishments and the high handedness of haute cuisine; every dish was powerful, in your face, and pulled no punches. It defined her uncompromising spirit and her desire to triumph over all. Battle chefs of this tradition are hand to hand fighters, refining powerful bodies and techniques to stand toe to toe against any and all foes.
Gourmet Microcosm - Hundreds of languages and cuisines exist within the confines of New York City, and the influence of this microcosm of food cannot be understated. From Ghana to Pakistan to Vietnam to Colombia, traces of the spices and flavors of much of the world can be found here. These chefs are very adaptable and pick up new cuisines and techniques more quickly.
Icarus - Between immense critical reception, accolades, media appearances, book deals, endorsements, new restaurants, new investors and the myriad of other activities that signify the rise of a star chef, one cannot help but become prideful, arrogant and conceited. In time, one comes to view themselves as greatness incarnate; years of being a rockstar imbuing a sense of infallibility. This of course, has been the downfall of many a great chef as they shift increasingly away from the kitchen and into other roles at the same time. Crisis' and failure have greater penalties.l
[ ] A hole in the wall in London - It was a tiny restaurant that seated perhaps 30, tucked into an unassuming alleyway. Quiet and understated, it was the type of place that would never receive critical acclaim. But she didn't care. Her focus was to bring warmth to the hearts of others. To make them feel welcome. To remind them of home, wherever that may be. The money, critical acclaim or popularity that other chefs might seek were all meaningless to her. It was about giving back when she used to only take. It gained popularity, almost despite her efforts, serving an eclectic mix of dishes pulled from culinary traditions all over the world.
Home and Hearth - Her food was characterized by its warmth, brought forth by loving attention and labor. It soothed the soul, invoked deep seated memories and perhaps in its own way, healed people. Battle chefs of this tradition are healers, saviors of body and soul though this power can also be turned against enemies. Also provides a slight boost to vegetable and fruit dishes.
The Soul of Food - Though simple, the food she produced harkened back to the days when ingredients and tools were at their most basic, where the soul and will of the chef were the only thing able to impart deliciousness upon the dishes. Gives a small bonus across a number of culinary categories.
Simplisticity is Not Always Mastery - By nature she devoted little to fancy techniques and decoration, but this is both a blessing and a curse. Technical and decorating skills are low and underdeveloped. Skill gains in these categories are also slightly reduced.
As she fell asleep, the words "Encyclopedia Activated" flashed across her vision.
Thousand Techniques - Sauteing, braising, roasting, poaching, baking, curing, grilling, on and on. The methods and techniques of French and Lyonnaise cuisine is far ranging and diverse. Battle chefs of this cooking tradition are best suited for controlling many diverse elements and magic; blending them together to create something even greater and more powerful.
Terroir of the Land - Lyon's geographical location made it a center of many culinary influences from France and beyond. Local farmers supplied everything from beef to fish to poultry to vegetables and wine. Recipe creation and ingredient adaption within the confines of existing recipes is easier.
Traditionalist - Her life was dedicated to the pursuit of the flavors of her childhood. A journey that is forever tinged by the lense of nostalgia. As a consequence there is a great adherence to tradition. Learning new cuisines and techniques is harder.
[ ] A modern American restaurant - She needed something new, a clean break from her past life. So she flew across the world and settled into New York City. At the forefront of the foodie revolution in the United States, it was essentially a battle ground in a never ending war for influence, fame and money. The cuisine defied categorization and fell under the catch all term of modern American and she was one of innumerable entrants bringing her own culinary history into play. French technique paired with Japanese precision and American ingredients to create a cuisine all her own. She took influences and cues where she thought it was necessary and blazed her way through the city. Lauded by city critics including a New York Times four star review, she was nonetheless continuously snubbed by the Michelin guide.
American Revolution - Her food was loud, crass and unrefined. Lacking the embellishments and the high handedness of haute cuisine; every dish was powerful, in your face, and pulled no punches. It defined her uncompromising spirit and her desire to triumph over all. Battle chefs of this tradition are hand to hand fighters, refining powerful bodies and techniques to stand toe to toe against any and all foes.
Gourmet Microcosm - Hundreds of languages and cuisines exist within the confines of New York City, and the influence of this microcosm of food cannot be understated. From Ghana to Pakistan to Vietnam to Colombia, traces of the spices and flavors of much of the world can be found here. These chefs are very adaptable and pick up new cuisines and techniques more quickly.
Icarus - Between immense critical reception, accolades, media appearances, book deals, endorsements, new restaurants, new investors and the myriad of other activities that signify the rise of a star chef, one cannot help but become prideful, arrogant and conceited. In time, one comes to view themselves as greatness incarnate; years of being a rockstar imbuing a sense of infallibility. This of course, has been the downfall of many a great chef as they shift increasingly away from the kitchen and into other roles at the same time. Crisis' and failure have greater penalties.l
[ ] A hole in the wall in London - It was a tiny restaurant that seated perhaps 30, tucked into an unassuming alleyway. Quiet and understated, it was the type of place that would never receive critical acclaim. But she didn't care. Her focus was to bring warmth to the hearts of others. To make them feel welcome. To remind them of home, wherever that may be. The money, critical acclaim or popularity that other chefs might seek were all meaningless to her. It was about giving back when she used to only take. It gained popularity, almost despite her efforts, serving an eclectic mix of dishes pulled from culinary traditions all over the world.
Home and Hearth - Her food was characterized by its warmth, brought forth by loving attention and labor. It soothed the soul, invoked deep seated memories and perhaps in its own way, healed people. Battle chefs of this tradition are healers, saviors of body and soul though this power can also be turned against enemies. Also provides a slight boost to vegetable and fruit dishes.
The Soul of Food - Though simple, the food she produced harkened back to the days when ingredients and tools were at their most basic, where the soul and will of the chef were the only thing able to impart deliciousness upon the dishes. Gives a small bonus across a number of culinary categories.
Simplisticity is Not Always Mastery - By nature she devoted little to fancy techniques and decoration, but this is both a blessing and a curse. Technical and decorating skills are low and underdeveloped. Skill gains in these categories are also slightly reduced.
As she fell asleep, the words "Encyclopedia Activated" flashed across her vision.
__________________________________________________________________________________
I wanted to throw my hat into the ring of original stories. With my love of fantasy fights and food, this quest was born. I don't have as much time as I would like between work, studying for a really long complicated exam and some trips abroad (with one upcoming). Combined this with a bad case of writers block with my other stories and its been a quiet few months on the writing front for me. Hopefully this will bring back some of that mojo.
This is a lot of new territory for me, not the least of which is a female protagonist, but I think I have some fun ideas for this. I also don't think I've seen anyone doing a quest with a culinary focus so hopefully this will be a bit novel as well.
You can think of this as a fantasy dungeon crawling type world so right now you're picking a class based on the culinary traditions you have steeped yourself in. Cooking and eating are very important to your growth and development and are one of the center pieces in this quest. Hunting for ingredients, cooking, recipe creation and managing your restaurant are all important tasks and will take up most of your time. I will be following this post up with some mechanics and info on what you can expect.
This will be a skill focused quest so typically your successes will not be determined by rolling. This will be similar to what I used for Sword of Promised Victory less the stat system or perhaps AGG type quests on SB.
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Character Sheet
- Location
- United States
Character Sheet
- Character Info
- Subordinates
-
Name: Yofune
Age: 1<
Race: Leviathan
Spirit Level: 0 Circle 2nd Gradient
Abilities: Pressurized Water Beam - +10 combat roll
Name: Eve
Age: ????
Race: Automata
Circles: ????
- Traits
- Culinary Skills and Techniques
- Combat Skills and Techniques
- Equipment and Ingredients
- Restaurant Menu
- Glossary
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Transcendent Cuisine and World Knowledge
- Location
- United States
Transcendent Cuisine & World Knowledge
Welcome host to the Transcendent Cuisine system! This is a support system designed to make you the absolute best chef you can be. The Ancient Devourer, a being closely tied with the sin of Gluttony, has deemed you worthy. As a consequence you have been granted a sliver of its power, which has created this system. Drawing upon your experiences as both a martial artist and a chef, a new path has been open to you. That of the Battle Chef! As such, you have been brought into this new world to find your way. Your task is simple. Conquer the world's palette by creating a cuisine that surpasses mortal limits and ushers in a new era.
The system will supplement you to a great degree, but the creation of a new cuisine will rely on your own efforts. System supplied recipes will be granted as rewards for successful completion of tasks and once granted will be instantly mastered by you. Some ingredients will be provided to you but they must otherwise be acquired through battle, trade or luck.
Your baseline cooking using recipes provided by Transcendent Cuisine are far beyond that of a normal chef. What will elevate them is further understanding of cuisine, better ingredients and your own skills.
Ability
The people of this world all have an intrinsic power that is generally referred to as "Ability". Ability users are classified by the number of circles of power they have. Whether their ability is geared towards physical combat or magic, each circle represents a qualitative and quantitative increase in power.
The average adult will attain the first circle of power but will never attain their second. Fourth circle are considered capable users, sixths are elite talents that countries seek to groom. An eigth can be considered an almost unrivaled juggernaut while ninths are effectively deities capable of overturning an entire nation.
Each circle is divided into 9 ranks as a gradient of power within a given circle. Typically defeat someone of a higher circle is very difficult. Jumping two circles is basically unheard of.
Currency and Economy
Though precious metals are used as currency by the general populace, mana crystals are used by the higher ranked ability users and the wealthy. Containing the crystallized energy of the world, they can improve an ability user's capabilities and are used extensively to fuel the growth of circles of power. Of course consolidating one's power requires understanding oneself as well, so it is not the be all and end all solution of advancement. It is however a major factor in the growth of ability users.
The mana crystals themselves come from monsters slain in the outside world and in places like Skyhold which are colloquially called Dungeons. Beyond enhancing ability users, it is used in many facets of daily life including lighting, heating and refrigeration. Technology has adapted well to this power source.
Consumer of All
A powerful trait granted through the connection to the Ancient Devourer. It inspires an almost rampant lust for new food and new flavors. You will not be able to stagnate and simply rely on system provided recipes and resources. This trait will drive you to seek out and defeat more and more powerful creatures to turn them into dishes. There is however also an immense benefit here. The more powerful the beast consumed and the better the dish you make, the more power you can draw. A max ranked dish cooked with meat from a beast of equal or higher circles of power can translate into game changing traits and powers. Eating a mediocre phoenix dish might give you improved fire control, but a high tier one could give you the ability to trigger a rebirth upon being slain.
Welcome host to the Transcendent Cuisine system! This is a support system designed to make you the absolute best chef you can be. The Ancient Devourer, a being closely tied with the sin of Gluttony, has deemed you worthy. As a consequence you have been granted a sliver of its power, which has created this system. Drawing upon your experiences as both a martial artist and a chef, a new path has been open to you. That of the Battle Chef! As such, you have been brought into this new world to find your way. Your task is simple. Conquer the world's palette by creating a cuisine that surpasses mortal limits and ushers in a new era.
The system will supplement you to a great degree, but the creation of a new cuisine will rely on your own efforts. System supplied recipes will be granted as rewards for successful completion of tasks and once granted will be instantly mastered by you. Some ingredients will be provided to you but they must otherwise be acquired through battle, trade or luck.
Your baseline cooking using recipes provided by Transcendent Cuisine are far beyond that of a normal chef. What will elevate them is further understanding of cuisine, better ingredients and your own skills.
Ability
The people of this world all have an intrinsic power that is generally referred to as "Ability". Ability users are classified by the number of circles of power they have. Whether their ability is geared towards physical combat or magic, each circle represents a qualitative and quantitative increase in power.
The average adult will attain the first circle of power but will never attain their second. Fourth circle are considered capable users, sixths are elite talents that countries seek to groom. An eigth can be considered an almost unrivaled juggernaut while ninths are effectively deities capable of overturning an entire nation.
Each circle is divided into 9 ranks as a gradient of power within a given circle. Typically defeat someone of a higher circle is very difficult. Jumping two circles is basically unheard of.
Currency and Economy
Though precious metals are used as currency by the general populace, mana crystals are used by the higher ranked ability users and the wealthy. Containing the crystallized energy of the world, they can improve an ability user's capabilities and are used extensively to fuel the growth of circles of power. Of course consolidating one's power requires understanding oneself as well, so it is not the be all and end all solution of advancement. It is however a major factor in the growth of ability users.
The mana crystals themselves come from monsters slain in the outside world and in places like Skyhold which are colloquially called Dungeons. Beyond enhancing ability users, it is used in many facets of daily life including lighting, heating and refrigeration. Technology has adapted well to this power source.
Consumer of All
A powerful trait granted through the connection to the Ancient Devourer. It inspires an almost rampant lust for new food and new flavors. You will not be able to stagnate and simply rely on system provided recipes and resources. This trait will drive you to seek out and defeat more and more powerful creatures to turn them into dishes. There is however also an immense benefit here. The more powerful the beast consumed and the better the dish you make, the more power you can draw. A max ranked dish cooked with meat from a beast of equal or higher circles of power can translate into game changing traits and powers. Eating a mediocre phoenix dish might give you improved fire control, but a high tier one could give you the ability to trigger a rebirth upon being slain.
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Mechanics and Player Contributions
- Location
- United States
Mechanics and Player Contributions-
This will be a primarily skill based system which improves with time and ranks ups of the various sorts. Successful combat, cooking, recipe creation and so on is almost entirely dependent on how strongly you build up your skills.
Practicing recipes and serving dishes are the primary way your culinary skills improve but increases in fame and fortune rank will also let you allocate points. Otherwise it is cook, cook, cook.
Cooking techniques can be attained either through practice and development or through purchase with fame rank up points. These are rather special and are additive to corresponding cooking skills. Some of these can also be developed by converting combat skills into a culinary technique.
Combat skills skew a little more towards level ups. Every rank up within a circle gives a +5 to allocate. Every circle you go up gives 3, +15 skill increases that can be allocated. After third, sixth and ninth circle respectively the rate of skill up increases. New circles also give a perk point. This mean you can get up to 9 perks through level ups and the rest will require you to meet special criteria or accomplish certain tasks.
Combat skills are initially capped at 150. The cap can be raised through perks or by attaining certain circles. Sixth circle will raise the cap by fifty, eighth by a hundred, and ninth by another hundred.
You will also gather abilities through consumer of all. These will have proficiency that you will need to train through practice and combat usage. They will also impact your combat performance.
Culinary Ranks and Skills
Fame ranks - Give points that can be used to unlock new recipes, techniques and ingredients.
Fortune ranks - With each increase your portion of the fees taken will increase. As most payment will be in mana crystals, this will have a corresponding effect of growing your circles of power, critical to your growth as a battle chef.
Increasing either will grant additional points you can allocate to your cuisine knowledge or culinary skills.
Cooking Skills
Frying includes pan frying and sautéing
Grilling includes barbecuing
Boiling includes poaching, braising and stewing
Steaming
Roasting excludes pastries and bread
Curing and Fermenting includes cheese, sausage, kimchi and so on.
Sauces
Baking includes pastries and breads
Alcohol includes wine making and beer brewing
Tasting helps you identify flavors and ingredients and how best to combine them. Boosts recipe creation.
Decorating the presentation of a dish can often have as great of an impact as the smell and taste. Is added upon dish creation to produce a more outstanding dish
Technical skills - an amalgamation of all the skills necessary in the preparation and creation of a dish. Everything from chopping vegetables to cutting fish to breaking down a side of beef to making spice blends and making pasta dough is encompassed in this skill. Adds points to dish creation.
Player Contributed Ingredients
Creator: zamin Name: Frost Wolf/Frost Wolf Alpha
Spirit/Circle Level: 3/4
Brief Description: A common sight in the frozen north, the Frost Wolf is a deadly pack hunter that wears down its prey and allows it to exhaust itself before going for the kill. The oldest Frost Wolves, also known as Alphas, can grow to enormous sizes and gain a thick, icy coating of fur that acts as armor. All Frost Wolves are able to release a blast of icy wind to damage and slow down their prey. The breath attack of Frost Wolf Alpha is known to be strong enough to freeze a grown man solid. Fortunately, these beasts are extremely vulnerable to heat and fire based attacks, making them easy to deal with for a prepared adventurer. The meat of a Frost Wolf is icy cold and requires slow, careful application of heat to bring out its full flavor. When cooked properly, the meat has an intense, juicy flavor that is highly prized among cooking connoisseurs.
Creator: zamin Name: Dracolisk
Spirit/Circle Level: 5
Brief Description: The Dracolisk is a large, crocodile-like beast that often lives in desert and wasteland areas. They require little water to survive and are believed to be able to somehow absorb energy from sunlight. They spend most of their time sunning themselves, only stirring when they sense another living creature approach. Dracolisks are very aggressive and when angered are able to rapidly heat up the air around their bodies, burning anyone careless enough to get close. While the meat is delicious, the real prize is the Dracolisk's blood. The golden, almost milky liquid has a spicy, fiery taste that can bring tears to the eyes of the unprepared. It is a key ingredient in a number of drinks and dishes and is said to be worth its weight in gold due to the difficulty of harvesting.
Creator: zamin Name: Catbat
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: Despite its fearsome appearance, the Catbat is a shy creature that prefers to flee whenever confronted. About the size of a common housecat, these nocturnal beasts often dwell in dark caves or thickly forest environments and spend most of the day asleep. They live in small packs of between five to ten individuals and usually hunt by dropping down onto their prey from above. The heart and livers of Catbats are often sought due to the belief that consuming it can improve one's sexual potency. While this is merely a superstition, the meat and organs of the Catbat do contain a rich, mellow flavor. However, prospective chefs should be warned that when heated up the meat emits a strong odor which can ruin a dish if not handled properly.
Creator: zamin Name: Mandrake Seed
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: The seed of the mandrake plant resembles small black marbles. It is mildly poisonous and is thus unsafe to eat raw. Chefs are advised to boil it in hot water for about ten minutes before serving. When cooked, mandrake seeds are soft and gooey, with a surprisingly strong and bitter taste.
Creator: zamin Name: Mandrake Seedling
Spirit/Circle Level: 3
Brief Description: Less then a year old, these plants are still considered immature. Though they will scream unpleasantly when uprooted, the sound lacks the deadly magic that makes their species so notorious. When chopped and boiled, the root has a texture similar to that of a sweet potato, though it leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste. The leaves can be used to create a strong herbal tea that's said to have minor revitalizing properties. However, due to its mildly toxic nature it is recommended to dilute the tea before serving.
Creator: zamin Name: Adult Mandrake
Spirit/Circle Level: 5
Brief Description: The mandrake plant is considered fully mature around a year after the seed was planted. When uprooted, these plants will emit a loud, magically charged scream that deafens and damages anyone nearby. Exposure to a mandrake's scream is known to be fatal for those with weak hearts, and prospective harvesters are advised to invest in a set of magical ear plugs to avoid injury. At this stage of growth, the mandrake's poison is strong enough to be deadly, so chefs will need to ensure that every part is boiled for at least an hour before using it in their dishes. The root has a dense, starchy texture and when prepared properly is said to have an appetizing herbal aroma. The leaves are unfortunately too toxic to for normal humans to consume.
Creator: zamin Name: Monster Dorian
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
Brief Description: Nicknamed the "Blood Fruit" for its distinctive aroma, Monster Dorians only grow on leylines and other places with a high level of atmospheric magic. After dropping from its tree, the Monster Dorian grows several mouths and long, sticky tongues which it uses to move around and capture food. Once it consumes enough, the fruit will burrow into the ground and eventually grow into another tree. Despite its appearance, Monster Dorians are harmless to humans and feed mainly on insects and small mammals such as squirrels and rats.
Monster Dorian is prized as a rare delicacy. Its meat is sweet, with a rich, custardy texture that makes a perfect dessert. However, care should be taken when chopping the fruit, as the insides contain several delicate organs that release a powerful and unappetizing stench if ruptured.
Creator: zamin Name: Assassin Vine
Spirit/Circle Level: 6
Brief Description: Named for its rather sinister habit of strangling any living creature which comes too close, the Assassin Vine often grows in damp, dark places. Its vines can stretch up to fifty feet in length, and older specimens have been known to grow thorns which makes them even more dangerous to unwary intruders. However, reckless adventurers have been known to deliberately enter thickets of Assassin Vines in order to harvest the seeds.
Assassin Vine seeds resemble bright red grapes in shape and size. The sweet seeds can be eaten raw or turned into wine. Assassin Seed Wine has a rich, delicate flavor that perfectly complements red meat dishes. Due to the difficulty of harvesting the seeds, a single bottle can cost more then a house.
Creator: zamin Name: Flesheater Bloom
Spirit/Circle Level: 5
Brief Description: Notorious for their insatiable appetite, Flesheater Blooms grow best in hot, humid conditions. They eat anything that gets close - frogs, rabbits, even humans, once they get big enough. Flesheater Blooms grow a single berry a year from a vine on top of their heads. The Flesheater berries have a sourish, citrusy flavor when eaten raw. The juice is renowned for its restorative properties and is said to improve sexual performance in older men.
Creator: zamin Name: Golden Apple
Spirit/Circle Level: 3
Brief Description: Ancients legends say that eating a Golden Apple could grant a person eternal youth. While this superstition has long been disproven, the shiny fruit are still highly sought after for their beauty and unforgettable taste. Ripe Golden Apples have a lovely crisp texture and a tart, almost tropical flavor. Golden Apple juice and cider is popular among nobles for its refreshingly bold and exotic taste.
Creator: zamin Name: Imperial Honey/Imperial Royal Jelly
Spirit/Circle Level: 3/5
Brief Description: Dwelling mainly in places with high levels of atmospheric magic, Imperial Honey Bees were accidentally created by the Court Enchanter Ingram over a hundred years ago as part of his attempts to heal the sickly queen. He infused a hive of ordinary honey bees with Nature Magic, believing that it would give their honey restorative properties that he could use for a potion. Unfortunately, he was too successful. The bees grew to monstrous sizes and eventually spread across the land. While the Imperial Honey they produce is renowned for its healing abilities, getting it out of their hives is a real pain - literally.
