#windspeak

Hello!!! I wanted to make a comprehensive list of popular foods ranked by class, from lowest to highest, just to have it here for future reference. This is specifically talking about foods that keep the energy-source alive and active, which includes fire, steam engines, nuclear reactors, and electricity. This does not cover metal-based foods used for growth. That will be covered and explained later.

Low-Class (Hearthfire robots)

Tar Dirt Tar dirt is a mixture of tar and other materials, like metal shavings, dirt or sand. The mixture is made to make consuming it easier, as tar is extremely sticky and hard to swallow on its own. It is rather effective, but it burns extremely dirty. It's the lowest of the low when it comes to poverty foods, and those who eat it for long periods of time often get their smoke vents so black and caked in soot and tar residue it can eventually clog vents if left to fester long enough. When vents are clogged, the internal fire (sometimes called a "hearth") of a robot will suffocate itself with its own smoke. This can be lethal without proper medical help, which the impoverished often don't receive.

Pitch Pitch is another extremely dirty-burning fuel source, but it's slightly less degrading to one's health than tar dirt. Most of these materials like tar, pitch, and crude oil are byproducts of coal processing, like in the making of coke or coal gas. These are extremely labor-intensive and low-paying, so in order to stay alive, historically, coal processors would take the flammable waste products of their trade and use it as food.

Sulphur (powdered) Sulphur is a very flammable material in powdered form, and burns a unique blue flame, but it comes at the price of dreaded rotten-egg breath. The stench it carries is bound to make the consumer unpopular, but it isn't always inherently dangerous in its pure form*. Some robots even use sulphur almost exclusively for fuel, though it is to be noted that they are specialized in hyperthermic fuels. However, Sulphur its pure form is rarely being consumed by the average robot. The dangers of Sulphur come mainly from what it's cut with. Pure Sulphur is hard to come by and rather expensive for those not specialized. But mixing it with other materials, such as stone dust, magnesium powder, etc. cheapens the manufacturing process, and can cause a litany of hazards. In general, it is ill-advised to consume anything non-metallic and non-flammable, as when nonflammable material is burned by hearthfire robots it tends to either stick to the bottom of the Hearth-chamber or clog up the vents. In extreme cases, both of these occurrences can kill by smothering one's hearth or reacting badly to the fire. * Sulphur, even pure Sulphur, is extremely dangerous to robots not suited to handle extreme heat. Burning it creates an extreme exothermic reaction that can gravely damage naturally lower-temperature robots, so if your hearth is low-burning or you have a hearth-related thermoregulation disorder, it is very dangerous to use this fuel. Sulphur shares many dangers with White Phosphorus, which burns at extremely high temperatures and is very combustible when in contact with oxygen or certain metals. If a robot is not specialized to process unstable materials like Sulphur and Phosphorus, it is strongly advised to avoid them.

Coal Gas Coal gas is another byproduct of coking and other coal processes. This one is a bit different, as it isn't as actively damaging to the vents of a robot as pitch or tar, so it isn't as unhealthy. But using coal gas as a fuel source is oftentimes not very filling, and doesn't really give the impression of having eaten a good meal. for this reason, it isn't very popular outside of necessity.

Coal Coal is still considered a "poor" food by most outside of the lower districts, but this isn't just for those that are most desperate. Coal is a major fuel source in the iron district, and sometimes in lower parts of the stone district, too. In those lower circles, it's considered a rather normal food, and only has connotations of poverty in higher levels. Most super poverty-stricken robots, like those who work in coal processing mentioned above, or even coal miners for that matter, rarely if ever get to eat coal. The coal that they are employed to handle is a product that does not belong to the workers who gather it, so personal use of it is considered stealing, and is a punishable offense.

Moonshine (homemade ethanol products) Ethanol itself is a very sought-after fuel, normally popular in the middle and higher classes, like the upper stone district and lower ember district. It's very clean-burning, easy to consume, fizzy and pleasant, though overconsumption of highly concentrated alcohols are considered mind-altering and are banned in many places. Alcohols with a concentration more than 60-70% are illegal and dangerous, and can even be addictive. The creation of any type of alcohol is banned in the Iron district, because it's basically copyrighted by the companies that do create and sell it. Nonprofessional creation of booze can also be dangerous in some cases, for instance, if there is too much water it can douse your hearth and kill you. If the concentration of alcohol is too high, it can cause your fire to burn itself out or cause other permanent damage to your hearth/body. non-authorized creation of booze for personal use/distribution anywhere is banned, because the government of Windbreak cannot tax it like it can commercial trade. But brand-name alcohol, being an efficient, clean-burning and desirable fuel, is expensive to get compared to something like coal, so oftentimes illegal manufacturing is practiced anyways. It's better than tar, at least. This bootlegging is often done in basements, cellars, or anywhere large enough for several booze-filled barrels to fit into. Moonshine is a common alcohol to make, but often the materials used in fermenting doesn't matter much. Any organic material will do, which often consists of any kind of plant that manages to grow in the iron district. This has caused major problems for the already struggling flora there. Sometimes, in high-profile cases, criminal organizations with ways of moving between levels will purchase, steal or poach sugar and plant material from upper districts and supply it to illegal ironclad distilleries for a cut of the profits.

The Wastelands

This would is a harsh one. Unforgiving and frozen. Humanity has long since died and been forgotten. Only robots remain. There’s nothing around but snow, ice, and frosted mountains. Hidden inside one of these mountains is the shining city of Windbreak: it’s got everything one could want or need: technology, a central heater that distributes warmth to all its citizens, a solid government… but it’s never that simple, is it?

The Forge

Well, describing the wastelands as completely empty wouldn’t be entirely honest. There is one thing that marks this landscape, and unmistakably so. This is the Forge. The Forge is the genesis of all original robots, called Forgeborns. These have the intelligence and intellect as any regular human - which makes their fate ever more cruel.

Forgeborns

Unfortunately, most Forgeborns left out for the cold and the elements to ravage to not live more than a few days. The forge, their creator, seems unaware or unaffected by this certain death for its children. Maybe it isn’t capable of something like empathy.

Despite this, there are some roving bands and even small tribes of robots that managed to live long enough to form a group. These can have very rich and interesting cultures, traditions and technologies, but none are as advanced as the city of Windbreak.

Windbreak

Now, the main course, and where our story begins: Windbreak.

Windbreak is located in a hollowed-out mountain, but goes far beyond that: many of the city spans underground. The city is divided into three districts, segregated by class:

1. The Ember district

2. The Stone district

3. The Iron district

The Ember district is the highest level, where buildings hang from the mountain roof like lanterns filled with glowing embers. This is a very wealthy district. Not a lot gets created here, but a sure lot is owned.

The Stone district is a middle-class area. It’s buildings protrude from the sides of the mountain, being carved out of stone and brick. A lot of the industry here is craftsmanship: watchmakers, carvers, painters, but also jobs like schoolteachers and office workers.