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Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Anise and Arsenic: Planning and Notes

First Thoughts


I am now thinking about a YA fantasy story about the youngest child from a family of assassins. Who wants to be a chef and not a hired killer. But his family just assumes he wants to specialize in poisons.

"Ooo. What is this?"

"Oregano."

"Interesting. What's the lethal dose?"

...


"That sounds inefficient dear. Just stick to arsenic."

Second Thoughts



Still thinking about this. The story arc could involve him learning to use his cooking, plus some genuine compassion and listening skills to achieve the political goal he was supposed to achieve by assassinating somebody.

Still pondering. He doesn't want to use the family truth drugs (permanent nerve damage side effects on the victim), so he acts as considerate bar tender and just lets them talk.

Narrative Title Card


You could do a great narrative bait and switch too.

For 300 years the Dagerphon Dynasty has ruled from their seat of power at Trollhelm Castle. But the Sofell family has stalked the shadows far longer. It was they who put Aldrick Dagerphon upon the throne by the elimination of House Damacles' only heir. It was they who guaranteed that Aldrick married Lady Rayne of House Vanamal, by ensuring other eligible ladies were permanently unavailable. Kings rise and fall, but the Sofell Family is eternal...

"My souffle! What have you done?"

Characters

  • Ardus (Ardie) Sofell: Youngest son of the Sofell Family, our hero. Wants to be a chef.
  • Oskar Sofell: Middle son of the Sofell Family, thinks he should be lead assassin of their generation and resents his older brother. 
  • Ignus Sofell: Eldest son of the Sofell Family, heir to the Lead Assassin role of the family and a strict disciplinarian. Worried that Ardus will bring shame on the Family.
  • Patrus Sofell: Father and Patriarch of the Sofell Family, blind to Ardie's desire to not be an assassin- blames any problems with Ardie or Oskar on Ignus.
  • Millis Sofell: Mother and Matriarch of the Sofell Family, blind to Ardie's desire to not be an assassin, sees everything he does as a clever plan or some sort. 
  • Drusus Gallus-Sofell: Sofell by marriage, Drusus is Patrus' Uncle. He is a cranky sadistic old bastard and the head of training in the Sofell Household. All three boys are terrified of him. Patrus thinks he's a big teddy bear, and is oblivious to his uncle's dark side.

The Cultural Setting

  • The Sacred Fulgur-Achraides Imperium
  • Three distinct Cultures with the Empire.
    • Eyjaheim. The Eyja people. Naval Empire. Ship building. Former peasants under the Fulgur Empire. Fled oppression by the Fulgur to an isolated Island. They follow nature spirit animist religion. Feudal culture. Favors cavalry sabers. Dislike armor. Ruddy Bronze skin color with Black hair.
    • Achraida. The Achraidic People.  Claims continuity with Old Achraides Federation.  Bureaucratic system of record keeping and printing press from them. Favor axes and broad swords. And coin brigandine armor. Dark 'Coffee bean' brown skin tone with black hair.
    • Fulgurin. The Fulgur People. Claims continuity with Fulgur Empire. They brought in the caste system. Favor short swords and large rectangular shields. Breast plate and Morion helm.
  • Three distinct Castes.
    • Caecus. Peasant/merchant. Most Eyja are this.
    • Scriba. Priest/scholar. Most Achraidic are this.
    • Occisor. Nobility/Warrior. Most Fulgur are this.
      • The Sofell family is Occisor Caste. Minor nobility but very stable and very old and surprisingly influential.
  • Non Imperial Groups
    • The Karakin Clans. Old independent nation, former empire, now Semi nomadic loosely aligned clans. Yurts moved to set sites with permanent temple complexes. Archaidic and Karakin are ethnically the same.
    • The Kingdom of Mersys. The flooded kingdom. Dikes and windmills and aqua culture flooded fields. Mersic people.
    • The Caelus. Caelish people. Roma style wanderers.
    • Pelontero. Southern islands connecting continents. Technologically behind the other nations. An Unconquered degenerate Empire that is corrupt and weezing under class inequality. It remains unconquered because nobody wants to be that close to the southern continent.
    • The Agricari Cantons. Non Aristocratic mountain herders. Their land is right in the middle of the Fulgur-Achraides Imperium. They remain independent though claimed by Fulgur.
       

Food Ideas

No Columbia Exchange 

There is no Columbian Exchange in this fantasy world and so I will be excluding foods from the New World unless there is something necessary to my plot.

  1. No cane sugar. No corn. Beet sugar and honey only.
  2. No vanilla. Rose water, orange blossom and almonds are common sweet flavors.
  3. No tomato, or potato. Yams and wheat.
  4. No cacao or chocolate. Citrons, oranges, and apples.
  5. No tobacco. Smoked Drugs are opium, salvia and datura... called dream oil, Oracle Sage and Moonflower.
  6. Transplanted tropical plants are grown in fancy greenhouses at great expense. Tropical foods are a sign of wealth.
  7. Stuffed pigeons are common. Stuffed pheasant is also common.
  8. Cabbage rolls and grape leaf tolls are common snacks.
  9. No turkey. Goose is the common big Bird dish. Goose boiled in vinegar is the common preparation.
  10. Dumplings are very common. Chinese style.
  11. No vodka or potato spirits. Mead and wine and beer.
  12. Eyja Cuisine. Boiled vegetables. Boiled meats. Fermented fish. Beer. Pepper and Bitter flavors. Sweet meat pastries. Everything is pastry.
  13. Achraidic Cuisine. Dumplings and sausages. Steamed vegetables and sweat soups. Favors sweet and sour flavors. Wine. Lots of yogurt.
  14. Fulgur Cuisine. Flat breads. Meaty and buttery stew dishes. Polenta (from oats). Mead. Spicy/hot and spicy flavors. Lots of butter.

Meal Format

  1. Aperitif
  2. Starter
  3. Soup
  4. First Course: Fish
  5. Second Course: Roast
  6. Third Course: Vegetables
  7. Dessert
  8. Coffee 
  9. Digestif

Links and Resources


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