Imperial Honey Bees grow far larger then their mundane cousins. In the wild, some hives have been noted to create specimens the size of small ponies. While individually they're honestly little more then a pest, swarms of bees are a serious threat and have been known to kill foolish adventurers that got too close to the hive. Fortunately, smoke and fire disorients these insects, making it easier for a prepared adventurer to reach the valuable honey stores without being stung to death.
Imperial Honey is well known for its smooth texture and unpredictable taste. While it tends to be sweet, the exact flavor changes based on the plants growing near the hive - you could get anything from a bold, citrusy aftertaste to a subtle hint of fruitiness. The very best Imperial Honey comes from mana saturated forests and is known as Imperial Royal Jelly - a golden, glimmering substance that's said to be able to heal someone on the verge of death. While this is an obvious exaggeration, Royal Jelly is known for its potent restorative properties and is a key ingredient in several advanced healing potions. When eaten fresh, Royal Jelly is surprisingly smokey, with a rich, buttery taste that always leaves you wanting more.
Creator: zamin Name: Dawn Flower
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: A plant which only blooms at the start of the day, the Dawn Flower is often seen as a symbol of love. During the Spring Festival, young women often tuck one of these flowers into their hair to show their eligible status. This plant is also used in cooking. The dried petals add a sweet floral aroma to the dish, while the leaves have a mild minty flavor.
Creator: zamin Name: Divine Dragon Turtle
Spirit/Circle Level: 9
Brief Description: Known as one of the seven "Kings of the Ocean", the Divine Dragon Turtle is a rare and powerful beast that's often seen as a symbol of good luck. It is a massive turtle, large enough to be mistaken for an island. Plants and animals live and grow on the surface of its shell, their bodies imbued with the power it emanates. Anyone lucky enough to stumble across a Divine Dragon Turtle and climb onto its shell will find a literal forest of rare, high level ingredients perfect for harvesting. Beware, though. The Dragon Island Turtle possesses the ability to command the weather, and those that anger one often find themselves blown away by hurricane force winds or struck by powerful bolts of lightning. When killed, the Divine Dragon Turtle's flesh turns to stone and sinks to the ocean floor.
Note: I based this on the Lion Turtle from Avatar. It basically serves a mobile dungeon or special area - you can find all sorts of rare and powerful plants and beasts on it, but killing the turtle itself is out of the question.
This will be a primarily skill based system which improves with time and ranks ups of the various sorts. Successful combat, cooking, recipe creation and so on is almost entirely dependent on how strongly you build up your skills.
Practicing recipes and serving dishes are the primary way your culinary skills improve but increases in fame and fortune rank will also let you allocate points. Otherwise it is cook, cook, cook.
Cooking techniques can be attained either through practice and development or through purchase with fame rank up points. These are rather special and are additive to corresponding cooking skills. Some of these can also be developed by converting combat skills into a culinary technique.
Combat skills skew a little more towards level ups. Every rank up within a circle gives a +5 to allocate. Every circle you go up gives 3, +15 skill increases that can be allocated. After third, sixth and ninth circle respectively the rate of skill up increases. New circles also give a perk point. This mean you can get up to 9 perks through level ups and the rest will require you to meet special criteria or accomplish certain tasks.
Combat skills are initially capped at 150. The cap can be raised through perks or by attaining certain circles. Sixth circle will raise the cap by fifty, eighth by a hundred, and ninth by another hundred.
You will also gather abilities through consumer of all. These will have proficiency that you will need to train through practice and combat usage. They will also impact your combat performance.
Culinary Ranks and Skills
Fame ranks - Give points that can be used to unlock new recipes, techniques and ingredients.
Fortune ranks - With each increase your portion of the fees taken will increase. As most payment will be in mana crystals, this will have a corresponding effect of growing your circles of power, critical to your growth as a battle chef.
Increasing either will grant additional points you can allocate to your cuisine knowledge or culinary skills.
Cooking Skills
Frying includes pan frying and sautéing
Grilling includes barbecuing
Boiling includes poaching, braising and stewing
Steaming
Roasting excludes pastries and bread
Curing and Fermenting includes cheese, sausage, kimchi and so on.
Sauces
Baking includes pastries and breads
Alcohol includes wine making and beer brewing
Tasting helps you identify flavors and ingredients and how best to combine them. Boosts recipe creation.
Decorating the presentation of a dish can often have as great of an impact as the smell and taste. Is added upon dish creation to produce a more outstanding dish
Technical skills - an amalgamation of all the skills necessary in the preparation and creation of a dish. Everything from chopping vegetables to cutting fish to breaking down a side of beef to making spice blends and making pasta dough is encompassed in this skill. Adds points to dish creation.
Player Contributed Ingredients
Spirit/Circle Level: 3/4
Brief Description: A common sight in the frozen north, the Frost Wolf is a deadly pack hunter that wears down its prey and allows it to exhaust itself before going for the kill. The oldest Frost Wolves, also known as Alphas, can grow to enormous sizes and gain a thick, icy coating of fur that acts as armor. All Frost Wolves are able to release a blast of icy wind to damage and slow down their prey. The breath attack of Frost Wolf Alpha is known to be strong enough to freeze a grown man solid. Fortunately, these beasts are extremely vulnerable to heat and fire based attacks, making them easy to deal with for a prepared adventurer. The meat of a Frost Wolf is icy cold and requires slow, careful application of heat to bring out its full flavor. When cooked properly, the meat has an intense, juicy flavor that is highly prized among cooking connoisseurs.
Spirit/Circle Level: 5
Brief Description: The Dracolisk is a large, crocodile-like beast that often lives in desert and wasteland areas. They require little water to survive and are believed to be able to somehow absorb energy from sunlight. They spend most of their time sunning themselves, only stirring when they sense another living creature approach. Dracolisks are very aggressive and when angered are able to rapidly heat up the air around their bodies, burning anyone careless enough to get close. While the meat is delicious, the real prize is the Dracolisk's blood. The golden, almost milky liquid has a spicy, fiery taste that can bring tears to the eyes of the unprepared. It is a key ingredient in a number of drinks and dishes and is said to be worth its weight in gold due to the difficulty of harvesting.
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: Despite its fearsome appearance, the Catbat is a shy creature that prefers to flee whenever confronted. About the size of a common housecat, these nocturnal beasts often dwell in dark caves or thickly forest environments and spend most of the day asleep. They live in small packs of between five to ten individuals and usually hunt by dropping down onto their prey from above. The heart and livers of Catbats are often sought due to the belief that consuming it can improve one's sexual potency. While this is merely a superstition, the meat and organs of the Catbat do contain a rich, mellow flavor. However, prospective chefs should be warned that when heated up the meat emits a strong odor which can ruin a dish if not handled properly.
Creator: Khepri14 Name: Angry Birds
Spirit/Circle Level: Varies
Brief Description: The Angry Birds are a bunch of birds that are ANGRY! ALL THE TIME! Some piggies had stolen their eggs and homes and now they are on a righteous quest for vengeance and their homes. Anyone who gets in their way, beware. I've compiled the list here.
Spirit/Circle Level: Varies
Brief Description: The Angry Birds are a bunch of birds that are ANGRY! ALL THE TIME! Some piggies had stolen their eggs and homes and now they are on a righteous quest for vengeance and their homes. Anyone who gets in their way, beware. I've compiled the list here.
Red Bird - No special power but unusually tough and agile.
Blue Bird - Splits into three smaller birds that can act somewhat individually or in concert.
Yellow Bird - Picks up speed and distance tossed by another or rebounds off objects.
Black Bird - Explodes upon impact. The guy is a walking bomb so be mindful of that explosive radius.
White Bird - Flies around and drops an egg bomb that explodes on impact. Keep an eye on the sky, for this bird is stealthy.
Boomerang Bird - Acts like a pinball/boomrang among enemies. Do not surround this bird. He works best among groups.
Big Brother Bird - No special abilities but destroys materials with ease(I CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALL!). Once he gets going, get out of the way!
Orange Bird - Inflates to a huge size like a balloon for a time, then deflates. Increases its defense or agiity respectively.
Pink Bird - Makes bubbles around it which lifts up or can envelope objects or people. Careful not to let the bubbles get around you. You can still suffocate to death.
Mighty Eagle - The Boss. 'Nuff said.
Blue Bird - Splits into three smaller birds that can act somewhat individually or in concert.
Yellow Bird - Picks up speed and distance tossed by another or rebounds off objects.
Black Bird - Explodes upon impact. The guy is a walking bomb so be mindful of that explosive radius.
White Bird - Flies around and drops an egg bomb that explodes on impact. Keep an eye on the sky, for this bird is stealthy.
Boomerang Bird - Acts like a pinball/boomrang among enemies. Do not surround this bird. He works best among groups.
Big Brother Bird - No special abilities but destroys materials with ease(I CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALL!). Once he gets going, get out of the way!
Orange Bird - Inflates to a huge size like a balloon for a time, then deflates. Increases its defense or agiity respectively.
Pink Bird - Makes bubbles around it which lifts up or can envelope objects or people. Careful not to let the bubbles get around you. You can still suffocate to death.
Mighty Eagle - The Boss. 'Nuff said.
Creator: zamin Name: Baby Kaiju Crab
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: Also known as Mud Crabs, these dog sized crustaceans often burrow into muddy or sandy areas near large water sources. Their shells are hard but brittle, and a strong warrior can shatter it with a powerful blow in the right spot. The flesh within is tough, with a gritty, pungent taste. While normally avoided, Mud Crab meat is sometimes used for certain soups or stews.
Creator: zamin Name: Juvenile Kaiju Crab
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
Brief Description: Having grown to the size of a horse, these crabs are more often found in salt water, though fresh water varieties are known to exist close to large lakes or rivers. They are ambush predators, darting out of the ground with surprising speed to seize prey with its powerful pincers. The shell is about as tough as steel and is sometimes used as a crafting ingredient by creative blacksmiths. This monster's flesh is still tough, but possesses a delicately sweet aftertaste.
Creator: zamin Name: Adult Kaiju Crab
Spirit/Circle Level: 6
Brief Description: Often over a century old, these specimens tend to be the size of small houses. They spend most of their time sleeping at the bottom of lakes or ocean floors. Once disturbed, they react with extreme aggression, tearing apart their enemies before sinking back into the depths. Their shells are all but impervious to mundane weapons, requiring spells or enchanted weapons to pierce. The meat within is a rare delicacy, possessing a rich, robust flavor and a delightfully tender texture.
Creator: zamin Name: King Kaiju Crab
Spirit/Circle Level: 8
Brief Description: A veritable behemoth, these crabs are extremely rare and spend most of their time in the cold, deep waters beneath the oceans. On rare occasions they rise to the surface, causing tidal waves and tsunamis in nearby coastal towns through their sheer size. Having consumed countless magical creatures, their shells have a distinctive golden tinge from all the mana stored within. They are highly resistant to damage of all kinds, and only the strongest of magics can hope to pierce their shells. The flesh of a King Kaiju Crab is legendary for its delicate, sweet flavor and aroma. The mana imbued within the meat enhances the flavor even more, making it a truly unforgettable dish.
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: Also known as Mud Crabs, these dog sized crustaceans often burrow into muddy or sandy areas near large water sources. Their shells are hard but brittle, and a strong warrior can shatter it with a powerful blow in the right spot. The flesh within is tough, with a gritty, pungent taste. While normally avoided, Mud Crab meat is sometimes used for certain soups or stews.
Creator: zamin Name: Juvenile Kaiju Crab
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
Brief Description: Having grown to the size of a horse, these crabs are more often found in salt water, though fresh water varieties are known to exist close to large lakes or rivers. They are ambush predators, darting out of the ground with surprising speed to seize prey with its powerful pincers. The shell is about as tough as steel and is sometimes used as a crafting ingredient by creative blacksmiths. This monster's flesh is still tough, but possesses a delicately sweet aftertaste.
Creator: zamin Name: Adult Kaiju Crab
Spirit/Circle Level: 6
Brief Description: Often over a century old, these specimens tend to be the size of small houses. They spend most of their time sleeping at the bottom of lakes or ocean floors. Once disturbed, they react with extreme aggression, tearing apart their enemies before sinking back into the depths. Their shells are all but impervious to mundane weapons, requiring spells or enchanted weapons to pierce. The meat within is a rare delicacy, possessing a rich, robust flavor and a delightfully tender texture.
Creator: zamin Name: King Kaiju Crab
Spirit/Circle Level: 8
Brief Description: A veritable behemoth, these crabs are extremely rare and spend most of their time in the cold, deep waters beneath the oceans. On rare occasions they rise to the surface, causing tidal waves and tsunamis in nearby coastal towns through their sheer size. Having consumed countless magical creatures, their shells have a distinctive golden tinge from all the mana stored within. They are highly resistant to damage of all kinds, and only the strongest of magics can hope to pierce their shells. The flesh of a King Kaiju Crab is legendary for its delicate, sweet flavor and aroma. The mana imbued within the meat enhances the flavor even more, making it a truly unforgettable dish.
Creator: ObservingShadow Name: Diamond of the Deep
Spirit/Circle Level: 7
Brief Description: A lifetime spent living among and even within underwater volcanoes has turned the black carbonic scales of a Shadow of the Depths (a 4th-ranked sea serpent) into something much denser. Immense pressure and heat have caused diamond to form, making this beast's skin incredibly tough to penetrate. The innate hardness of diamond combined with its ability to manipulate the water currents to a slight degree makes this a fearsome and deadly foe. However, it does have weak spots in the form of its eyes and mouth, as well as along the dorsal fin it developed to sense water currents (to avoid danger and catch prey). In addition, the meat of one of these creatures has an innate smoky flavour that somehow meshes very well with the tender flesh. It is rumoured that, if prepared properly, the crystals make a good hard candy, though few have bothered to experiment enough to find out.
Note: I put this as a seventh-ranked creature because of a few things. One is that it is an unnatural existence in itself because its hide is basically a single flexible diamond. While this would be easy to break as a land creature, fighting it in water is almost a death sentence, because its streamlined body and unnatural spatial awareness combine with its strength to create a deadly embrace that becomes worse when it grows diamond protrusions for shredding flesh.
Spirit/Circle Level: 7
Brief Description: A lifetime spent living among and even within underwater volcanoes has turned the black carbonic scales of a Shadow of the Depths (a 4th-ranked sea serpent) into something much denser. Immense pressure and heat have caused diamond to form, making this beast's skin incredibly tough to penetrate. The innate hardness of diamond combined with its ability to manipulate the water currents to a slight degree makes this a fearsome and deadly foe. However, it does have weak spots in the form of its eyes and mouth, as well as along the dorsal fin it developed to sense water currents (to avoid danger and catch prey). In addition, the meat of one of these creatures has an innate smoky flavour that somehow meshes very well with the tender flesh. It is rumoured that, if prepared properly, the crystals make a good hard candy, though few have bothered to experiment enough to find out.
Note: I put this as a seventh-ranked creature because of a few things. One is that it is an unnatural existence in itself because its hide is basically a single flexible diamond. While this would be easy to break as a land creature, fighting it in water is almost a death sentence, because its streamlined body and unnatural spatial awareness combine with its strength to create a deadly embrace that becomes worse when it grows diamond protrusions for shredding flesh.
Creator: Observing Shadow Name: Arachnidile (wow, much original, very imagination)
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
Brief Description: A poisonous scorpion/crocodile hybrid, it has the body of a crocodile with a scorpion tail. While it loses a crocodile's signature death spin, it has now gained a poisonous bite and sting, making these stealthy river-dwellers more dangerous than the sum of their parts. However, the point at the base of the tail where tough crocodile skin flows into chitinous armour plating, despite having a combined armour, is arguably one of its weakest points, as it has neither the blunt damage resistance of crocodile hide nor the piercing damage resistance of chitin. The flesh can be dangerous, but if the poison sacks are properly dealt with, like with puffer fish, it is quite delectable.
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
Brief Description: A poisonous scorpion/crocodile hybrid, it has the body of a crocodile with a scorpion tail. While it loses a crocodile's signature death spin, it has now gained a poisonous bite and sting, making these stealthy river-dwellers more dangerous than the sum of their parts. However, the point at the base of the tail where tough crocodile skin flows into chitinous armour plating, despite having a combined armour, is arguably one of its weakest points, as it has neither the blunt damage resistance of crocodile hide nor the piercing damage resistance of chitin. The flesh can be dangerous, but if the poison sacks are properly dealt with, like with puffer fish, it is quite delectable.
Creator: Khepri14 Name: Corny
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: A mostly unshucked cob of corn with the head sticking out that floats around. It attacks by "spitting" corn seeds/kernels(One day a year, it'll "spit" a candy that looks like a corn seed instead. An excellent treat for kids), that are hard enough to bruise or break bones(Or if you are unlucky and hit just right, can give you a charley horse). It can also make itself explode as a last resort, with the explosion being enough to seriously kill a person if they're too close. If you survive though, you'll find the kernels have turned into "popcorn"(Surprisingly delicious all by itself, by any good cook knows there's a ton of ways to make it better).
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: A mostly unshucked cob of corn with the head sticking out that floats around. It attacks by "spitting" corn seeds/kernels(One day a year, it'll "spit" a candy that looks like a corn seed instead. An excellent treat for kids), that are hard enough to bruise or break bones(Or if you are unlucky and hit just right, can give you a charley horse). It can also make itself explode as a last resort, with the explosion being enough to seriously kill a person if they're too close. If you survive though, you'll find the kernels have turned into "popcorn"(Surprisingly delicious all by itself, by any good cook knows there's a ton of ways to make it better).
Creator: Khepri14 Name: Broccoli Monster
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: To the unobservant, it looks like an ordinary bush or a bunch of moss. To those who know better though, it's a mere illusion. These monsters hide alongside trails in the forests, just waiting for an unwary traveler to pass by before they strike. They have the ability to enlarge their "fists" and can either beat a man to death or they can make their "stalks" longer and more malleable/ropelike to capture a person. These monsters are easy to beat for any veteran adventurer, but have been known to take out rookies pretty easily due to their preference for ambush attacks and many a civilian without protection.
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: To the unobservant, it looks like an ordinary bush or a bunch of moss. To those who know better though, it's a mere illusion. These monsters hide alongside trails in the forests, just waiting for an unwary traveler to pass by before they strike. They have the ability to enlarge their "fists" and can either beat a man to death or they can make their "stalks" longer and more malleable/ropelike to capture a person. These monsters are easy to beat for any veteran adventurer, but have been known to take out rookies pretty easily due to their preference for ambush attacks and many a civilian without protection.
Creator: Khepri14 Name: Carrot Tops
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: A big carrot that is somewhat magical. It can float and has two ways of attacking. They can magically stiffen their leaves and spin like a top(Hence the name) until they kill the enemy or they can magically sharpen their pointy end and stab/slice someone to death. The problem with Carrot Tops is that they appear in "bundles", so be prepared for 3-8 Carrot Tops in the vicinity if you ever see one(Sometimes there are multiple "bundles" in the same spot/area though, so be careful!!).
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: A big carrot that is somewhat magical. It can float and has two ways of attacking. They can magically stiffen their leaves and spin like a top(Hence the name) until they kill the enemy or they can magically sharpen their pointy end and stab/slice someone to death. The problem with Carrot Tops is that they appear in "bundles", so be prepared for 3-8 Carrot Tops in the vicinity if you ever see one(Sometimes there are multiple "bundles" in the same spot/area though, so be careful!!).
Creator: Andelevion Name: Lock and Key
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: These earthy plant forms are buried deep in the earth, their roots eating into metal deposits and forming individual patterns of ridges and valleys. In order to properly remove the whole plant, one is required to "pick the lock" and reach into the pocket, with a hooked implement to carefully press along specific ridge points and release root knots. Although the difficulty can be varied as according to the age and the depth of the lock, when this is done properly, the plant immediately loosens and can be pulled out from the metal deposit. The plants hold a heady and deep taste but retain a classic mildness.
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: These earthy plant forms are buried deep in the earth, their roots eating into metal deposits and forming individual patterns of ridges and valleys. In order to properly remove the whole plant, one is required to "pick the lock" and reach into the pocket, with a hooked implement to carefully press along specific ridge points and release root knots. Although the difficulty can be varied as according to the age and the depth of the lock, when this is done properly, the plant immediately loosens and can be pulled out from the metal deposit. The plants hold a heady and deep taste but retain a classic mildness.
Creator: Spectrum Name: Stone Sprouts
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: Mostly sedentary beings, stone sprouts are named for their toughness and coloration, resembling groupings of vertical stalks with dangling balls hanging from every level. When disturbed, they whirl around and the balls extend out further on strings and present an incredible hazard. However, they soon tire themselves out and have a period of vulnerability while they reel their balls back in. Normally considered inedible, they soften when soaked or especially boiled in water with certain additives. In more dangerous areas, humanoid monsters may use partially trimmed stone sprouts as weapons.
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: Mostly sedentary beings, stone sprouts are named for their toughness and coloration, resembling groupings of vertical stalks with dangling balls hanging from every level. When disturbed, they whirl around and the balls extend out further on strings and present an incredible hazard. However, they soon tire themselves out and have a period of vulnerability while they reel their balls back in. Normally considered inedible, they soften when soaked or especially boiled in water with certain additives. In more dangerous areas, humanoid monsters may use partially trimmed stone sprouts as weapons.
Creator: zamin Name: Mandrake Seed
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: The seed of the mandrake plant resembles small black marbles. It is mildly poisonous and is thus unsafe to eat raw. Chefs are advised to boil it in hot water for about ten minutes before serving. When cooked, mandrake seeds are soft and gooey, with a surprisingly strong and bitter taste.
