#spicedrice

To my dear friend, Herald of Burning Spice Cookie,

I humbly request your visit for a tea party. I will be providing refreshments and treats, and all I ask for is your presence.

From,

The Fount of Knowledge

- @fount-of-denial

He caught it, feral grin freezing on his face as he scanned the contents.

"The Fount of Knowledge, eh?" the moth growled, "What kind of joke does that trickster think he's playing at? He's no Fount, and I'm no Herald.

"If he can't remember that much, then maybe I should put him out of his misery... yes. That is what I shall do at this 'tea party'."

Burning Spice shouldered his ax and swaggered toward the exit of his temple. He informed Nutmeg Tiger that she was in charge, then began bounding across the spice drifts, feet light despite his heavy frame.

All too soon, he arrived at the familiar Spire.

To regrettably, check on Eternal Sugar. Of course they rather not check on his disowned cousin but, the chance that she’s also an apostle like him is there… maybe. And of course the easiest way to get there, on land, was to go through Burning Spice’s domain… witches why couldn’t she let anyone connect a bridge to her area this would make everything so much EASIER?!

@nameless-silence

The Spice Swarm didn't have much of anything planned today. Burning Spice had been planning to relax. As it was, he was currently engaged in a FIERCE battle!

He picked up his pawn in preparation.

"OH!" he yelled, just a tad too loudly, if the small wince from his chess partner -- a cilantro cookie, though he did not remember their exact name -- was any indication.

"Ahem. Very well. I will go to greet him myself. Thank you for the intel, Nutmeg Tiger Cookie."

She grinned, fangs sharp in the torchlight, "Of course."

"Hn... you," the beast pointed at a saffron guard, "Are to resume my chess match if I take more than an hour."

They paled, but saluted all the same. Responsibilities handed off, Burning Spice nodded to Nutmeg Tiger before marching off in search of the Beast of Silence.

Truth be told, he hadn't seen much of the salt cookie since before he corrupted. He had been... preoccupied. Doing what, he did not know, but whatever it was had left an ache in his dough and Soul Jam that he kept trying to ignore.

He had thought it was the absence of the other half of his soul jam, but his encounter with the little thief had proved that wasn't it.

It was why he hadn't combined the two halves, Destruction and Abundance, despite everything.

Squinting out into the spice storm, he spotted a dark silhouette through the dust and sand that had been kicked up with the winds.

That looks like a Salt if I've ever seen one. Still wearing that heavy armor, eh?

The moth slid down the cliff, landing heavy on the ground below. With a slight groan, he straightened, raising his axe to point at the other.

"I do not personally make music, but here is an old relic that I remember... fondly."

This dish is easy to make and tastes great. It has tender baked chicken thighs and fragrant spiced rice pilaf all in one skillet. Classic Shawarma spices are used to season the chicken, giving the dish Middle Eastern flavors.

Ingredients: 1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless. 1 cup basmati rice. 1 onion, thinly sliced. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 1 teaspoon ground cumin. 1 teaspoon ground coriander. 1 teaspoon paprika. 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. 2 cups chicken broth. 1/4 cup lemon juice. 2 tablespoons olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Fresh parsley for garnish.

Instructions: Before you start cooking, heat the oven to 375F 190C. Warm up the olive oil in a big pan over medium-low heat. Put in the minced garlic and sliced onions. Cook until the onions get soft. Cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper should all be added. The spices should be mixed into the rice well. Add the lemon juice and chicken broth. Add pepper and salt. Bring to a low boil. Put the chicken thighs into the skillet's rice mixture. Place the skillet in an oven that has already been heated and cover it with a lid or aluminum foil. It should be baked for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is soft and the chicken is cooked all the way through. Before serving, sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

"...why?"

"It was either betting 200 gold or joining the underground gambling ring. Winning the bet is secondary to my goals."

Cinnamon Snap cocked his head at Nutmeg Tiger, "...And why are they trying to get you to join the underground gambling ring?"

Doing final checks on everything was critical for Burning Spice. He wasn't going to let someone crash the Spice Festival or anything. The great hall was decorated lavishly, poufs and sitting areas scattered throughout. The air around the temple and throughout his domain was filled with a low buzz of excitement as the sun began to set and the temple grounds were overtaken by firelight.

The little angel was about -- a few spices had reported seeing her awake, at the very least, so that was good -- and the other Beasts were either not welcome, in the little knight's and jester's case, or couldn't be bothered to come, in the little spider's. Pale Milk might make an appearance, though the moth didn't know if the pallid cookie had recovered from his battle enough to come. The little fount was also invited. He hoped no one would mistake him for the jester.

He stretched one final time, making sure his dough was loose and prepared for the dancing and festivities sure to take place. His usual garments had been swapped for a mask and sash to cover his Soul Jam.

The Spice Festival welcomed and even encouraged anonymity; it was a night of no holds barred and no judgement made. You met new people or tried to find out your friends, and generally had a grand time. For Burning Spice, it was a chance to be someone who wasn't the Great Destroyer for a night.

The ceremonial bonfire was lit, flames licking up into the sky. By the end of the night, the bonfire would be full of slips of paper holding regrets, their masks, and anything else from the past month that the spices wanted to let go of.

Burning Spice, now nothing but a cookie in a marshmallow fox mask, raised his cup to the spices gathered.

Duties done with, Burning Spice stepped down from the stage and began to mingle with the crowd as the spices dispersed into the areas around the temple.

There were many wonders to find; mask-painting stalls lined the sand and inner corridors of the temple, a melody began drifting from the great hall, and the scent of cooked meat and other foods started to fill the air.

But who would the guests encounter first..?

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MASK TYPES

What the hell even happens at a Spice Festival, anyways?

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Fount's Thread(s) - 1

Burning Spice, or should I say... Cinnamon Snap Cookie :]