Gastronomy: The Art and Science of Food

[Fletcher]

Dorian complimented Salamander on his work with the oven and the dragon once again brimmed with pride in its actions. That said, with what was left to do, there was no point starting any more cooking experiments until he got back, in fact, it was probably better if they had a space partitioned off so they could give it a short without interruption from people coming in early to beat the dinner rush. The shaman grabbed a broom saying that he’d get to cleaning and Fletcher took that as his cue to leave, nodding to Salamander before making their way out.
As far as Fletcher was concerned, he now had a time limit now that he was free from Dorian’s kitchen. That said, he was eager to return, but he needed to get out in order to start finding these components he was missing. As for where to go, it was a simple matter of heading out to St Pancras and sifting through all the junk Warren had for sale. The main issue was going to be a big metal box to serve as the oven itself. As crude as it sounded, there wasn’t anything that immediately came to mind as something that would be appropriate. Wooden boxes were plentiful, and making a lid for them wouldn’t be so hard if he was a woodworker, but it needed to be metal. After seeing how Bailin’s portable stove worked, calling it back into the inventory seemed to be the easiest way to carry this thing around, but the impression would be that once deployed it would stay as such. At least, it would if Dorian had his own kitchen.

Leaving the Log Inn and heading down to St Pancras would take only a couple of minutes. With everything close together, it meant that while it towns you didn’t have to worry about walking for hours to get anywhere special. The market was in a nice central location as well, although that was possibly deemed necessary for convenience. Upon entering the marketplace Fletcher realised that this thing he needed didn’t necessarily need to be metal, but it could be made of brick. It’d have to be well made to even be considered an alternative to a decent wood oven, but at least the possibilities were opening up the more he thought about it. Wandering down the street he started to get a few more ideas for inventions, not all of which relating to the oven. It was the downside of having a world of possibilities there for him to explore, but he had to be resolute in what he was doing for Dorian.

Salamander was on the lookout for things they could use as well. Not that it really knew how the dwarf worked with machinery, but it did know fire. Jumping up and down on the perch it had been given, it started gesturing wildly to a couple of stands using braziers for warmth; the downside of the station was that it could sometimes get dreadfully cold from the underground tunnels branching off from some of the less used parts of the building. One stall in particular had a miniature fireplace rather than a brazier and Fletcher stared, frowning. What was it that he was after? The fireplace before him seemed to fit the bill quite nicely; it wasn’t one of the older ones that was inbuilt into the wall of some of the older buildings from home, but a newer style that stood on a metal frame, had a door with a heat-treated glass in the door, and a chimney extending off the top to let the smoke escape from the fire burning inside. It was basically what he was after in terms of a rough shape, but he still needed to find not only one for sale but one with enough out of it that it’d be cheap; fireplaces weren’t normally cheap.

Warren’s place was an unassuming store sitting on one of the outer walls to the market with the entrance on the inside. The windows were dusty, the sign seemed to always be half flipped to say open but it was so covered in dust that it was barely legible as it was. Stepping inside, Fletcher found the door stuck and shoved it to get it fully open so he could step inside. The bell above the door jingled and the storekeeper stepped out from the back, flashing the regular customer a smile. “Well hey there, Fletcher. What do you need today?” Fletcher said nothing and wandered over to where some of the bigger pieces of junk sat, including an assortment of parts for building trains that seemed to be very popular with customers these days. It was old, it was missing the glass, but it was usable; the cast iron chamber of a fireplace Fletcher rolled it around on the floor, checking it for rust spots and other things that could harm the heatproof integrity of the chamber. Salamander dismounted and tapped spots that may have been a problem, giving Fletcher the mental queue to remember that for when they constructed it, but overall the dragon seemed satisfied with the metal container and it’s suitability for the project. “Should I just add it to your tab, Fletcher?” The older dwarf nodded, storing the piece into his inventory. Warren nodded and made a note of it in his notepad, saying he’ll see him later for drinks at the Log Inn and waved Fletcher off.

The other things that they needed were Fire Source Spheres, which Fletcher already had a solution for. He’d prepared for something like this by buying up a bunch of glass buoys that seemed to fit nicely in the hand and be receptive to mana being put in them. Which was fine by Fletcher and stuck one into Salamander’s open maw. The dragon was confused at first but realised what the dwarf wanted done and started channelling mana into it while they walked back. This was done a few times, until they came to the Log Inn. Salamander spat out the ninth sphere before Fletcher didn’t give him another buoy to empower before they stepped inside. It had gotten busier, but the spot where they had been working before seemed mostly clear, he’d just have to transpose his workspace across just a little bit to make sure he had enough room to assemble it.

Fletcher pulled out the husk of the oven and set it down, pulling up his sleeves and pulling down his goggles, setting the parts down on the floor. He would have to get someone to make him some proper tools for this, while all the tools he was currently borrowing belonged to other people or were just primitive versions of the right thing. He retrieved the spool of Reinforced Wire and the IO Regulator from the bar, setting them to the side while he had a look at the interior. It’d do for a prototype, he’d need a proper blacksmith if he was going to get a lot of these made, but he’d talk to Bailin about outsourcing the parts. Salamander sat on the inside of the oven while Fletcher placed and attached the Fire Source Spheres in place, getting them as even as he could arranged in a three by three square on the bottom of the shell. Once in place, next was to hook them up to the circuit with Reinforced Wire; another simple task so long as he didn’t cross the wires over in the wrong way unintentionally. Attacked to the wire went the valve which he had sitting on the outside. There were holes where some kind of decoration was mounted, and the wire could be threaded through that; not ideal placement, but it would do. Next up, he had to repair the missing glass in the door. To stop it from overheating, the best thing to use would be stabilised mana, stretching it as a panel to inhibit the mana from escaping the inside of the oven. With all the mana floating around on the inside, it was possible that the added effect of using this oven would be a bonus effect to things made in it. One could only dream though. Next up was running a filament around the oven to be the source of heat from the source spheres, but that was just more wire wrapped and attached to the inside of the oven, coiling around the cooking space.