Creator: zamin Name: Mandrake Seedling
Spirit/Circle Level: 3
Brief Description: Less then a year old, these plants are still considered immature. Though they will scream unpleasantly when uprooted, the sound lacks the deadly magic that makes their species so notorious. When chopped and boiled, the root has a texture similar to that of a sweet potato, though it leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste. The leaves can be used to create a strong herbal tea that's said to have minor revitalizing properties. However, due to its mildly toxic nature it is recommended to dilute the tea before serving.
Creator: zamin Name: Adult Mandrake
Spirit/Circle Level: 5
Brief Description: The mandrake plant is considered fully mature around a year after the seed was planted. When uprooted, these plants will emit a loud, magically charged scream that deafens and damages anyone nearby. Exposure to a mandrake's scream is known to be fatal for those with weak hearts, and prospective harvesters are advised to invest in a set of magical ear plugs to avoid injury. At this stage of growth, the mandrake's poison is strong enough to be deadly, so chefs will need to ensure that every part is boiled for at least an hour before using it in their dishes. The root has a dense, starchy texture and when prepared properly is said to have an appetizing herbal aroma. The leaves are unfortunately too toxic to for normal humans to consume.
Creator: Prok Name: Beatroots
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
'Brief' Description: Beatroots are root plants that closely resembles a heart-shaped beetroot, and taste much the same, though the texture is much more... like a soft meat, than anything else, and is used in a lot of vegetarian dishes as a result. At random, while being harvested or prepared or at any point up to the point they can no longer function as hearts, it will do just that- beat. When it begins to beat, all hearts or heart equivalents begin to beat to the same rhythm, which isn't always... healthy. The resulting cardiovascular chaos, while painful, and incredibly distressing for any unaware of the cause, is usually not fatal, or even damaging. At worst, you end up short of breath because it's going at 190 beats a minute. These attacks can last anywhere between a minute and an hour, with the length of the attack generally dictating its severity.
Unless there's more than one beatroot beating at the same time. A heart trying to follow several beats at once is not an efficient heart. This extreme form of arrhythmia can be deadly, and as such carrying or harvesting more than two or three whole beatroots at a time is considered highly unwise, unless you have an artificial heart that doesn't follow any beat, in which case you're only putting other people in danger.
... Dick.
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
'Brief' Description: Beatroots are root plants that closely resembles a heart-shaped beetroot, and taste much the same, though the texture is much more... like a soft meat, than anything else, and is used in a lot of vegetarian dishes as a result. At random, while being harvested or prepared or at any point up to the point they can no longer function as hearts, it will do just that- beat. When it begins to beat, all hearts or heart equivalents begin to beat to the same rhythm, which isn't always... healthy. The resulting cardiovascular chaos, while painful, and incredibly distressing for any unaware of the cause, is usually not fatal, or even damaging. At worst, you end up short of breath because it's going at 190 beats a minute. These attacks can last anywhere between a minute and an hour, with the length of the attack generally dictating its severity.
Unless there's more than one beatroot beating at the same time. A heart trying to follow several beats at once is not an efficient heart. This extreme form of arrhythmia can be deadly, and as such carrying or harvesting more than two or three whole beatroots at a time is considered highly unwise, unless you have an artificial heart that doesn't follow any beat, in which case you're only putting other people in danger.
... Dick.
Creator: Spectrum Name: Broccosa Nostrali
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
'Brief' Description: A bit of a controversial ingredient, the Nostrali are ambulatory large green stalks with fluffy flowering heads. The controversy stems from their intelligence, as they actually cluster into societies that do business with surrounding inhabitants, though with a notorious bent towards organized crime. They tend to sit near the top of local power structures, owing to their own martial culture. The Nostrali favor overwhelming strength and many a foe has been sent flying with broken bones and ruptured organs from the power of their mighty fists. In contrast, however, they are also very slow and a savvy opponent can outrun or outmaneuver them. If one does decide to hunt them down, their entire bodies are edible, capable of being prepared in a number of ways, and possessing good nutrition and taste, though not weighted towards any particular element.
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
'Brief' Description: A bit of a controversial ingredient, the Nostrali are ambulatory large green stalks with fluffy flowering heads. The controversy stems from their intelligence, as they actually cluster into societies that do business with surrounding inhabitants, though with a notorious bent towards organized crime. They tend to sit near the top of local power structures, owing to their own martial culture. The Nostrali favor overwhelming strength and many a foe has been sent flying with broken bones and ruptured organs from the power of their mighty fists. In contrast, however, they are also very slow and a savvy opponent can outrun or outmaneuver them. If one does decide to hunt them down, their entire bodies are edible, capable of being prepared in a number of ways, and possessing good nutrition and taste, though not weighted towards any particular element.
Because I am a horrible person
Broccoli is a historically Italian vegetable -> Mafia -> Cosa nostra + a Dark Souls mushroom people flavoring
Broccoli is a historically Italian vegetable -> Mafia -> Cosa nostra + a Dark Souls mushroom people flavoring
Creator: Observing Shadow Name: The Biscuit Men
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
Brief Description: These creatures have forgone the speed of the obscenely fast Gingerbread Men and the camouflaging abilities of the Pastry Men, and have instead gone the tank route. The Biscuit Men have a dense outer shell, like stale rock cakes, that protects a deliciously fluffy and light core. While they and their relatives are called men, they have no sentience whatsoever and are simply called such because they live in groups and build houses and because the person to first discover them had too much imagination and had lost his glasses. No, really. Now, while the Gingerbread and Pastry men prefer trickery and finesse, the Biscuit Men prefer to simply throw themselves at prey and predators and bludgeon them to death. Those who have seen such corpses hold little remorse for eating these creatures.
Note: This creature was based on the US and Canadian biscuit, which I enjoyed a lot when I went to Popeye's. This had a bit more realism than I expected, though I tried to make it a bit humorous too. These creatures would be relatively new to the world, caused by new bakers dropping food in highly magical areas, which I hope explains why they weren't immediately named by the system. Or perhaps, the system has a sense of humour, too?
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
Brief Description: These creatures have forgone the speed of the obscenely fast Gingerbread Men and the camouflaging abilities of the Pastry Men, and have instead gone the tank route. The Biscuit Men have a dense outer shell, like stale rock cakes, that protects a deliciously fluffy and light core. While they and their relatives are called men, they have no sentience whatsoever and are simply called such because they live in groups and build houses and because the person to first discover them had too much imagination and had lost his glasses. No, really. Now, while the Gingerbread and Pastry men prefer trickery and finesse, the Biscuit Men prefer to simply throw themselves at prey and predators and bludgeon them to death. Those who have seen such corpses hold little remorse for eating these creatures.
Note: This creature was based on the US and Canadian biscuit, which I enjoyed a lot when I went to Popeye's. This had a bit more realism than I expected, though I tried to make it a bit humorous too. These creatures would be relatively new to the world, caused by new bakers dropping food in highly magical areas, which I hope explains why they weren't immediately named by the system. Or perhaps, the system has a sense of humour, too?
Creator: Andelevion Name: Rain Grain
Spirit/Circle Level: 5
Brief Description: A weather phenomenon that occurs once a year, when the vast plains of a certain floor releases energy into the air, and forms a rolling storm about half a kilometer in length and width. Subtly refreshing, each Rain Grain is a capsule of pure energy, but very specific conditions are required for obtaining the grain pieces in their physical form. If not collected, when the Rain Grain falls, it is reabsorbed into the environment. During this time period, many creatures gather when the time comes, as the energy the phenomenon releases back boosts their own energy supplies. The effort that it takes to both prepare to collect the ingredient and fight off the hordes of ravenous creatures is truly tremendous.
Spirit/Circle Level: 5
Brief Description: A weather phenomenon that occurs once a year, when the vast plains of a certain floor releases energy into the air, and forms a rolling storm about half a kilometer in length and width. Subtly refreshing, each Rain Grain is a capsule of pure energy, but very specific conditions are required for obtaining the grain pieces in their physical form. If not collected, when the Rain Grain falls, it is reabsorbed into the environment. During this time period, many creatures gather when the time comes, as the energy the phenomenon releases back boosts their own energy supplies. The effort that it takes to both prepare to collect the ingredient and fight off the hordes of ravenous creatures is truly tremendous.
Creator: Prok Name: Marble Flour
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
'Brief' Description: Marble flour is the result of grinding marble grain, an otherwise perfectly normal wheat grain that results in a decidedly unnormal flour. Marble flour's colouring depends on the breed of grain, but the most common kind resembles Carrara marble, almost pure white with mild shades and veins of grey that resurface no matter how much it's mixed. When combined with water to make a dough, it quickly hardens to an almost impossible to manipulate by hand block of dough, something which infuriates people who have never worked with it before.
More experienced cooks, however, realise the dough is essentially a mildly flexible marble and must be treated as such- so they reach for a very different set of cooking tools, and release their inner Giovanni Strazzo. Once sculpted and baked, a process that can take days and about an hour, respectively, the marble paradoxically softens, taking on a slightly more golden colour, and a texture not unlike Yorkshire Pudding. As such, they're quite commonly used as such for more high-class dinner parties.
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
'Brief' Description: Marble flour is the result of grinding marble grain, an otherwise perfectly normal wheat grain that results in a decidedly unnormal flour. Marble flour's colouring depends on the breed of grain, but the most common kind resembles Carrara marble, almost pure white with mild shades and veins of grey that resurface no matter how much it's mixed. When combined with water to make a dough, it quickly hardens to an almost impossible to manipulate by hand block of dough, something which infuriates people who have never worked with it before.
More experienced cooks, however, realise the dough is essentially a mildly flexible marble and must be treated as such- so they reach for a very different set of cooking tools, and release their inner Giovanni Strazzo. Once sculpted and baked, a process that can take days and about an hour, respectively, the marble paradoxically softens, taking on a slightly more golden colour, and a texture not unlike Yorkshire Pudding. As such, they're quite commonly used as such for more high-class dinner parties.
"And the sir will have?"
"... I'll, I'll have the... is nobody else uncomfortable with the fact that we're eating a very lifelike pastry?"
"Come on, it's just marble pastry, it's not alive. Come on, try the thighs, they're delicious-"
The head turns towards the man's friend, and the most anguished voice comes from what's left of the statue's mouth, a scream of pain and agony echoing through the establishment.
"WHY ARE YOU EATING MEEEE-"
"GODS ABOVE RUN-"
In the background, a man subtly gestures and the pastry falls silent again, the tiniest smile adorning his face as he goes back to enjoying his dinner in a now much quieter restaurant.
"... I'll, I'll have the... is nobody else uncomfortable with the fact that we're eating a very lifelike pastry?"
"Come on, it's just marble pastry, it's not alive. Come on, try the thighs, they're delicious-"
The head turns towards the man's friend, and the most anguished voice comes from what's left of the statue's mouth, a scream of pain and agony echoing through the establishment.
"WHY ARE YOU EATING MEEEE-"
"GODS ABOVE RUN-"
In the background, a man subtly gestures and the pastry falls silent again, the tiniest smile adorning his face as he goes back to enjoying his dinner in a now much quieter restaurant.
Creator: Spectrum Name: Oatgoat
Spirit/Circle Level: 3
'Brief' Description: A resident of remote mountaintops, oatgoats are a valued food source for the small tribes and lone survivalists that make the area their home, being a strange hybrid of meat and grain. Instead of a wooly coat, short stalks of grain grow, attracting energy and magically feeding directly into the goat. Periodically, the oats that it produces detach for its own consumption as well. While capable of some small defense of itself with a charging ram of its horns, it is still not particularly fearsome. The primary difficulty in obtaining a sample lies in environs and typical better ability to navigate precarious trails.
Spirit/Circle Level: 3
'Brief' Description: A resident of remote mountaintops, oatgoats are a valued food source for the small tribes and lone survivalists that make the area their home, being a strange hybrid of meat and grain. Instead of a wooly coat, short stalks of grain grow, attracting energy and magically feeding directly into the goat. Periodically, the oats that it produces detach for its own consumption as well. While capable of some small defense of itself with a charging ram of its horns, it is still not particularly fearsome. The primary difficulty in obtaining a sample lies in environs and typical better ability to navigate precarious trails.
Creator: Khepri14 Name: Annoying Orange
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: An orange that manifested the ability to talk thanks to magic. The problem is that they never shut up and are incredibly annoying. Killing them is a public service. However, these oranges are incredibly tasty thanks to the magic enhancing the orange. Such oranges can manifest anywhere, at any given time. All it takes is a little magic to cause the change.
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: An orange that manifested the ability to talk thanks to magic. The problem is that they never shut up and are incredibly annoying. Killing them is a public service. However, these oranges are incredibly tasty thanks to the magic enhancing the orange. Such oranges can manifest anywhere, at any given time. All it takes is a little magic to cause the change.
Creator: Andelevion Name: Glimmer Pod
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: Almost milky sweet but a faintly sour under-taste, these soft shining pods are protected by a tough metal covering. One fruit can hold up to a dozen pods, and are only accessible by peeling the scales with superhuman dexterous and careful cuts. A single misplaced slice and the pods inside bursts, losing their spectacular glow and all of the energy contained within. The remaining liquid can be a tasty yogurt drink but it lacks any impressive quality, especially as compared to when the pods can be prepared properly, or even eaten whole.
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: Almost milky sweet but a faintly sour under-taste, these soft shining pods are protected by a tough metal covering. One fruit can hold up to a dozen pods, and are only accessible by peeling the scales with superhuman dexterous and careful cuts. A single misplaced slice and the pods inside bursts, losing their spectacular glow and all of the energy contained within. The remaining liquid can be a tasty yogurt drink but it lacks any impressive quality, especially as compared to when the pods can be prepared properly, or even eaten whole.
Creator: Spectrum Name: Winter Hot Melon
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: A bizarre fruit that flourishes in the surroundings of geothermic areas that are in the middle of otherwise cold climates, such as mountain hot springs. It defends itself by spitting its own seeds at intruders, which catch fire on ejection. The flesh itself is unnaturally warm, but maintains the texture that one would expect from watermelon at more normal temperatures.
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: A bizarre fruit that flourishes in the surroundings of geothermic areas that are in the middle of otherwise cold climates, such as mountain hot springs. It defends itself by spitting its own seeds at intruders, which catch fire on ejection. The flesh itself is unnaturally warm, but maintains the texture that one would expect from watermelon at more normal temperatures.
Creator: zamin Name: Monster Dorian
Spirit/Circle Level: 4
Brief Description: Nicknamed the "Blood Fruit" for its distinctive aroma, Monster Dorians only grow on leylines and other places with a high level of atmospheric magic. After dropping from its tree, the Monster Dorian grows several mouths and long, sticky tongues which it uses to move around and capture food. Once it consumes enough, the fruit will burrow into the ground and eventually grow into another tree. Despite its appearance, Monster Dorians are harmless to humans and feed mainly on insects and small mammals such as squirrels and rats.
Monster Dorian is prized as a rare delicacy. Its meat is sweet, with a rich, custardy texture that makes a perfect dessert. However, care should be taken when chopping the fruit, as the insides contain several delicate organs that release a powerful and unappetizing stench if ruptured.
Creator: zamin Name: Assassin Vine
Spirit/Circle Level: 6
Brief Description: Named for its rather sinister habit of strangling any living creature which comes too close, the Assassin Vine often grows in damp, dark places. Its vines can stretch up to fifty feet in length, and older specimens have been known to grow thorns which makes them even more dangerous to unwary intruders. However, reckless adventurers have been known to deliberately enter thickets of Assassin Vines in order to harvest the seeds.
Assassin Vine seeds resemble bright red grapes in shape and size. The sweet seeds can be eaten raw or turned into wine. Assassin Seed Wine has a rich, delicate flavor that perfectly complements red meat dishes. Due to the difficulty of harvesting the seeds, a single bottle can cost more then a house.
Creator: zamin Name: Flesheater Bloom
Spirit/Circle Level: 5
Brief Description: Notorious for their insatiable appetite, Flesheater Blooms grow best in hot, humid conditions. They eat anything that gets close - frogs, rabbits, even humans, once they get big enough. Flesheater Blooms grow a single berry a year from a vine on top of their heads. The Flesheater berries have a sourish, citrusy flavor when eaten raw. The juice is renowned for its restorative properties and is said to improve sexual performance in older men.
Creator: Prok Name: Clockwork Fruit
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
'Brief' Description: The clockwork fruits are an oddity, as most things in this world, but they are just a small oddity. Let us take, for example, the clockwork melon: a large, round fruit, the only thing that separates it from a normal melon is a slight ticking sound heard from behind its skin. The oddity comes from the fact that, through some quirk of magic or evolution, they have developed a fully working clockwork system made from their flesh- the meat acting as gears, fibres as pulleys, and, on occasion, seeds as ball-bearings.
While they can just be peeled carefully, exposing their mechanical wonders to a group of guests, a skilled cook can extract these parts whole and use them to create interactive desserts, like a fruit clock, dolls that dance, small toy soldiers that enact battles on the serving plate, with the dead dragged off to the guests for consumption, or any number of different mechaniculinary wonders. Generally, they taste as their normal counterparts, perhaps with the slightest metallic hint to them, reminiscent of placing a copper coin in your mouth.
"War was hell. Now, it is delicious." - Avi Benist, inventor of the famous clockwork fruit dish/war reeenactment, 'The Battle of Fruit Loaf Hill.'
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
'Brief' Description: The clockwork fruits are an oddity, as most things in this world, but they are just a small oddity. Let us take, for example, the clockwork melon: a large, round fruit, the only thing that separates it from a normal melon is a slight ticking sound heard from behind its skin. The oddity comes from the fact that, through some quirk of magic or evolution, they have developed a fully working clockwork system made from their flesh- the meat acting as gears, fibres as pulleys, and, on occasion, seeds as ball-bearings.
While they can just be peeled carefully, exposing their mechanical wonders to a group of guests, a skilled cook can extract these parts whole and use them to create interactive desserts, like a fruit clock, dolls that dance, small toy soldiers that enact battles on the serving plate, with the dead dragged off to the guests for consumption, or any number of different mechaniculinary wonders. Generally, they taste as their normal counterparts, perhaps with the slightest metallic hint to them, reminiscent of placing a copper coin in your mouth.
"War was hell. Now, it is delicious." - Avi Benist, inventor of the famous clockwork fruit dish/war reeenactment, 'The Battle of Fruit Loaf Hill.'
Spirit/Circle Level: 3
Brief Description: Ancients legends say that eating a Golden Apple could grant a person eternal youth. While this superstition has long been disproven, the shiny fruit are still highly sought after for their beauty and unforgettable taste. Ripe Golden Apples have a lovely crisp texture and a tart, almost tropical flavor. Golden Apple juice and cider is popular among nobles for its refreshingly bold and exotic taste.
Nothing here atm; will add a couple soon.
I guess I could put honey here but meh... honey is useful for more...
I guess I could put honey here but meh... honey is useful for more...
Creator: Observing Shadow Name: The Drowned Willow
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: Legends say that the first Drowned Willow formed when a newly-widowed woman threw herself into the ocean and sank straight to the bottom. As the bottom-dwelling plants surrounded her body, flesh turned into wood, and her mourning visage was preserved forever. The wood is incredibly tough, nearly inflammable, and resistant to rot (when submerged, it stops rotting completely), which makes it ideal for cooking utensils, despite its low magical power. Using it for smoking is more trouble than its worth, as it imparts a very... unique flavour.
Note: This is a mere 2nd-ranked creature because, despite its toughness and water-properties, that is all it has. It has no defensive ability and imparts little to no sustenance. There is little supernatural energy within this plant, despite its supposed origins, because it takes very little energy to maintain its current state. This may change, however, if certain conditions are met or certain stimuli are applied.
Spirit/Circle Level: 2
Brief Description: Legends say that the first Drowned Willow formed when a newly-widowed woman threw herself into the ocean and sank straight to the bottom. As the bottom-dwelling plants surrounded her body, flesh turned into wood, and her mourning visage was preserved forever. The wood is incredibly tough, nearly inflammable, and resistant to rot (when submerged, it stops rotting completely), which makes it ideal for cooking utensils, despite its low magical power. Using it for smoking is more trouble than its worth, as it imparts a very... unique flavour.
Note: This is a mere 2nd-ranked creature because, despite its toughness and water-properties, that is all it has. It has no defensive ability and imparts little to no sustenance. There is little supernatural energy within this plant, despite its supposed origins, because it takes very little energy to maintain its current state. This may change, however, if certain conditions are met or certain stimuli are applied.
Creator: Observing Shadow Name: The Osiris Fly
Spirit/Circle Level: 3
Brief Description: These flies, while crunchy when fried, are not eaten very often. Instead, their true value lies when they settle upon a dead carcass. To those who are lucky enough to have a swarm nearby when leaving a newly felled beast, they will settle upon it, lay their eggs within, and then inject a unique venom that is able to preserve the meat for days, sometimes even (in the right conditions) entire weeks longer than they would have naturally. Any hunters who pass by (or even the original hunter if they return) can take some of the meat, though only before the maggots have hatched. While strenuous care is needed to remove all the eggs, certain dishes that do not require whole pieces (e.g. dishes that use minced meat) can be made.
Note: This is a bit of a stretch for an idea, I admit. But I thought it would be interesting to have a beast that was unintentionally assisting chefs through their actions. However, I didn't want to make it a miracle beast, so it only helps when you want to make dishes that do not use whole pieces of meat (because you really have to tear it up to make sure that there are no eggs left. Having a fly hatch in one of your customer's next meal is a one way ticket to a failed business).
