Calling all adventurers, monster hunters, and cooks!
The opportunity of a lifetime awaits you! Enlist in the Wild Hunt at your local guild hall, and you will get the chance to see the world, try exotic new foods, and be handsomely rewarded for doing so, all for simple monster hunting! Further details will be provided prior to enlistment by your local guildmaster.
The notice, despite seemingly having made its way onto just about every noticeboard in the city, didn’t seem to have grabbed the attention of anywhere near as many people as you might’ve expected it to. Then again, measuring the rewards that were promised to the seeming lack of information provided, it was exceedingly possible that most of those who might have taken it had deemed it too good to be true, if not just a little too sketchy to get themselves involved with.
For reasons known only to you though, the advertisement had managed to get you intrigued enough to, if nothing else, at least see what it’s all about.
Time to see if this ‘opportunity of a lifetime’ is the real deal…
Alright, we’re finally here and ready to get this started! As most of you guys know, the idea of the RP is that you guys will be working for the guild as a team of monster hunters and cooks. Many of the worlds nations and guilds, believe that a great famine may be on the way. In addition to this, monster attacks are on the rise. In an attempt to find a solution, the guild is recruiting adventurers and chefs to go on an epic quest to take ‘em down, cook ‘em up, and see which ones taste good enough that the guild can present them as an alternative food source to last through the famine.
Of course, the way most civilized people view monsters, especially the concept of eating them, means this will be an uphill battle, hence the omission of that particular detail in the initial advertisement.
While I do have a bit of plot ready and waiting, this is still going to largely be a sandbox fantasy cooking adventure. The group/s can explore the world freely. I promise this isn’t just my way of tricking all of you into teaching me how to write cooking well.
The continent of Riadne is vast, with many different nations and biomes. The greatest of these nations lie to the east, with the desert empire of Entei Bahara to the south, and the great empire of Xin Lu in the plains and mountains heading further towards the north. Even further to their north lies Hiyuki, a harsh land of taigas and volcanic tundra and the homeland of the Oni. While Xin Lu and Entei Bahara are currently at peace, relations are generally quite tense between the two.
Moving further west towards the center of the continent, one will find the lands known as the Middle Kingdoms, a chaotic mess of countless small nations and kingdoms, many of which will either be allied, feuding with, or outright at war with each other at any given time. These extend all the way to the desert nations of the southern coast, who are no less quarrelsome than their northern neighbours. However, the Middle Kingdoms region does not extend very far to the north, stopping at Tullei, a surprisingly powerful city state built out of the remains of an enormous, ancient mountain citadel.
Finally, the vast majority of the western side of the continent is covered by the Spiritwild, a great stretch of wilderness covered in mountains, forests and plains named for the abundance of spirits that enter through the numerous tears between worlds found in the area. Along with spirits, a vast amount of mana flows through these tears, allowing it to gather extremely thick. While many have tried to settle in the area due to the density of mana, it is also that mana which has made it all but impossible to do so, affecting and warping much of the flora and fauna around it. However, a few of the hardier or more adaptable settlements have managed to stubbornly cling on, and some of the other races have called the area home for centuries, such as the Orcs, Elves, and many tribes of Greater Beastfolk. Some believe the area to hide the remains of what was once a great empire, the tears between worlds caused by some great magical calamity that caused it to fall in the ancient past. However, these ruins have never been found, and other evidence of this theory is rare.
Humans: Humans, you probably know a little about them, considering I'm pretty sure you are one. One of the more common races in Riadne, humans are one of the few races who build large cities, and they currently hold the title of having the most countries where they make up the majority of the population. Widely known for being something of a middle ground between many other races, and therefore surprisingly adaptable. The white bread of race selection.
Elves: Elves are a tall, lean race with pointed ears and large eyes. These allow them incredibly precise hearing and eyesight, which they use well as hunters and marksman. They tend to avoid large settlements, instead building small villages high on mountain tops. The majority of these villages double as eyries, where small mountain wyverns build their nests and can be trained to assist elven hunters in a manner similar to human falconry.
Dwarves: Dwarves are a short, stocky race of humanoids, generally only reaching about four feet tall in height. They are famous for having an insane attention to detail, and their architecture is widely known as some of, if not the best and sturdiest in Riadne, both above and below the ground. While traditionally a subterranean race, more and more dwarven cities have been founded across the continent in the last few centuries. Despite not having a gift for utilizing magic directly, their attention to detail means that many of the worlds greatest runesmiths and enchanters have been dwarves, and these days they make up some of the foremost minds in the research and production of magic-based technology.
Orcs: Orcs are a large, muscular race who generally grow to about seven or eight feet tall. They live mostly in nomadic tribes, with the occasional larger permanent village dotting the western highlands and forests they have called home for millennia. Despite the fearsome reputation of orc warriors and bandits, the vast majority of orcs have a very communal outlook, doing what they can to assist the tribe as a whole. While not always particularly open to other races, they usually aren't especially xenophobic either, and if a visitor comes offering trade or assistance, it usually isn't too hard to endear yourself to a certain tribe. One of the few races who are known to eat certain types of monsters.
Gnomes: Gnomes are a very short race who, despite being generally physically weak, are believed to be more in tune with magic and the world of spirits than just about any other race. Other races tend to find them rather odd due to their customs, such as growing buildings out of trees or giant mushrooms, and a curious and mischievous nature that seems to be present no matter where the gnome was raised. They make excellent scholars, with a particular knack for working in fields like archaeology that let them go out and see what they're researching in person. They are even shorter than Dwarves, only reaching about three and a half feet tall at maximum.
Greater Beastfolk: Greater Beastfolk is a catch all term for a number of races, many of whom are quite rare now, who resemble humanoid animals. These include races like Minotaurs, Apelings and Gnolls. Little is known about the exact origins of the Greater Beastfolk, but the most widely accepted theory is that an ancient magus created them as servants, or possibly an attempt at creating their own army. Nowadays, those who remain generally form small tribes and clans, inhabiting the same environments as their animal counterparts. Occasionally though, one might find a wandering Beastman in a city or town, usually working as a mercenary.
Lesser Beastfolk: Lesser Beastfolk are not necessarily a race in their own right, but many people do consider them to be. They can be found in any other race, and are generally born to those who work particularly close with spirits and familiars. While not immediately visibly different from normal children of their race, around the age of two to three, isolated animal features will appear on their bodies, occasionally going so far as to alter their former features. Ears and eyes are the most common features to change, but occasionally larger features such as horns or tails can grow as well, and sometimes even limbs can change, such as the case of those who have come to be known as Fauns.
