Tales of Faerun

[AurianaValoria1]

It was not long before Conall and Argyros returned to camp carrying a very large, already-dressed boar between them. Rhaine, who had gone back to the tedious maintenance of cleaning her horse's hooves, decided to wait until later to speak with the hunters about Sin and how they had encountered her. In the meantime, the Doomguide let them start the prep work in getting the boar cooked and fit to eat. The two ultimately placed the boar carcass on a makeshift spit above the fire and then tended to it as it began to roast. They shed pieces of their armor as they worked, the heat of the fire was so intense.

 

Abby stuffed her rations back in her pack with a toothy grin, "Say bye-bye to those and hello to fresh meat!"

[Lisnpuppy]

Sin blinked at Rhaine and shook her head after the speech. She did not understand how one could claim to have such trusted friends then seem so distrustful about their own decisions. Obviously this group had traveled for some time together. It was obvious by how even the disagreements were held in check and put aside once a decision about her seemed to be made. That did not come overnight. Yet when she had been sent back by the two hunters, well...it seemed different. Was it because she was drow alone?

 

As she saw the two hunters enter the camp with a tasty looking boar her stomach growled again. Suddenly though a strange wave passed through her. She felt..odd for a moment then it passed. Sin shook her head and decided between the lack of sleep, the hunger, the...whatever this had been...things were taking their toll.

 

First she murmured an apology to the Leif whose name she had misunderstood. How she was supposed to hear these differences in human names especially in all the noise she knew not. She said the name several times in her head promising to not make the mistake again and offered a apologetic smile.

 

Sin next turned toward the one called Abigail who had very matter of factually proclaimed herself half-dragon. Sin offered her hand and realized that there was a way about the half-copper that was familiar and looked over at one of the returned hunters with a narrowed gaze. After telling Abigail it was very nice to meet her and that she had not met a dragon before that she knew she offered a smile again and a silent thanks to Tymora and Eilistraee that she had not been either slaughtered on sight nor talked to death as yet. Biting her tongue on the hundreds of questions she had, thinking that they would perhaps be out of place, Sin squished in her boots and noted though her green shirt was drying her hair still clung like a toddler to his mother's legs. Wringing the hair out some she then quickly and deftly braided the mass which now resembled a long trail of blood flowing dark down her back.

 

Sin then turned to the one person who had seemed to accept her just as anyone or anything else and not worry about her being a Drow, that seemed to worry about her needs and had as curious a mind as she had. We'Tak. Sin took the rations, knowing they were going to be awful and resolving to perhaps catch some small rabbits to share with the group, she nodded and smiled at the strange creature as she bit and chewed. She spoke, the dried meat on one side of her cheek, poking out as her teeth worked the hard ration.

 

"Yes..we..erm..softskins sometimes have many names and sometimes it is silly, sometimes it is useful. But I don't though...I am just Sin..well Sinarra is really the long of it. But I like Sin better. Makes people laugh. Sinarra is a Drow name and it means Queen of Joy. My Father gave it to me.." As the young Drow spoke her voice waivered a bit at this but she smiled at the thri-kreen.

 

"Thank you for the food and the welcome, We'Tak." Sin then gave the thri-kreen a formal bow that denoted respect and thanks, a rarity from any Drow, either from the Surface or the Underdark.

[FreemasonGamer]

When Conall and Argyros returned to camp with a freshly-slain and dressed boar of a remarkable size, Rameses was awestruck as if he had died and ascended to the heavenly planes of the gods and angels. He had expected the pair of huntsmen to return with a few rabbits, some fowl, or even a deer at best, but never did he consider them bringing back such a noble prize as a boar. With wild energy fuelling his swift motions and his fiery szuldar, the fire genasi beckoned vividy to Argyros and Conall as they began to roast the swine on a spit. A plan of spectacular proportions quickly began to formulate in Rameses's mind, and he quickly felt obligated to fulfill it.

 

"No, no! Wait a minute!" He snapped at them in an excited craze, rushing over to his tent and began to dig through his equipment in a frantic search for his culinary effects. Once he gathered an armful of assorted spices and kitchen utensils, Rameses quickly approached the fire and wielded a two-prong iron fork like a weapon, dismissively waving it in the air towards the paladin and the dragon in disguise.

 

"If this is the one night we're not going to gnaw on dried rations," The determined genasi proclaimed, "I'm seeing to it this pig is cooked properly."

 

Without another word to them, Rameses laid out his assorted spice containers, various knives, and unpolished silverware on a nearby tree stump to free his hands. Quickly washing up with the water from his waterskin, the fire genasi then grabbed one particular metal tin and removed its sealed lid. Within moments, a pungent fragrance of hot, spicy sweetness filled the air around the fire as he ritualistically circled the pig. "The finest locally-grown paprika this side of Faerun, courtesy of some traveling merchants I crossed in the Shaar once," Rameses mused as he tossed several delicate pinches of the richly-scented red powder onto the roasting boar. "This stuff could even make those rations taste better tenfold, but that would be such an unforgivable waste."