Spirit/Circle Level: 3
Brief Description: These flies, while crunchy when fried, are not eaten very often. Instead, their true value lies when they settle upon a dead carcass. To those who are lucky enough to have a swarm nearby when leaving a newly felled beast, they will settle upon it, lay their eggs within, and then inject a unique venom that is able to preserve the meat for days, sometimes even (in the right conditions) entire weeks longer than they would have naturally. Any hunters who pass by (or even the original hunter if they return) can take some of the meat, though only before the maggots have hatched. While strenuous care is needed to remove all the eggs, certain dishes that do not require whole pieces (e.g. dishes that use minced meat) can be made.
Note: This is a bit of a stretch for an idea, I admit. But I thought it would be interesting to have a beast that was unintentionally assisting chefs through their actions. However, I didn't want to make it a miracle beast, so it only helps when you want to make dishes that do not use whole pieces of meat (because you really have to tear it up to make sure that there are no eggs left. Having a fly hatch in one of your customer's next meal is a one way ticket to a failed business).
Spirit/Circle Level: 3/5
Brief Description: Dwelling mainly in places with high levels of atmospheric magic, Imperial Honey Bees were accidentally created by the Court Enchanter Ingram over a hundred years ago as part of his attempts to heal the sickly queen. He infused a hive of ordinary honey bees with Nature Magic, believing that it would give their honey restorative properties that he could use for a potion. Unfortunately, he was too successful. The bees grew to monstrous sizes and eventually spread across the land. While the Imperial Honey they produce is renowned for its healing abilities, getting it out of their hives is a real pain - literally.
Imperial Honey Bees grow far larger then their mundane cousins. In the wild, some hives have been noted to create specimens the size of small ponies. While individually they're honestly little more then a pest, swarms of bees are a serious threat and have been known to kill foolish adventurers that got too close to the hive. Fortunately, smoke and fire disorients these insects, making it easier for a prepared adventurer to reach the valuable honey stores without being stung to death.
Imperial Honey is well known for its smooth texture and unpredictable taste. While it tends to be sweet, the exact flavor changes based on the plants growing near the hive - you could get anything from a bold, citrusy aftertaste to a subtle hint of fruitiness. The very best Imperial Honey comes from mana saturated forests and is known as Imperial Royal Jelly - a golden, glimmering substance that's said to be able to heal someone on the verge of death. While this is an obvious exaggeration, Royal Jelly is known for its potent restorative properties and is a key ingredient in several advanced healing potions. When eaten fresh, Royal Jelly is surprisingly smokey, with a rich, buttery taste that always leaves you wanting more.
Spirit/Circle Level: 1
Brief Description: A plant which only blooms at the start of the day, the Dawn Flower is often seen as a symbol of love. During the Spring Festival, young women often tuck one of these flowers into their hair to show their eligible status. This plant is also used in cooking. The dried petals add a sweet floral aroma to the dish, while the leaves have a mild minty flavor.
Creator: Observing Shadow Name: The Final Wyrm
Spirit/Circle Level: 10
Brief Description: There is one being, whom all chefs hate. A creature of death and decay, that ruins all within sight. This large wyrm surfaces in a random spot once every few centuries and its very presence causes decay in all organic matter nearby. There are currently no ways of killing it, as weapons rust away, flesh rots, and magic spells decay within seconds upon nearing the creature. It appears that it has control over its power, as the ground around it remains intact while it feeds upon the death and rot in the area.
Note: This is my attempt at making a Level 10 creature. I had many ideas for this, including an antlion type creature, a dragon, and others, but I thought that such a world needed an antagonist creature.
...
To be honest, despite the name and the pun on Final Word, I really want to make this a mole. Maybe a star-nosed mole. It would work much better than a giant earthworm, but... the pun potential.... Well, it's up to you, in the end, @Emperor Toast.
Spirit/Circle Level: 10
Brief Description: There is one being, whom all chefs hate. A creature of death and decay, that ruins all within sight. This large wyrm surfaces in a random spot once every few centuries and its very presence causes decay in all organic matter nearby. There are currently no ways of killing it, as weapons rust away, flesh rots, and magic spells decay within seconds upon nearing the creature. It appears that it has control over its power, as the ground around it remains intact while it feeds upon the death and rot in the area.
Note: This is my attempt at making a Level 10 creature. I had many ideas for this, including an antlion type creature, a dragon, and others, but I thought that such a world needed an antagonist creature.
...
To be honest, despite the name and the pun on Final Word, I really want to make this a mole. Maybe a star-nosed mole. It would work much better than a giant earthworm, but... the pun potential.... Well, it's up to you, in the end, @Emperor Toast.
Spirit/Circle Level: 9
Brief Description: Known as one of the seven "Kings of the Ocean", the Divine Dragon Turtle is a rare and powerful beast that's often seen as a symbol of good luck. It is a massive turtle, large enough to be mistaken for an island. Plants and animals live and grow on the surface of its shell, their bodies imbued with the power it emanates. Anyone lucky enough to stumble across a Divine Dragon Turtle and climb onto its shell will find a literal forest of rare, high level ingredients perfect for harvesting. Beware, though. The Dragon Island Turtle possesses the ability to command the weather, and those that anger one often find themselves blown away by hurricane force winds or struck by powerful bolts of lightning. When killed, the Divine Dragon Turtle's flesh turns to stone and sinks to the ocean floor.
Note: I based this on the Lion Turtle from Avatar. It basically serves a mobile dungeon or special area - you can find all sorts of rare and powerful plants and beasts on it, but killing the turtle itself is out of the question.
Creator: zinay Name: Gaia Serpent
Spirit/Circle Level: 9
'Brief' Description: Said to contain the essence of the planet itself, these colossal snakes of stone and crystal slither beneath continents, causing them to shift over time. While they are normally much too deep to be noticed by anything other than the most advanced of magic, when they near the surface, earthquakes and tsunamis follow in their wake, and when they surface mountains and volcanoes form around them as the earth seeks to embrace them once more. While they are mostly inedible, the crystals at their core, if ground, create a spice that can enhance the flavor of anything that, when alive, called the planet its home.
Spirit/Circle Level: 9
'Brief' Description: Said to contain the essence of the planet itself, these colossal snakes of stone and crystal slither beneath continents, causing them to shift over time. While they are normally much too deep to be noticed by anything other than the most advanced of magic, when they near the surface, earthquakes and tsunamis follow in their wake, and when they surface mountains and volcanoes form around them as the earth seeks to embrace them once more. While they are mostly inedible, the crystals at their core, if ground, create a spice that can enhance the flavor of anything that, when alive, called the planet its home.
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Character Gen. II
- Location
- United States
Character Gen. II
Running a sushiya like any restaurant was a colossal undertaking. Her mornings, particularly when she first opened her shop, started very early. It was necessary to show up at five in the morning to try and select the best fish, as many vendors at Tsukiji already had preferred clients. They reserved their best products for certain chefs and breaking into that network required her to beg, cajole, and otherwise coerce the shopkeepers into parting with some of their higher end selections. It did, of course, pay off in time as they got to know her, but the first few years were tough.
Most of the rest of the day was devoted to preparation. Cleaning the fish, removing the bones, skinning the fish, making the soy sauce, washing the rice, the list of tasks was endless. But she loved it nonetheless. The steady, meticulous work spoke to something within her. Besides herself, she only had two staff members. Nakamura Misaki was her maitre'd, waitress, and bartender all rolled into one. An old friend also looking to make her way out of the criminal underworld, the matchup was easy one and they found much success together. Misaki served as the convivial face of the restaurant versus her own rather austere personality. She wasn't unapproachable by any means, but patrons tended to be intimidated by either her beauty or her demeanor.
Her second and last staff member varied throughout the years as her apprentices grew into their own and made their way out into the world to open their own sushiyas. Some were highly skilled and received much critical acclaim. Some were less so and found contentment in running smaller, neighborhood shops. Nonetheless, she was always proud of her apprentices. Though harsh and exacting as a mentor, her apprentices typically appreciated her efforts to teach them. Over time, a small network of apprentices and apprentices of apprentices spread around the world and she could find a friendly face in most major cities. It warmed her heart to see such genuine appreciation.
Like anyone who worked insane hours though, she also had her own hobbies and interests. As much as she loved cooking, she needed a break sometimes.
In her scant free time she
[ ] Continued to practice martial arts - She loved martial arts, finding it both empowering and satisfying. Her blood sung when she fought, the feeling of euphoria that suffused her was hard to deny. Her focus shifted somewhat from the mere execution of violence into a journey of discipline and introspection. She sparred and fought whenever she could though.
[ ] Singing - If there was one thing she truly inherited from her mother, it would be a love of singing. Mostly with a choir or a school group in her early years but alone in her later ones. She sung to relieve her heart. Her talent was appreciable, she was invited to sing at a few weddings and friends always enjoyed it. Even in her rebellious years she never stopped.
[ ] Drag Racing - There was nothing in the world she found more thrilling than going fast. To that end she became a drag racer. She ripped through the streets of the city without a care for danger while relying entirely on her reflexes to preserve her life. Thousands of dollars would change hands every evening and she built quite a car collection along with it.
[ ] Traceur - She liked running but leaping over buildings and climbing over obstacles added a whole new dimension to it that she found fulfilling. She got pretty good at it too, competing all around the world. She certainly suffered some near deaths and broke a few bones here and there, but that was part of the thrill.
[ ] Drugs - They say that just about every chef becomes either an alcoholic or a drug user and she ended up being the latter. It helped take the edge off and at times was the only thing that allowed her to push through the day. The strain and pains of many years of non stop labor were not light.
[ ] Painting - Her father was something of an artist. In his free time, his primary hobby was sumi-e painting. She didn't personally go down this route though she appreciated the care and precision needed to make a great ink painting. Instead she loved using vibrant colors to paint scenes of nature. She was good enough to sell a few, the rest went to friends. Learning how to use and contrast color helped a lot in her development of decorating and plating skills in the kitchen.
[ ] Tea ceremony - After many years of violence and action, she sought peace and tranquility as she made a new life. She chose to devote herself to tea. It taught her patience, discipline, and meticulousness. All skills she learned to apply in her cooking.
___________________________________________________________________
Everyone one of the above will provide either a useful combat skill, a passive trait or a boost to culinary arts so all choices are beneficial to you.
Will also need someone to roll a six sided dice. If you hit a six roll again.
Sword of the Samurai trait gives a general boost to all bladed melee weapons, but also allows for a specialization. Weapons that fall in this category are used more effectively. Battle Chef class expands these to generally cover the weapon type so Western style weaponry is included in this proficiency. Please pick one:
[ ] Katana/Swords
[ ] Naginata/Polearms
[ ] Yari/Spears
[ ] Odachi/Greatswords
Running a sushiya like any restaurant was a colossal undertaking. Her mornings, particularly when she first opened her shop, started very early. It was necessary to show up at five in the morning to try and select the best fish, as many vendors at Tsukiji already had preferred clients. They reserved their best products for certain chefs and breaking into that network required her to beg, cajole, and otherwise coerce the shopkeepers into parting with some of their higher end selections. It did, of course, pay off in time as they got to know her, but the first few years were tough.
Most of the rest of the day was devoted to preparation. Cleaning the fish, removing the bones, skinning the fish, making the soy sauce, washing the rice, the list of tasks was endless. But she loved it nonetheless. The steady, meticulous work spoke to something within her. Besides herself, she only had two staff members. Nakamura Misaki was her maitre'd, waitress, and bartender all rolled into one. An old friend also looking to make her way out of the criminal underworld, the matchup was easy one and they found much success together. Misaki served as the convivial face of the restaurant versus her own rather austere personality. She wasn't unapproachable by any means, but patrons tended to be intimidated by either her beauty or her demeanor.
Her second and last staff member varied throughout the years as her apprentices grew into their own and made their way out into the world to open their own sushiyas. Some were highly skilled and received much critical acclaim. Some were less so and found contentment in running smaller, neighborhood shops. Nonetheless, she was always proud of her apprentices. Though harsh and exacting as a mentor, her apprentices typically appreciated her efforts to teach them. Over time, a small network of apprentices and apprentices of apprentices spread around the world and she could find a friendly face in most major cities. It warmed her heart to see such genuine appreciation.
Like anyone who worked insane hours though, she also had her own hobbies and interests. As much as she loved cooking, she needed a break sometimes.
In her scant free time she
[ ] Continued to practice martial arts - She loved martial arts, finding it both empowering and satisfying. Her blood sung when she fought, the feeling of euphoria that suffused her was hard to deny. Her focus shifted somewhat from the mere execution of violence into a journey of discipline and introspection. She sparred and fought whenever she could though.
[ ] Singing - If there was one thing she truly inherited from her mother, it would be a love of singing. Mostly with a choir or a school group in her early years but alone in her later ones. She sung to relieve her heart. Her talent was appreciable, she was invited to sing at a few weddings and friends always enjoyed it. Even in her rebellious years she never stopped.
[ ] Drag Racing - There was nothing in the world she found more thrilling than going fast. To that end she became a drag racer. She ripped through the streets of the city without a care for danger while relying entirely on her reflexes to preserve her life. Thousands of dollars would change hands every evening and she built quite a car collection along with it.
[ ] Traceur - She liked running but leaping over buildings and climbing over obstacles added a whole new dimension to it that she found fulfilling. She got pretty good at it too, competing all around the world. She certainly suffered some near deaths and broke a few bones here and there, but that was part of the thrill.
[ ] Drugs - They say that just about every chef becomes either an alcoholic or a drug user and she ended up being the latter. It helped take the edge off and at times was the only thing that allowed her to push through the day. The strain and pains of many years of non stop labor were not light.
[ ] Painting - Her father was something of an artist. In his free time, his primary hobby was sumi-e painting. She didn't personally go down this route though she appreciated the care and precision needed to make a great ink painting. Instead she loved using vibrant colors to paint scenes of nature. She was good enough to sell a few, the rest went to friends. Learning how to use and contrast color helped a lot in her development of decorating and plating skills in the kitchen.
[ ] Tea ceremony - After many years of violence and action, she sought peace and tranquility as she made a new life. She chose to devote herself to tea. It taught her patience, discipline, and meticulousness. All skills she learned to apply in her cooking.
___________________________________________________________________
Everyone one of the above will provide either a useful combat skill, a passive trait or a boost to culinary arts so all choices are beneficial to you.
Will also need someone to roll a six sided dice. If you hit a six roll again.
Sword of the Samurai trait gives a general boost to all bladed melee weapons, but also allows for a specialization. Weapons that fall in this category are used more effectively. Battle Chef class expands these to generally cover the weapon type so Western style weaponry is included in this proficiency. Please pick one:
[ ] Katana/Swords
[ ] Naginata/Polearms
[ ] Yari/Spears
[ ] Odachi/Greatswords
Character Gen. III
- Location
- United States
Character Gen. III
[x] Tea Ceremony
After many years of violence and action, she sought peace and tranquility as she made a new life for herself. She found refuge in the art of Chanoyu. The guiding principles of the tea ceremony were simple. Harmony (Wa) of all things including nature, the setting, the host and guests. Respect (Kei), a sincere regard to all, irrespective of rank or status. Purity (Sei) of heart and mind, a spiritual cleansing of one's being. Tranquility (Jaku), the attainment of inner peace.
Through a life long dedication to attaining mastery, she shed some of her legacy of blood and made peace with herself. She would miss her tea equipment though, particular her tea bowl. It had been a gift from a wealthy patron, said to be one of the few left in the world to have passed through the hands of Sen no Rikyu; the greatest tea master in the Age of the Warring States.
Trait Gained:
Heart of Tranquility - To find inner peace is a lifelong pursuit and one that often meets in failure. But through steadfast dedication and perhaps some luck as well, she found some measure of serenity. Reduces the penalties from failures and crisis, makes you almost immune to intimidation and fear effects.
???? bonus gained
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
[x] Polearms
When she first started learning martial arts, she took the usual route and learned hand to hand combat. After all, she couldn't just drag around a bladed weapon to school. Some part of her likely was adverse to the idea of killing her enemies too. Her hatred was deep, but she never contemplated murder.
When she got older and descended into the criminal underground, things changed. She certainly had a talent for violence, but she wasn't quite capable enough with blade and knife to risk being in such close proximity to other people trying to kill her. She resolved to learn to use polearms instead. There were plenty of run of the mill items she could substitute for a polearm in an emergency so it was generally suitable thing to learn as well for the occasions when she had to improvise. The added ranged and momentum helped her beat physically superior opponents as well as keep groups at bay. That grew increasingly important as she grew more famous. Her beauty was quite renown too, so it wasn't as if her opponents were the type to just let her off with a beating.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
The transcendent cuisine system is granting one special equipment items that will be useful both in the kitchen and in battle. Please choose from one of the below beginner gifts.
[ ] Knife - The knife is made from a dark, heavy metal and shimmers as if its form is illusory.
[ ] Pot - A large bronze colored pot with a dragon and phoenix motif inlaid across its surface. Its lid is of the same metal and it has a long circular handle
[ ] Pocket watch/timer - One of the nicest pocket watches she has ever seen, it is made from burnished gold with a motif on the back composed of nine coiling dragons. On the watch face, next to each hour is an empty circular slot.
[ ] Chopsticks - A dark wood etched with veins of a silvery metal were used to make these. A brilliant gem adorns the flat end of each stick.
[ ] Charcoal ember - It looks like a regular coal, cool to the touch, but yet something tells her it isn't a normal ember. She feels hot just looking at it.
[ ] Chef outfit including apron - A clean, white uniform with an apron. The fabric looks silk like in texture, but she doesn't believe the system would provide such a simplistic object. But she could be wrong too.
To get you started in the kitchen, there is also a support bundle that will grant you access to a few raw ingredients. Corresponding mastery level recipes will be provided as well. The system will provide the ingredients in unlimited quantities and consistent quality. Anything used as practice materials that are not eaten will be recycled. You will not gain any benefits from consuming these dishes however.
[ ] Land and Sea Bundle
1x Land Creature
1x Sea Creature
1x Grain
[ ] Luxurious Seafood
1x Fish
2x Shellfish
1x Grain
[ ] Gardens of Babylon
3x Produce
1x Grain
1x Fruit
[ ] Meat is King
1x Land Creature
2x Meat components
[ ] Balanced diet
1x Meat component
2x Produce
1x Grain
[ ] European specialty
1x Grain
1x Cheese
1x Produce
1x Meat Component
______________________________________________________________________________
This is the last of our character generation bits. Next scene will be about the restaurant and we'll get started with a bit of cooking and a short term culinary quest.
For the item choice these are VERY high class items you will not have access to for a LONG time. Pick carefully and keep in mind that it will also be of help to you in combat. They are ALL useful, none of them are traps though some may need more time to show their usefulness.
For the item bundles these are your starter stuff. I've assigned all your culinary skills and knowledge already, please check out the character sheet if you have not done so. Land creature is meat but it could be anything from a pig to a tiger. Sea creature can be fish or a sea serpent. If it says component that means that you get one cut of meat so to speak. So a pork belly or beef rib or lamb shank. This is in contrast to a land creature where you have access to the whole beast and you can derive recipes from all the different parts. The system provides instantly mastered recipes for the stuff it gives you based on the food traditions of Earth. But you can derive new stuff too. Supplemental ingredients are provided but they are less special.
Though mundane farm animals do exist and some are of fairly high level (the creatures of the world can gain circles of power as well) they do not tend to get above third maybe fourth circle. Some of your ingredients will come from more exotic sources or will have special properties.
[x] Tea Ceremony
After many years of violence and action, she sought peace and tranquility as she made a new life for herself. She found refuge in the art of Chanoyu. The guiding principles of the tea ceremony were simple. Harmony (Wa) of all things including nature, the setting, the host and guests. Respect (Kei), a sincere regard to all, irrespective of rank or status. Purity (Sei) of heart and mind, a spiritual cleansing of one's being. Tranquility (Jaku), the attainment of inner peace.
Through a life long dedication to attaining mastery, she shed some of her legacy of blood and made peace with herself. She would miss her tea equipment though, particular her tea bowl. It had been a gift from a wealthy patron, said to be one of the few left in the world to have passed through the hands of Sen no Rikyu; the greatest tea master in the Age of the Warring States.
Trait Gained:
Heart of Tranquility - To find inner peace is a lifelong pursuit and one that often meets in failure. But through steadfast dedication and perhaps some luck as well, she found some measure of serenity. Reduces the penalties from failures and crisis, makes you almost immune to intimidation and fear effects.
???? bonus gained
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
[x] Polearms
When she first started learning martial arts, she took the usual route and learned hand to hand combat. After all, she couldn't just drag around a bladed weapon to school. Some part of her likely was adverse to the idea of killing her enemies too. Her hatred was deep, but she never contemplated murder.
When she got older and descended into the criminal underground, things changed. She certainly had a talent for violence, but she wasn't quite capable enough with blade and knife to risk being in such close proximity to other people trying to kill her. She resolved to learn to use polearms instead. There were plenty of run of the mill items she could substitute for a polearm in an emergency so it was generally suitable thing to learn as well for the occasions when she had to improvise. The added ranged and momentum helped her beat physically superior opponents as well as keep groups at bay. That grew increasingly important as she grew more famous. Her beauty was quite renown too, so it wasn't as if her opponents were the type to just let her off with a beating.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
The transcendent cuisine system is granting one special equipment items that will be useful both in the kitchen and in battle. Please choose from one of the below beginner gifts.
[ ] Knife - The knife is made from a dark, heavy metal and shimmers as if its form is illusory.
[ ] Pot - A large bronze colored pot with a dragon and phoenix motif inlaid across its surface. Its lid is of the same metal and it has a long circular handle
[ ] Pocket watch/timer - One of the nicest pocket watches she has ever seen, it is made from burnished gold with a motif on the back composed of nine coiling dragons. On the watch face, next to each hour is an empty circular slot.
[ ] Chopsticks - A dark wood etched with veins of a silvery metal were used to make these. A brilliant gem adorns the flat end of each stick.
[ ] Charcoal ember - It looks like a regular coal, cool to the touch, but yet something tells her it isn't a normal ember. She feels hot just looking at it.