Lizardmen: While technically considered Greater Beastfolk, Lizardmen have far outstripped the rest of their peers in numbers, being a fairly common sight in this day and age. Tending to settle in jungles and warm wetlands, Lizardmen have a number of cities dotting the southern portion of the continent, with a very pyramid-centric architecture. Like with mammalian beastfolk, there are a number of different subraces within the Lizardman umbrella, but for whatever reason, the numerous Lizardman variants managed to live peacefully together and form a larger society where their mammalian brethren did not. They have an unnerving habit of eating small animals whole, and occasionally still alive.
Oni: Oni are large, horned humanoids with a muscular structure similar to that of orcs. There are two subtypes, the stockier Red Oni, who are generally louder and more excitable, and the slimmer Blue Oni who tend to be more calm and composed. Oni are rare outside of their homeland of Hiyuki, a country of snowy forests and volcanic tundras. As such, they are a strong, resourceful race, who have found ways to survive on almost whatever they can find around them. This includes monsters, and they are one of the few races that actively hunt them for food. They also use materials from monsters to create clothes, weapons, and occasionally even buildings with some of the larger bones.
Od
Also known as 'The World of Magic' or ‘The Spirit World’, Od is not only the point of origin of all spirits, but also the source of mana. In terms of appearance, it’s features are very similar to our own world if everything was taken to the extreme, with trees that tower into the heavens, and mountains so vast that they could drive regular people insane.
Mana
Mana is the energy that makes up the entirety of Od and the spirits that inhabit it, and is used to cast magic. It originates in Od, where it flows through tears in the veil between worlds into ______. From there, it naturally gathers in certain areas, like the high atmosphere or deep beneath the earth. While the vast majority will stay in these areas, some of it will drift down towards the ground, where it is passively absorbed by most lifeforms. While a dose of this quantity has little effect on these lifeforms, should mana be absorbed in large enough doses, results can be rather chaotic and unpredictable, especially if that lifeform is more sensitive to mana than others, as tends to be the case in certain races like Lesser Beastfolk, Elves and Gnomes.
Magitech, as the name implies, is any technology created using magic. When it comes to variety, there is an enormous range of different forms and applications magitech can take, from weapons to transport to household appliances, and it is considered a common part of daily life in most nations. Even now, research is going into further expanding the number of tasks it can cover. While magitech can come in many different forms, almost all of them have two fundamental components, without which they would not be able to function. These are Aetherium and Runes.
Aetherium
Aetherium is a type of crystal similar in appearance to quartz, which naturally absorbs and conducts mana. Clusters can be found relatively commonly in underground caverns where large amounts of mana have gathered, and once mined, carved and processed, are used as batteries to fuel magitech. These can be recharged once depleted, either through a long process using the wielders own mana, or by bringing it into an area where mana is thick. With exposure to certain elements alongside the mana, aetherium can also gain a basic elemental charge. However, that is as far as you can get without the use of runes.
Runes
Runes is the term used to describe the series of patterns and sigils applied to magitech in order to dictate more specific effects. Without them, magitech would not be capable of anything other than basic elemental effects. Thanks to them though, those who craft magitech are able to choose whether a weapon using ice aetherium creates a snowy wind, shoots a spike made of ice, or is just too cold to wield without getting frostbite.
Spirits are the inhabitants of Od, eternal beings made entirely of mana. They come in all shapes and sizes, and as beings of mana, they are capable of utilising magic, with many of the older ones being more than a match for even the most modern magitech. However, while this is a relatively simple process in the world of spirits, the mundane world has far less mana to absorb in most areas, and even small spells will drain a spirits mana. If this happens, the spirit will fade away, reverting back to pure mana, until it can eventually drift back into Od and someday reform, with nothing more than faint inklings and fuzzy images to remind them who they were before. Of course, this can also occur if the spirit takes enough damage, even within Od. Ways to avoid this are limited, but the most common countermeasure taken is to form a contract with a host in the mundane world, becoming a familiar.
Familiars
Familiars are spirits who have formed a contract with a host from the mundane world. This is a symbiotic relationship, allowing the host access to the magic naturally available to the spirit, and allowing the spirit to sustain itself on the hosts mana to avoid fading. For the most part, spirits will remain in physical form, able to interact with the world independently as long as they remain within a certain range of their host. This form allows them to work alongside their hosts in any task they are physically capable of. In many cases this means fighting, using their magic to attack enemies or provide support and defence for their hosts. However, this is not the only possibility, and many hosts will never even see combat, instead having their familiars assist with mundane tasks. Many can even be found helping their hosts in their profession, such as tending storefronts, working crops, or even researching magic and it’s properties.
However, there are two other known forms a familiar may take. The first is quite common, where they revert to a stable mana form and reside in an enchanted object known as a Shikigami. Shikigami can come in many forms, but the most common are wooden or paper talismans. While resting in a Shikigami, a spirit may still absorb mana from their host and the atmosphere, but require next to none to sustain their forms. This lets them heal from intense damage easily, or avoid fading during points where either they have no current master, or their master is unable to provide them with mana for whatever reason.
The second, on the other hand, is far rarer, and potentially dangerous enough that some faiths are willing to hunt hosts and familiars who take part. It involves allowing a familiar spirit to meld with the mana in your body directly, essentially temporarily combining familiar and host into a single being. The host's physical body changes to match this, taking on many features of the spirit’s physical form, along with all of the strengths, abilities and weaknesses that come with it. This process is called Possession. However, there are many dangers to this even discluding the potential extra weaknesses. As a combination of two separate entities, the minds and personalities of host and familiar are also combined. First time possessions are always unpredictable in which aspects of both personalities will find their way to the forefront of this new one. It could be all the best traits, but at the same time it could be all of the worst. Along with that, improper possession can make it difficult, or even impossible to separate. This is often accompanied by horrific side effects, like an insatiable hunger for flesh, or worse, souls. In fact, evidence points to improper possession being the origin of the vast majority of the beings known as ‘night creatures’, such as werewolves or hags. In the end though, some feel the potential rewards are worth the risk, as successful possession can result in an incredibly powerful being, capable of turning the tide in many situations.
It is in their best interest to follow the commands of their hosts, of course, as an unsatisfied host can easily end the contract and leave the spirit to wander until they fade. However, should the familiar be commanded to do something they are fundamentally against, such as attacking those they would not wish to harm, they can easily do the same.
CS
[hider=CS] [center][h2]Name here, image goes above this text (center it please!)[/h2][/center] [sub][h3][indent][i]𝔽irst 𝕀mpressions[/i][/indent][/h3][/sub] [b]Name:[/b] [color=d3d3d3][i]Who are you?[/i][/color]
[b]Repuation:[/b] [color=d3d3d3][i]How do those around your character see them? Are they renowned across the land? This is like a personality section, but it's from the point of view of someone who knows your character.[/i][/color]
[b]Affiliation:[/b] [color=d3d3d3][i]Guild, country of origin, etc.[/i][/color]
[b]Backstory:[/b] [color=d3d3d3][i]"Ever since I was a child, I had to grow up on the back streets... wrestling alley bears for food and fighting guards for my own freedom...[/i][/color]
[sub][h3][indent][i]𝕌tility[/i][/indent][/h3][/sub] [b]Skills:[/b] [color=d3d3d3][i]What are you capable of?[/i][/color]
"She holds her head high to detract from her heavy heart."