Valve, check. Heat source, check. Glass, check. There was a rack in which firewood was placed on already sitting on the inside, so that was something to rest things on. It’d probably need something more sophisticated, but for now that would work. ”Salamander, go find Dorian and get him to test this out.” The dwarf lifted his goggles and took off his Alchemist’s Gloves, sitting back with a sigh. ”This should work, but only time will tell, I guess. Should at the very least be a decent place to start, though.”

Word Count: 1506
Total Word Count: 6965 (x1.25 Mentor Bonus)
@serenityspace

Gold Used (Total): 55
Items Used (Total): Stable Mana Fragment x1, Reinforced Wire x1, Mana Fragment x20
Items Claiming (Total): Mana Fragment x22, IO Regulator x1, Fire Source Sphere x9
Currently Making: N/A [100% Complete]

[Deleted]

During the span of time that Fletcher remained out, searching for his components, Dorian had been busy at work cleaning up the kitchen. After having swept up the remnants of his works from earlier from the floor, he began working on the counter tops, rushing over the shiny surfaces with a damp cloth to get rid of excess flour and any spillages he had made during the mixing process. Putting his back into it, he managed to scrape down any bits that had hardened and stuck to the counter, eventually getting all of the gunk off. When Fletcher had arrived back into the Log Inn, Dorian had just finished doing a last minute re-sweep of the kitchen floors. Hearing the door gently open with a thump, he turned to spot the familiar lizard creature appear, no doubt signalling him that the summoner had returned. Propping the broom up against the nearest empty space on the wall, and swiftly dusting himself off, he returned to the main area of the tavern, spying the contraption Fletcher had crafted.

"Amazing! It looks like it could do some seriously cool mojo," Dorian exclaimed, his eyes wide as usual, taking up most of the space on his face as he moved forward towards the dwarf and his invention, inspecting it from head to toe with careful precision. "Definitely a good place to start, look at this gorgeous thing! Don't worry, I've got just the recipe to test with it, come and bring it into the kitchen, this won't take long." Gently patting the top of the metal box, the Shaman gave a nod before darting into the kitchen to prepare. While the summoner toiled at moving the oven into the room, Dorian grabbed a now clean bowl, filling it with a selection of tomatoes until the bowl was up to three-quarters full. Rolling up his sleeves - which were already past his elbows, so didn't really require rolling - and plunging his hands into the bowl, Dorian began using his fingers and palms to purée the tomatoes into a chunky sauce-like substance, while also getting a therapeutic experience from the mashing of such squishy ingredients.

Setting aside the tomato purée and taking another bowl out of the cupboard after washing his hands and arms, Dorian snagged a bottle of olive oil, pouring a considerable amount of it into the bottom of the bowl. Adding in a chunk of butter, he let the oil eat at the fatty block whilst he grabbed a few bits of garlic, using a knife to chop them into very small chunks. Adding the garlic into the oil, he set up a metal bowl on the floor of the kitchen and, igniting a few logs from the wood oven inside, placed the bowl of oil mixture atop it and let the three ingredients cook together, slowly coalescing into a single substance. Grabbing a few selections of spices, Dorian decided to go with a couple, sprinkling in oregano and red pepper flakes; watching closely, he noted the swirl and motion as the heated oil mixed the herbs together into the entire concoction, the Shaman beginning to feel rather like a witch with his metal bucket bubbling in the centre of the room. Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble. Rolling his eyes at the Shikigami's terrible humour, Dorian continued with the recipe

Letting the entire mixture cook for a minute or so, he quickly took a hold of the bowl of tomato mush, pouring it into the coalesced oil and herbs to mix and cool together, halting the cooking of the entire thing. With a wooden spoon handy, he began stirring the newly made mixture of tomatoes and co. adding in a few pinches of basil for added flavour. As he let the mixture simmer, he moved back up to the countertop, grabbing some carrots and onion to add sweetness to the sauce, chopping up the two ingredients into sizeable chunks, and then carrying them over to slide them into the bowl. Letting it melt a bit longer, he finally put on his oven mitts, turning to give Fletcher a nod as he hoisted the bowl out of the burning metal buck and carried it over to the newly crafted oven. Gently opening the door with his light feetwork - thank you Dancer - and swinging it out wide, the Shaman deftly and carefully lowered the bowl onto the shelf that had been place inside, adding a metal lid on top, but only covering a majority of the bowl, to allow air and evaporation.

"Now... If I'm reading these correctly..." Muttering under his breath as he closed the door of the oven, he moved his hand to the dial to adjust the heat, putting it to a relatively low temperature, as ovens go, around 150 degress Celsius (if a contraption like this could be measured at all). Stepping back, he beckoned the dwarf to watch with him as the oven whirred to life, heating up the tomato sauce inside. It was a good two hours later, after many pacings around the room, waiting impatiently for the end result, that the heavenly smell of the tomato sauce was too empowering to keep contained. Putting his mittens back on, Dorian swiftly turned off the machine, opening the door wide and grasping at the incredibly hot bowl, pulling it out with a gentle yank and hoisting it up onto the countertop. With a wave of his hand, he removed the metal lid, reeling back as the sweet smell of the tomato, carrots, onion, and assortment of herbs filled his nostrils, the flavours themselves flowing through into the entire tavern.

The sauce was ready to be used as it needed to be, though despite it's delicious look and even better smell, Dorian was unsure what kind of interior effects were swirling around inside of it. The amount of mana contained inside the metal box was enough to draw any number of buffs or debuffs from the sauce, and the only way to know for sure was to dig in. "So, what do you think, sir Fletcher? Shall we call this one a victory?" He slipped off the oven mitts from his hands, slapping them down triumphantly on the counter beside the sauce to turn to the dwarf with a beaming grin plastered across his cheeks.

---

Notes: N/A
Words: 1053
Tags: Fletcher

SPOILER: Click to show

{Crafting}
Sauce (Level 1)
Materials Required: Material Fee (5)
Posts Required: 1
Requirement: Level 1 Chef
Researched by Chef Caerbannog. The result of mixing food ingredients together with one base ingredient, a seasoning and an additional ingredient or seasoning. Craftable by any player even those who are not Chefs, and some may not require actual cooking. This adds some flavor to other food items, even to Unfounded Food, however the taste is highly dependent on materials used. The character that crafts this item may rewrite its name and description.

