wildsea session 0 stuffff

Setting - Mount Smokeprod
A massive three-pronged mountain, with the middle prong being the largest, and possibly the largest mountain any of the players have seen. The mountain is carved, seemingly by a deft and talented hand, almost the entire way through, though somehow with enough structural integrity that none of the locals fear it collapsing in on itself. Some say it was created by an especially strong whisper from a desperate chef, while more rational folks say that work on it started back in the pre-v days. An elemnt notable from even far away is that the tips of the mountain have been artificially cut off. This is used to catch rain during storms into the filtration system.

Smokeprod is a hub for cooks and gourmets across the wildsea, with it providing the benefit of large amounts of space where cooking with full equipment is safe. The main mountain is split into two sections, each with wooden walkways and staircases connecting them. The lower section is set with a few dozen stone carved eateries which regularly rotate out the chefs who operate them, giving new cooks space to make their names known, though there are always a few veterans on queue. The upper section is where a host of butchers are stationed, who make their living preparing the food for the restaurants below. A third section exists, though it only hosts the collected water and can only be accessed by certain people using a lock system.

The other two prongs are where the homes of the workers are set up, though most restauranteurs will say their restaurants are their true homes. Some are craved into the mountains, some are made of wood and hung from the sides. The pathways of Steamprod are always crowded, though none of the people walking those paths in the daytime live there. Steamprod's economy and livelihood is based around tourism, as its one of the few places in the wildsea where people can get meals reminiscent of the pre-v days. There are two ports, a smaller one for cargo deliveries and work boats, and a MUCH larger one meant for visitors, which appears to have been hastily increased in size multiple times. Both float on the green, and connect to the main pathways via wooden bridges.

The main event, or perhaps the main course, is the inside of the mountain, a large auditorium with surrounding seating used to host the big attraction of the station: The Chef Royale! A monthly contest where two teams, each lead by a chef, attempt to prepare the best meals for a group of judges, with the challenge being that both teams only have one day to go out and retrieve the ingredients required for their dishes. One half of the fun is seeing how badly the sailors have deformed by the time they come back, the other half is seeing the meals be prepared. If a meal is unique enough, it will usually be added to at least one restaurant's menu, and the chef becomes a little bit more famous - as truly famous as you can get on the seas, that is, usually resulting in misremembered rumors - and participating is one of the main goals of any aspiring chef. Though with how prized being invited to it is, competition can be fierce.


The Judges
Model 3MB-R Charcoal & Steam Powered Stove (AKA Ember)
An Ironbound formed from an ordinary stove (and some surroundings) on a cruise ship, Ember was privy to many of the secrets of preparing food, all of which she retained upon gaining sentience. Though technically not able to taste or eat food, Ember has a discerning eye to what makes a meal well prepared. At a glance she can tell you if something is underdone, if the ingredients don't work together, or even if the plating is slightly wrong. Despite not being able to eat, Ember will usually shovel the food into her oven, which can be taken as an insult or a compliment, depending on how she was just speaking to you.

Anesh
A Gau with a love for the various strange creatures that inhabit the wildsea. While also not naturally capable of eating the meals prepared for him (it takes a few days to a week), Anesh's main contribution to the judging panel is being able to spot rare ingredients, being able to tell the difference between different meats and vegetables at a glance. If a contestant provides him with a meal consisting of thresh-pigeon meat and basic fruits, he will give low scores, but delivering him ingredients that are hard to get will get his approval, especially if said ingredients are impossibly rare or never seen before. However, there are some things he will not tolerate, like the remains of endangered or protected species. If you can manage to get ingredients while proving you didn't kill the animal, he'll be even happier.

Jef
A carcharbora of few words, Jef is an imposing figure compared to the other two judges. Resembling a blue great white, Jef is actually surprisingly gentle and has a very discerning palette. The only time Jef speaks is after he's finished a meal, where he's surprisingly eloquent at stating his opinions on the taste and flavor of the dish. It's unknown if he intentionally uses his large frame to intimidate contestants before his scoring, or if he's just not aware of it.


The Opponents
Laira Bairn
Ketra
Shankling
Char
Another aspiring chef, who acts as the party's opponent for the contest. She is a bit boastful about herself, and takes advantage of Ketra biology to use her prehensile tentacles to help her prepare food - and also wield knives in combat. However, she is mostly backed up by two powerful bodyguards, and will back down from fights if things start looking bad for her.
Aspects:
Sensory Stalks - 4-Track Trait
Skybridge Step - 5-Track Trait
Seasoned Cleaver - 2-Track Gear


Dracus
Ardent
Ridgeback
Crash
A very large Ardent who says little but breaks a lot. Dracus is larger than most Ardent, and carries around a large hammer made of leviathan bones. He's entirely obedient to what Laira tells him, but he isn't mindless. His name comes from the draconic skull he wears as a helmet.
Aspects:
Ironclad Mind - 4-Track Trait
Barrel-Chested - 5-Track Trait
Demolisher - 2-Track Gear

Rexx
Corron
Submerged
Slinger
A Corron that has partially been eaten away at by the green, but with a fully intact rifle arm. His other arm is made of wood, shaped into a claw. Another quiet type, Rexx mostly displays his emotions through various different eye colors.
Aspects:
Arcbeam Lance (his arm functions the same) - 4-Track Gear (LR Volt Damage)
Adaptive Anatomy - 4-Track Gear (CQ Keen Damage)
Toe to Toe - 4-Track Trait