𝔽irst 𝕀mpressions
Name: Meeka Halsey
Race: Greater Beastfolk
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Appearance:
𝔾et to 𝕂now 𝕐ou
Occupation: Hunter
Repuation: Many don't seem to want to take too much time getting to know the girl, being a greater beastfolk. She is often seen looking at things in shops, but never buying, although she seems well dressed considering what she is. Only few know her as Morton's adopted daughter, and they were the ones unlucky enough to be caught talking bad about her while he was around them. If you were to ask her father, he would say she is one of the smartest and strongest young women he knew. Passing him in booksmarts on her own accord years ago, and had the personality to persevere even the worst of of what people could throw at her. He wouldn't ever talk to others of the nights when she would hit rock bottom, the pain she felt from the ones that despised her kind the most just for existing in their presence. He knew she felt alone in this world despite him doing all he could to provide for her and strengthen her spirit by being there when she was at her worst. TO others she seemed to always have a brave face, never backing down from a challenge and not allowing herself to be hurt by their words or actions in public, and nobody could refute her skill with a bow, no matter ow much they disliked her.
Affiliation: Belle's traveling kitchen
Backstory: Meeka never knew her real parents. She was chosen to be the vessel of a great spirit, a living shikigami, or a 'bunrei' type shikigami, so that a new shrine could be made for that great spirit when she grew older, however this plan failed as she was orphaned as a baby, never to know what she was, and this the shrine was never built. She was too young when she had lost her parents and she was told that she was found alone after a battle had taken place. Morton had taken her in and raised her as his own, having lost his wife and young child a few months prior. When Morton retired from his military career, he had made a restaurant that served mainly home cooked style meals. Meeka grew up hanging around the restaurant instead of going to school. Morton thought that this would be bad for her development so he took it upon himself to teach her basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. She took to it quickly and enjoyed it so much that she started reading and learning on her own, eager to share everything she learned with her father after the restaurant closed. As she got older, she found that she was teaching her father what she learned as well, their nightly talks a part of their little family tradition. One strange occurrence Meeka noticed was that as she read anything about onmyoji talisman magic, something resonated within her as if she has known this before, the great spirit link inside her seeming to relearn spells once lost to her. She would practice this in secret, not wanting her father to know or maybe even worry. This same link aslo seemed to make her archery come naturally to her, becoming an expert within a very short period of time.
With her becoming older, Morton taught her how to hunt and prepare game for use in the restaurant. With this new skill now available to er, she took to practicing it just as well as her studies, becoming a very skilled archer even among the best in their region. With age however, came the realization that people treated her much differently than other people, especially now that she was older and more accountable for her decisions, and often ran errands alone. Being a greater beastfolk, she was looked down upon by the generally population. She was seen as an animal not fit for their society, and constantly reminded it by the insults and rougher treatment. This led Meeka to learn to depend on herself to leave and gather any ingredients that she was able to around the wilds when she hunted, otherwise she would have to tell Morton what ingredients still needed to be bought so he could get them, as they wouldn't sell to a greater beastfolk, or would try to overcharge for selling to her. Meeka would usually hold her head high, holding onto her pride and often snapping back at the hatred they showed, because despite their disdain for her, they knew of her skills with her bow, and would never push it to conflict. Unfortunately, this was a brave face she put on. When she is by herself is when it all comes back to her, a veil of depression seeping into her heart. They would never accept her, no matter her accomplishments, and she figured she would always be treated this way as long she she was a beastfolk.
Morton would try comforting her in these times, but he knew he could only do so much, since he couldn't follow her around and beat down everyone that spoke ill towards her. When he found a book reviewing the magic process of transformation that she accidentally left out in her room, a page dog eared on a section specifically describing transforming into a human form, it nearly broke his heart as much as it filled him with rage that someone would make his daughter feel this way. When Morton learned of an opportunity elsewhere, a guild job that had to do with food and hunting, he thought it would be the perfect thing to get them away from the town they currently lived in and off to something they could both enjoy. With this, both Meeka and Morton put together a traveling kitchen cart with the same name as the old restaurant, and made their way out to see what the offer entailed.
𝕌tility
Skills: -Highly skilled with a bow and a variety of arrows -Heightened senses: sight, smell, hearing, night vision -Silent movement -Agile -Bushcraft -Calligraphy and painting -Onmyoji (talisman magic) - requires talismans to be in place for spells to be activated
Magic: -Divination -Bunrei Shikigami of the great spirit of change, Henka > Transmutation > Illusion > Enchantment
Equipment: -Longbow -quiver of arrows including a few specialty heads -Heavy bushcrafting knife
𝕄iscellaneous
Favorite Foods: -Peanut butter (especially as cookies) -Steak -Biscuits
Disliked Foods: -Lettuce -Citrus -Bitter Apples
"I reckon this thing'll taste about like chicken, let's find out."
𝔽irst 𝕀mpressions
Name: Morton Halsey
Race: Human
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Appearance:
𝔾et to 𝕂now 𝕐ou
Occupation: Chef
Repuation: A hearty man that none would dare to cross, and the few who have had quite the lasting impression once they returned to consciousness. He can be easy to anger but also seen being quite charitable, though he doesn't like to talk about it or receive recognition for what he does, he just does it. There have been a small number of times when some patrons would be caught speaking insultingly about a certain greater beastfolk that seems to hang around his restaurant have been cast out with a few lumps on their head and or face. Sometimes, people would think it would be a good idea to try to slander his name by saying there was beast hair in his food, to which he would personally come out of the kitchen to check the meal and 'adjust the customer's eyes' if they were spreading falsehoods.
From Meeka's perspective, his adopted daughter, she would say that he was kind and gentle with her, always pushing her to strive to do her best and achieve things far beyond what he had been able to. He was always the only one to cheer her on and provide any comfort or counseling a father should provide. He was strict, but never unreasonably so. He could be overprotective of her given the way greater beastfolk were generally treated. Even to this day his pride in her was evident even to those around him, though they dared not say anything ill around them should they face his wrath, not within earshot anyway. Morton's driving motivation is to provide for his daughter, after all, she is all he has, and the only thing to him important enough to work for.