[Fletcher]

Salamander ducked off to the kitchen in search of the shaman. Soon enough after an amount of babbling and gesturing Salamanader had Dorian in tow to where Fletcher had the oven set up. Fletcher brimmed with pride at how well his invention was so well received by the chef. There was no telling just how it would go given that it was the first iteration, and already there were a few things he’d like to change and improve upon, but that could wait until after the shaman had had a play with it. The first thing he’d like to actually like to change was the valve to be more precise and give the operator more control over the heat rather than dial it up by eye. The second thing he’d like to try would be to install ice element spheres to the base and see if he could have a device that did both hot and cold in case you wanted to rapidly chill something, like perhaps ice cream? Fletcher scratched his chin in thought, excited to see where he could take this.

Dorian commented about knowing how to try it out and ducked into the kitchen, motioning him to follow and bring the oven with him. Fletcher looked to Salamander, and briefly around to see how many curious onlookers they had. Salamander came to rest on its perch and eyed the other patrons of the inn, just in case any of them tried to take the oven away. Not that anyone would do that, but the little dragon didn’t quite care for people to take away something that his master had worked hard to create, even if it did look a little rudimentary and incomplete. Either way, Fletcher began to shift the oven into the kitchen, finding that he was making little progress; while yes, it’d have been much better if he’d taken something more physically strong as a class, he was stuck with solving this problem as a summoner. That’d be the only solution if he hadn’t just remembered that dematerialising it down into his inventory to redeploy in the kitchen was so much easier.

By the time that Fletcher had made his way into the kitchen, his nose was assaulted by the smell of freshly squeezed tomatoes, bringing him back to living in the country where fresh produce was quite literally one’s bread and butter for meals. The kid was in the zone, and hadn’t noticed that the dwarf had come into the kitchen, so leaving him to his own devices he set up the oven off to the side, making sure everything was in place before stepping back. The ‘glass’ would need to be reinforced again after this, but if it all worked out well enough then he’d invest the time into perfecting it for Dorian to keep as his own. He looked to Dorian, who looked back and nodded, heaving a hot metal bowl and bringing it to the newly crafted oven. He put it inside and fiddled with the dial until he was satisfied before watching the machine do its quite literal magic. The pair of them watched on, curious and intent to the magical happenings in the chamber before them, both curious albeit for different reasons for the outcome of this dish.

Dorian removed the pot from the oven and moved it to the countertop. Now while the chef did what he needed to, Fletcher took a look inside the oven, careful not to singe his whiskers from the heat. There were faults that needed to be fixed already, things that were breaking down from where his calculations on where the wiring should go were off slightly. Turns out that ovens weren’t as easy to rig up as a battery and a lightbulb, although he’d come close. The smell of rich tomatoes and herbs wafted through the room and out to the tavern floor, bringing Fletcher back from his thoughts on the failings of his machine. It worked, and he couldn’t argue that fact, it was just far from being a completed work. Dorian was pleased with his result, as apparent from the huge grin on his face. Fletcher though was frowning and deep in thought, looking at the oven. ”I think so. For now, I’ll need to make some more adjustments to see if I can stop the thing from degrading so fast, but I’m satisfied if you are. Well done.” He turned to the kid and gave him a warm smile.

Word Count: 750
Total Word Count: 7715 (x1.25 Mentor Bonus)
@serenityspace

-AP CLAIMED-

Gold Used (Total): 55
Items Used (Total): Stable Mana Fragment x1, Reinforced Wire x1, Mana Fragment x18
Items Claiming (Total): Mana Fragment x24, IO Regulator x1, Fire Source Sphere x9
Currently Making: N/A [100% Complete]

[Deleted]

It wasn't long before the sauce attracted the dinner crowd, the heavy, rich tomato flavour filling the tavern and drawing in many a group of people, some of whom had already journeyed here for dinner. Gently shifting the pot to the side, he left the sauce behind for Log Inn to use for it's meals tonight, hoping that would cover most of the repayment to the owner for using his kitchen. Patting the pot of sauce with his hand, he gave it a soft smile, happy that he had the chance to make something so empowering. Shaking his head, he quickly left his reverie to address Fletcher, who had seemingly been inspecting the somewhat degraded oven that he had created. Shifting over to kneel down in front of it, Dorian looked around on the inside of the contraption, giving off a gentle hum as he contemplated it's worried state. Despite the fact he was no Alchemist, he could see clearly that the machine had been damaged in a few places, especially in terms of the wires. Without proper care, their work was currently a one use item.

"Hmmm, it would seem that some more adjustments would be beneficial, yes." He gave the top of the metal box a gentle pat, nodding his agreement before standing back up to face Fletcher with a grin. "Despite the setback, we know it works; sure, it may only work once, but hey, that's still something, right?" He flattened out his attire, dusting off the remnants of cooking that had caught onto his cloth armour. "I'm sure we'll have this bad boy up and running in no time," Dorian finished, looking down at the oven with a hopeful glance. If they could get this to work, it would mean a lot more efficiency in cooking, which meant higher quality food; of course, he'd need to gather some more levels first, but all of that would come in due time.

Releasing a soft sigh of content, the Shaman smiled, before turning to the rest of the kitchen. "Although, I could use a drink before we get back to work. What do you say?" Moving forward to pat the dwarf on the shoulder, he gave him another quiet nod before moving to the kitchen door, pushing on it and holding it open for the summoner. Gesturing with his free hand, he looked out into the now busy tavern, hoping the ruckus wouldn't impede on their future progress with the machine.

---

Notes: N/A
Words: 414
Tags: Fletcher

[Fletcher]

Was it only working once something? It seemed awfully inconvenient to make something this large and cumbersome, especially with the costs that went into making it, for it to only operate after one use. While no doubt the end product would be of a higher quality than the wood oven, it meant nothing if you were say, preparing a banquet. For an establishment such as this, where the goal was good yet cheaper food, especially at least thrice daily, a device such as this in its current state wouldn’t cut it. Dorian’s enthusiasm and morale was refreshing, although the kid didn’t seem to understand the gravity this put on him as the alchemist. If he couldn’t fix it, it’d always be that failure that would haunt him, especially with the crowd building from what Dorian had made in it, there’d be talks as to what it was that the dwarf was assembling before the kitchen became a paradise of tomato aromas.