 

Once the pig was finely spiced with paprika to Rameses's satisfaction, he repeated the process with his small pouches of ground black pepper and salt as well. As he attentively seasoned the meat while it cooked, the richly regal scent of his culinary handiwork began to spread outward from the fire. Also, a wide grin decorated Rameses's face as he fulfilled the preordained task of preparing a nigh-unforgettable meal for his companions in spite of their meager cooking supplies.

 

"Someone, grab the frying pan and the shallots from my things!" Rameses said over his shoulder as he finished dashing a meager quantity of salt on the pork. "The shallots should taste good with this meal, but I wish I had gone out to find some onions and fennels... Yes, those would have complimented this boar..." While he contemplated on his cooking, the genasi added as well, "If only we had any citrus! Oranges, lemons, even limes, anything with that sort of sweetness would have worked perfectly with this salty pork. Apples would have been spectacular with a meal such as this, too..."

 

Beaming with amusement as she watched her companion, Eirene quickly stood and investigated the mess that was Rameses's equipment in hopes of satisfying his request. "You really should organize your possessions, Rameses." She chided with a smile, quickly finding the genasi's cast iron pan. Although she had to search for a few minutes until she found a fist-sized sack containing onion-like root bulbs. "Are these the shallots, these little red ones?"

 

Sparing a glance away from the boar, Rameses grinned wildly as his szuldar flared with similar excitement. "Yes, those!" He confirmed, beckoning the Mulhorandi forward to help, "Cut about twelve or so of them up into smaller bits and fry them in the pan until they start sizzling. If you burn my shallots, Tempus help me, there will be words." Rameses teased, smirking as Eirene excitedly began to assist him the meal preparations.

 

"The rest of you all best relax, wash your hands, and be antagonized by the magnificence of these scents." The genasi remarked to the rest of his companions as well, carefully tending to the boar all the while.

Edited January 10, 2016 by FreemasonGamer

[GrueMaster]

"Dark pointy-ear is quite welcome!" We'tak responded to Sin, compound eyes showing his happy sincerity. "Sinarra... that sounds like a nice name, though Sin is nice and short, too. 'Queen?'" *Chee?* "Is that another softskin title?" He would have continued this line of questioning had his concentration not been attracted by the large boar his clutchmates brought back. *CHEE!* "Clutchmates brought back very good food!"

 

The young thri-kreen would have approached the dead thing with open claws had Rameses not immediately ordered everyone to wait, and began tossing herbs and ordering Eirene to bring and cook other greens to go with the meat. We'tak was confused at first, wondering what the other foods were for, but once the most delicious smell he had smelled in a very long time began to spread across the camp, he stopped questioning, now excited for the feast to come.

 

*Chee...* He chirped dreamily. "Fireskin knows how to cook good food... that scent is very good..." A small trail of saliva began dripping from the hatchling's mandibles as he approached the roast, failing to resist the food before him. Waiting for Rameses to not pay attention, the thri-kreen carved a very small slice from the boar with his claws and quickly hopped away to his own little spot by the fire, chomping down on the meat. *WEEE!* "Thisss is ssso good!" *Tcktck!*

 

As he ate the morsel, he looked around at his clutch. "So, where do we go after tonight?" We'tak asked between bites.

[josh900]

"Well there's your proof she's not from the Underdark." Leif said in an amused tone. "A name like that and for the father to have given it to her? Wouldn't have happened down there." He said as he went back to sit by the fire.

 

"Looks like we have a new cook on our hands." Azuris said as he tasted Rameses's cooking. "Maybe that means we won't have to survive on dry rations for a while."

[AurianaValoria1]

Conall blinked and slowly backed away from the spit as Rameses took over, tossing spices upon the boar and hunting for vegetables to serve with it. Argyros, however, hovered nearby all the while, doubly curious as to what Rameses was doing and how exactly he was doing it.

 

"If We'tak doesn't eat all of it first, it should last a while," Abby remarked as she spied the young thri-kreen stealing a bite behind Rameses's back.

 

Conall gave We'tak a slightly concerned sideways glance as he took a seat nearby, "I'm assuming thri-kreen don't have to worry about eating their meat raw?"

 

Meanwhile, Maydiira spoke to We'tak as well from her resumed lounging position, "And I'm sure we're headed to Furthinghome as we have been...there is still quite a ways to travel."

 

"Two more days of it, at least," Rhaine called from where she was tending to Kaliste.

