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Post by Toph on Aug 25, 2023 9:44:04 GMT -5
Toph walked through the Market District on his way home when he spotted a familiar face. It was Jerald, a food vendor from Darkveil. The man was old, pale, and gaunt, garbed in dark traveling clothes. He stood in front of a shoddy market stall covered in strange meats and concoctions. Every year at the Summer Festival, Jerald would bring Darkveil cuisine to Sol City. Toph was excited for this yearly nostalgia trip.
"Jerald! How are you doing?" Toph beamed, "I haven't seen you so far this year, I was worried you wouldn't make it! Where have you been?"
"Not great," Jerald groaned, "Things in the Ashlands are rough as usual, it was hard to source enough for the festival. The goods don't sell well here anyway."
Toph looked at the market stall, still well-stocked, and noted the festival-goers walking by without a glance. "How about this, I'll help you sell some of your stock, hopefully that'll make things easier for you," Toph said. Straightening out his back and puffing out his chest, he shouted to the market-goers, "Come try the delicacies of Darkveil and the Ashlands! Sample some of the mysterious foods from the distant shadowy lands!" Gesturing to a random member of the crowd, he said, "You, try some Darkveil Coffee, I'll pay for the first one. It's a staple back where I'm from, you really must try it!"
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 26, 2023 2:27:09 GMT -5
Roaming the summer festival had been a wild and amusing experience thus far, full of sights, sounds and smells from across the continent. Taki checked on her companions who'd been off enjoying their own festivities and adventure. Seeing Keiga and Hanehiko covered in kids brought a smile to the shaman, who understood the ease with which a child could be taught to fear the unusual. Shuna and Shion had snuck off to a cool spot where it was quiet on a less busy part of the coast, enjoying the beach but not fond of the crowds. Rina had been riding her shoulder most of the day, though she'd spent time with Beist's companions who'd visited recently. The three companions took their rest in the cave as the shaman headed back into the city, stopping off with her mounts to inform them where to meet up when they were ready.
While the sun still had a few hours to sink in the sky, she wanted to roam about the stalls once more. She'd been able to find some research related materials, the subject still needed a great deal of study and this wasn't the time. The crowd bustled and flowed through the streets as she wandered, her senses fighting the din of the crowd to lead her about. She stopped at a few stalls along the way, picking up ingredients she wanted to try at home in her cooking. A strange, bitter and earthy aroma stood out in the cacophony of foods on offer. Taki tracked the tantalizing aroma across the plaza to a stall reminiscent of Darkveil's decor.
"Come try the delicacies of Darkveil and the Ashlands! Sample some of the mysterious foods from the distant shadowy lands!" The man shouted, sweeping his arm across the crowd to point at the shaman. "You, try some Darkveil Coffee, I'll pay for the first one. It's a staple back where I'm from, you really must try it!"
"I'll gladly try your beverage sir, it has been quite a day thus far and I could enjoy something invigorating." Taki replied, reaching out to shake his hand. "I am known as Shitakibo, or Taki if you prefer."
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Post by Toph on Aug 26, 2023 17:37:36 GMT -5
"I hope you enjoy!" Toph said, "It's a simple brew made mostly with water and charcoal. In the Ashlands, there isn't much agriculture and lots of foraged food is covered in poisonous ash so people use this beverage to purify poisons from their stomachs. It's a bit of an acquired taste, but it reminds me of home!" Toph takes a big gulp of his own cup and grimaces, revealing teeth temporarily stained black by the charcoal.
"Always a bit grainy so I'd recommend following that up with some fire beetle tea. That's tea brewed from Ashland mushrooms and spiced and boiled fresh using fire beetle juice. Or maybe jump straight to a sample of cave fisher claw? We used to have to fight the Ashland Jackals off of those if we left the stalls unattended. My friend here has a pretty good selection, just let me know what looks interesting!"
Toph knew it was somewhat of a tall order to actually sell a lot of this food. The Ashlands are a barren wasteland and most food that Darkveil citizens survived off of is stolen, imported, or foraged from what few food sources existed in the region. However, he thought it was important for people to try these things. Maybe if more people understood the hardships that Darkveilers went through, people would be willing to put forth effort to make his old home better.
"Oh! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Toph, I'm helping my friend here with his stall. I'm from Darkveil originally but I moved here when I was young."