Dorian suggested a drink and Fletcher cursed internally; knowing full well that he was running out of time to fix this error. But nothing came, no inspiration, no sudden and quick fix that would allow him to just have this ready to go again. Salamander looked up at Fletcher eagerly, sensing his master’s frustration, the dragon put a clawed on the dwarf’s knee, stirring softly in reassurance. With a heavy sigh, Fletcher closed up the door to the oven to keep things tidy before standing up, Salamander unsure if it had permission to tag along and remained on the floor. ”Well ain’t that annoying. Ah well, a drink sounds like a fine idea though. First round’s on me, kid.” Fletcher scratched the back of his head, still visibly bothered by the oven although little else as a giveaway as to what’s wrong. Taking the cue from the shaman that the tavern awaited to get their drink on, Fletcher wandered over to the door, stepping through into the busy floor on the other side of the kitchen. Salamander scurried quickly behind, pausing at Dorian’s feet to look up at the chef with a concerned look before chasing after Fletcher, not saying another word.

Word Count: 363
Total Word Count: 363 (x1.25 Mentor Bonus)
@serenityspace

Gold Used (Total): 55
Items Used (Total): Stable Mana Fragment x1, Reinforced Wire x1, Mana Fragment x18
Items Claiming (Total): Mana Fragment x26, IO Regulator x1, Fire Source Sphere x9
Currently Making: N/A [100% Complete]

[Deleted]

"Don't worry, we'll solve this problem," Dorian voiced reassuringly, watching and waiting as Fletcher moved past him, keeping the door open with his arm. He dipped his head down slowly, noticing Salamander stop to glance up at him with concern, the Shaman gently nodding his head to reassure the creature as well. With that, he followed the two of them out the kitchen and into the tavern, the noise of the hustle and bustle quickly hitting his eardrums. With the dinner crowd arriving - and then some, thanks to the rich smell of tomato sauce - the room was fit to burst with people, various different conversations going at different volumes and pitch. The air was stagnant with not only heavy flavours, but the joyful aura of an eager and hungry collection of all walks of life. This was the beauty of an inn, or a bar, or a tavern; everyone had a stake in the comings and goings, and everyone had something to share.

The Shaman was always fond of stories, picking up one's he had gained on his own and gladly sharing them with others he would meet along his travels. Secondhand stories were always lacklustre, but a good teller knew how to spin it into something exciting. The true joy of storytelling was sharing adventures with the people who never managed to make it in time. Legends and tales are what create a culture, define a nation, and sometimes even win wars. Blinking softly, Dorian was brought back to reality as he noticed the thankfully empty pair of seats by the bar. Following Fletcher, the Shaman gently shifted himself up onto one of the stools, shuffling around to get comfortable before tapping the counter, letting the bartender know that he was waiting to be served. Turning to watch as the summoner would climb into his own seat, he gave him a soft smile, still trying to keep his spirits up as he patted his shoulder comfortingly. "You'll think of something, sir Fletcher; and I'll be here to guide you along as you need me to."

---

Notes: N/A
Words: 346
Tags: Fletcher

[Fletcher]

The reassurance was a nice touch, but there was little faith that the chef could actually help with what the problem with. Morale was going to go a long way in helping Fletcher overcome the daunting nature of his first proper revolution, but in the end the actual rigging of Magitech fell to him. The smell of tomatoes hung in the air, tempering the appetite of the crowd already forming for dinner. There’s no doubt that the added popularity from the smells and wonderful inventions that people would be talking about over dinner tonight would be more than enough payment to offset the inconvenience of a half-finished oven sitting in the kitchen, in addition to ingredients used to the owner of the inn. That said, they weren’t done, and it was still early in the evening; they had time to be able to finish off the oven if they hit some inspiration and then proceeded to get lucky with the machine.

Dorian picked out their seats at the par, leaving the dwarf to take a seat next to him, relatively close to where he was sitting before. The remnants of the jelly had been cleaned up, leaving the bar relatively spotless. Perhaps that was something that Dorian himself had seen to whilst he was out, but it was hard to say. The Shaman motioned to being ready for service and turned to the dwarf with more reassuring words. It was welcome even if it didn’t appear so. Fletcher had his hands clasped together, resting over his mouth with a frown, fervently still thinking about a solution to his problem. Salamander flew up to the bar and hovered just above it, looking between the two before settling down between them, still unsure of how to handle the situation. He’d seen Fletcher like this before, back when they met on the Sarum Frontier when he was tested by his predecessor. There was a big build up in his eyes to what only amounted to something so simple. The look Fletcher had was one of fierce focus and problemsolving, or at least that’s how Salamander had come to know it. ”Master!” The dragon spoke with a squeak furrowing before continuing. ”Master, if you bested Salamander Prime, you can best your metal box of fire!” Salamander was getting fired up, boisterously chattering away to Fletcher.

The dwarf sighed, looking around for the bartender before turning to Dorian with a tired look. ”It’s just infuriating.” Fletcher cracked his knuckles and shifted in his seat to get comfortable. ”The main issue is stopping everything from burning out after one use. There’s no point in having a device that operates as it currently does, especially with how much money and resources it takes to make. It’s probably for the best we’re out of the way for now as well, the dinner rush is going to make the kitchen a madhouse, working on Magitech in that kind of state will only get in other people’s way.”

Word Count: 498
Total Word Count: 861 (x1.25 Mentor Bonus)
@serenityspace

Gold Used (Total): 55
Items Used (Total): Stable Mana Fragment x1, Reinforced Wire x1, Mana Fragment x18
Items Claiming (Total): Mana Fragment x28, IO Regulator x1, Fire Source Sphere x9
Currently Making: N/A [100% Complete]

[Deleted]

As the bartender slowly made his way down the line of eager customers, Dorian kept his attention on Fletcher, the sorrowed dwarf troubling him as Fletcher would furrow himself into contemplation and irritation. The Shaman was ill-practiced with the arts of machinery, but he knew frustration when he saw it; he just wished there was some idea he could come up with to make the sadness disappear. One thing he hated was seeing his friends without happiness, as it usually meant he wasn't doing his job well enough. He always prided himself in being there for people, no matter who they were; everyone deserved to be happy, and sometimes it just needed one person to make that happen. In this new world, happiness was more important than ever, and friendship even more so; without close ties to others, one could get lost in the madness of the world... Become twisted and aggressive to anything that came across their path. Dorian couldn't stand that; he had to try and help as many people as he could, keep them from breaking into insanity.