Affiliation: Belle's traveling kitchen
Backstory: Morton had a family honestly a little younger than what most would consider normal for today's standards, but that seemed to be the norm for enlisted people his age at the time. He already had a wife with a bun in the oven when he was deployed for combat, always talking to the other soldiers about his wife and his future plans with all the children he wanted to have. It was quickly found out that Morton liked to cook, good home style cooking too, as it reminded them all of home. He was quickly labeled the 'combat chef' by his peers. He was even known on one occasion to be fighting while cooking, swearing to the enemy that was attacking the camp that if they made him overcook his roast he would put them all into the oven for coals.
While Morton was in service, however, his wife had passed away due to complications of her pregnancy, losing both her and the baby. Morton was crushed as it seemed his lively spirit within him died. He served the rest of his enlistment, the only time he seemed to come alive was in battle, as if he was using the fighting as an outlet for his rage and sorrow. One day, after trying to respond to a towns distress message, Morton's company rushed to intercept an attacking force, only to arrive to the town too late. it had already been destroyed, everything looted for the enemy's war effort. Morton was scouring the town for any survivors when he heard a light whimpering. Something got into Morton that his peers hadn't seen in a while, it was a drive to save a life. How he heard the whimpering sound, nobody tot his day knows, as it belonged to a greater beastfolk pup buried deep under the ruble of a collapsed building. Morton's hands were bloodied and scarred by the time he reached her, having lifted insanely large pieces of wreckage to get to her, seeing a crushed crib and a furred arm lifelessly poking out from rubble next to it. "Don't worry... she will be safe with me." He said to what he guessed was the body of the parent crused beneath the stones. He wrapped his hands in rags and gently picked her up, crawling out from under the building, the others finally saw what he was so hellbent to retrieve. A baby wolf girl, still whimpering, so young that she hadn't even opened her eyes. His comrades cheered him as they saw what he did, not having a care for what the child's race was, but happy to see a life that escaped this tragedy.
Since then, Morton retired and started his own restaurant to get the bills paid, building it out of half of his house, and naming it after his wife. He spent his life providing for and teaching Meeka everything he knew from reading, writing, arithmetic, hunting, and some cooking, but she seemed to soak it all in and eventually even surpassed him s far as booksmarts went. He was proud of her and everything she had accomplished, but even then, when Meeka got old enough to start going out and doing things on her own, he noticed a change in her behavior. She grew more bitter, having resentment to others and had bouts of depression. She never directed any of it towards him, but she normally didn't tell him what was wrong. He wasn't stupid however, he always knew that at some point she would discover the hatred people seemed to have for greater beastfolk. He tried his best to do what he could to comfort her, but one could only do so much. One day when Morton was bringing her some laundry to her room while she was out hunting late at night, he noticed an unfamiliar book. When he picked it up, he noticed it was a book on magic, which he thought was interesting that she may want to mes with magic and decided to flip through it. He came to a page that had a folded corner and his heart sunk when he saw what it was. It was covering the ability to transform into a human. He saw it as her hating her own body so much that she seemed desperate to change herself to please the wicked hearts of those around her. He first felt a wave of rage, wanting to find the person responsible for making her feel this way, but it quickly subsided to an aching in his heart. Something had to change. He couldn't keep Meeka here in this place with the way she was being treated, they should find some place new.
So, Morton went to work on creating his own mobile kitchen, so they could travel and find their own place to be, even if it was just the road itself. However, he found a notice about some sort of opportunity out west, promising fine cuisine and thrilling hunts. It sounded splendid to him, maybe something that they could both enjoy! So, once able, they loaded up their essentials into their new mobile kitchen carriage, which was considerably sized, and headed out into a new life.
𝕌tility
Skills: -Homestyle cooking -heavy weapon specialized combat (two handed hammers, polearms) -brawler (good with general fighting with fists and whatever weapon is handy) -hunting -bushcraft
Equipment: -Heavy two handed meat tenderizer -heavy armored gauntlets
She is 8'3" and essentially made of lean muscles. She goes for strength, not tone.
Occupation: Monster Hunting Artificer
Reputation: A merchant often trading with her: "You want me to talk about that half-breed? Well damn, well she is great at hunting and making things, but we don't talk to her much. She keeps to herself for some reason. Sure, lots of people hate halfies here, but she could find a place. I think. On second thought, probably good she isn't around HERE, specifically. Maybe if she lived in the southern parts?"
Her mother: "I still love my baby girl of course and visit when I am not busy. She doesn't feel like she belongs, so she lives alone and hunts monsters and makes magitech for trade. I miss her gardens and that smile. And her eyes had such a fire in them. It must have been that Orc blood. She is passionate but still has that Blue Oni spirit. If you go see her, give her this Er Kuai. I know it's her favorite."
Guard Captain of her home town: "That wench better not come back. We don't need a halfie here to make people angry and nervous. Good riddance, I say."
Innkeeper of the town: "Lots of people were scared of her, you know? Orcs are supposed to be violent and angry. She was a sweet girl overall, but she spoke her mind and wouldn't back down from anything she felt was important. It made her a lot of enemies in the guard. She used to sell us the freshest vegetables and meats. Those years were some of the best times to cook for people. Now, no one here seems to be able or want to take up her mantle. I miss her, to be honest. She would have made a good friend if she stayed."
Man her age: "You would never get a better beatdown than from her. If you tried to hurt her or someone she liked, she would put you in the dirt. It was a great view, though, so I sometimes did it just to get a good look at her. What? Wouldn't you want to be around a pretty girl? It was worth a few bruises and bloody noses. I don't know much about her other than that."
Gravedigger of the town: "She could always be relied on to help out. If you asked her for a hand, she would get right on it. She wasn't afraid of getting dirt under her nails. And then, after that, we would have a good drink and some of the spiciest supper I have ever had. Death scares most folks, but she wasn't even fazed by it. It made her a unique and nice girl. She was one of the only people to talk to me outside of funerals. She never judged me for anything. I think how much people hated her blood made her happy to let people come as they are. But wow was she able to pack away the heat. I can still feel the burn from those meals. It was a good burn, mind you, but it would kick you in the face. Ah, I miss those days. Now, I am just an old, lonely gravedigger, picking at the ground. Give her this ring when you see her and say hi."
Poor girl: "She gave Mommy tons of food! We never went hungry with her around, but the guard made her leave. It wasn't fair. She was really nice and made me a bunch of toys, too! She even played with me when all the other kids wouldn't let me play."
Disgruntled woman: "She was unladylike. She would never make a good wife to anyone. It was that Orc blood. Her mother was a drunken whore to get knocked up by some sweaty Orc. I'm glad she is gone. She was an eyesore on our community and brought dishonor to us all."