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 27, 2023 0:05:42 GMT -5
"You've convinced me, good ser." She listened on as he explained the various foods from the stall. She took a swig of the strange drink, which was indeed gritty. It contained an interesting smoky, earthen flavor and left the mouth coated. Using her wildly flexible and long tongue, Taki cleaned her serpentine fangs free of the perturbance before pulling out her pouch and ordering several dishes from the stall's Vendor. Her surface rippled with wild colors as she downed the acidy, strange tea. The cave fisher claw reminded her of meals she'd had in the Marsh Flats, albeit more earthy and less salty. She marveled at the flavors created with the limited spices that Darkveil had available.
An idea formed in her mind, a gift to the culinary and agricultural health of Darkveil. She pulled out a small notebook, sat at a side table for a moment and began copying information from a much thicker volume she kept in her pack. After a few minutes of munching the butter soaked, grilled claw and scribbling notes furiously in the most legible way she could, the shaman pulled out a smaller woven container and a piece of silk cloth. Sifting through it's contents, she places several seeds inside the cloth, then folds it and closes it within the notebook before walking over to the stall and the Vendor once more.
"A gift for the fine meal, spice seeds to start a personal garden and all the information I possess on the best approach to growing them. May it serve you well and bring greater culinary depth to all of Darkveil in the future." She said to the surprised man, who'd taken a moment out of their cooking to address the shaman. Startled but thankful, he nodded politely as he called to the crowd about his wares. While it wasn't much, she hoped the man had time in his busy life to enjoy growing spices and gardening in the future. Taki returned to the man who'd pointed her out in the crowd.
"My thanks for your recommendation. The overall taste was interesting and it displays the practical creativity of those in Darkveil."
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Post by Toph on Aug 27, 2023 10:12:04 GMT -5
Toph stepped away from the market stall, it seemed as if one customer at least giving the food a chance was attracting others. He had confidence that his friend could take over from there.
"Hey, thank you for trying the food," Toph said to Taki, "I know these 'delicacies' are... not generally as appealing as from other parts of the world. Mostly bugs and fungus and ash-flavored things. I know the Ashlands aren't the most prestigious place, but it's home to a lot of people. Mostly outcasts and outlaws, but they're people nonetheless. I really appreciate the gift that you gave to Jerald as well, I wanted to personally thank you for that. I've learned that volcanic soils can be nutrient rich, although usually acidic, but the Ashlands have other challenges to growing plants. Eruptions, dangerous animals, curses, plagues, you get the idea. Hopefully the advice you gave will help out with the local food supply. I think some day I'd like to return home and improve things however I can."
Toph paused for a second to reminisce. Although he left the Ashlands when he was young, he still felt a strong sense of connection to the place. It was a bittersweet feeling. There were plenty of hardships.
Toph returned from his reverie, sensing an opportunity. He pulled a notebook from his bag and a pen and asked, "So, you seem like you're knowledgeable about plants and animals and such. What are some things that you think could be done to improve the food diversity of the Ashlands region?"
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 27, 2023 11:34:57 GMT -5
"One thing the Crescent Isles has taught me is a fine appreciation for good foods. As far as what to do about improving the region... I know this may sound strange at first but genuinely I feel it would improve chances for more stable food across the Ashlands. Building a building, similar to a barn or shed, but with at least partly translucent walls and a large skylight or similar roof is the first step. These should be designed on a case by case basis, as not all farms need the growing area inside protected building they would on open ground. For smaller farms or specialized growing, a one story layout with rainwater storage and the means to make adjustments to both the soil used in the crops as well as their fertilizer will complete your setup. Next, you'll want to choose a variety of hearty plants that are tolerant to less moisture and temperature fluctuation, with some annual crops to grow year-round and seasonal crops which will make up the bulk of nutrition and flavor. Try to have communities coordinate these growing cycles so that those who grow extra are able to share it amongst others and begin to spread the crops somewhat naturally amongst the farms, as well as reduce market stagnation. Areas near rivers and coasts are ideal locales but come with the risk of damage by flooding or other events, plan accordingly. Otherwise, it would be best to start this practice in a small area or two for the first few seasons to ensure it's sustainability, then work to spread it across the area as materials become available. Scale up as needed, or try to get the bulk of the community to have individual family farming to reduce strain on transporting goods across the area. This would also improve the disaster resistance of the nation as a secondary effect. For large operations, consider the vertical spaces to be just as valuable as more overall building might be, just ensure proper lighting conditions in each area. Again this needs to be addressed based on local conditions and needs, otherwise try not to be forceful with people... find those willing and let them be your regional influence."