Watching the Salamander communicate fervently with it's master, the Shaman felt a soft smile curl across his features. Perhaps the Summoner merely needed to be reminded of the followers he had gathered, the friends he had to guide and care for him wherever he went; such was the beauty of the Summoner class. Those who didn't abuse the system, would find fast allies in every walk of their life. Even Dorian had Skrowe - despite the nagging irritation the chibi scarecrow often caused - and couldn't imagine being without him, but of course, he was a Shikigami; in his very essence he was tied to Dorian. But the message was still there, a close companion, always willing to appear. "Yes, the dinner crowd should be gone eventually; we just have to be patient and throw ideas around. After all, there must be some way of halting the heat inside and keeping it contained to avoid burning out the rest of the oven."

A small spark of an idea ignited in the Shaman's brain as he turned to the Salamander, the eager assistant who seemed always willing to help. Dorian thought for a moment, before gently tapping on the Summoner's shoulder. "Sir Fletcher... Ask Salamander if their is any sort of trick he has for avoiding being burnt out by his own flames. Perhaps there is more to it than just his natural resistance to the element." Though it was a long shot at best, at this point the Shaman was willing to try out any avenue of information. After all, the Salamander was a masterful user of the fire element, and more knowledge never hurt anyone. It was worth at least a try.

---

Notes: N/A
Words: 462
Tags: Fletcher

[Fletcher]

The trouble with the oven was the flow of the mana in the oven from what he could tell upon thinking on what the main issues would be. Essentially, everything was operating well enough, but there was just too much coursing through the system. He could remove some of the Fire Source Spheres to reduce the overall heat exerted, which would be worth a try, but there’d be less spectrum for you to be able to adjust the heat. Was that so bad? It wasn’t as if you were trying to heat metals accurately, but then again putting something in too high could end up burnt all the same. He wasn’t a metallurgist nor was he a culinarian, but he figured one had to be more temperamental than the other as a material to work with when it came to heat.

Salamander didn’t have any problems with heat, although his level had stunted his growth and left him juvenile until he could tap into some proper fire in order to call out his truer form. For now, this is what he had to work with, and if he was a chef he’d just get a metal box and tell Salamander to do most of the work. For those that weren’t summoners or didn’t have the pact with Salamander, they’d need something they could use just as well. More Reinforced wire? Maybe, spreading the current out across multiple strands of wire could stop it from burning out. Less Source Spheres? It posed the risk of not being as controlled a temperature as a chef may need it. What about installing more IO Regulators? Possible, although it’d make adjusting the temperature an art form in of itself and would require some extensive training unless it was rigged up in a very particular way; a way that he wasn’t sure he was capable of doing. While he was thinking of his options, a touch on his shoulder roused him back to what was happening before him.

Dorian suggested talking to Salamander about it, and the dragon looked up at his master expectantly, waiting for a translation for what the Shaman had said relating to Salamander. Turned out that was the only common word between the two languages. Fletcher relayed what Dorian had said and Salamander had to think about the question, seemingly baffled by the question before it started chittering softly in oddspeak to itself, trying to work something out before directing its attention to Fletcher and speaking in the tongue of the servants. ”I am fire, master. It can’t burn me so long as I am it. Although I was told that I have to follow the same rules, I need food to grow and maintain, I need to breathe, and rest every once in a while.” Salamander wasn’t sure if that would help, but Fletcher was back to thinking about what that all meant.

”Salamander’s an incarnation of fire. It’s no different than the heat inside the oven, or the wood oven, or a brushfire in the forest. At least that’s what he says.” Fletcher scratched his beard before continuing. ”There are a few things we could try, however. We could take out some of the source spheres so the temperature range wasn’t as wide, and reinforce the whole thing with even more wire, and see if the mana burns out the circuitry this time. I’ll need to reinforce the glass window though, the last experiment seemed to trash the integrity of the mana inside our fake glass.”

Word Count: 587
Total Word Count: 1448 (x1.25 Mentor Bonus)
@serenityspace

Gold Used (Total): 55
Items Used (Total): Stable Mana Fragment x1, Reinforced Wire x1, Mana Fragment x18, IO Regulator, Fire Source Sphere x9
Items Claiming (Total): Mana Fragment x30, IO Regulator x1, Fire Source Sphere x9
Currently Making: N/A [100% Complete]

[Deleted]

An incarnation of fire, Fletcher had relayed, causing the Shaman to softly wince as he realised his idiocy. Salamanders were born to the flame, their very essence or DNA or whatever the biologists would call it, that is what protected the red scaled lizard from it's own abilities with the element. There had to be something they could do, however, else all they had was an expensively made machine that was only effective for one use, and judging by the Summoner's disgruntled expression, that probably wouldn't be good for business. "I see, guess that avenue isn't open to us." He let out a simple sigh, continuing to listen as Fletcher explained the possible solutions to the problem.

Dorian waited till he was finished, leaning forward against the surface in front of him as he gave his reply. "Removing some of the source spheres sounds like a good start, it's for cooking food, so the temperature range doesn't have to reach that high; it's not like we're melting steel beams or anything." He stopped for a moment, releasing a tiny chuckle under his breath, unsure of why that statement made him laugh. Perhaps it was a reference that Skrowe understood better than he did, and his laughter was leaking through their connection. Shrugging it off, he continued on with his point, driving the ideas home. "More wire could also work, but we have to be careful of not overloading the thing; at least, I assume that's an issue. After all, I'm no Alchemist. So, I think our best bet would be to try out these different things; less spheres, more wires, stronger glass. We wanted to contain the mana inside the box, as well as control it's flow more effectively to keep it from leaking into places where it can cause more serious damage."