Town guard at the gate: "If you ask most people, she was some demon because of her Orc blood. I think it made her better. She could see both sides and helped everyone. If you had an argument, she could get you to a compromise. If you needed a sparring partner, she would work you till you dropped. I even asked if she could pretend to be my date to a couple family gatherings. She was happy to help keep my family off my back about getting married. There were a few times with bandits that she just appeared and help me out. You could rely on her to watch your back if you needed it. Everyone else could run away and she would still keep fighting by you. She saved my sorry skin so many times that I named my daughter after her."
Lorekeeper of the town: "She was always quiet if she didn't have anything to say. There was always something going on in her head. She would take to me at least every other day about something she wanted to try and make or a new thing to do to help people. She was a problem solver and a thinker. She was a dreamer, too. It rubbed a lot of people the wrong way since she was trying to take tradition head-on and make changes she thought could help us be better. I liked that about her. You don't find many gems like that here. She was a warrior with a head and a hunter with a heart. You are going to meet her later? Give this gourd to her. It's full of my homemade sake that she liked so much. My old bones keep me from visiting her much, so she is probably out by now."
Affiliation: Hiyuki (formerly)
Backstory: "Alright, so you want to know about me? Gotcha. Well, it all started when Mom got smashed with some Orc guy. They decided that a night of bed breaking was a good idea. She told me the chief was not happy when she and his son destroyed his tent. Anyway, she got pregnant with me and came back home. A while later, I pop out. She was a good mom. She took care of me and loved me. I didn't feel weird around her. Home was safe. The people around us were some weird mix of pity, admiration, or hatred. People either loved or hated me. The ones that hated me always talked about how my Orc side is ruining my prim and proper Blue Oni lady side. It bothered me. I couldn't just be me around a lot of the town. There sure were a few people that liked me, so I stayed and tried to make it work. Eventually, I couldn't take it. I felt so bad and out of place. I left and went to the Southern edge of Hiyuki. I found a temperate forest with good soil and set up."
She sighs and takes a sip of the sake we gave her.
"Ohhhh, that's the good stuff. I don't know what that man does to make it so good, but he has a gift. Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, I set up camp, eventually made a house, and then made my way selling off things I made, hunted, or the stuff I grew. It is cozy out here. I am usually pretty alone, which gets to me a lot, but it is better than feeling like at any moment someone might snap and try to kill you for something you can't change. Mom visits a lot. Wait, I smell her cooking. Gimme! Yes, Er Kuai! Uh, back on subject, that is basically my life. I got into a lot of fights over stuff I thought was important. I helped a few guards out when bandits came along and the spineless guards ran away. The gravedigger sure got his job done when I was around. He always got done early. There was this one really cute little girl that I played with. I felt a kinship with her. The other kids were mean to her since she was poor. Her mom worked her ass off at two jobs but got paid almost nothing. I gave them a bunch of stuff I got from my garden and hunts. The mom was so grateful and always said she would make it up to me. I did it for free. I expected nothing from it, but she gave the best hugs each time I brought a box of food. It felt warm when she did."
She takes another sip and a bite of the food.
"I heard from a couple merchants about some big job looking for hunters. I figure I will check it out and see if it might give me a good adventure. I could use a change of scenery for a while. Mom talked to my aunt. So, my aunt is sending my cousin here to live in while I'm gone. Said she needed to have a quiet place to get away to. I figured there are worse things than letting your cousin keep your house tidy. So, I'm gonna head out in the morning for that. Any more questions? No? Alright then, how about that mandrake root you were talking about earlier? I have a bunch of fresh ones I got yesterday."
𝕌tility
Skills: Carving Gardening Playing Shamisen, Erhu, and Taiko Metallurgy Smithing Engineering Tinkering
Magic:
None. All her magical aptitude is tied to making gadgets and items.
Equipment:
Furēmusherukirā (Flame Shell Killer): A large caliber rifle with simple sights able to account for ballistics up to 150m, this weapon is designed and usable by only her. Anyone else attempting to work its mechanisms and fire properly will at best be confused and at worst harmed by the lack of training. The projectiles it fires are large armor piercing bullets, and the rifle has a 4 round internal magazine. (equivalent to a 23.3 mm for caliber, a 6 gauge for shotguns as a reference) The method of firing involves a crystal of an explosive element firing from behind the bullet, causing it to fly down the rifled barrel and into the chosen target.
Nyūbō meisu (Pestle Mace): Wielded as a simple heavy club, she uses this to crack armor and deal heavy internal damage. Its weight is huge, so anyone not of orc or oni strength, much like her axe, would be unable to wield it well if at all.
Janggeom: Single-edged sword reminiscent of a katana but with a straight blade. The blade is 4 feet long with a foot long hilt and can be used both one and two-handed for both stabbing and slashing.
𝕄iscellaneous
Favorite Foods: Gan guo, Saliva Chicken, Er Kuai, Chongqing hotpot, Hot and Sour Fish Soup
Wilben is the exact average height for an adult male Gnome - that is to say, he's really short. At 97.5cm tall (3'2''), you might think Wilben was compensating for something with his aggressive attitude. However, he's also pretty damn handsome for a Gnome. He takes good care of his mind and body, making sure his physical appearance is just as presentable as his dishes. He was at the top of Gnomingham's most eligible bachelor list for years until he got engaged a few months ago. He's well groomed and makes sure his hands are extra well taken care of - they haven't even suffered a paper cut since he was young.
𝔾et to 𝕂now 𝕐ou
Affiliation:
Le Paradis, his bakery and café
Reputation:
A famous pastry chef, and in fact one of the world's most well-known Gnomes. He comes across as pompous and condescending, fully aware of his fame and more importantly, his very real skill. He is respected for his strong pallet, esteemed family name, and raw talent as a pâtissier. He has no patience for people that don't take things seriously or give their best, so he seems rude and unfriendly - which he definitely can be. He likes earnest people but isn't close to anyone except his family and staff.
Backstory:
Bread. A staple food beloved by all races. The foundation for many a meal and cuisine culture. Throughout history "bread" has not only been improved, but amplified. Sweetened breads, soft chewy savory breads, tough long lasting breads, the famously sliced bread. Yes, the nature of bread - of life - had been explored thoroughly and had gotten to the best it could be.
Until Wilben came along. Then, it was perfected.
Wilben was born the eldest of twelve Gnomelets in the sub-city of Gnomingham, the capital of the Gnome country. His extended family all owned property in one little block, so the houses were usually full of rotating uncles, grandparents, and cousins twice removed coming and going. Despite living in the sub-city, half underground from the bright and fresh high-city grown up tall, the Felpips were renowned magitech engineers and made good money in the sale of their blueprints and designs - they just liked living in the dank, dim area. Well, most of them did. It was closer to the mana core in the Earth, after all. Some, like Wilben, hated it. His family was full of weird eccentrics and he much preferred the high-city. He had friends there, attended school there and most of all it wasn't freaking dingy. Everything was fresher, especially the food!