While taking time to pause in her explanation so the man could take notes, Taki pondered why she'd given such an explanation to someone she had just met. This kind of idea was something she might discuss with an ambassador or state liaison of some kind... but then, he did ask about how to improve the entire region's food situation, so perhaps this was someone of great status who was incognito to see the sights without procession... that Taki had seen and facilitated herself many times so she continued to share her ideas for improving the Ashlands' food situation in the hope that indeed, sometime in the next generation or so, the area would see a better situation for all.
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Post by Toph on Aug 27, 2023 15:40:30 GMT -5
"Thank you very much, this is a lot of great information!" Toph said with a smile, "I'm glad I picked you out of the crowd, you're very knowledgeable! I'm just a guy who likes to learn things, but I think I can probably find the right person to deliver this information to. I'll give Jerald a copy to take home, maybe together we can get this knowledge spread out among the people. I haven't been back to Darkveil in some time, but when I do make a trip out there I'll be sure to put some work in on this."
Toph was already engaged in writing a copy of his notes into a second notebook. He glanced up for a moment to see a young couple trying cubes of basilisk steak. Out of everything else, basilisk steak wasn't the worst, actually, but of course there was a very real mortality cost related to basilisk hunting.
Tearing the finished pages out of his notebook and handing them to Jerald, he continued his conversation, "I call myself an 'Investigator', a term I use for a kind of person on adventure for knowledge. Although knowledge is great on its own, I think my end goal is to try to make the world better somewhat. Since I don't know very much about the natural world, I think you could be a very valuable contact. Would you mind if we exchanged information? If there's ever anything you need investigated, let me know. Lost texts, forgotten knowledge, specific facts and figures, gossip, whatever, I'm your guy."
With a hopeful expression on his face, Toph held out his hand, offering one of his business cards.
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 27, 2023 21:36:23 GMT -5
Taki listened intently, nodding when asked about exchanging information. "Of course, when looking to contact me, any messenger service will bring me mail addressed to Shitakibo, at Spirit's Retreat. While I don't often find myself in need of such services, if the occasion arises I will be in touch." Replied the shaman. Often the knowledge and wisdom she sought was within reach thanks to membership in two different Guilds, but that wasn't always the case. She took the proffered card in one hand, shaking with another as she turned it over and read the name. Toph, interesting... she tucked the card into a pouch with other small tools and items she kept handy.
"Pardon me a moment, I need to let my friends know where I am." She said a moment later, walking away from the crowd and into a quieter area away from the street. Letting out a quick set of calls, the naturalistic sound carried through the city. Returning to the stall, Taki relaxed and took up a seat, pulling out a bit of her own homemade concoctions and splitting them up into packs.
"For yourself, and your Vendor friend for the meals. A taste of the Isles and some other unique treats I've learned to make." Explained the shaman, folding a muffin wrapped in bamboo leaves beside a box that contained pieces of cured meat, dried fruits grown from her garden and a stack of a new recipe she'd been working on. By taking dried oats and mixing them with the butter of Cashew nuts with a bit of sugar and coating in a thin glaze of honey, they were quite well suited to expeditions and stayed fresh for a long time thanks to the hard shell that the honey would form as it dried. She wrapped each pack with a small jar that contained a lively tropical drink made from citrus, honey, ginger and steeped with a light green tea that complemented the rest of the meal.
"Sit if you have a moment, tell me about yourself and your ambitions here in Charon. Are you looking to be someone who tracks down lost things? Someone who knows all the nitty gritty comings and goings of the world?"
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Post by Toph on Aug 29, 2023 20:26:52 GMT -5
Toph eagerly began sampling the food and drink presented to him. "Oh wow! This is really good! Thank you!" he said, in-between sips and bites, "Hmm, so basically I just have a hunger for knowledge in general." Toph waved his hand in the air as if stirring something ephemeral. "But I've spent so much of my life behind a desk I'm afraid I'm going to read myself blind. So it's kind of an excuse to learn things but actually get out into the world at the same time."
