Side One, Ep.1 "Holey Ship!"

[Legendary Sidekick]

Diana finds plantains. Whether they were plundered or whether frogmen like the taste, she cannot say. The scent alone makes her discovery worthwhile. The plantains are fresh. Though short on ingredients, Diana recalls a fellow shield maiden named Hanna "the Barbarian" who used to mix diced plantains and ale over an open flame. She preferred the taste of deep-fried ale-basted plantains, but the drink has a greater health benefit.

It is quite filling, however. It would be foolish to have more than one serving.

 

[Ireth]

Diana

I grin at my discovery and the recipe it brings to mind. I can certainly make use of this, but I'll need help. My sword is a bit too long to be good for delicate work like dicing the plantains; I should ask Shan Mai if I can borrow one of his cleavers instead. And Vincent will be helpful in making a fire. There's ale aplenty to finish the recipe, but what is there to cook the mixture in? I'm not sure my shield would be a wise choice. I might need it soon.

I wave to catch Vincent's attention, and sign out my intentions so he can read them.

Vincent

I hurry back to Diana's side, reading the flurry of her hands in front of her. I decide to help her out, and call over to Shan Mai. "May I borrow one of your cleavers for a moment, please? Diana has a recipe in mind to help us."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((The plantains are packaged in plantain leaves, and the plantains themselves are unpeeled. They look like small green bananas. The leaves are flexible and durable.))

 

[SeverinR]

Shan Mai wraps the dish towel from his sash around his wound, and flips the cleaver so he can hand it to her handle first.
Might I be of service, I am a cook.

 

[Ireth]

Vincent

Diana takes the cleaver with a smile and begins dicing the fruits on a clear patch of floor, and I incline my head to Shan Mai. "Yes, I think you might. These plantains need to cook in ale over an open flame," I recite from Diana's thoughts. "The mixture is good for one's health."

I look out over the wreckage of many barrels strewn across the room, wondering how many might be free of blood. I don't think we want to do any cooking over that. Perhaps the plantain leaves will do for a dish, and a scoop for the ale.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

It turns out Vincent is correct that plantain leaves can be used to make a crude scoop and dish. There's not a drop of blood on any of the barrels that contained the plantains.


((Shan Mai and Diana can both use their skills as cooks and herbalist. Rolls will be required, and two rolls is better than one! Once you each figure out who's doing what, please describe the process. For starting the fire, Vincent can roll more than once if needed, and you can just try again if the roll fails rather than charge and risk burning away the green shield. Sparkler is all you need to start a fire.))

 

[Ireth]

Vincent

I start gathering pieces of clean wood to make a small fire, leaving Diana and Shan Mai to decide who gets which task of their own (though I stay close, anticipating need for a translator). When they're ready, I'll try a firework spell to get things heating up.

Diana finishes dicing the plantains and gets my attention; I pause in my work to translate her signs for Shan Mai.

"Could you please see about making a dish out of these plantain leaves, and a scoop for the ale?"

 

[Reaver]

I take advantage of our respite from combat to clean my blade, sheath it and then sit down to meditate and begin my devotionals to The Warrior, thanking him for granting me victory over my foes. While I'm deep in prayer, a thought, no, more than that, an epiphany occurs to me. I realize that I should also give thanks to Lady Death for sparing me thus far.

From this point forward I shall worship this divine pair and devote my life to honoring them. A feeling of infinite peace washes over me and I know deep in my heart and mind that I've made the right decision.

After I complete my invocations, I retrieve the lava core whetstone given to me years ago by my dear friend Bouldergut and begin to hone the blade of my katana natana.

 

[Noma Galway]

I look around at everyone. "Do you guys want me to go through?" I don't want to go without making sure.

 

[Reaver]

I cease sharpening my blade to answer the muse. "If you could wait a while until some of us have tended to our injuries, I believe it would be best. That way if you are detected by our enemies, we can be there for you, fully healed and rested."

 

[Philip Overby]

I lean somewhere against the wall. "You guys are cooking? Good, I'm hungry as all hell after all that punching and kicking. Whip me up something good and maybe I'll let you play cards with me later or something. And be aware, playing cards with me is quite the honor."

I smile self-assuredly. "Promise."

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Preparations for an herbal drink begin, and it seems voices are low enough that none on the upper deck have become emboldened. In the quiet moments it is clear that whatever enemy awaits, they are holding their current positions.

Reaver meditates, considering that his god has a wife and he owes Her his prayers as well as The Warrior…

 

[Noma Galway]

I nod at Reaver. "Of course." What he had said made sense. And of course, I wouldn't go without a response from Fenella.

 

[SeverinR]

I will use my ability as cook to keep the medicine cooking at the proper temp and stirring to keep it from burning.
Using the proper proportions and only the best ingredients will be the herbalist's job.


Can't hold on to his weapons in battle, but he can sure as ^&(% cook.

 

[Ireth]

Diana

((Ouch!))

I examine the plantains as I dice them to make sure only the freshest ones are used. I'm having trouble remembering the proper ratio of fruit to ale, which is utterly frustrating. I keep that in check, knowing it won't help in any way.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Shan Mai and Diane work together to make the healing drink.

Diane takes every precaution, but in a moment of panic—perhaps due to the sound of a board creaking above—her mind goes blank. Try as she might, she can't remember the proper ratio of fruit to ale. Was to two parts fruit to three parts ale, or the other way around? Or was it three to one? Going with her gut, Diane settles on a ratio that would make more sense for an herbalist than a barkeep, and lets Shan Mai do the rest.

What the exact ratio should have been remains unclear to Diana, but Shan Mai knows exactly how to bring out the taste. The aroma is pleasant, and what Diana lacks in hearing, she makes up for with her other senses. Whether she made a costly blunder or simply thought that was the case, she may never know. One thing is certain: the drink will heal those who enjoy their share immediately.

The essence of the herb that grants the healing effect will evaporate quickly. This drink cannot be bottled as a healing potion, but it can be enjoyed now with a health benefit.

Shan Mai is confident that whether the healing effect exists or not, the taste will sure as $#!% be exquisite!

 

[Reaver]

The familiar aroma of cooking plantains pull me from my ruminations. I put away the whetstone, test the sharpness of my blade and then sheathe my katana natana before standing up and walking over to where Shan Mai and Diana are making some sort of potion.

I make eye contact with lovely Diana and say: "May I have some?"

 

[Ruby]

I nod at Reaver. "Of course." What he had said made sense. And of course, I wouldn't go without a response from Fenella.

Fenella says, " I think you must follow your instincts and decide. After all, you are the muse, Mariya, and can see things that mere mortals only dream of."

 

[Noma Galway]

I close my eyes as a familiar voice starts to speak to me, and I smile when I open my eyes again. "I will wait until injuries have been tended. Reaver was right." I contemplate how to tell Diana about the Echoes of Silence. Through Vincent, perhaps? "I'll be able to contact you all when I'm up there."

 

[SeverinR]

The cook, who is wounded fairly well, should probably sample the concoction first.
So I will take a dose then offer it to the others,
If we serioulsy messed up, the cook will suffer first.