Now, it's worth noting that Wilben himself was also a bit eccentric, but he wasn't focused on magitech. No, he gradually grew more and more obsessed with food. His focus was breads - it went bad quickly in the sub-city what with the damp conditions, so he experimented and came up with a mold-resistant bread. It sold like crazy on the streets of the sub-city, and that was the start of a storied career in cooking. Once he perfected his bread recipe, he expanded out - powdered breads, sweet breads, and other experiments. Baked goods and sweets - anything a pastry chef was expected to handle, he did flawlessly. One could call him a natural, a baking prodigy. He certainly calls himself that.
After a few years of scholarships, apprenticeships, traveling the continent for experience and working damn hard, Wilben opened his own bakery. Serving only the most perfect, gourmet baked goods, Le Paradis became insanely popular - and remains so to this day. Between the impressive magitech designed by the Felpips and used in the bakery to the delicious, heavenly foods sold there, Le Paradis became one of the most well known bakeries in the world. Once he earned his third michelin star in his late twenties (or Gnome equivalent), it was finally time to adopt a new surname in true Gnome fashion.
Nowadays Wilben has taken an apprentice of his own and focuses on developing new and exciting pastries and his upcoming wedding. Some of his staff brought the notice of the "Wild Hunt" to his attention, and as he's always on the look out for new ingredients to incorporate, he decided to join on. It will be his last adventure before he settles down to bring his family and Le Paradis to new heights.
𝕌tility
Skills:
Baking
Cooking in general
Blind taste test
Insulting people
Good stamina
Chess
Speed reading
Memorizing
Equipment:
Wilben has a whole host of magitech items along with the more mundane. His normal supplies includes all the ingredients needed for basic breads, changes of clothes, mana crystals, cooking pans and utensils, waterskins, and currency.
His magitech items include a small portable "cookbox" that functions as both a mini oven and hotplate, water purifier, pack carrying device and small bladed flying device that acts as a carrier pigeon.
𝕄iscellaneous
Favorite Foods: Bread, macarons, salads, pies (sweet or savory) Disliked Foods: Hard candies, gamey meats
General info about Gnomes:
Gnome Country
Creative title, huh? Gnome Country is, obviously, the homeland of the Gnome race, also called Gnomekind. It's sat right between the Spirit Wilds and the Middle Kingdoms, drawing in all kinds of visitors and equally enticing many Gnomes out of the country in either direction. One notable thing about the country is that all the roads and paths through it are constantly lit with devices called Spirit Lanterns, a type of magic item intended to give passing spirits a small source of mana to draw from as they travel further out from the Spirit Wild. That these devices glow and make pretty decent light sources is just a neat side-effect.
Gnome Country is a democratic land where laws and governors are voted on. Due to the populace's love of experimenting, discovery, and general fun it's worth noting that most laws beyond crime against individuals are pretty lax and not heavily enforced. As such, a lot of people fleeing persecution in other lands make their way to Gnome Country, and many scientists and magic practitioners call it home even if they aren't Gnomes.
Gnomingham
The capital of Gnome Country and the largest city in it, Gnomingham is an old, old settlement dating back to founding of Gnome Country. It sits more toward the Spirit Wild portion of the country, and is made up of two separate areas: the sub-city and high-city. Nicknames for these areas include simply "sub" and "high," while the official names for the sake of mail delivery are Gnomingham-Sub and Gnomingham-High.
The sub-city is much the same as it was when the capital was founded. It's a series of tunnels, gigantic roots and bulbs, and generally just buildings on and beneath the Earth. Although the sub-city is dimly lit, a bit moist, and smells of Earth, it isn't a place for the poor to live. Neither section of Gnomingham is separated by class, but by interest. In the sub-city, those whose tastes and professions work more with mana and magitech usually make their homes here. In addition to being closer to the Spirit Wilds, the sub-city is also closer to natural crystal deposits that absorb mana - another great source of it. The sub-city is also a place for older Gnomes to retire, as they get too old to climb and use the mana to rejuvenate themselves. This is also the place where crystalariums are built, producing many of the aetherium used to power magitech.
The high-city is an ever changing, living expanse. It's been growing since the city's founding, and as the mushrooms multiply or die off the city changes to accommodate. The high-city is where most tourism happens, and where most non-Gnomes live in Gnomingham. People that work with common products and construction are more likely to live above the ground, but that's not always the case. At the top of the city there's a Gnomish research group looking to invent a means of sky travel, for instance.
Most notable Gnome families originate from Gnomingham - including the Felpip family! The Felpip family has worked in magitech for generations and is one of the leading inventors of magitech among Gnomekind. They are less concerned with wealth and more with the actual crafting and conjuring itself. Most of their fame comes from selling blueprints and DIY magitech kits, or just simple things in general that anyone could use. More advanced magitech they sell is designed for institutions, etc.
Gnome Culture
Gnomes value personal freedoms quite a lot
All Gnomes can vote once they reach adulthood
There are no sex or gender bias among Gnomekind
A Gnome's full name consist of three names: Given, Family, and Chosen
Given names are recorded by parents, and the name they are most often called
The Family name is recorded between their Given and Chosen names
The Chosen name is one bestowed or picked by a Gnome after they find their passion
Ex. Wilben Given Felpip Family Oventamer Chosen
Gnomes are nosy and love learning and exploring, and can be found in nearly all societies
Gnome children are mostly left to run around as they please and get into anything they find interesting
They have a "borrowing" issue that sometimes gets them in trouble with other races
Occupation: Contract Spirit / Wannabee 'Cook' / Seeker of Romance
Repuation: "You know, That spirit of mine... she sure is a gem isn't she, always trying hard... you'd think otherwise when you look at her, too many people just judge her by her looks" ??? to her most beloved contractors, "That girl... that Cat... horrible... she's a sore sight to all of us, It just feels like she is just gonna turn everything to ice one day. I already distrust spirits but a spirit like her. it just looks like she will only bring trouble to all of us" - Everyone else
Affiliation: Spirit lands
Backstory: This Spirit had a history of being misunderstood by most people, maybe its the ice spirit aspect of her, perhaps its her beast-like appearance. as a spirit she always needed a contractor to stay in the world she grew to love, most wouldn't accept it, almost every single master that took her in either broke contract within a month or acted distant to her, never trying to learn who she was...