[ ] Chef outfit including apron - A clean, white uniform with an apron. The fabric looks silk like in texture, but she doesn't believe the system would provide such a simplistic object. But she could be wrong too.
To get you started in the kitchen, there is also a support bundle that will grant you access to a few raw ingredients. Corresponding mastery level recipes will be provided as well. The system will provide the ingredients in unlimited quantities and consistent quality. Anything used as practice materials that are not eaten will be recycled. You will not gain any benefits from consuming these dishes however.
[ ] Land and Sea Bundle
1x Land Creature
1x Sea Creature
1x Grain
[ ] Luxurious Seafood
1x Fish
2x Shellfish
1x Grain
[ ] Gardens of Babylon
3x Produce
1x Grain
1x Fruit
[ ] Meat is King
1x Land Creature
2x Meat components
[ ] Balanced diet
1x Meat component
2x Produce
1x Grain
[ ] European specialty
1x Grain
1x Cheese
1x Produce
1x Meat Component
______________________________________________________________________________
This is the last of our character generation bits. Next scene will be about the restaurant and we'll get started with a bit of cooking and a short term culinary quest.
For the item choice these are VERY high class items you will not have access to for a LONG time. Pick carefully and keep in mind that it will also be of help to you in combat. They are ALL useful, none of them are traps though some may need more time to show their usefulness.
For the item bundles these are your starter stuff. I've assigned all your culinary skills and knowledge already, please check out the character sheet if you have not done so. Land creature is meat but it could be anything from a pig to a tiger. Sea creature can be fish or a sea serpent. If it says component that means that you get one cut of meat so to speak. So a pork belly or beef rib or lamb shank. This is in contrast to a land creature where you have access to the whole beast and you can derive recipes from all the different parts. The system provides instantly mastered recipes for the stuff it gives you based on the food traditions of Earth. But you can derive new stuff too. Supplemental ingredients are provided but they are less special.
Though mundane farm animals do exist and some are of fairly high level (the creatures of the world can gain circles of power as well) they do not tend to get above third maybe fourth circle. Some of your ingredients will come from more exotic sources or will have special properties.
A New World of Cooking
- Location
- United States
A New World of Cooking
[x] Knife
"This knife was named Bloodless by its creator, as its sharpness is such that clean cuts will leave no trace of blood. Forged from an alloy of abyssal iron, illusory Crystals and a third substance that is unidentified, the form of this knife is malleable. It can transform into different bladed objects including other knives, swords, lances or Polearms. A useful tool both on and off the battlefield. Its density and weight are very high. In order to counteract this, a gravitic array has been inlaid. It is currently at its lowest setting. This is one of the most prized pieces in the Ancient Devourer's collection."
She stared in wonder as a rectangular box appeared on the table in front of her. Composed of black lacquered wood with gold and pearl inlays, it depicted a lonely cherry blossom tree perched on a cliffside; its petals falling gently drifting through the air. Lifting up the lid revealed a dark metal chef's knife with a blade length of 20 centimeters. A distinctive red pattern was engraved across its surface, likely forming the gravitic array the system mentioned. Tracing her finger along the surface of the handle, she wondered what it was made from. It had the texture of ivory or perhaps bone.
Lifting the blade up reverently, she noted how heavy it felt in her hands. Still, it was perfectly balanced though she worried she might tire quickly using it.
"Please place a drop of blood on the blade," she found it ironic that Bloodless needed blood, but nonetheless did as the system prompted. She didn't even put pressure on the blade before her thumb was nicked and her blood flowed. Bloodless reacted immediately and began to vibrate, the frequency somehow resonating within her. A tenuous connection was forged between the two of them and the blade made a keening noise as it "awakened".
"Bloodless is now spiritually bonded to you. You can alter its shape and adjust its gravitic array now. Further options may be unlocked in the future," she wasn't sure how to issue a command to the knife but she imagined it changing into a naginata. It took a while and she felt really silly but eventually her thoughts projected correctly and it began to morph. The metal elongated and the bone shifted until it formed into a three meter long halberd. It wasn't quite what she imagined but it would probably work.
She spun it in her hand and held it flat upon her palm, testing its balance and heft. It felt surprisingly flimsy, like it would drift out of her hand in a moments notice. Realizing that it's gravitic array could be adjusted, she imagined it growing heavier by about ten pounds. The halberd glowed for a moment before growing a bit heavier. It would take some getting used to this feature and a lot of practice to get the weight shifting nearly instinctive but it could definitely give her a decisive edge in battle.
Acquired: Bloodless - Currently has chef's knife and polearm configurations available.
_________________________________
After taking a quick shower, she took Bloodless with her downstairs to explore the kitchen. She would be spending a lot of time here so she wanted to familiarize herself with it as quickly as possible.
It was very large for a single person operation but she definitely liked having the space. A big, four paned window was set into the back wall, which let plenty of natural light in while glowing stones lining the ceiling kept the interior brightly lit. Next to the door leading out into the dining room was a long sushi bar that was at just the right height for her hands. Below it were a series of cabinets formed from smoothed wood, of which the middle three were iceboxes filled with shelves. She would be able to store her cuts of fish here. The other cabinets were filled with supplies and utensils of various sorts including chopsticks, bamboo sushi mats, shark skin paddles for grating wasabi and a variety of ingredients including pots of soy sauce, fresh Japanese horseradish, nori sheets, and mirin. Anything she would need or expect to make good sushi was already present. The nori in particular was of great quality. Jet black in color, completely uniform, it burst with rich savoriness. Once it was toasted it would be comparable to the best ariake nori she used in her former restaurant.
A sink sat in the corner with a copper colored faucets and handles allowing her to easily wash her hands and knives. Below it was a turnstile cabinet filled with pots and pans of various sizes. She wasn't quite sure how the water was draining out though?
"The faucet pulls water in from the peaks of the Desolate Mountains deep in the southern most continent. Its refreshing purity is unmatched. The drain will transport the water out to the sea," well that explained it. She had a sink that was capable of spatial manipulation. She shook her head. It wasn't the first time the system came up with something ridiculous and she doubted it would be the last.
Next to the sink against the left wall from the dining room was a series of six stoves lined side by side. Each one was equipped with a metal grate and a blood red crystal embedded into the center of the stone that formed the stove.
"The stone is from the fragmented core of a dead world while the metal is a substance that can tolerate extreme levels of heat. It is called Primordium. The red crystals are from the heart of a ten million year old Star Dragon. Channel energy into the array and it will activate the crystal."
"Why is every piece of equipment so ridiculous?" she asked in frustration. "Are the pots some kind of ridiculous magical tech as well?"
The system did not respond for a moment before its monotone voice activated again. "The best chef can only be unveiled assuming a completely even playing field. This is but a tiny sliver of Ancient Devourer's wealth and power. Upon death or failure, all of this will be reclaimed so you need not worry."
"Wait, are there others like me?"
"Host is presently unqualified to know the answer to this question. Please ask again when you have improved your chef rank," she frowned but there was little she could do.
Next to the stoves was a large rectangular stone box built into the ground. On top were two circular areas fitted with large pots that formed an ancient Japanese setup called a kamado. The lower portion was an oven, again equipped with an output array to adjust for heat. The residual heat would heat up the pots and cook their contents while things could be cooked in the oven as well.
The far wall around the windows was covered in cabinets filled with plates, pots, bowls and eating utensils alongside a second much larger sink and a nearly wardrobe sized ice box. It was honestly just a straight up refrigerator but bits and pieces of it were disguised with materials that would be more widely available in this world. Hilariously enough there was even a dishwasher that made absolutely no pretenses about being anything other than a modern appliance except for its front being made from wood. Of course it had all sorts of special properties too.
In the center was a spacious kitchen island with an empty square in the center with a fire pit. A series of long metal hooks dangled from the ceiling to hang meats and the like while a thick metal grate was placed about a foot above the flames. The sides were lined with the same metal as the grates on the stove so despite looking like a crazy fire hazard, it was a safe contraption.
One side was entirely devoted to preparing her mise en place and other food prep. The center of this section was just a plank of wood that had hinges on the left side, allowing for it to be lifted up to provide better access to the fire pit. Somehow she felt no heat even when standing in front of this hollow section which made no sense but she had more or less given up on understanding the intricacies of the matter. The other side of the island was composed of a steamer, fryer and robata style grill respectively. Towels and cooking utensils like tongs, spatulas, ladles and spoons hung from two of the sides.
It was frankly a ridiculous kitchen, one that was probably better than even the most high end ones in her prior life.
"Host, please go downstairs into the larder," she stood in a daze for a moment as she realized she was likely to witness even more insanity downstairs. Shaking herself out of her stupor she made her way into the larder only to be surprised by its mundanity. A huge metal table composed of multiple sections that could be adjusted for height sat smack dab in the middle of the larder while the section under the stairs had a number of empty wooden casks. The floor was slightly sloped and lead to a large drain while a hose was attached to the wall right by the staircase.
Other than that there was only a series of doors attached to the walls.
"What are these doors?"
"These doors access the different biomes where system provided ingredients will be raised and maintained. If you capture and find new ingredients, they can also be raised and cultivated for you. The process will of course be accelerated though you will have to pay a cost in mana crystals for whatever you take out," she tapped her foot as she thought about the implications of that.
"Can I sell the ingredients?"
"Dear host, you are not a farmer," she wasn't sure how a monotone voice could sound so derisive. "You cannot sell system provided ingredients, though nothing stops you from selling anything you find yourself."
She sighed, it made sense in a way. If the emphasis was on her being a chef, selling produce and meat was not quite the right path. But wait did it not say she should trade for ingredients?
"Ingredient trading is only for services, completed goods or for anything else you personally acquire. You are forbidden from trading provided ingredients."
"Fine, I understand."
[X] Luxurious Seafood Bundle
Grants:
Demon Bull Tuna 5th rank
Phoenix Tail Shrimp 3rd rank
Sunglow Sea Urchin 4th rank
Imperial Pearl Rice 3rd rank
Recipes:
Salt and Pepper Shrimp (Chinese).
Tuna Poke (American)
Sea Urchin Risotto (Japanese/Italian Fusion)
Onigiri Set (Japanese) takeout possible - A set of three rice balls with tuna, shrimp tempura and sea urchin inside.
She massaged her temples as the flood of information from the provided recipes entered her mind. The aching pain took a good few minutes to subside, though she was amazed at the amount of data packed in.
"The first door on the left provides mundane produce and materials. The second will lead to some tanks containing the seafood ingredients you have been provided. They are transported there the moment you open the door. The door closest to the right will provide produce," nodding she opened the rightmost door and filled a small sack with the Imperial Pearl rice. Each grain was a perfect oval shape and glistened with the luster of the finest of pearls. Even compared to the best of Japanese rice, this was quite a few levels higher in appearance alone.
"Imperial Pearl Rice is the primary tribute paid by the state of Han to the Emperor of the Cloud Crane Empire. Spanning almost half a continent, it is a powerful monolith and this rice reflects the Emperor's status. It is a third ranked spiritual plant."
"Third ranked?" she inquired.
"Plants cultivate spiritual energy to grow in power and strength. At high enough ranks they are even able to gain sentience and manipulate world phenomenon to defend themselves. A third ranked spiritual plant while not excessively powerful can nurture beasts and men of the third circle. It is therefore rare and quite highly prized."
It seemed nothing in this world was normal, though in a place of magic it was not unreasonable. Heading over to the sea biome door, she found two medium sized tanks and one utterly massive one. The Phoenix tail shrimps were scooped up easily. Each was about 30 centimeters long with brilliant crimson tails that splayed out like the feathers if a Phoenix. They were lively and the dozen she took jumped and twitched, nearly escaping from the bag she placed them in.
The sea urchins were far easier to deal with. Pitch black in color, they were about the size of a volleyball and covered in spikes. They were a bit dangerous to handle, but she picked out two and put them into a thick leather bag that wouldn't get punctured.
Last she turned to the Demon Bull Tuna. It was truly a monstrous fish at over two meters long with a pair of thick, black, curved horns adorning its head. A bit more elongated than the blue fins of her world it was nonetheless a nice fat fish.
"How am I supposed to take it out of the tank? It must be what? Two hundred kilos?"
"This specimen of Demon Bull Tuna is 226.87 kilos and is on the smaller end of available specimens."
"That doesn't help me at all! I can't lift 226 kilos worth of fish!" she shouted angrily.
"Then it seems you will not be able to utilize this fish yet. Perhaps if you gain a circle or two…" she huffed in irritation and eyed the tuna longingly. Considering the quality of ingredients she had seen so far, it would probably taste amazing. She thought for a moment before she came up with a brilliant idea.
"System can I kill the tuna in the tank or do I need to take it out first?"
"There is nothing that prevents you from killing the tuna within the tank," her eyes flashed when she heard the system's reply and drew Bloodless. The tuna was trapped with little room to move within its tank so it could only stare on as its impending doom approached. She stabbed it next to its fins on each side before moving to the tail and cut nearly all the way through. Stepping back to its head, she stroked it gently and whispered a short blessing before positioning her knife and thrusting forward with all her speed and strength. It took her three tries before Bloodless cut straight through its skull and pierced its hindbrain, instantly killing the fish. It would take a while longer for the blood to drain out, but she would then be free to butcher it into smaller pieces and remove it from the tank.
[Butchering the Demon Bull Tuna: Technical Skills + Ikejime Technique + Bloodless = 150 Required: 150/200/250/300 Poor/Average/Good/Excellent. Success! Poor quality result]
Technical Skills Increased by 10 for successfully butchering something many ranks above your level.
____________________________________________________________________
It honestly took her hours to carve up the Demon Bull Tuna and her results were poor. In fact she considered it an embarrassing result for a sushiya of her skill level. For one she truly lacked the strength to do it correctly. Bluefin Tuna skin was tough, but this beast was at a whole other level. If it weren't for the peerless edge of her knife, this would be a flat out impossible task for her to handle with her present strength. Every cut required her to apply a great amount of pressure plus her body weight. She increased the gravitic force on the knife too but she could not increase it too heavily since it would just become unwieldy. Rather than the sharp elegant lines she was used to, the tuna flesh had jagged edges and frayed skin. Still even with the shoddy job she did the meat was an absolute beauty.
Beyond the horns, she could see why it was called a Demon Bull Tuna. Every inch of its flesh was beautifully marbled like the best cattle. Even its back and sides, which should be the leanest portions, looked like the finest of otoro. Its sinew was very tough and hard to remove, nearly twice as thick as what she was used to for bluefin. She saved them up to grill though as it would have an almost beef like texture and flavor. The musculature of the tuna was very compact as well, which would have made it a very fast fish. Its charges must be monstrously quick and deadly.
Taking some of the Imperial Pearl Rice, she washed the rice twice before placing it in the kamado pot. Filling up the pot with water, she made sure there was enough to submerge the rice and then some. Her not so scientific methodology was to make sure the water level reached up to the top of her fingernail when she touched the rice. She then activated the array pattern which began to heat up the rice.
"Rice will be complete in fifteen minutes," that was a lot faster than it usually took and left her skeptical, but she decided to trust the system and see how it worked out.
Cubing up a portion of the akami, she placed it into a bowl with some shoyu, finely cut scallions, a bit of sweet onion, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Then she let it sit in one of the refrigerators for about two hours so the flavors could meld together. It was a simple enough recipe and she wasn't sure she needed the systems input to make it. There were areas where it definitely filled in her muscle memory such as the measurement of the shoyu and sesame oil, but otherwise it was very straightforward. She considered some other options and sauces as well to mix it up, but she left that for another day. She was starving and the tuna poke was looking decidedly delicious.
Lifting up the lid of the kamado, a fragrant, but mellow scent filled the entire kitchen. Much to her surprise she found that it was perfectly cooked and the timing of the system was very exact. As the smell filled her nose, she was reminded of a lifetime of meals spent with friends and patrons.
Using a rice paddle, she mixed up the rice in the pot until it was loose and fluffy. Each grain stood out nicely, somehow soft but managing to maintain its distinctive shape. She scooped out a bowl, forming a nice round shape before she sat down to eat it with her poke.
It was a phenomenal combination. The tuna's fat melted slightly as came in contact with the hot rice, its rich oils coating portions of the rice. The shoyu added the needed saltiness while the onions gave it a bit of sweetness. Her appetite increased to another level and she wolfed down the rest of her portion. When she finished, her eyes sparkled as she considered the unlimited possibilities of this new world. Just this tuna alone was amazing and there were even greater ingredients out there! She wanted to hunt some down right away.
______________________________________________________________________
Allocate your time over the next month, you have 4 time slots to allocate. You can allocate all four time slots to the same thing. Please vote in plan format to make it easier on everyone.
[ ] Create new recipes - The system has provided recipes but it is not the be all and end all of food (there is a random chance component here to mimic the effects of inspiration).
[ ] Open up the restaurant - Though the system refuses to allow you to name your restaurant, you can open its doors and sell food. Prices will automatically be set. You presently will receive 10% of all proceeds from food sales. Accumulating mana crystals will allow you to increase your circles of power.
[ ] Enter the dungeon - Though you have no circles of power, with bloodless in hand and the skills from your past life you are not a pushover either. Begin your journey through the dungeon.
[ ] Sample the local cuisine - The local cuisine is completely unknown to you. It could be worthwhile to see what other food is available in the city. It could provide inspiration for new dishes (requires money)
[ ] Hunt outside the city for monsters and new ingredients - Go outside the city and explore the surrounding regions to fight monsters and find new ingredients.
______________________________________________________________________
I cut this chapter off before I could even get to the other recipes because it was getting stupendously long. Please vote in plan formats. I need to work on a few things including assigning your name and skills and stuff, but I wanted to get this out this evening. I am traveling for the next two weeks starting tomorrow so I will likely only be able to update a little if at all. But will be working on a variety of background stuff including fleshing out techniques, recipes, and more ingredients. Thank you all for joining me in this little adventure!
[x] Knife
"This knife was named Bloodless by its creator, as its sharpness is such that clean cuts will leave no trace of blood. Forged from an alloy of abyssal iron, illusory Crystals and a third substance that is unidentified, the form of this knife is malleable. It can transform into different bladed objects including other knives, swords, lances or Polearms. A useful tool both on and off the battlefield. Its density and weight are very high. In order to counteract this, a gravitic array has been inlaid. It is currently at its lowest setting. This is one of the most prized pieces in the Ancient Devourer's collection."
She stared in wonder as a rectangular box appeared on the table in front of her. Composed of black lacquered wood with gold and pearl inlays, it depicted a lonely cherry blossom tree perched on a cliffside; its petals falling gently drifting through the air. Lifting up the lid revealed a dark metal chef's knife with a blade length of 20 centimeters. A distinctive red pattern was engraved across its surface, likely forming the gravitic array the system mentioned. Tracing her finger along the surface of the handle, she wondered what it was made from. It had the texture of ivory or perhaps bone.
Lifting the blade up reverently, she noted how heavy it felt in her hands. Still, it was perfectly balanced though she worried she might tire quickly using it.
"Please place a drop of blood on the blade," she found it ironic that Bloodless needed blood, but nonetheless did as the system prompted. She didn't even put pressure on the blade before her thumb was nicked and her blood flowed. Bloodless reacted immediately and began to vibrate, the frequency somehow resonating within her. A tenuous connection was forged between the two of them and the blade made a keening noise as it "awakened".
"Bloodless is now spiritually bonded to you. You can alter its shape and adjust its gravitic array now. Further options may be unlocked in the future," she wasn't sure how to issue a command to the knife but she imagined it changing into a naginata. It took a while and she felt really silly but eventually her thoughts projected correctly and it began to morph. The metal elongated and the bone shifted until it formed into a three meter long halberd. It wasn't quite what she imagined but it would probably work.
She spun it in her hand and held it flat upon her palm, testing its balance and heft. It felt surprisingly flimsy, like it would drift out of her hand in a moments notice. Realizing that it's gravitic array could be adjusted, she imagined it growing heavier by about ten pounds. The halberd glowed for a moment before growing a bit heavier. It would take some getting used to this feature and a lot of practice to get the weight shifting nearly instinctive but it could definitely give her a decisive edge in battle.
Acquired: Bloodless - Currently has chef's knife and polearm configurations available.
_________________________________
After taking a quick shower, she took Bloodless with her downstairs to explore the kitchen. She would be spending a lot of time here so she wanted to familiarize herself with it as quickly as possible.
It was very large for a single person operation but she definitely liked having the space. A big, four paned window was set into the back wall, which let plenty of natural light in while glowing stones lining the ceiling kept the interior brightly lit. Next to the door leading out into the dining room was a long sushi bar that was at just the right height for her hands. Below it were a series of cabinets formed from smoothed wood, of which the middle three were iceboxes filled with shelves. She would be able to store her cuts of fish here. The other cabinets were filled with supplies and utensils of various sorts including chopsticks, bamboo sushi mats, shark skin paddles for grating wasabi and a variety of ingredients including pots of soy sauce, fresh Japanese horseradish, nori sheets, and mirin. Anything she would need or expect to make good sushi was already present. The nori in particular was of great quality. Jet black in color, completely uniform, it burst with rich savoriness. Once it was toasted it would be comparable to the best ariake nori she used in her former restaurant.
A sink sat in the corner with a copper colored faucets and handles allowing her to easily wash her hands and knives. Below it was a turnstile cabinet filled with pots and pans of various sizes. She wasn't quite sure how the water was draining out though?
"The faucet pulls water in from the peaks of the Desolate Mountains deep in the southern most continent. Its refreshing purity is unmatched. The drain will transport the water out to the sea," well that explained it. She had a sink that was capable of spatial manipulation. She shook her head. It wasn't the first time the system came up with something ridiculous and she doubted it would be the last.
Next to the sink against the left wall from the dining room was a series of six stoves lined side by side. Each one was equipped with a metal grate and a blood red crystal embedded into the center of the stone that formed the stove.