Toph looked thoughtfully towards the crowd. People milled about from diverse regions and backgrounds, all enjoying the summer festival as it was coming to a close. Gesturing towards the people, Toph said, "Of course, there's also the community aspect. I believe everyone has a duty to improve and contribute to their community, at least as much as they're able to. So, I'm doing my best to pursue my personal goals while also helping people in general."
Toph's attention seemed to trail off for a moment. Suddenly, he jolted slightly as if suddenly physically struck by a thought. "Oh, I have another possibly deep question. Do you think Dark magic can be used responsibly? I tend to think it's just another school of magic and it should be fine if one were to stay away from spells relating to the undead. To put it another way, I think it's why someone is using a tool rather than the tool itself that makes a problem. However, I could also definitely see where someone might think that having access to that sort of power might be corrupting. I'd like to hear your input, you seem like you have valuable wisdom."
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 29, 2023 22:42:15 GMT -5
"The same could be said for any and all magics or extraordinary skill or talent. The person and their actions are what determine the nature of a choice... how you get there is the best you have available to you at the moment. As a practioner of two distinctly different forms of magic, I understand the ease of which one could form a stigma when influenced by others... My latest studies and practices have expanded my horizons beyond the scope of those individual parts to glimpse at a fragment of the whole. Take a look not at what your abilities do as you progress, but how they fit into your actions and what part of you the visualization represents. Those things will grant you keener insights into the nature of both yourself and magic."
The shaman responded, her tone wisened as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Though she felt and saw her own growth constantly, the idea that it took so little time was also somewhat terrifying. Age and time had given up their rigid grip on the shaman's spirit, and she was still coming to terms with the very notion it presented. Her own kind wouldn't know her face if she walked into her home village... they would be terrified and confused, scared of the unknown... so much had changed these past few seasons, and so much continued to change... relentless.
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Post by Toph on Aug 30, 2023 19:38:09 GMT -5
Toph nodded as he slowly chewed a muffin. He brushed the crumbs out of his beard. "I think that's a good answer," he said thoughtfully, "I'm often worried about becoming one of those stories where people get corrupted by power or get carried away until they become the monster, et cetera." He frowned, "It always seems to be the type of people who think it could never be them. So it's always a red flag to myself when I think I'd be able to handle power responsibly. But maybe it's possible, if I keep a careful eye on where I am in relation to my values. I heard of some Dark Magic practitioners who are able to conjure minions out of shadow and it made me think that I could make use of that ability in order to help my investigations. Perhaps I could use them to track down leads. I also recently tried going down to the Mystical Archive and getting a modification that should be pretty useful as well, but... I'm not sure if I'm going to go back and do that again. It's strange, altering your body. Makes me wonder at what point you're still yourself."
Realizing that he had been staring at a half-finished muffin for a little too long, he smiled and looked up at Taki, "Oh, sorry, I guess I'm in a deep and thoughtful mood today. Tell me, how did you get started on your path?"
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Post by Shitakibo on Aug 31, 2023 12:39:52 GMT -5
Nodding, the shaman chuckles softly. "Thoughtful is indeed a good way to describe this conversation. That's quite a tale actually, learning to be the person I am today. When I was a hatchling, I was taught the ways of the spirits by our tribe's Shaman. I spent my days more attuned to nature and the capricious whispers of the spirits than paying attention to others... which earned me a lot of social trouble. Our tribe had very rigid rules about establishing and partaking in the bounties and protection it provided. I was kicked out of the tribe, exiled for disobeying the social rules and speaking out against a political binding... something akin to human marriage... because the man was unfit in many ways." A pained look crosses her face, her hands flexing absently as she takes a steadying breath. "Afterwards, I took to the wilds of the Bamboo Forest, living far away from my home and family in seclusion and learning about life with my own senses. One day I was sitting in a clearing that was my favorite place to meditate when the idea to make it my home came into being and a long journey to live beside this natural splendor began. Along the way, I met quite a few farmers, merchants and travelers, usually through tasks that I picked up in a nearby town for extra coin. It started small, and everything went to tools, seeds for a garden, and whatever else this wild idea needed. Then I met my mentor, and they introduced me to methods and ideas that expanded my own knowledge of the world. I studied with them on occasion between our lives until they retired some time later. When they did, I received a marvelous gift from them that put most of my plans from simple ideas to reality. After that, the adventuring became more serious and I started taking on riskier jobs... along the way I learned about the many disciplines and skills one can learn... which steered me down a branching path to where I am today. It's been a bumpy ride, with plenty of hardships, close calls, and even a few losses... but it's been a marvelous life I get to enjoy with friends and companions alike." She paused, smiling as the nostalgia and scope of the last year ran like a highlight reel in the shaman's mind. So much was still ahead, and that was the best part of it all to Taki.