[FreemasonGamer]

Even though Rameses was too occupied with cooking to catch the thri-kreen red-handed himself, he immediately turned his attention towards the surrounding conversation when word spread of We'tak snatching himself a bit of the meat cooking over the fire. "We'tak!" The fire genasi lividly exclaimed, "For every bite you sneak, that will be one less you get on your plate!" However, his idle threats quickly ceased when he resumed tending to their would-be meal, and the thought soon escaped Rameses's mind entirely after a few minutes.

 

Although, Eirene nodded in agreement with both Conall and Rameses when she considered the worrisome prospect of We'tak consuming the quick morsel. "It is quite possible that they are correct, young thri-kreen," The Mulhorandi scolded with a worried tone as she helped the genasi cook, "It isn't safe to eat undercooked meat, especially pork. It might make it you sick, as it often does to people. Nevertheless, patience would also be something valuable to consider in itself."

 

"Indeed, patience and all that." Rameses supported with a rather impatient tone. "And it should be done soon, anyway."

 

True to his words, the fire genasi soon cut into the boar to ensure that it was cooked fully, through and through, and collected the fried shallots, which looked and smelled very promising thanks to Eirene's surprising culinary talent, before he vividly waved his pork in the air. "Alright, everyone. Find yourselves a seat and a plate, I proudly declare this boar cooked to near-perfection." He announced with the widest grin, his szuldar flaring with vibrant energy.

Edited January 16, 2016 by FreemasonGamer

[GrueMaster]

We'tak's antennae drooped at the scathing response the fireskin and Eirene gave, and he gave an apologetic shrug. "Sorry, clutchmates. Thiss one will wait..." He looked at Conall and Eirene as he went back to eating the morsel in his hands, tearing a scrap and feeding it to Pekwe. "Oh it is cooked enough for thri-kreen." The hatchling swallowed the last bit before speaking again. "We are well-adapted to eat a variety of foods, though we are very much eaters of meat, and it does not necessarily need to be cooked so completely. Fire is a rarity we must use carefully, after all."

 

He looked at his clutchmates with a slight tilt of his head. "Thri-kreen actually eat softskins every now and then, though my clan does not really practice that anymore. If food is scarce, and there is a fresh dead body, we may scavenge it, but we at least do not hunt the other races like some clutches. I do not like the idea of eating a softskin, though; you are kreen, too. Besides, you smell too much for eating." *Chee-ss-ss-ss* "Although..." He looked at Argyros in particular. "It is rumored that pointy-ears taste good..."

 

Before We'tak could expound upon the topic further, Rameses announced his work was complete, and, like a child being told he would be receiving a gift, the thri-kreen had rushed forward to be first to get food, practically hopping with enthusiasm. With a sharp claw, he tore a small chunk of cooked boar and put it on his plate before he retrieved some of the "shallot" greens. The thri-kreen rushed back to his place at the camp, salivating at the meal before him. "Thank you, spirits, for this food, and thank you for blessing Rameses with ssuch skill!" He said, giving a prayer of thanks aloud, before proceeding to devour the food. *Chee!*

[josh900]

"It depends on what type of soft-skin you're talking about really." Leif said to We'tak as he grabbed a plate. "Game like this are technically softskins. Humanoids like us don't make for good eating, not enough meat and it's all super stringy or just slabs of fat. Why we're some monster's meal of choice I'll never know." He said nonchalantly as he bit into his slice of pork. "Now... Dragon meat on the other hand, that makes some of the best jerky you'l ever find. You'll be gnawing on it for a while and it never loses it's flavor, I can go through pounds of the stuff and not even realize it."

 

"Isn't dragon jerky like... super expensive though?" Lucas asked as he got his own plate.

 

"Not if you supply the meat it's not!" Leif exclaimed with a mouth full of pork.

[AurianaValoria1]

Two days later...

 

As the party entered the gates of Furthinghome, Abby looked around with wide-eyed wonder at all of the shining and glowing decorations that adorned the balconies of the tall buildings. The city had prepared well in advance for the gala, and a celebratory atmosphere was already in the air...

 

...albeit a stuffy one.

 

"So, what first, my lady?" Conall asked Rhaine as they stood in the main plaza.

 

The Doomguide sighed and put her hands on her hips, "We've eleven days to prepare. Firstly, we need to find appropriate attire for this occasion. Second, we need to find out just who all is attending this mage gathering."

 

"The first seems easy enough," Maydiira remarked. The drow favored soul had pulled a borrowed cloak around her shoulders and lowered the hood over her face in an attempt to not draw the attention of the guards, "The second, not as much. Will there be a list of people invited, somewhere?"

 

"Perhaps," Argyros chimed in, "Or perhaps we can find whoever organized this event."

 

"Easier, but talking to them? Maybe not," Abby remarked.