"The stone is from the fragmented core of a dead world while the metal is a substance that can tolerate extreme levels of heat. It is called Primordium. The red crystals are from the heart of a ten million year old Star Dragon. Channel energy into the array and it will activate the crystal."
"Why is every piece of equipment so ridiculous?" she asked in frustration. "Are the pots some kind of ridiculous magical tech as well?"
The system did not respond for a moment before its monotone voice activated again. "The best chef can only be unveiled assuming a completely even playing field. This is but a tiny sliver of Ancient Devourer's wealth and power. Upon death or failure, all of this will be reclaimed so you need not worry."
"Wait, are there others like me?"
"Host is presently unqualified to know the answer to this question. Please ask again when you have improved your chef rank," she frowned but there was little she could do.
Next to the stoves was a large rectangular stone box built into the ground. On top were two circular areas fitted with large pots that formed an ancient Japanese setup called a kamado. The lower portion was an oven, again equipped with an output array to adjust for heat. The residual heat would heat up the pots and cook their contents while things could be cooked in the oven as well.
The far wall around the windows was covered in cabinets filled with plates, pots, bowls and eating utensils alongside a second much larger sink and a nearly wardrobe sized ice box. It was honestly just a straight up refrigerator but bits and pieces of it were disguised with materials that would be more widely available in this world. Hilariously enough there was even a dishwasher that made absolutely no pretenses about being anything other than a modern appliance except for its front being made from wood. Of course it had all sorts of special properties too.
In the center was a spacious kitchen island with an empty square in the center with a fire pit. A series of long metal hooks dangled from the ceiling to hang meats and the like while a thick metal grate was placed about a foot above the flames. The sides were lined with the same metal as the grates on the stove so despite looking like a crazy fire hazard, it was a safe contraption.
One side was entirely devoted to preparing her mise en place and other food prep. The center of this section was just a plank of wood that had hinges on the left side, allowing for it to be lifted up to provide better access to the fire pit. Somehow she felt no heat even when standing in front of this hollow section which made no sense but she had more or less given up on understanding the intricacies of the matter. The other side of the island was composed of a steamer, fryer and robata style grill respectively. Towels and cooking utensils like tongs, spatulas, ladles and spoons hung from two of the sides.
It was frankly a ridiculous kitchen, one that was probably better than even the most high end ones in her prior life.
"Host, please go downstairs into the larder," she stood in a daze for a moment as she realized she was likely to witness even more insanity downstairs. Shaking herself out of her stupor she made her way into the larder only to be surprised by its mundanity. A huge metal table composed of multiple sections that could be adjusted for height sat smack dab in the middle of the larder while the section under the stairs had a number of empty wooden casks. The floor was slightly sloped and lead to a large drain while a hose was attached to the wall right by the staircase.
Other than that there was only a series of doors attached to the walls.
"What are these doors?"
"These doors access the different biomes where system provided ingredients will be raised and maintained. If you capture and find new ingredients, they can also be raised and cultivated for you. The process will of course be accelerated though you will have to pay a cost in mana crystals for whatever you take out," she tapped her foot as she thought about the implications of that.
"Can I sell the ingredients?"
"Dear host, you are not a farmer," she wasn't sure how a monotone voice could sound so derisive. "You cannot sell system provided ingredients, though nothing stops you from selling anything you find yourself."
She sighed, it made sense in a way. If the emphasis was on her being a chef, selling produce and meat was not quite the right path. But wait did it not say she should trade for ingredients?
"Ingredient trading is only for services, completed goods or for anything else you personally acquire. You are forbidden from trading provided ingredients."
"Fine, I understand."
[X] Luxurious Seafood Bundle
Grants:
Demon Bull Tuna 5th rank
Phoenix Tail Shrimp 3rd rank
Sunglow Sea Urchin 4th rank
Imperial Pearl Rice 3rd rank
Recipes:
Salt and Pepper Shrimp (Chinese).
Tuna Poke (American)
Sea Urchin Risotto (Japanese/Italian Fusion)
Onigiri Set (Japanese) takeout possible - A set of three rice balls with tuna, shrimp tempura and sea urchin inside.
She massaged her temples as the flood of information from the provided recipes entered her mind. The aching pain took a good few minutes to subside, though she was amazed at the amount of data packed in.
"The first door on the left provides mundane produce and materials. The second will lead to some tanks containing the seafood ingredients you have been provided. They are transported there the moment you open the door. The door closest to the right will provide produce," nodding she opened the rightmost door and filled a small sack with the Imperial Pearl rice. Each grain was a perfect oval shape and glistened with the luster of the finest of pearls. Even compared to the best of Japanese rice, this was quite a few levels higher in appearance alone.
"Imperial Pearl Rice is the primary tribute paid by the state of Han to the Emperor of the Cloud Crane Empire. Spanning almost half a continent, it is a powerful monolith and this rice reflects the Emperor's status. It is a third ranked spiritual plant."
"Third ranked?" she inquired.
"Plants cultivate spiritual energy to grow in power and strength. At high enough ranks they are even able to gain sentience and manipulate world phenomenon to defend themselves. A third ranked spiritual plant while not excessively powerful can nurture beasts and men of the third circle. It is therefore rare and quite highly prized."
It seemed nothing in this world was normal, though in a place of magic it was not unreasonable. Heading over to the sea biome door, she found two medium sized tanks and one utterly massive one. The Phoenix tail shrimps were scooped up easily. Each was about 30 centimeters long with brilliant crimson tails that splayed out like the feathers if a Phoenix. They were lively and the dozen she took jumped and twitched, nearly escaping from the bag she placed them in.
The sea urchins were far easier to deal with. Pitch black in color, they were about the size of a volleyball and covered in spikes. They were a bit dangerous to handle, but she picked out two and put them into a thick leather bag that wouldn't get punctured.
Last she turned to the Demon Bull Tuna. It was truly a monstrous fish at over two meters long with a pair of thick, black, curved horns adorning its head. A bit more elongated than the blue fins of her world it was nonetheless a nice fat fish.
"How am I supposed to take it out of the tank? It must be what? Two hundred kilos?"
"This specimen of Demon Bull Tuna is 226.87 kilos and is on the smaller end of available specimens."
"That doesn't help me at all! I can't lift 226 kilos worth of fish!" she shouted angrily.
"Then it seems you will not be able to utilize this fish yet. Perhaps if you gain a circle or two…" she huffed in irritation and eyed the tuna longingly. Considering the quality of ingredients she had seen so far, it would probably taste amazing. She thought for a moment before she came up with a brilliant idea.
"System can I kill the tuna in the tank or do I need to take it out first?"
"There is nothing that prevents you from killing the tuna within the tank," her eyes flashed when she heard the system's reply and drew Bloodless. The tuna was trapped with little room to move within its tank so it could only stare on as its impending doom approached. She stabbed it next to its fins on each side before moving to the tail and cut nearly all the way through. Stepping back to its head, she stroked it gently and whispered a short blessing before positioning her knife and thrusting forward with all her speed and strength. It took her three tries before Bloodless cut straight through its skull and pierced its hindbrain, instantly killing the fish. It would take a while longer for the blood to drain out, but she would then be free to butcher it into smaller pieces and remove it from the tank.
[Butchering the Demon Bull Tuna: Technical Skills + Ikejime Technique + Bloodless = 150 Required: 150/200/250/300 Poor/Average/Good/Excellent. Success! Poor quality result]
Technical Skills Increased by 10 for successfully butchering something many ranks above your level.
____________________________________________________________________
It honestly took her hours to carve up the Demon Bull Tuna and her results were poor. In fact she considered it an embarrassing result for a sushiya of her skill level. For one she truly lacked the strength to do it correctly. Bluefin Tuna skin was tough, but this beast was at a whole other level. If it weren't for the peerless edge of her knife, this would be a flat out impossible task for her to handle with her present strength. Every cut required her to apply a great amount of pressure plus her body weight. She increased the gravitic force on the knife too but she could not increase it too heavily since it would just become unwieldy. Rather than the sharp elegant lines she was used to, the tuna flesh had jagged edges and frayed skin. Still even with the shoddy job she did the meat was an absolute beauty.
Beyond the horns, she could see why it was called a Demon Bull Tuna. Every inch of its flesh was beautifully marbled like the best cattle. Even its back and sides, which should be the leanest portions, looked like the finest of otoro. Its sinew was very tough and hard to remove, nearly twice as thick as what she was used to for bluefin. She saved them up to grill though as it would have an almost beef like texture and flavor. The musculature of the tuna was very compact as well, which would have made it a very fast fish. Its charges must be monstrously quick and deadly.
Taking some of the Imperial Pearl Rice, she washed the rice twice before placing it in the kamado pot. Filling up the pot with water, she made sure there was enough to submerge the rice and then some. Her not so scientific methodology was to make sure the water level reached up to the top of her fingernail when she touched the rice. She then activated the array pattern which began to heat up the rice.
"Rice will be complete in fifteen minutes," that was a lot faster than it usually took and left her skeptical, but she decided to trust the system and see how it worked out.
Cubing up a portion of the akami, she placed it into a bowl with some shoyu, finely cut scallions, a bit of sweet onion, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Then she let it sit in one of the refrigerators for about two hours so the flavors could meld together. It was a simple enough recipe and she wasn't sure she needed the systems input to make it. There were areas where it definitely filled in her muscle memory such as the measurement of the shoyu and sesame oil, but otherwise it was very straightforward. She considered some other options and sauces as well to mix it up, but she left that for another day. She was starving and the tuna poke was looking decidedly delicious.
Lifting up the lid of the kamado, a fragrant, but mellow scent filled the entire kitchen. Much to her surprise she found that it was perfectly cooked and the timing of the system was very exact. As the smell filled her nose, she was reminded of a lifetime of meals spent with friends and patrons.
Using a rice paddle, she mixed up the rice in the pot until it was loose and fluffy. Each grain stood out nicely, somehow soft but managing to maintain its distinctive shape. She scooped out a bowl, forming a nice round shape before she sat down to eat it with her poke.
It was a phenomenal combination. The tuna's fat melted slightly as came in contact with the hot rice, its rich oils coating portions of the rice. The shoyu added the needed saltiness while the onions gave it a bit of sweetness. Her appetite increased to another level and she wolfed down the rest of her portion. When she finished, her eyes sparkled as she considered the unlimited possibilities of this new world. Just this tuna alone was amazing and there were even greater ingredients out there! She wanted to hunt some down right away.
______________________________________________________________________
Allocate your time over the next month, you have 4 time slots to allocate. You can allocate all four time slots to the same thing. Please vote in plan format to make it easier on everyone.
[ ] Create new recipes - The system has provided recipes but it is not the be all and end all of food (there is a random chance component here to mimic the effects of inspiration).
[ ] Open up the restaurant - Though the system refuses to allow you to name your restaurant, you can open its doors and sell food. Prices will automatically be set. You presently will receive 10% of all proceeds from food sales. Accumulating mana crystals will allow you to increase your circles of power.
[ ] Enter the dungeon - Though you have no circles of power, with bloodless in hand and the skills from your past life you are not a pushover either. Begin your journey through the dungeon.
[ ] Sample the local cuisine - The local cuisine is completely unknown to you. It could be worthwhile to see what other food is available in the city. It could provide inspiration for new dishes (requires money)
[ ] Hunt outside the city for monsters and new ingredients - Go outside the city and explore the surrounding regions to fight monsters and find new ingredients.
______________________________________________________________________
I cut this chapter off before I could even get to the other recipes because it was getting stupendously long. Please vote in plan formats. I need to work on a few things including assigning your name and skills and stuff, but I wanted to get this out this evening. I am traveling for the next two weeks starting tomorrow so I will likely only be able to update a little if at all. But will be working on a variety of background stuff including fleshing out techniques, recipes, and more ingredients. Thank you all for joining me in this little adventure!
Pets and Skills
- Location
- United States
Pet options
[ ] Scorching Wind Wolf - The cutest, fluffiest wolf puppy in history, it barks happily whenever it sees you. It has white fur with streaks of red and orange through it that glow like fire. A member of an ancient species of wolves, they are capable of extreme speed and a monstrous command of fire.
[ ] Golden Rukk - It is presently still a chick and unable to fly, but he belongs to a prestigious lineage of legendary birds. With feathers of gold that crackle with lightning, at the very least it is a conqueror of the skies.
[ ] Leviathan - Though currently small enough to wrap around her waist, fully grown this sea serpent will be hundred of meters long. With a innate command of water and ice, it is a deadly monster in both environments.
[ ] Terra Lion - A kitten with a deep connection with the earth, even at its young age it could carry a man upon its back. When matured it is a physical colossus, capable of taking innumerable hits upon its thick hide while striking with enough force to destroy a fortress. Like all cats though it can be rather temperamental.
Combat Skills:
Movement: 30
Dodge: 45
Light Armor: 10
Medium Armor: 25
Heavy Armor: 0
Block: 15
Sword: 15
Polearm: 70
Spear: 10
Greatsword: 10
Unarmed: 40
Throwing: 5
Archery: 10
Tactics - Preparation : 20
Tactics - Trickery: 45
Tactics - Squad: 30
Tracking: 0
Reconnaissance: 10
Disguises : 20
Combat Stealth : 0
????? : 0
????? : 0
????? : 0
????? : 20
????? : 0
????? : 0
You can invest points in the ? skills to uncover them. This represents spontaneous enlightenment.
This is not the be all and end all of your available skills in the slightest. There's more hidden ones you're not qualified to get yet plus potential ones in the future from consumer of all. Lastly skills can also evolve. I will give a single accurate example.
If you gain 100 skill points in one melee weapon and bring the rest up to fifty, you can merge them together into a single skilled called Battle Arms Mastery. You retain the hundred points of the primary and when you fight with melee weapons an effective 1. 5x multiplier is applied. In other words your effective skill would be 150 in a combat scenario. This of course grows stronger and stronger as you invest more points.
[ ] Scorching Wind Wolf - The cutest, fluffiest wolf puppy in history, it barks happily whenever it sees you. It has white fur with streaks of red and orange through it that glow like fire. A member of an ancient species of wolves, they are capable of extreme speed and a monstrous command of fire.
[ ] Golden Rukk - It is presently still a chick and unable to fly, but he belongs to a prestigious lineage of legendary birds. With feathers of gold that crackle with lightning, at the very least it is a conqueror of the skies.
[ ] Leviathan - Though currently small enough to wrap around her waist, fully grown this sea serpent will be hundred of meters long. With a innate command of water and ice, it is a deadly monster in both environments.
[ ] Terra Lion - A kitten with a deep connection with the earth, even at its young age it could carry a man upon its back. When matured it is a physical colossus, capable of taking innumerable hits upon its thick hide while striking with enough force to destroy a fortress. Like all cats though it can be rather temperamental.
Combat Skills:
Movement: 30
Dodge: 45
Light Armor: 10
Medium Armor: 25
Heavy Armor: 0
Block: 15
Sword: 15
Polearm: 70
Spear: 10
Greatsword: 10
Unarmed: 40
Throwing: 5
Archery: 10
Tactics - Preparation : 20
Tactics - Trickery: 45
Tactics - Squad: 30
Tracking: 0
Reconnaissance: 10
Disguises : 20
Combat Stealth : 0
????? : 0
????? : 0
????? : 0
????? : 20
????? : 0
????? : 0
You can invest points in the ? skills to uncover them. This represents spontaneous enlightenment.
This is not the be all and end all of your available skills in the slightest. There's more hidden ones you're not qualified to get yet plus potential ones in the future from consumer of all. Lastly skills can also evolve. I will give a single accurate example.
If you gain 100 skill points in one melee weapon and bring the rest up to fifty, you can merge them together into a single skilled called Battle Arms Mastery. You retain the hundred points of the primary and when you fight with melee weapons an effective 1. 5x multiplier is applied. In other words your effective skill would be 150 in a combat scenario. This of course grows stronger and stronger as you invest more points.
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Ingredient Challenge
- Location
- United States
My trip is finished so I can now dedicate some time to writing. I am working out a few kinks mechanically but while I was at it I wanted to issue a challenge for people to contribute to the ingredients pull. In return I will give out rewards including skill points, items, bonuses to actions and so on.
I will weigh vegetables/plants/grains more heavily since I have far less ideas in that category than with animals and beasts.
Format is nothing too complicated.
Name:
Spirit/Circle Level:
Brief Description:
For names I will give larger benefits to more unique submissions. Spirits/circle levels can be 0-9 corresponding with equivalent tiers for humanoid. A brief description can encompass shape, size, taste, and so on. This is just to give me a better idea how to incorporate it.
The next chapter I wager is going to be fairly long so I am aiming for a weekend update.
I will weigh vegetables/plants/grains more heavily since I have far less ideas in that category than with animals and beasts.
Format is nothing too complicated.
Name:
Spirit/Circle Level:
Brief Description:
For names I will give larger benefits to more unique submissions. Spirits/circle levels can be 0-9 corresponding with equivalent tiers for humanoid. A brief description can encompass shape, size, taste, and so on. This is just to give me a better idea how to incorporate it.
The next chapter I wager is going to be fairly long so I am aiming for a weekend update.
Adventures in Almost Dying
- Location
- United States
Adventures in Almost Dying
[x] Leviathan
The next morning, Sera almost jumped out of her skin in fright when she entered her living room. First was the large egg that sat on her coffee table. Pearl white and the size of her torso, it glowed faintly with power. Second, and even more off putting, was the tall female that stood as still as a statue next to it.
"Good morning host, before you are two entities sent to aid in your journey. After assessing a number of traits and parameters, a Leviathan was chosen as your partner. Feed it and raise it well, and it will become a powerful companion in your endeavors. A bit of blood is needed to bind it to you," Sera nicked her finger, allowing a few drops to spill upon the egg.
Nothing happened for a few seconds before the egg began to glow much brighter and cracks spread across its surface. She heard a soft trill before fragments of the shell fell away to reveal a swaying white serpent.
"Kwehhhh," it cried out softly, before darting out and gently wrapping itself around her neck. The serpent was about half a meter long and was covered in soft, shimmering scales. Its head was sharp and angular, with hard ridges and small horns that made her think of dragons. Its eyes held the curiosity of a child and it vibrated with contentment as it nuzzled her cheek.
"This is a leviathan, a terror of the deep and an unrivaled existence in ice and sea. A fully matured leviathan can reach hundreds of meters in length and sink cities beneath the waves. No two leviathans are exactly the same. How you feed and raise it will determine its characteristics. Consider your choices carefully," she nodded along as she absent-mindedly scratched between the serpent's eyes.
"What is this... woman, then?" she asked, pointing at the unblinking statue in the guise of a lady.
"She is an Automata, an android hailing from a distant future of your homeworld. Designated EVE, she will serve as both your waitress and one of the defensive measures of the restaurant." The moment the system stopped speaking Eve bowed deeply.
"Good morning, mistress I am Eve. It is a pleasure to meet you," Sera blinked, nonplussed.
"Uh… likewise?" The Automata then rose from her position, her eyes bright and clear. Sera took in her appearance, the slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, the swaying of her hair, the twitch of her fingers. All perfect.
"What are your capabilities, Eve?" she asked.
"I have a full combat suite, but specialize in bladed weapons and hand-to-hand combat. In terms of day-to-day work, I have the programming of an experienced maid and waitress, so I should be able to handle any and all of the day-to-day needs of the front of house," well that was useful.
What is the name of your leviathan?
Write In -
________________________________________________________________
[X] Plan Open for Business
-[X] Hunt outside the city for monsters and new ingredients - Go outside the city and explore the surrounding regions to fight monsters and find new ingredients.
-[X] Create new recipes - The system has provided recipes but it is not the be all and end all of food (there is a random chance component here to mimic the effects of inspiration). x2
-[X] Open up the restaurant - Though the system refuses to allow you to name your restaurant, you can open its doors and sell food. Prices will automatically be set. You presently will receive 10% of all proceeds from food sales. Accumulating mana crystals will allow you to increase your circles of power.
Having holed up for the better part of a week, Sera decided she needed to get out and explore outside of the city. Who knew what ingredients lay out there? What beasts she might encounter?
Her wardrobe had a set of basic equipment to get her adventuring started. A pair of leather pants, a thin tunic, a belt, and a backpack were all present. The boots that were present were a bit special. Made from spirit beast leather and coated in a magic alloy, they were enchanted with the ability to float above the ground. She tested them a few times though it was very taxing on her stamina, likely due to her low power in the present world. Still, it should be enough for her purposes, until she could make some money and purchase better equipment.
Cloth Tunic equipped +5 defense
Leather Pants equipped +5 defense
Talarian Boots equipped + 15 defense, float option
All light equipment equipped; Dodge gets 2x multiplier.
Arriving down in the kitchen she opted to make a quick breakfast of eggs and bacon alongside an onigiri take out set to bring in her backpack. Absentmindedly frying the bacon and eggs together in one big pan, she washed some rice and set it to boil in one of the komado pots. Deciding to go for some more interesting flavors, Sera took a small sliver of Demon Bull Tuna chutoro and minced it finely. Taking out a spring onion and a thai bird chili from the larder, she washed and cut them into razor thin slices before mixing it into the chutoro mince. A splash of her own personal blend of soy sauce completed the mix.
The original recipe called for shrimp tempura for the next onigiri but Sera opted to do her own take. She wanted a bit more crunch with this onigiri so she settled on making an ebi fry. Removing the shrimp heads, she peeled the rest of the shell off and left the tail on. Using a thin skewer, she deveined the shrimp before making a series of evenly spaced cuts along its belly side to ensure the shrimp stayed straight instead of curling as it cooked.
Sera then treated it first with some corn starch, which she washed off, before rubbing a bit of sake on it. Next she sprinkled salt and pepper on the shrimp before preparing a flour mixture containing flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Usually she would prepare a tartar sauce for the ebi fry, but she wanted to minimize moisture so she opted for a more heavily seasoned batter for the shrimp.