"What led you to wanting to pursue this... investigator profession? By your explanation, it sounded like a job akin to an Info Broker... but without the shadowy organization or mysterious leader. Would an Archivist or Researcher be more appropriate?"
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Post by Toph on Sept 6, 2023 19:15:11 GMT -5
"Very nice, that's an impressive story!" Toph said, "I feel bad that you were exiled from your people, but I'm very impressed by the life you've built in spite of that. If I ever need some knowledge about the natural world, I'll be sure to consult you, if you have the time. As for me..."
Toph looked thoughtful for a moment as he decided how to respond to the shaman's question. How could he summarize his ambitions in a succinct way? "Information Broker sounds mysterious and although I like that, I think what I'm trying to do is to be more like an adventurer who takes jobs relating to information, knowledge, detective work, things like that," he scratched his beard for a second before continuing, "I dunno, I think 'investigator' is the best term I've come up with so far. I haven't got a job yet, but I'm hoping to find one soon. I think I might just have to stumble into one and then figure out how to get paid for it, honestly. That's why I went to the Mystic Archive today and got the modification so that I can smell blood. Maybe I can sniff out a murder or something. Weird thing, though, I'm not sure how much blood I'm supposed to be able to smell, so I'm not exactly sure when I should actually start investigating. How much blood is too much blood in this city, you know?" Toph sniffed absentmindedly, "I mean there's gotta be a butcher or something around here, so that's probably what that is. Or maybe not? Should I check that out?"
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Post by Shitakibo on Sept 6, 2023 19:49:30 GMT -5
Taki pondered the question a moment, reaching out across the area with her senses. A butcher's shop nearby would be simple enough to pick up with it's thoroughfare... but that doesn't seem to be the case. Perhaps it was one of the many vendors making something from a fresh slaughter? That didn't quite seem right... while the smell of roasting meats and veggies hung in the air, there was no indication of an amount of blood of such scale that she could sense here. Something was off...
"Some days, it is good to know the earth beneath your feet. What say we venture toward this smell? Though, if you agree, we may be walking into something unexpected or lethal... hopefully it's something else, but at least in this general area it doesn't seem to be so." With her explanation as much as she was willing to talk about in a large crowd of people. People were enjoying the steadily cooling air as the sun was beginning to stretch shadows across the courtyard, making last minute deals as shops were beginning to pack away for the day so that their vendors could enjoy a bit of the evening as well. Her avian eyes watched the area carefully as her connection to the earth relayed information about anything touching the ground. The spirits stirred restlessly... what awaited them?
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Post by Toph on Jan 7, 2024 20:09:59 GMT -5
Toph walked quickly, slipping between market stalls and squeezing through groups of festival-goers. Before long, he reached the alleyways. Mixed with the smells of garbage was the increasingly stronger scent of blood. The air was growing heavier with something dark. Toph shivered as a cold breeze rolled through the alley, unnaturally cold for the season. He checked behind him to make sure his new friend was following, and then continued on.
Finally, Toph tracked the scent through winding alleyways and side-streets to the back door of an old townhome. The weathered back door was cracked open. The sky had gone dark and no illumination was visible within the building. Toph braced himself and pushed the door open. He strained his eyes to see inside. Toph gasped as he registered the scene before him. A body was in the center of the room, surrounded by a pool of blood. Clutched in its hands was a black book. Toph took a couple of steps into the room and looked closer. Arcane symbols were etched into the worn wooden floors and into the plaster of the walls. The room appeared to have been a dining room but all of the furniture was pushed against the wall and covered in sheets which were now spattered in blood.
Toph turned, face pale and full of terror, and looked at his companion and said, "Well shit, what do we do about this?"
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