As the two of them finished talking, the noise of the tavern had slowly died down, signalling that the dinner crowd was slowly making their way out the doors and back to their homes. The smell of tomato soup was only a lingering tinge to the air now, no doubt due to both the time that had elapsed and the fact that the chefs in the kitchen had used it all up in their own creations. With that settled, the Shaman slipped down off of his own stool, giving the dwarf a sideways glance before gesturing with his head towards the kitchen door. "Looks like the coast is clear. Shall we get to work then?" Another soft smile to reassure the Summoner crossed his lips, before his feet were travelling him towards the door on their own. It was go time, it would seem.

---

Notes: N/A
Words: 447
Tags: Fletcher

[Fletcher]

It seemed that the budding chef had some opinion on how the oven should work, which was welcomed because he was starting to overload himse fon possible ides of things to try to fix the oven. The first thing that Dorian mentioned was the amount of source spheres; turned out that the chef’s heat requirements weren’t as wide as the dwarf had originally given him credit for. Perhaps he should’ve paid more attention to how high he had cranked up the temperature when he made the sauce, and base things off of that. Not melting steel beams was a good point however; he wasn’t entirely sure just how much power the source spheres had, but it was possible that nine was a bit much. For the next iteration he’d drop it down to five, so that way there was enough even coverage in base of the oven so that if heat were being provided from there, it wouldn’t all be to one side.

The wire would need to be replaced in the whole thing anyway, so he’d try a new configuration for that one at the same time. The other thing he’d need to do is play around with the way he’d lined the filament wiring around the chamber of the oven just in case that was being faulty; the spiral idea seemed sound, he’d just need to develop that idea more. As he was nutting out the last few details, Dorian made a move to head back to the kitchen, motioning for him to follow. Fletcher nodded when the chef asked him if it was time to get back to work. How long had they been sitting there? He was thankful that he’d gotten some food before they started, otherwise he’d feel as though he had been cheated out of having dinner.

The kitchen was as how they left it, minus the tomato sauce that Dorian had made before dinner, and the Magitech oven was left untouched. It was possible that the chefs that had taken over for dinner didn’t know what it was and left it be just in case. Salamander fluttered into the room in front of Fletcher and perched on the oven, waiting for his master to come over. Fletcher made straight for the oven, rolling up his sleeves and getting to work. The Elemental Source Spheres were salvageable, so he pocketed four of them for later use. As for the wire it just needed to be reinforced with mana before it was good to go. He adjusted the layout of the wire around the outside and sat back, making sure the valve was working alright. Little tune ups like that were easy enough to do, but only if you were an alchemist. Fletcher popped the glass out held it up to Salamander, tempering it with mana as Salamander applied fire to its surface, giving it a new glossy sheen before it was placed back into the oven. ”Hope you’re ready for some baking, Dorian. Oven’s ready to try out for the second attempt.”

Word Count: 508
Total Word Count: 1956 (x1.25 Mentor Bonus)
@serenityspace

Gold Used (Total): 55
Items Used (Total): Stable Mana Fragment x1, Reinforced Wire x1, Mana Fragment x18, IO Regulator, Fire Source Sphere x9
Items Claiming (Total): Mana Fragment x32, IO Regulator x1, Fire Source Sphere x9
Currently Making: N/A [100% Complete]

[Deleted]

As the two of them entered the kitchen, Dorian was thankful that the oven itself had not been touched, left to it's own devices by the Log Inn's chefs; probably were worried about causing the thing to explode on them or something, Landers were always paranoid. Moving to lean up against the nearby counter, the Shaman watched the dwarf as he quickly got to work, fixing in all of the configurations and implementations they had previously come up with. It was some time before Fletcher rose from his work, giving him the signal that it was good to try for a second attempt. Staring down at the contraption, Dorian remained silent for quite some time, rubbing at his chin in contemplation. He had needed to try out some more recipes, if he was going to have a large enough repertoire to utilise when he would finally set up his own store. Snapping his fingers, he gave Fletcher a nod of approval as he whirred into action. "I've got just the thing."

Collecting a clean bowl from the cupboards, Dorian swiftly collected a set of fresh chicken breasts, peeling away the skin delicately and setting it down on a side plate to dispose of later. With each chicken breast, once it was completely skinned, the Shaman added it to the bowl, until it was pretty much full. Setting that aside, he grabbed a second bowl, grabbing a hold of the necessary ingredients for the mixture he was creating; namely, he gathered up buttermilk, minced garlic - which he handily had lying around after his spat with it during the sauce creation - and some mustard. "Lucky thing we're in such a stocked kitchen, huh?" Adding all of the separate ingredients into the one bowl, he added a few dashes of hot sauce into the mix, for the added tang; it would also tenderise the chicken, as well as give it added flavour. Grabbing a wooden spoon from the utensils drawer, he began to mix up the ingredients, until they were all coalesced and well mixed.

Taking the bowl of peeled chicken breasts, Dorian began gently laying them inside the mixture, one by one, until all of them were submerged. Taking the bowl, he wandered over to the ice box, opening it wide with his free hand and setting the bowl of chicken breasts inside. "That'll take a good hour to settle, best find some stuff to do while we wait." The Shaman chuckled, closing the box door and stepping to one side. While Fletcher did his thing, Dorian got to work getting the ingredients for the coating, gathering from storage a nice set of flour, sesame seeds, paprika, thyme and baking powder. With those ingredients set out on the counter, he remained rested against the edge of the counter, waiting patiently - with his arms crossed over his chest - for the chicken to finish setting.

---

Notes: N/A
Words: 481
Tags: Fletcher

SPOILER: Click to show

{Crafting}
Fried Meal (Level 1)
Material Required: Material Fee (5)
Posts Required: 2
Requirement: Level 1 Chef
Junk food now comes with taste! Due to the nature of this food, eating it provides a slightly greater HP restoration, but makes the character more vulnerable to sickness debuffs for the duration of their next post. Not to mention, weight gain is apparently possible in this world as well. The Chef that crafts this item may rewrite its name and description, but must retain its effect.