Beating together a pair of eggs, Sera double dredged the shrimp for a thicker crust before rolling it into panko and frying it for a bit over two minutes until they were a perfect golden brown color. She took a moment to admire her handiwork before slicing the shrimp in half and taking bite. She nearly groaned with pleasure, relishing the crunchy texture of the batter and the springy, sweet flesh of the Phoenix-tailed shrimp. They were by far the best shrimp she had ever tasted. The remaining half of the ebi fry would go in the onigiri.
The last onigiri would be made with sea urchin and was the least intensive process. She loved the flavors of the sea that was embodied in uni and did not want to add anything into the mix. They were annoying to take apart and clean though, each sac needed to be scooped out rather carefully. Luckily the Sunglow Sea Urchins were much larger than any she had access to back in Japan, which made the process a bit easier. A dab of soy sauce completed the filling.
Scooping out the now cooked rice from the komado, she placed it in a sushi oke before spreading out the glistening Pearl Rice to cool. Rather than use a traditional vinegar mix for her sushi rice, Sera used the pickling liquid left from making umeboshi as a base. She heated the liquid up before mixing in some sugar. It was salty enough already, due to the pickling process.
She poured the mixture into the rice and began to gently mix and fold it together to coat the grains evenly. After a lifetime of making sushi, she went through the motions, knowing exactly when the rice was ready. Taking out a small hand fan, she waved it with one hand while she mixed with the other, cooling down the rice in the process. When it reached the approximate temperature of her hands, she began to form the onigiri.
Taking a large amount of rice into her left hand, Sera formed it into a fairly large disk before placing one of the fillings into a depression she formed into the center. Folding the rice around it, she then shaped it into a triangular shape. She repeated this twice more until she formed all three rice balls.
Retrieving three sheets of nori from the drawer, she heated up the charcoal grill and lightly toasted them, no more than a few seconds for each side repeated half a dozen times. She then wrapped each onigiri with the nori and placed them in a small container. Washing Bloodless, she placed it in its sheath and strapped it to her belt. She fed the serpent a piece of tuna and then headed out the door with it curled around her neck.
Umbra was a large city and sprawled across many kilometers of territory. The central town square stretched a kilometer across and contained the spire leading up to Skyhold as well as a number of the city's most central buildings including the Town Hall, the Hall of Warriors, the Sorcerer's Tower, the Crystal Exchange, the Cathedral and the Clock Tower. The city was also much more technologically advanced than she expected as the advent of mana crystals provided a convenient and powerful energy source to fuel all sorts of inventions and technologies. Umbra had access to a sewage system, clean drinking water, heating, and was even lit at night along all the main thoroughfares.
For the next few days she exited through the Northern gate and explored the forests about five kilometers past the city walls. Unfortunately, it proved to be a fruitless trip. The system wanted to force her to make judgment calls on what to what to take and would only tell her the properties of the ingredients she picked when she actually entered the restaurant. In a horrible string of luck, she brought back a series of poisonous or otherwise inedible food stuffs.
Things went wrong on the fifth day. As Sera was picking bright orange mushrooms that reminded her of chanterelles beneath a tree, she was ambushed by what she would come to know as an Umbral Cat. As a 1st rank spirit beast, it was not considered particularly deadly. Most of the adult populace of the world was at least within the 1st circle of power. It had an entire circle of power on her, however, so she struggled quite a bit more.
As it darted forward to rake her back with its claws, she leapt to the side to dodge the attack. She was almost successful, but it reacted quickly to her movements and with another slash of its claws carved deep furrows into her right side. Her tunic was too light to negate much damage and she screamed. Centering herself, she forced away the pain to ignore the heavy wound and drew Bloodless from its sheathe. Transforming her weapon into its halberd form, she rushed forward as the leviathan shot a pressurized stream of water that hit the beast in the face. As the Umbral Cat yowled in pain, Sera jumped into the air and twirled the halberd above her head, before bringing it smashing down. Altering the gravitic array, she made Bloodless even heavier and slammed it into the monster's side. The blow cut deeply and caved in its side, crushing ribs and pulverizing organs. The monsters struggled momentarily but having taken such a heavy wound, its eyes soon dimmed as it died.
Sera herself was not doing well. She tore a portion of her tunic off and pressed it against her wounds to try and stop the bleeding, but it was not likely to be enough. She was weakening rapidly and so far from the city walls she didn't think she would make it back quick enough to find a healer or doctor.
"Would you like to activate Consumer of All and devour the Umbral Cat?" the system prompted.
She paused in confusion before asking what it would do.
"For beasts you slay by your own hand, you can devour them and take some of their powers and abilities. It is most efficient if you cook them in a dish of your own creation, much of the benefit will be lost if you consume the beast raw but it should provide enough energy for your body to recover and perhaps advance a few increments towards your 1st circle." She nodded in acquiescence as her head began to spin. At the very least it sounded like Consumer of All would allow her to survive this encounter. Sera wasn't sure if she was hallucinating, but her shadow morphed into a large mouth that stretched open and drew the Umbral Cat's corpse into her depths. She passed out shortly after.
Successfully slew Umbral Cat, a being a full level above your capabilities.
Polearm Skill increases by 5 to 75.
Shadow Skill unlocked
Mana Core consumed. Advanced to 0 Circle 3rd Gradient
10 additional skill points available for allocation.
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She woke up a few hours later, fully healed but incredibly lethargic. She pushed herself to make the long trek home, catching more than a few eyes considering half her tunic was missing. She was too tired to care, though, and the blood all over her body spoke volumes.
Sera stripped off her ruined clothes and took a shower the moment she got home, before feeding her leviathan and going straight to bed.
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She holed up for the next few weeks, working on coming up with a recipe for garlic and herb grilled shrimp.
She opted to keep a very simple recipe as she felt that the Phoenix-Tail Shrimp was such a strong ingredients on its own. Sweet with a hint of brininess of the sea. Springy to the bite, neither too soft nor too hard. They were perfection on their own, everything she was adding would just be there to bring out the best of its traits.
She experimented with different methods of cutting the shrimp ranging from shell off to shell on to skewered before finally settling on butterflying it with the head on. Slicing down the center of the shrimp's back all the way to the tail, she deveined it before tossing it in cornstarch and rinsing it off to clean out any excess dirt and grit. In a separate bowl she whisked together olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, white wine, parsley, salt and pepper to form the marinade for the shrimp. Dropping the shrimp in the marinade for fifteen minutes, she melted butter in a saucepan and added a few cloves of roasted garlic she crushed into a paste.
Firing up the grill to medium high heat, she let it warm for a minute before pulling the shrimp from the marinade and placing them shell side down upon the grill. Taking a brush from the utensil cabinet, she brushed each shrimp with the garlic butter solution on each side. After four minutes, she flipped the shrimps and brushed it with garlic butter again before taking them off the grill after another three minutes.
Opaque, with a tinge of reddish pink, the flesh was perfectly cooked. Slicing the shrimp in half, she gave a portion to the little leviathan which cried out happily as it began to feast. Trying a piece herself, she sighed with contentment. The acidity from the wine and lemon helped bring out the sweetness while the butter added richness and the garlic gave more depth. The parsley gave just a hint of an herbal note, for contrast. It was a phenomenal dish few would find fault with.
+300 XP
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After weeks of dilly dallying, she finally decided to open up her nameless restaurant to the public. The menu was short, only five items long with the addition of the Garlic and Herb Grilled Shrimp. A big board on the right side of the dining room listed them all with the cost in crystals.
Salt and Pepper Shrimp - 60 Mana Crystals
Tuna Poke - 160 Mana Crystals
Sea Urchin Risotto - 140 Mana Crystals
Onigiri Set (takeout) - 80 Mana Crystals
Garlic and Herb Grilled Shrimp - 70 Mana Crystals
She was unable to make any alterations in pricing and whatever was displayed was what would be charged. From what she could tell, her prices were outrageous for the general citizen, but then again it wasn't very necessary for such people to be eating meat from high level beasts. When she prompted the system about client requests, she was told she needed to reach a higher chef level first. Unable to do anything about the restrictions she opened up shop and resolved to just roll with it.
For the first two days, Sera received absolutely no customers and ended up feeding her prepped work to her leviathan. Eve stood patiently by the front door, unwavering in her devotion. She still wasn't sure how she felt about the Automata and was conflicted about whether to treat her as a potential friend or as a programmed aid, but she shelved the thought and focused on her cooking.
She got luckier on her third day.
"Hey! We've never seen this restaurant before. Why don't we give it a try?" she heard a deep voice echo from outside the front door. Peering into the dining room, she saw a group of five ability users enter. Composed of three men and two women, three were heavily armored while the remaining two were dressed in robes and light leather armor respectively. A party she guessed?
"The menu is available on the right wall, I will be back with water momentarily," Eve said as she guided them to their seats at the bar. As one, they all looked to the wall.
"Wow, what are these insane prices?"
"It's more expensive than the Solarium!"
Sera stepped to the bar and bowed slightly to the group.
"Welcome customers, what can I get for you today?"
"Are you the proprietress? How can your meals be so expensive? No restaurant in the city can compare!" the men were rather distracted upon her appearance but one of the women in the party had no issues challenging her.
"My apologies customers, but our pricing is very fair. Our ingredients are of a very high level and are not easily acquired. I believe if you taste my dishes you will find it to be a fair price," Sera replied evenly. The woman was having none of it however.
"That's a scam if I've ever heard one! That's hundred of mana crystals down the drain. What if your dishes don't live up to it? Do we get a refund?" Sera frowned at the overbearing woman.
"I believe my food will speak for itself. If you are not interested in trying my dishes, then please feel free to leave," the women glared at her for a moment before smiling.
"At least you have a backbone. Fine, let's try your dishes. But if it doesn't live up to the hype, believe me when I tell you, you will regret it," Sera said nothing, gazing back impassively.
The rest of the group followed their leader's cue and settled down. Eve returned and set their water down before taking down their orders while Sera got to cooking.
Three of the customers hedged their bets so to speak and picked the Salt and Pepper Shrimp, the cheapest dish on the menu. The other two were a bit more adventurous and picked the Tuna Poke and Sea Urchin Risotto respectively.
She started by dry roasting peppercorns and sea salt in a small pot, before washing the rice and setting it to boil in the komado. As these two things got going, she cleaned the shrimp and also prepared the sea urchin roe.
Mixing together sea urchin, cream and butter until it was smooth, she fried some shallots and garlic together for a few minutes before adding uncooked rice. Sera seasoned it lightly with salt and pepper and allowed the rice to continue to saute for about four minutes before adding wine to deglaze the pan. When the liquid evaporated, she added some kombu stock she had made the other day and began to stir. Making risotto was a long, drawn out process and required her continual attention as she needed to stir constantly and add more stock as the liquid evaporated.
Dredging the shrimp in sweet potato starch, she heated up the fryer and fried the shrimp for a bit under a minute on each side until it formed a nice layer of crust. Placing the shrimp on a towel lined plate, she ground the roasted salt and pepper mixture in a mortar before sprinkling it on the shrimp. She heated up a wok on one of the burners before frying minced garlic followed by some sliced hot green peppers, red thai bird chilis and scallions before adding the shrimp in and sprinkling more of the salt and pepper mixture. A spicy savory scent began to emanate from the kitchen as she quickly stir fried the dish so everything would come together. In less than a minute she was done and she went on to plate the shrimp. As each shrimp was over 30 centimeters long, she placed two on each plate and served the first three customers before returning to her risotto.
Now that the rice was almost cooked through entirely, she stirred in the sea urchin puree along with more butter; folding and stirring until it incorporated completely. She grated some parmesan cheese and then a bit of pecorino romano. A last crack of black pepper was stirred in before she ladled the risotto onto a porcelain plate. Quickly toasting a bit of nori, she sliced it into thin strips and sprinkled it on top for a burst of savoriness and crunch.
The poke was the quickest as she had prepared it earlier that morning so that the flavors could meld together. Spooning the Imperial Pearl Rice into a deep bowl, she formed a slight depression in the center and spooned the poke into it.
"Do you want a spicy seasoning on your poke?" Sera asked. The woman that had been arguing with her earlier had picked this dish, likely as some form of a challenge.
"Sure, why not," Sera nodded then withdrew a spicy furikake blend she had made a while back. Composed of sesame seeds, strips of toasted nori, bonito flakes, cayenne pepper, and a bit of salt it was a great rice topping. She sprinkled some over the top before presenting the dish.
To say that her customers were shocked at the quality of her food was an understatement. The smell alone could tempt a Buddha, let alone a normal man. Upon tasting her dishes, they all descended into a ravenous frenzy, covertly fighting and stealing from one another's plates. The poke and risotto in particular were prime targets for those that got the salt and pepper shrimp. The party got increasingly rowdy, though they were careful not to do any harm to the restaurant.
She couldn't help but laugh at their antics. The attention of the men was once against drawn to her and the women took advantage of that to plunder to their heart's content.
"Hah! Thank you sister for your timely aid," the gruff woman laughed as the men cried. "I am Sanya, the leader of this motley crew. I am sorry for insulting your skills earlier, you sure showed me!"
Sera shook hands with Sanya.
"It is not problem, I can see why you might have been wary."
"It was a worthy price, I even feel my internal energy growing. What exactly did you put into this dish?" Sera tapped her lip with a finger as she considered whether to lie, but decided to opt for the truth.
"Your tuna poke was made using the meat of a Demon Bull Tuna, a 5th rank spirit beast, and Imperial Pearl Rice, a 3rd rank spirit plant," the whole group froze upon hearing her words.
"Are… all your dishes made with high ranked spirit beasts and plants?" one of the men inquired.
"Not everything I use can be such a high level but I do incorporate as much as I can. The tuna is the most powerful beast I have access to but the shrimp and the sea urchin are 3rd and 4th ranked respectively," she replied with a nod.
"No wonder your dishes are so expensive, if anything they are cheap versus the cost," the remaining woman whispered. "I can feel the energy within me being stimulated and I am much closer to ranking up to my next gradient than when I first entered here."
The others made similar discoveries and soon lit up in joy.
"Thank you very much proprietress. This is definitely a great boon for us. Our circles of power have been growing stagnant as of late and now it feels as if our potential is once again being pushed higher," Sanya bowed deeply before taking out the necessary payment. "Four hundred and eighty mana crystals, as deserved."
Sera accepted payment and wished the group well as they promise to return as soon as they made enough money. They left behind a calling card for their group, the Moonlight Swords, though she didn't really know how to use it. Still it was nice to make some acquaintances in the city.
Over the course of the rest of the week she received a few more customers. Most people who entered thought her prices were too extreme and promptly left, but occasionally some stayed. Those who did were quickly won over.
She soon realized her prices were far beyond the means of the average citizen and that her restaurant's patrons would be those of incredible means or high level ability users. She hoped she could do something on the lower end as she would prefer to be a bit more egalitarian, but her means at present were limited.
All in all the restaurant's profit was 750 mana crystals of which 10% went into her own pocket.
75 Mana Crystals gained
+50 XP
+10 Fame
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You have four time slots to simulate the next four weeks. Please allocate as appropriate. You can always devote more than one slot to a given action.
[ ] Explore the city
[ ] Foraging and hunt outside the city
[ ] Enter the dungeon
[ ] Sample the local cuisine
[ ] Go shopping for equipment
[ ] Open up your restaurant
[ ] Train your combat skills and techniques (you will pick three for every time slot allocated if this wins)
[ ] Train your culinary skills and techniques (you will pick three for every time slot allocated if this wins)
_______________________________________________________________
For recipe creation please choose or write in an option:
[ ] Tuna Tartare
[ ] Uni Mazemen
[ ] Uni Chawanmushi
[ ] Shrimp and Golden Egg Fried Rice
[ ] Write - In
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I am making a few mechanic changes on the culinary side.
You now have:
Culinary Stars - You begin as a 1st Star Chef. Maximum is 10 stars. This is tracked like levels. You gain XP for cooking, coming up with new recipes, etc. When you advance the percentage of fees the system keeps reduces. 2 star you get 20%, 3 star 30% and so on. You get a cooking perk for each new star.
Culinary Reputation - Your fame. This has a lot more ranks and you can use it to buy new recipes, techniques, ingredients, or do a system lottery.
Recipe creation is now a passive activity. You can do a write-ins or pick from my list. Write ins get a progression bonus so it is worthwhile for you to come up with something. Every week that passes you roll for progress until completion. You can pick a recipe again to try and improve it but this gets harder and harder to do (takes more time).
I am taking out culinary knowledge as a category, I love the concept but implementation is spotty. I do not want to limit you too strongly on developing your menu. Instead I will reflect Sera's particular aesthetics and tastes. You will always end up with more Japanese dishes in selecting recipes and you will see hints of it even when she crosses over to other cuisines. This way I can maintain her core traditions but let her branch out heavily as well if you so choose. I could use some feedback on this as well so if you are for or against this let me know. I believe it will also help me from the quest management standpoints as it is one less thing I have to manage.
Now that we are through the important culinary stuff I need to touch upon combat and combat skills. As stated in a prior post, hitting certain thresholds can create new skills or improve existing ones such as Master of Arms. Additionally they can also grant techniques.
Polearm - 50 grants Whirlwind: a spinning 360 degree strike designed to fend off large amounts of enemies and clear space. +25 to an attack versus a crowd. Currently 1 use per battle.
These can be improved with practice which can be very useful. They are more situational at least on the lower end of skill but generally useful.
Next in case it is not clear you effectively have two phases of damage mitigation which are dodging and tanking a hit respectively. Movement and dodge combined together make up the first. Your armor type, defense value from equipment plus block cover the second. Light Armor will give your dodge value a 2x multiplier, but has much lower defensive value so if you get hit you will get hurt really bad. Medium armor is a 1.5x multiplier and Heavy Armor has none. Each one however has increasingly more defensive value. Your equipment will have its own assorted bonuses and what not as well.
I think the last thing I need to bring up is mana crystals have two functions for Sera. They are currency and she can also consume them to increase her circles of power. Other people can do the latter too but they start to grow resistant as they reach their peak. This is why her cooking raising their internal energies is so amazing. She needs to eat a lot more of them than normal people to rank up though she doesn't build up resistance.
You just saw a function of Consumer of All. If she had cooked the Umbral Cat, the benefits would have been much greater, but surviving an encounter with a spirit beast an entire level higher in power is already pretty good, so your benefits weren't bad either.
For additional ingredient contributions I am adding another 20 mana crystals to your pool plus another 10 points that can be allocated to combat skills over 50.
In sum you have 30 skills points restricted to combat skills under 50 points. You have 30 points (10 from level up, 10 granted in last round of bonuses, and 10 from this round of bonuses) that can be allocated to skills at or over 50 points.
Please allocate these as necessary in increments of 5.
[x] Leviathan
The next morning, Sera almost jumped out of her skin in fright when she entered her living room. First was the large egg that sat on her coffee table. Pearl white and the size of her torso, it glowed faintly with power. Second, and even more off putting, was the tall female that stood as still as a statue next to it.
"Good morning host, before you are two entities sent to aid in your journey. After assessing a number of traits and parameters, a Leviathan was chosen as your partner. Feed it and raise it well, and it will become a powerful companion in your endeavors. A bit of blood is needed to bind it to you," Sera nicked her finger, allowing a few drops to spill upon the egg.
Nothing happened for a few seconds before the egg began to glow much brighter and cracks spread across its surface. She heard a soft trill before fragments of the shell fell away to reveal a swaying white serpent.
"Kwehhhh," it cried out softly, before darting out and gently wrapping itself around her neck. The serpent was about half a meter long and was covered in soft, shimmering scales. Its head was sharp and angular, with hard ridges and small horns that made her think of dragons. Its eyes held the curiosity of a child and it vibrated with contentment as it nuzzled her cheek.
"This is a leviathan, a terror of the deep and an unrivaled existence in ice and sea. A fully matured leviathan can reach hundreds of meters in length and sink cities beneath the waves. No two leviathans are exactly the same. How you feed and raise it will determine its characteristics. Consider your choices carefully," she nodded along as she absent-mindedly scratched between the serpent's eyes.
"What is this... woman, then?" she asked, pointing at the unblinking statue in the guise of a lady.
"She is an Automata, an android hailing from a distant future of your homeworld. Designated EVE, she will serve as both your waitress and one of the defensive measures of the restaurant." The moment the system stopped speaking Eve bowed deeply.
"Good morning, mistress I am Eve. It is a pleasure to meet you," Sera blinked, nonplussed.
"Uh… likewise?" The Automata then rose from her position, her eyes bright and clear. Sera took in her appearance, the slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, the swaying of her hair, the twitch of her fingers. All perfect.
"What are your capabilities, Eve?" she asked.
"I have a full combat suite, but specialize in bladed weapons and hand-to-hand combat. In terms of day-to-day work, I have the programming of an experienced maid and waitress, so I should be able to handle any and all of the day-to-day needs of the front of house," well that was useful.
What is the name of your leviathan?
Write In -
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[X] Plan Open for Business
-[X] Hunt outside the city for monsters and new ingredients - Go outside the city and explore the surrounding regions to fight monsters and find new ingredients.
-[X] Create new recipes - The system has provided recipes but it is not the be all and end all of food (there is a random chance component here to mimic the effects of inspiration). x2
-[X] Open up the restaurant - Though the system refuses to allow you to name your restaurant, you can open its doors and sell food. Prices will automatically be set. You presently will receive 10% of all proceeds from food sales. Accumulating mana crystals will allow you to increase your circles of power.
Having holed up for the better part of a week, Sera decided she needed to get out and explore outside of the city. Who knew what ingredients lay out there? What beasts she might encounter?