As years went by she was always desperate to find a partner she could call a friend. she could only remember 3, however, all of them had passed away in battle trying to foolishly protect her and her memories being told good or bad they were important to remember, her latest one being the only who actually called her something other than, 'Spirit' or 'you'
Today she is still looking for a new contractor... and time appears to be running out
𝕌tility
Skills: Candy making (despite her sensitivity to heat), Stir fried dishes, cooling things down, Navigating
Magic: Ice Manipulation, Advanced Ice Conjuration, Freezing, Cold Body Temperature (Side Effect)
Equipment: Old Broken Sword
𝕄iscellaneous
Favorite Foods: Candy, Cold food, Ice Cream, Fruits, Anything that has been cooled down, Mana, P-Peanut butter snacks, Rice dishes, Anything she makes Disliked Foods: Hot Food, Peanut butter snacks?, otherwise nothing
"You never know when you need an ice rifle, eh boss?" - 'Ice Spirit' talking about her favorite attack
@Rabidporcupine@stone Is Xin Lu based off of Ancient China? I'm planning a character who's the daughter of an imperial chef, if you're still accepting players.
Appearance Short for her age and pale-looking, but not neccessarily sickly. Almost always seen carrying a large bamboo basket on her back, with various tools inside.
𝔾et to 𝕂now 𝕐ou
Occupation: Cook/Researcher
Reputation:
Although not an official member of the imperial chefs, Shuyi has made quite a name for herself in the capital of Xin Lu:
To the arrogant ladies-of-the-court, she's a dumb girl who gets sick every other week but would run to the mountains the minute she's back up. Girls at her age and social standing should be looking for husbands, if not bearing children already. If must be her family's fault that she's not much of a lady. Even if they're imperial chef, in the end they're still just cooks that labour all day in the hot and smokey kitchens.
To the priests offering healing services, she's a frequent customer of their shrine. One of the priests felt so bad for her that he secretly taught her a spell that could cleanse a person of a minor poison. Even so, she still shows up once in a while with some type of ailment. Another priest secretly start a tally of the number of different ailments she's been under. Although the actual count has not been leaked, it's rumoured to be above two dozens.
To the residents of the villages near the capital, she's a well-like guest who never seemed to stay long enough. At first, she would stare at the crops and gathered foodstuff, and sometimes even peek at Granny making batches of pickles. It caused quite a stir with the villagers, but they let her be once they determined that she was not a harm. After a while, she began asking questions, and the villagers got to know her quite well. She loved to absorb their wisdom that's been passed on for generations, and would stop by whenever she was passing by.
To the imperial chefs, she is a talented legumes chef. Too bad she's more interested in discovering new foods and ways of cooking/preserving foods than devoting herself to the kitchen. If she hadn't put all her time and effort into studying plants, maybe she can actually make edible meat dishes. On the other hand, the apprentice chefs all avoid her like the plague for reasons only they know -- her experimental dishes require taste-tester. The dishes wouldn't cause food-poisoning anymore, but the taste... the taste... none of the apprentice chefs would say anymore.
To her massive extended family, she is both a blessing and a nightmare. The amount of talent she possesses would've paved her a nice path in the imperial kitchens, but her passion lies elsewhere. After mastering the basics from her family, she turned her attention to the wilderness and ways of the peasants. Although her research has brought a breath of fresh air into the rigid imperial ways, most can't be served outsided of the family due to safety concerns (as imperial chefs, they're not allowed to serve commonfolks, nor are they allowed to have connections with commercial kitchens). The most complaints comes from her servants: the constant nasty smells of her secret pickle experiments, the various dried or fresh plants lying around that makes cleaning a pain, and the frequent ailments that can take nasty turns.
Affiliation: Imperial kitchens of Xin Lu
Backstory:
Shuyi's family has been skilled members of the imperial kitchens for generations: from stock managers to just below the headchefs. It is even rumoured that one of her (indirect) ancestors was a master butcher who can carve up a cow without it noticing its own demise.
Despite being in the midst of lavish cuisines, her family values skills in working with the ingredients above the rarity of the ingredient. It taught that with proper handling, even weeds can have a place on the Emperor's table. Apparently she took the teaching quite literally and ended up neck-deep in researching the "blasphomous".
Over the years, she started a nice compilation of wild plant, their properties, and results of cooking attempts, as well as cooking/preservation techniques she collected from the farming village near the capital of Xin Lu. At this point, there wasn't much new stuff left in her area of activity. She has made several attempts to go on a journey, but out of concern for her health and safety, her parents have shot down every one of them.
When the Emperor gave word to his subjects in regards to the upcoming famine, Shuyi volunteered to venture out in hopes to find alternative food sources. Finally, a chance to explore new areas. Finally, an opportunity that her parents deny her of. Finally, she was hit with the realization that the world is a lot less safe than the small bubble she was used to. Finally, she felt powerless to do what she wanted. Luckily, the advert entered her sight before she became lost.
𝕌tility
Skills:
Harvesting, identifying/studying wild plants
Handling fruits and vegetables (including pairing with meats)
Making steamed, stirfried, and simmered foods
Fancy knifework
Magic: Simple healing magic (mostly used for food poisoning)
Equipment:
Harvesting tools: hand shovel, gardening scissors, gloves, hand rake, and a large bamboo basket
Cooking utenstils: pots, iron wok, steamer, chopsticks, knives and cleavers, ladel
Research tools: research journal and writing utensils, vials and cases with refrigeration magic, antitoxin
Appearance: Yuuris is thin and lanky, 5'11" with a slender but slightly athletic build. He has midnight hued hair that he keeps up in a long ponytail. He has some hair that frames his face, but it's usually dirty and dingy since he doesn't take much care of himself. His skin is pale, and littered with scars from the many fights he's been in. He has dull grey eyes that are lined with bags from sleepless nights. Typically his demeanor is aloof and standoffish, which often shows on his face.
𝔾et to 𝕂now 𝕐ou
Occupation: Mercenary
Repuation: For the general public, and those who have good ears, Yuuris is...not very well liked. He has a very strange air about him, a cold wind and stare that shoots down most people's attempt at conversation. He's known as a merciless stonehearted mercenary, who gets the job almost no matter what. He is seen as silent, as dangerous, and no one really wants to get close to him because of it. Word travels fast when he's in town, and in some places he has been refused service due to the cold bitterness about him.
However, to those who actually do try to get close to him, and succeed, can say he's loyal, and despite his cold stubborn nature....surprisingly soft. He'll go out of his way to help, though he doesn't like it to be known and will often brush things off. He's sarcastic, blunt, but once the ice and stone around him is broken, it's a teasing sort of sarcasm. A few people say he's damaged goods, but a good person underneath the chill that surrounds him.
Affiliation: A small village or town between Xin Lu, the Middle Kingdoms, and the western side of the continent is where he's born, but he holds no affiliation to any one place.
Backstory: Yuuris' birthplace is a small town called Luteris that was nestled near the blurred territory lines of the two main areas of the continent. To the northeast was the large country of Xin Lu, and it's cultural influences were heavy in the town, as it was a main path that trade caravans went through. To the south was the Middle Kingdoms. The Middle Kingdoms claimed the town as their own, and often times....factions fought over it for the trade route that Luteris held.