[Fletcher]

As Fletcher stepped away from the oven, giving Dorian a bunch of space to work with, he wondered what the young chef was going to make. So far, he’d made a pizza, a steak, and some tomato sauce; it sure would be welcome to have something sweet to top it all off; especially given that Carbuncle had already scouted out the smell of cheesecake from earlier. It must’ve been good, although any form of cheesecake would be considered good. Fletcher watched as Dorian stated gathering utensils to begin his next craft and it got him thinking; it’d be nice if he could make even the basic stuff without the aid of a Chef. While yes, he had the possibility of making things from the menu, but there were many things lacking by doing it with that method. Would it be possible to invent something that’d let him do food preparation akin to how chefs can? It didn’t need to be anything stellar, just really simple things like making scrambled eggs or maybe a really basic cake.

He’d have to ask around as to what the feasibility of such a thing was, at the moment he had a chef but based on his own knowledge of what he could make, there was a component to that research missing. Dorian by this stage had prepped some chicken and was mixing his concoction together after adding buttermilk and hot sauce. Fletcher had no idea what the kid could be making, but awaited the finished result all the same. Dorian made comment about being in a stocked kitchen, to which Fletcher agreed. ”Oh yes. Having access to what you need makes it much easier to experiment. Took me a while, but I ended up finding a store in the market that stocks oddments and junk just waiting to be pulled apart for Magitech; this is kind of the same.” The shaman wandered over to the icebox and placed the bowl of marinating chicken breasts inside, apparently they needed to cool before he could continue to the next step.

Now apparently they had another hour to play with. Not necessarily a bad thing, but an unavoidable convenience. He’d already adjusted the oven, and all that was left on his end for it to be tested before knowing what else he needed to change for it to work. ”Any ideas on things to do? I might go grab a cup of coffee if we’ve got an hour. Wish I’d spoken to a scribe about getting a book to read; an oversight on my part, but I’ve never been ahead on my work before.” Fletcher scratched his chin, contemplating his options while Dorian finished prepping some spices. Salamander by the meanwhile had just watched things unfold from its perch on the oven, seemingly happy to just hang out there until needed. ”Any ideas?”

Word Count: 476
Total Word Count: 2432 (x1.25 Mentor Bonus)
@serenityspace

Gold Used (Total): 55
Items Used (Total): Stable Mana Fragment x1, Reinforced Wire x1, Mana Fragment x18, IO Regulator, Fire Source Sphere x9
Items Claiming (Total): Mana Fragment x34, IO Regulator x1, Fire Source Sphere x9
Currently Making: N/A [100% Complete]

[Deleted]

Dorian would give a chuckle under his breath at the dwarf's lack of hindsight, lifting his head up from his work to hum for a moment and consider what the Summoner could do to pass the time. "You could show Salamander around, I suppose? Or perhaps see if there is any drunks left behind in the tavern to amuse yourself in a conversation with." Giving Fletcher a nod, he resumed his waiting for the chickens to cool and set, finally moving to the ice box once the time had finished. Opening it, he was hit with the blast of cold air from the inside, bracing himself for the change in temperature as he reached in to pull out the bowl of chickens, stepping away from the ice box and closing the door with his free hand. "Now then, let's see about getting you coated." With that, the Shaman moved back to the counter, setting the bowl aside and grabbing a new one from the cupboard. It was mixing time.

With the ingredients all set out and ready, he gathered the pieces together, first adding the flour into the bowl, then throwing in the sesame seeds, watching as they scattered and sat comfortably in the flour. With the two spices, paprika and thyme, he shook out a decent amount of each, emptying them into the mixture, before finishing with a dollop of the baking powder. Snatching a whisk from the utensils drawer, he used the implement to combine all of the ingredients into a single, grainy substance, the mixture taking on a cream-like colour. "Excellent," he muttered to himself, smiling at the approving mental nod that emitted from the back of his mind. With Skrowe's impressed expression imprinted on his brain, Dorian began taking each of the chicken breasts, one by one putting them into the grained mixture and rolling them around until each was covered completely, setting them aside on a pan with a metal rack on top.

Almost ready to start the cooking process, he quickly grabbed the bottle of olive oil, using it to lightly sprinkle over the pieces of chicken, marinating it with a light coating. Finally, grabbing the pan in both hands, he moved to the oven, deftly opening the door with his foot and sliding the pan inside of the metal box. "Time to see if this baby does it's job!" With that, he closed the door, taking the dial and turning it upwards to a decent temperature; if he was going to keep the spicy flavour within the chicken, it'd need to cook high. "By my estimate, that should be around... two-hundred and twenty degrees? Celsius of course." Patting the top of the box, he stepped back, watching as the machine began the cooking process.

After 45 minutes went by, the Shaman watching the oven carefully for any discrepancies, the chicken was finally finished and ready. Grabbing the two oven mitts from earlier and slipping them onto his hands, he opened the door, delicately and carefully reaching in to pull out the pan. The oven-fried chickens were now a crispy dark brown colour, the sesame seeds occasionally visible dotted about the pieces. Setting the pan down on the counter-top, he stepped back to admire his work, peeling his mitts off as the smell of fried chicken filled the room. "Another success! What do you think sir Fletcher, is it working as it should? Or do we need to work on it a bit more?" Lightly slapping the mitts down beside the pan, he turned to the Summoner as he posed the question, a soft smile dancing across his lips. "Doesn't look like anything got damaged this time."

---

Notes: N/A
Words: 613
Tags: Fletcher

SPOILER: Click to show

{Crafting}
Fried Meal (Level 1)
Material Required: Material Fee (5)
Posts Required: 2
Requirement: Level 1 Chef
Junk food now comes with taste! Due to the nature of this food, eating it provides a slightly greater HP restoration, but makes the character more vulnerable to sickness debuffs for the duration of their next post. Not to mention, weight gain is apparently possible in this world as well. The Chef that crafts this item may rewrite its name and description, but must retain its effect.

[Fletcher]

Showing Salamander around was on the cards. The pair hadn’t been together all that long and given that they hadn’t had a proper tour around Londinium yet, it was definitely something that had to be done if the dragon was to stick around. The other option were drunkards left wandering the tavern to entertain him; he didn’t particularly like the prospect of having to either clean up after or converse with those that could barely stand straight. That said, it was getting late, so a tour was probably better suited for the following morning. As for what to do though, doing a little bit of tinkering himself wouldn’t hurt. Rather than heading out of the oven, he sat down in the corner of the kitchen and just started looking through his things, wondering what he could make. In all honesty, the sky was the limit when it came to arranging and joining parts together.