Her wardrobe had a set of basic equipment to get her adventuring started. A pair of leather pants, a thin tunic, a belt, and a backpack were all present. The boots that were present were a bit special. Made from spirit beast leather and coated in a magic alloy, they were enchanted with the ability to float above the ground. She tested them a few times though it was very taxing on her stamina, likely due to her low power in the present world. Still, it should be enough for her purposes, until she could make some money and purchase better equipment.
Cloth Tunic equipped +5 defense
Leather Pants equipped +5 defense
Talarian Boots equipped + 15 defense, float option
All light equipment equipped; Dodge gets 2x multiplier.
Arriving down in the kitchen she opted to make a quick breakfast of eggs and bacon alongside an onigiri take out set to bring in her backpack. Absentmindedly frying the bacon and eggs together in one big pan, she washed some rice and set it to boil in one of the komado pots. Deciding to go for some more interesting flavors, Sera took a small sliver of Demon Bull Tuna chutoro and minced it finely. Taking out a spring onion and a thai bird chili from the larder, she washed and cut them into razor thin slices before mixing it into the chutoro mince. A splash of her own personal blend of soy sauce completed the mix.
The original recipe called for shrimp tempura for the next onigiri but Sera opted to do her own take. She wanted a bit more crunch with this onigiri so she settled on making an ebi fry. Removing the shrimp heads, she peeled the rest of the shell off and left the tail on. Using a thin skewer, she deveined the shrimp before making a series of evenly spaced cuts along its belly side to ensure the shrimp stayed straight instead of curling as it cooked.
Sera then treated it first with some corn starch, which she washed off, before rubbing a bit of sake on it. Next she sprinkled salt and pepper on the shrimp before preparing a flour mixture containing flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Usually she would prepare a tartar sauce for the ebi fry, but she wanted to minimize moisture so she opted for a more heavily seasoned batter for the shrimp.
Beating together a pair of eggs, Sera double dredged the shrimp for a thicker crust before rolling it into panko and frying it for a bit over two minutes until they were a perfect golden brown color. She took a moment to admire her handiwork before slicing the shrimp in half and taking bite. She nearly groaned with pleasure, relishing the crunchy texture of the batter and the springy, sweet flesh of the Phoenix-tailed shrimp. They were by far the best shrimp she had ever tasted. The remaining half of the ebi fry would go in the onigiri.
The last onigiri would be made with sea urchin and was the least intensive process. She loved the flavors of the sea that was embodied in uni and did not want to add anything into the mix. They were annoying to take apart and clean though, each sac needed to be scooped out rather carefully. Luckily the Sunglow Sea Urchins were much larger than any she had access to back in Japan, which made the process a bit easier. A dab of soy sauce completed the filling.
Scooping out the now cooked rice from the komado, she placed it in a sushi oke before spreading out the glistening Pearl Rice to cool. Rather than use a traditional vinegar mix for her sushi rice, Sera used the pickling liquid left from making umeboshi as a base. She heated the liquid up before mixing in some sugar. It was salty enough already, due to the pickling process.
She poured the mixture into the rice and began to gently mix and fold it together to coat the grains evenly. After a lifetime of making sushi, she went through the motions, knowing exactly when the rice was ready. Taking out a small hand fan, she waved it with one hand while she mixed with the other, cooling down the rice in the process. When it reached the approximate temperature of her hands, she began to form the onigiri.
Taking a large amount of rice into her left hand, Sera formed it into a fairly large disk before placing one of the fillings into a depression she formed into the center. Folding the rice around it, she then shaped it into a triangular shape. She repeated this twice more until she formed all three rice balls.
Retrieving three sheets of nori from the drawer, she heated up the charcoal grill and lightly toasted them, no more than a few seconds for each side repeated half a dozen times. She then wrapped each onigiri with the nori and placed them in a small container. Washing Bloodless, she placed it in its sheath and strapped it to her belt. She fed the serpent a piece of tuna and then headed out the door with it curled around her neck.
Umbra was a large city and sprawled across many kilometers of territory. The central town square stretched a kilometer across and contained the spire leading up to Skyhold as well as a number of the city's most central buildings including the Town Hall, the Hall of Warriors, the Sorcerer's Tower, the Crystal Exchange, the Cathedral and the Clock Tower. The city was also much more technologically advanced than she expected as the advent of mana crystals provided a convenient and powerful energy source to fuel all sorts of inventions and technologies. Umbra had access to a sewage system, clean drinking water, heating, and was even lit at night along all the main thoroughfares.
For the next few days she exited through the Northern gate and explored the forests about five kilometers past the city walls. Unfortunately, it proved to be a fruitless trip. The system wanted to force her to make judgment calls on what to what to take and would only tell her the properties of the ingredients she picked when she actually entered the restaurant. In a horrible string of luck, she brought back a series of poisonous or otherwise inedible food stuffs.
Things went wrong on the fifth day. As Sera was picking bright orange mushrooms that reminded her of chanterelles beneath a tree, she was ambushed by what she would come to know as an Umbral Cat. As a 1st rank spirit beast, it was not considered particularly deadly. Most of the adult populace of the world was at least within the 1st circle of power. It had an entire circle of power on her, however, so she struggled quite a bit more.
As it darted forward to rake her back with its claws, she leapt to the side to dodge the attack. She was almost successful, but it reacted quickly to her movements and with another slash of its claws carved deep furrows into her right side. Her tunic was too light to negate much damage and she screamed. Centering herself, she forced away the pain to ignore the heavy wound and drew Bloodless from its sheathe. Transforming her weapon into its halberd form, she rushed forward as the leviathan shot a pressurized stream of water that hit the beast in the face. As the Umbral Cat yowled in pain, Sera jumped into the air and twirled the halberd above her head, before bringing it smashing down. Altering the gravitic array, she made Bloodless even heavier and slammed it into the monster's side. The blow cut deeply and caved in its side, crushing ribs and pulverizing organs. The monsters struggled momentarily but having taken such a heavy wound, its eyes soon dimmed as it died.
Sera herself was not doing well. She tore a portion of her tunic off and pressed it against her wounds to try and stop the bleeding, but it was not likely to be enough. She was weakening rapidly and so far from the city walls she didn't think she would make it back quick enough to find a healer or doctor.
"Would you like to activate Consumer of All and devour the Umbral Cat?" the system prompted.
She paused in confusion before asking what it would do.
"For beasts you slay by your own hand, you can devour them and take some of their powers and abilities. It is most efficient if you cook them in a dish of your own creation, much of the benefit will be lost if you consume the beast raw but it should provide enough energy for your body to recover and perhaps advance a few increments towards your 1st circle." She nodded in acquiescence as her head began to spin. At the very least it sounded like Consumer of All would allow her to survive this encounter. Sera wasn't sure if she was hallucinating, but her shadow morphed into a large mouth that stretched open and drew the Umbral Cat's corpse into her depths. She passed out shortly after.
Successfully slew Umbral Cat, a being a full level above your capabilities.
Polearm Skill increases by 5 to 75.
Shadow Skill unlocked
Mana Core consumed. Advanced to 0 Circle 3rd Gradient
10 additional skill points available for allocation.
Foraging Discovery Roll: 1d100 = 1 Critical Failure
Enemy Ambush Encounter Roll: 1d100 = 12 Higher Level Encounter
Umbral Cat Ambush: 100 + 50 (ambush trait) = 150
Dodge Check: Movement + Dodge = 30 + 100 = 130 Failure
Defense Check: Block + Light Armor = 15 + 10 + 25 (from equipment) = 50 Failure
Heavy Wound Taken Penalty -50 to Combat Skill
Heart of Tranquility Negates for 1 Turn
Counterattack: Polearms + Leviathan = 70 + 30 (Bloodless) + 10 (Leviathan) = 110 Required 100: Success!
Enemy Ambush Encounter Roll: 1d100 = 12 Higher Level Encounter
Umbral Cat Ambush: 100 + 50 (ambush trait) = 150
Dodge Check: Movement + Dodge = 30 + 100 = 130 Failure
Defense Check: Block + Light Armor = 15 + 10 + 25 (from equipment) = 50 Failure
Heavy Wound Taken Penalty -50 to Combat Skill
Heart of Tranquility Negates for 1 Turn
Counterattack: Polearms + Leviathan = 70 + 30 (Bloodless) + 10 (Leviathan) = 110 Required 100: Success!
She woke up a few hours later, fully healed but incredibly lethargic. She pushed herself to make the long trek home, catching more than a few eyes considering half her tunic was missing. She was too tired to care, though, and the blood all over her body spoke volumes.
Sera stripped off her ruined clothes and took a shower the moment she got home, before feeding her leviathan and going straight to bed.
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She holed up for the next few weeks, working on coming up with a recipe for garlic and herb grilled shrimp.
Garlic and Herb Grilled Shrimp
25 from write in
15 from Prok bonus
2d100 = 88
128/100 points recipe complete!
25 from write in
15 from Prok bonus
2d100 = 88
128/100 points recipe complete!
She opted to keep a very simple recipe as she felt that the Phoenix-Tail Shrimp was such a strong ingredients on its own. Sweet with a hint of brininess of the sea. Springy to the bite, neither too soft nor too hard. They were perfection on their own, everything she was adding would just be there to bring out the best of its traits.
She experimented with different methods of cutting the shrimp ranging from shell off to shell on to skewered before finally settling on butterflying it with the head on. Slicing down the center of the shrimp's back all the way to the tail, she deveined it before tossing it in cornstarch and rinsing it off to clean out any excess dirt and grit. In a separate bowl she whisked together olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, white wine, parsley, salt and pepper to form the marinade for the shrimp. Dropping the shrimp in the marinade for fifteen minutes, she melted butter in a saucepan and added a few cloves of roasted garlic she crushed into a paste.
Firing up the grill to medium high heat, she let it warm for a minute before pulling the shrimp from the marinade and placing them shell side down upon the grill. Taking a brush from the utensil cabinet, she brushed each shrimp with the garlic butter solution on each side. After four minutes, she flipped the shrimps and brushed it with garlic butter again before taking them off the grill after another three minutes.
Opaque, with a tinge of reddish pink, the flesh was perfectly cooked. Slicing the shrimp in half, she gave a portion to the little leviathan which cried out happily as it began to feast. Trying a piece herself, she sighed with contentment. The acidity from the wine and lemon helped bring out the sweetness while the butter added richness and the garlic gave more depth. The parsley gave just a hint of an herbal note, for contrast. It was a phenomenal dish few would find fault with.
+300 XP
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After weeks of dilly dallying, she finally decided to open up her nameless restaurant to the public. The menu was short, only five items long with the addition of the Garlic and Herb Grilled Shrimp. A big board on the right side of the dining room listed them all with the cost in crystals.
Salt and Pepper Shrimp - 60 Mana Crystals
Tuna Poke - 160 Mana Crystals
Sea Urchin Risotto - 140 Mana Crystals
Onigiri Set (takeout) - 80 Mana Crystals
Garlic and Herb Grilled Shrimp - 70 Mana Crystals
She was unable to make any alterations in pricing and whatever was displayed was what would be charged. From what she could tell, her prices were outrageous for the general citizen, but then again it wasn't very necessary for such people to be eating meat from high level beasts. When she prompted the system about client requests, she was told she needed to reach a higher chef level first. Unable to do anything about the restrictions she opened up shop and resolved to just roll with it.
For the first two days, Sera received absolutely no customers and ended up feeding her prepped work to her leviathan. Eve stood patiently by the front door, unwavering in her devotion. She still wasn't sure how she felt about the Automata and was conflicted about whether to treat her as a potential friend or as a programmed aid, but she shelved the thought and focused on her cooking.
She got luckier on her third day.
"Hey! We've never seen this restaurant before. Why don't we give it a try?" she heard a deep voice echo from outside the front door. Peering into the dining room, she saw a group of five ability users enter. Composed of three men and two women, three were heavily armored while the remaining two were dressed in robes and light leather armor respectively. A party she guessed?
"The menu is available on the right wall, I will be back with water momentarily," Eve said as she guided them to their seats at the bar. As one, they all looked to the wall.
"Wow, what are these insane prices?"
"It's more expensive than the Solarium!"
Sera stepped to the bar and bowed slightly to the group.
"Welcome customers, what can I get for you today?"
"Are you the proprietress? How can your meals be so expensive? No restaurant in the city can compare!" the men were rather distracted upon her appearance but one of the women in the party had no issues challenging her.
"My apologies customers, but our pricing is very fair. Our ingredients are of a very high level and are not easily acquired. I believe if you taste my dishes you will find it to be a fair price," Sera replied evenly. The woman was having none of it however.
"That's a scam if I've ever heard one! That's hundred of mana crystals down the drain. What if your dishes don't live up to it? Do we get a refund?" Sera frowned at the overbearing woman.
"I believe my food will speak for itself. If you are not interested in trying my dishes, then please feel free to leave," the women glared at her for a moment before smiling.
"At least you have a backbone. Fine, let's try your dishes. But if it doesn't live up to the hype, believe me when I tell you, you will regret it," Sera said nothing, gazing back impassively.
The rest of the group followed their leader's cue and settled down. Eve returned and set their water down before taking down their orders while Sera got to cooking.
Three of the customers hedged their bets so to speak and picked the Salt and Pepper Shrimp, the cheapest dish on the menu. The other two were a bit more adventurous and picked the Tuna Poke and Sea Urchin Risotto respectively.
She started by dry roasting peppercorns and sea salt in a small pot, before washing the rice and setting it to boil in the komado. As these two things got going, she cleaned the shrimp and also prepared the sea urchin roe.
Mixing together sea urchin, cream and butter until it was smooth, she fried some shallots and garlic together for a few minutes before adding uncooked rice. Sera seasoned it lightly with salt and pepper and allowed the rice to continue to saute for about four minutes before adding wine to deglaze the pan. When the liquid evaporated, she added some kombu stock she had made the other day and began to stir. Making risotto was a long, drawn out process and required her continual attention as she needed to stir constantly and add more stock as the liquid evaporated.
Dredging the shrimp in sweet potato starch, she heated up the fryer and fried the shrimp for a bit under a minute on each side until it formed a nice layer of crust. Placing the shrimp on a towel lined plate, she ground the roasted salt and pepper mixture in a mortar before sprinkling it on the shrimp. She heated up a wok on one of the burners before frying minced garlic followed by some sliced hot green peppers, red thai bird chilis and scallions before adding the shrimp in and sprinkling more of the salt and pepper mixture. A spicy savory scent began to emanate from the kitchen as she quickly stir fried the dish so everything would come together. In less than a minute she was done and she went on to plate the shrimp. As each shrimp was over 30 centimeters long, she placed two on each plate and served the first three customers before returning to her risotto.
Now that the rice was almost cooked through entirely, she stirred in the sea urchin puree along with more butter; folding and stirring until it incorporated completely. She grated some parmesan cheese and then a bit of pecorino romano. A last crack of black pepper was stirred in before she ladled the risotto onto a porcelain plate. Quickly toasting a bit of nori, she sliced it into thin strips and sprinkled it on top for a burst of savoriness and crunch.
The poke was the quickest as she had prepared it earlier that morning so that the flavors could meld together. Spooning the Imperial Pearl Rice into a deep bowl, she formed a slight depression in the center and spooned the poke into it.
"Do you want a spicy seasoning on your poke?" Sera asked. The woman that had been arguing with her earlier had picked this dish, likely as some form of a challenge.
"Sure, why not," Sera nodded then withdrew a spicy furikake blend she had made a while back. Composed of sesame seeds, strips of toasted nori, bonito flakes, cayenne pepper, and a bit of salt it was a great rice topping. She sprinkled some over the top before presenting the dish.
To say that her customers were shocked at the quality of her food was an understatement. The smell alone could tempt a Buddha, let alone a normal man. Upon tasting her dishes, they all descended into a ravenous frenzy, covertly fighting and stealing from one another's plates. The poke and risotto in particular were prime targets for those that got the salt and pepper shrimp. The party got increasingly rowdy, though they were careful not to do any harm to the restaurant.
She couldn't help but laugh at their antics. The attention of the men was once against drawn to her and the women took advantage of that to plunder to their heart's content.
"Hah! Thank you sister for your timely aid," the gruff woman laughed as the men cried. "I am Sanya, the leader of this motley crew. I am sorry for insulting your skills earlier, you sure showed me!"
Sera shook hands with Sanya.
"It is not problem, I can see why you might have been wary."
"It was a worthy price, I even feel my internal energy growing. What exactly did you put into this dish?" Sera tapped her lip with a finger as she considered whether to lie, but decided to opt for the truth.
"Your tuna poke was made using the meat of a Demon Bull Tuna, a 5th rank spirit beast, and Imperial Pearl Rice, a 3rd rank spirit plant," the whole group froze upon hearing her words.
"Are… all your dishes made with high ranked spirit beasts and plants?" one of the men inquired.
"Not everything I use can be such a high level but I do incorporate as much as I can. The tuna is the most powerful beast I have access to but the shrimp and the sea urchin are 3rd and 4th ranked respectively," she replied with a nod.
"No wonder your dishes are so expensive, if anything they are cheap versus the cost," the remaining woman whispered. "I can feel the energy within me being stimulated and I am much closer to ranking up to my next gradient than when I first entered here."
The others made similar discoveries and soon lit up in joy.
"Thank you very much proprietress. This is definitely a great boon for us. Our circles of power have been growing stagnant as of late and now it feels as if our potential is once again being pushed higher," Sanya bowed deeply before taking out the necessary payment. "Four hundred and eighty mana crystals, as deserved."
Sera accepted payment and wished the group well as they promise to return as soon as they made enough money. They left behind a calling card for their group, the Moonlight Swords, though she didn't really know how to use it. Still it was nice to make some acquaintances in the city.
Over the course of the rest of the week she received a few more customers. Most people who entered thought her prices were too extreme and promptly left, but occasionally some stayed. Those who did were quickly won over.
She soon realized her prices were far beyond the means of the average citizen and that her restaurant's patrons would be those of incredible means or high level ability users. She hoped she could do something on the lower end as she would prefer to be a bit more egalitarian, but her means at present were limited.
All in all the restaurant's profit was 750 mana crystals of which 10% went into her own pocket.
75 Mana Crystals gained
+50 XP
+10 Fame
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You have four time slots to simulate the next four weeks. Please allocate as appropriate. You can always devote more than one slot to a given action.
[ ] Explore the city
[ ] Foraging and hunt outside the city
[ ] Enter the dungeon
[ ] Sample the local cuisine
[ ] Go shopping for equipment
[ ] Open up your restaurant
[ ] Train your combat skills and techniques (you will pick three for every time slot allocated if this wins)
[ ] Train your culinary skills and techniques (you will pick three for every time slot allocated if this wins)
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For recipe creation please choose or write in an option:
[ ] Tuna Tartare
[ ] Uni Mazemen
[ ] Uni Chawanmushi
[ ] Shrimp and Golden Egg Fried Rice
[ ] Write - In
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I am making a few mechanic changes on the culinary side.
You now have:
Culinary Stars - You begin as a 1st Star Chef. Maximum is 10 stars. This is tracked like levels. You gain XP for cooking, coming up with new recipes, etc. When you advance the percentage of fees the system keeps reduces. 2 star you get 20%, 3 star 30% and so on. You get a cooking perk for each new star.
Culinary Reputation - Your fame. This has a lot more ranks and you can use it to buy new recipes, techniques, ingredients, or do a system lottery.
Recipe creation is now a passive activity. You can do a write-ins or pick from my list. Write ins get a progression bonus so it is worthwhile for you to come up with something. Every week that passes you roll for progress until completion. You can pick a recipe again to try and improve it but this gets harder and harder to do (takes more time).
I am taking out culinary knowledge as a category, I love the concept but implementation is spotty. I do not want to limit you too strongly on developing your menu. Instead I will reflect Sera's particular aesthetics and tastes. You will always end up with more Japanese dishes in selecting recipes and you will see hints of it even when she crosses over to other cuisines. This way I can maintain her core traditions but let her branch out heavily as well if you so choose. I could use some feedback on this as well so if you are for or against this let me know. I believe it will also help me from the quest management standpoints as it is one less thing I have to manage.
Now that we are through the important culinary stuff I need to touch upon combat and combat skills. As stated in a prior post, hitting certain thresholds can create new skills or improve existing ones such as Master of Arms. Additionally they can also grant techniques.
Polearm - 50 grants Whirlwind: a spinning 360 degree strike designed to fend off large amounts of enemies and clear space. +25 to an attack versus a crowd. Currently 1 use per battle.
These can be improved with practice which can be very useful. They are more situational at least on the lower end of skill but generally useful.
Next in case it is not clear you effectively have two phases of damage mitigation which are dodging and tanking a hit respectively. Movement and dodge combined together make up the first. Your armor type, defense value from equipment plus block cover the second. Light Armor will give your dodge value a 2x multiplier, but has much lower defensive value so if you get hit you will get hurt really bad. Medium armor is a 1.5x multiplier and Heavy Armor has none. Each one however has increasingly more defensive value. Your equipment will have its own assorted bonuses and what not as well.
I think the last thing I need to bring up is mana crystals have two functions for Sera. They are currency and she can also consume them to increase her circles of power. Other people can do the latter too but they start to grow resistant as they reach their peak. This is why her cooking raising their internal energies is so amazing. She needs to eat a lot more of them than normal people to rank up though she doesn't build up resistance.
You just saw a function of Consumer of All. If she had cooked the Umbral Cat, the benefits would have been much greater, but surviving an encounter with a spirit beast an entire level higher in power is already pretty good, so your benefits weren't bad either.
For additional ingredient contributions I am adding another 20 mana crystals to your pool plus another 10 points that can be allocated to combat skills over 50.
In sum you have 30 skills points restricted to combat skills under 50 points. You have 30 points (10 from level up, 10 granted in last round of bonuses, and 10 from this round of bonuses) that can be allocated to skills at or over 50 points.
Please allocate these as necessary in increments of 5.
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