Yuuris was born to simple parents, though he no longer remembers their names. He was a part of a small merchant family, and for the most part he had an uneventful childhood. He was a rebellious little one, and always energetic. He had a foul mouth at times, but he strove to protect the younger kids.
This all changed when two factions of the Middle Kingdom decided to fight over Luteris' trade routes again. The resulting battle was bloody and unexpected, as neither faction warned the unsuspecting town. People fled in terror as projectiles flew and destruction reigned. By the time the fighting had subsided, most of the residents had either been killed, captured, or had escaped.
A blacksmith by the name of Fredrick happened to pass through the trade route shortly after the battle had ended, and found the young Yuuris sitting infront of a destroyed house, clutching a black scarf in his little hands as he stared at the rubble. It didn't take much for Fredrick to understand what had happened, and he scooped the child up, taking him away from the destruction.
Fredrick decided to raise the boy, trying to steer him towards his own profession; blacksmithing, while also trying to heal the trauma that the boy had gone through....but both were a lost cause. Yuuris showed no talent for blacksmithing, though he could memorize the basics. As for his mental state, Fredrick wasn't sure what the boy had seen...but it wasn't good that much was certain. The man had also never known Yuuris before this event, so he could only assume that the boy's quiet and reserved cold indifference to the world was natural.
Instead of blacksmithing, Yuuris seemed to gravitate towards the blades themselves. He'd seen fighting, he'd seen bloodshed at such a young age, and that was what stuck with him. it wasn't a lust for revenge, or a want to kill....but a much more basic need that Yuuris took up a sword at a young age, shortly after his life was ripped apart. It was the need to survive. With a sword, Yuuris could make it, he could defend himself, and others.....save them when he'd been unable to do so. Fredrick understood this, even without Yuuris having to tell him; it was a natural reaction in the older man's eyes. And as it turned out, Yuuris had a definite skill for swordplay. Yuuris trained day in and day out, lost himself in training, pushing everything and everyone away.
Once he felt comfortable enough, and was old enough, Yuuris set out from under Fredrick's care and slowly started making a name for himself. Unfortunately it was the wrong name. His fear of getting too close to people made him cold and distant. The distance made him even more broken and blunt, which turned people away from him. He was good at his job, and able to compartmentalize to the point where he could do just about any job. A mercenary for hire fit him perfectly.
𝕌tility
Skills: Swordplay, simple blacksmithing, weapon care, good memory when it comes to learning things but not so much remembering faces, agility, thinking on his feet. Once he starts opening up, he finds he has a talent in stringed instruments.
Magic: none
Equipment: Yuuris uses a magitec sword that has interchangable canisters, allowing him to add different elemental attributes to his blade such as fire and lightning. He calls this blade 'Nihosh' and he cares for this blade far more than anything else currently.
𝕄iscellaneous
Favorite Foods: Sweets when he can taste again
Disliked Foods: He doesn't particularly like overly spicy foods but he doesn't outright dislike food in general.
Repuation: Tinker imps are known to be little curious thieves that thrive at night.. Tinkers don't see taking what they want as a bad thing, though they do recognize that other creatures don't like their stuff stolen. Male tinkers will sometimes make fun of the creature they steal from, though sometimes this act of teasing can lead to their own injury or even death. Generally, contracted tinkers are harmless but a nuisance, and is a common joke when someone loses something to blame a tinker for running off with it. Forest tinker imps share most qualities with other tinker imps, though are usually covered in fur and can actually be quite vicious if provoked due to the more predator heavy environment, and has rarely ever been seen to make a contract due to their somewhat hostile nature. They are more beast-like than their human-looking counterparts, and can change their size for a limited time from their natural size that would fit in your palm to nearly three feet tall to fend off or intimidate larger creatures. More study is needed on this exotic sub-species, but many researchers return from their expeditions early due to injuries resulting from getting to close to the little forest tinkers. A tinker can always be lured by a specific fruit depending on its region. Researches had found leftovers of peaches, such as the pits, in the forest close to where a tinker may reside and have had much success staving off angry forest tinkers by dropping peaches as they runaway. Researchers are wary of getting too close to these territorial variants of tinkers, as they have occasionally seen a forest tinker defend itself or younger tinkers by burrowing into a predator monster and proceed to kill it from the inside out. One thing to note, however, is that no researcher has been fatally wounded by a tinker, as if not to hurt another sapient that isnt attacking it, but to chase it off. They are an oddity among spirits as despite not needing to eat, they still crave food which replicates hunger. They can replenish mana through absorbing the innate mana in what they eat, often needing to eat several times more than their own bodyweight to keep them stable should they venture out of the forests. The food seems to quickly disintegrate into pure low yield mana not strong enough to power abilities but enough to live on.
- Excerpt from the famous Merryfeather's Encyclopedia of Humanoid Spirits
Affiliation: Eshima
Backstory: Was almost caught stealing from Eshima on one of her travels through the spirit forests, however, Eshima was able to track her down to her hiding hole inside a large tree, where she would find an enormous collection of gadgets both primitive and complex depending on where it was sourced. Luckily Eshima was able to bribe the little imp with some peaches long enough to learn how to speak with her and then strike a deal. If she came with Eshima, she would be allowed to tinker as much as she wanted without care or worry of harm coming to her, with a bonus of as many peaches as the tinker could stuff herself with. To Kumokitchi, this meant that she could take things and craft with them without any fear of retaliation, and free peaches, meaning that there could be no possible downside! It took over a week for Eshima to strike this deal, however, but ever since, Kumokitchi has stayed with Eshima as a loyal partner, though she does not like being refereed to as a 'pet' since she has learned what the word means.
𝕌tility
Skills: -Proportionate size growth up to three feet tall, the larger the more energy required, meaning the less time she can sustain it. -Silk web production from palms.
Magic: -Fire elemental magic, able to reach extreme temperatures when concentrated, able to withstand and even function in these intense temperatures without a problem. -Fire enchantment, can imbue itself or things it it touches to pass a fire enchantment to an object, it can control the temperature of said object.
Equipment: -variety of small tools powered with aetherium -sharp triangular teeth -retractable claws on hands and feet -HIGHLY receptive ears with long inner fur that help pick up more vibrations -nodes on head that allow precise navigation in total darkness -tiny hand drum
𝕄iscellaneous
Favorite Foods: PEACHES Kumokitchi thinks other fruit is good but pale in comparison to the almighty peach.
Disliked Foods: Anything bitter, sour, and most vegetables. High carnivorous diet despite love of fruit.
Guess it's going pretty fine. The weather is a bot hot on my end so trying to avoid that. I am working on a little bit of something. Sorry for slow replies, but that's because working on a character sheet a bit