Dorian finished preparing the chicken and put it in the oven, cranking the dial up and patting the top of the metal box with a mitted hand for good measure. The chef seemed to know how high to turn the oven, which was good given that Fletcher had no idea how high it needed to be in order to cook chicken; perhaps it was just one of the added benefits of getting a second nature for food when one was a chef. The next forty five minutes ticked by, with the dwarf occasionally wandering over to look inside the oven. So far so good, the parts seemed to be staying in shape as opposed to last time, but a further inspection after they were done would decide that for certain. Dorian removed the chicken when it was done, setting it on the counter.

Fletcher on the other hand went to the oven to inspect his own work, turning the dial back so he could have a proper look. Dorian made comment about everything appearing fine and Fletcher had to agree. Had they done it? Fletcher looked to Salamander who then ducked into the oven, hovering on the inside of the chamber and giving it a once over from a heat transfer perspective. It seemed sound to the dragon, who nodded to his summoner before resuming its perch atop the oven, leaving Fletcher to deliver the good news. ”Looks good to me, and Salamander agrees too. Guess my work was a success as well; couldn’t have done it without you of course.” Fletcher stretched before giving a slight yawn, covering his mouth. ”Consider this a sign of my thanks, just make sure you practise your artform. I’ll be looking forward to your success, young man.” Fletcher gestured to the oven before clasping his hands behind his back and giving Dorian a warm, fatherly smile.

Word Count: 467
Total Word Count: 2899 (x1.25 Mentor Bonus)

Gold Used (Total): 55
Items Used (Total): Stable Mana Fragment x1, Reinforced Wire x1, Mana Fragment x18, IO Regulator, Fire Source Sphere x9
Items Claiming (Total): Mana Fragment x36, IO Regulator x1, Fire Source Sphere x9
Currently Making: N/A [100% Complete]
RECIPE RESEARCH

Magitech Oven
Materials Required: Elemental Source Sphere (Fire) x3, Reinforced Wire, IO Regulator, Material Cost (15 x Item Level)
Posts Needed: 3
Requirement: Alchemist 21
Description: A Magitech oven powered by Fire Element Source Spheres. Reinforced Wire acts as the filament to heat the inside of the chamber, with temperature being controlled by a custom IO Regulator. A Chef that uses this oven has their effective level increased by an amount equal to item level/5.

[Deleted]

Dorian stepped to one side, standing behind the dwarf as he began his inspection of the oven. Though he had been working with it and coming up with suitable ideas for it since the night began, but it was now that the Shaman finally took the time to inspect the device in all it's manufactured glory. A sound piece of magitech machinery, the oven was an intricate build of various different pieces of equipment, from the dial - a modified IO regulator, as he assumed it was - to the intricate Element Spheres inside that generated the necessary heat. In a day, Fletcher and he had managed to create an item that would change cooking food for the better. Chef work would never be so easy, and an array of new recipe ideas quickly sprouted in the young Shaman's mind. As the Summoner continued to work, Dorian mumbled to himself various items of interest, putting it to himself and Skrowe to keep a mental note of all the different things he could possibly come up with for the future.

Finally, the verdict arrived, as the dwarf stepped back from his creation, letting his pet Salamander inspect it as well, before he explained how they had both given it the all clear. Dorian beamed a triumphant grin across his face, throwing his arms into the air in a victorious pose. "We did it! I can't believe we managed it!" He chuckled under his breath, lowering his arms back down to his sides and brushing out his cloth armour - a force of habit - before smiling back at the dwarf. "You are too kind, sir. I will use it to the effectiveness it deserves," he replied, moving forward to pat the machine lightly with his hand, listening to the satisfying thud noise it made that proceeded to echo through the kitchen. "It shall make such grand meals, everyone in Londinium will be well fed for years to come!" Another chuckle escaping his lips, he gave a nod, stepping forward to clasp the dwarf on the shoulder and bow his head in thanks.

Escorting the two of them back out into the main tavern and towards the front door, Dorian waved them off a valiant farewell, watching them walk off into the darkened streets of Londinium before heading back inside. Manoeuvring his way back into the kitchen, he proceeded to the oven, grabbing a hold of it and shaking it a bit here and there to make sure it was sturdy. "I hope you fit into my inventory, big guy." With a light chuckle, he pulled up his interface, highlighting the oven by pressing his finger against the air in it's direction. With a few more clicks upon the screen in front of him, he managed to zap the machine back into his own inventory. That should make it easier to move around. Dorian gave a nod in reply to the Shikigami's remark, patting the back of his head lightly as if to reward him. With the magitech oven now stowed away in his inventory, he was free to take it where he'd need it to be.

Moving out of the kitchen, Dorian's next port of call was the owner of the Log Inn; he had served the Shaman well and had been generous in allowing him to use the kitchen for the day. "Thank you again for letting me use your facilities, I got a lot of work done today." The owner gave an almighty chuckle, bowing his head towards Dorian before raising his hand up, clapping it over the Shaman's shoulder. Giving a dejected wince, Dorian resisted squirming under the grasp, as he felt himself almost pummelled down into the floor. "Aha! Young man, you have supplied my establishment with the finest of smells; I would highly regret it if I had not allowed you to work in there today. I suspect Log Inn shall be the talk of the town for days to come." Unclasping his hand from Dorian's shoulder, the Shaman was given the chance to hand the owner a bag of gold, simply replying, "For the supplies I used in my recipes." It took a bit of work, but eventually the owner gave in and accepted the money, giving another smile and a pleasant nod of thanks.

With all his work done for the day, and the oven safely stowed away in his inventory, Dorian stepped off out the front door of the Log Inn, proceeding off with a wave of goodbye to the owner before wandering the night. "So, what shall we do tomorrow then, Skrowe?" The Shikigami thought for a few seconds as he was posed the question, before finally giving a curt nod as he said. Let's dance, shall we? Dorian gave a hearty chuckle, before bowing his head in agreement, heading off with a new plan set in his mind.

---

Notes: N/A
Words: 813
Tags: Fletcher