DiscoDude: ---BEGIN SESSION---
DiscoDude: Session logging commenced
GM: For the third time, 16 chefs awake from cryogenic sleep on the interplanetary shuttle as it descends onto another planet’s surface. Down below, Holly greets the camera as she waits for the shuttle to arrive on the runway to a backdrop of brown fog pierced by bright lights. She’s in her humanoid form again, but donning a festive-looking mask, and she’s surrounded by bat/fennec-esque people, also wearing masks on top of their old-timey service garb as they flank a taxi-esque land shuttle.
GM: “Holly Go-Lightwave, coming at you with another episode of Uranium Chef; this time, from the entertainment and enterprise hub of neutral space, Demasque March! Here comes the chefs now!” she says, as the space shuttle touches down.
Reality Glitch: ((Victorian-style polluted atmosphere?))
GM: As the chefs (presumably) begin to pile out onto the runway, the bat-like humanoids pull out champaign bottles and uncork them with a series of POPs. “We welcome you Demasque March! Come inside, don’t dally, and enjoy the intimate hospitality of our Demasi culture!” they all announce in unison. It’s hard to discern their expressions beneath their masks, but the masks themselves are cheerful and bright.
Dovelia: is a little uncomfortable. So many masks. So many unreadable expressions.
GM: (Yes, RG. Think of it like perpetual noir sepiatone fog.)
Ratatoskr: "Hah, So many adorable lil' guys! Don't cha think?!" Says Rightatoskr waving a hand for the fans, Leftatoskr shares a bit of Dovelia's uncomfort though "Hmm Sure, Adorable is one way to put it..."
Reality Glitch: Rachelle is pleasantly taken aback by the greeting. "Why thank you! Don't mi-" their gratitude is cut-off as they start figuratively (yet very vigorously) hacking up a lung.
GM: (They aren’t small like Mimi; they’re actually on the tall and lanky side.)
Reality Glitch: ((Still shorter than Ratatoskr, I'm sure.))
GM: (Heh, you got that right.)
Dovelia: "Trouble with the air, Rachelle?" Dovelia looks a little concerned. "I thought Earth was an industrialized planet."
Reality Glitch: Rachelle couldn't speak, they were wheezing so hard.
Reality Glitch: Their eyes were red and watery at this point.
GM: (Ready to move to opening statements? (Also, I didn’t intend for the air itself to be that dirty, RG. The fog is mostly natural.))
Dovelia: looks to Holly: "Can we get her inside, please? Or at least provide a breathing mask?" She seems half-concerned for Rachelle's health, half-disturbed by the severity of her reaction.
Reality Glitch: ((When you said everyone was wearing masks, I assumed you meant gas masks.))
GM: (What? No, I mean play masks.)
Dovelia: (it's in the planet's name XD)
Ratatoskr: (aww, and here i was ready to pretend it was caustic...)
Dovelia: (Demasque March)
Dovelia: (let's just roll with it though; play like she's allergic to something)
GM: (Alright.)
Reality Glitch: ((Yeah; something about it doesn't agree with human biology.))
GM: “Terribly sorry!” One busboy with a teary-eyed pattern on his otherwise cheerful facade steps forward. “I was assigned to be the one to handle apologies should they come up. I’m told not all species can handle the particular natural impurities in our air. Right this way!” He ushers everyone into the shuttle.
Reality Glitch: Rachelle just barely manages to stay on their feet long enough to get inside the taxi.
GM: (Everyone else follows, I assume?)
Ratatoskr: (does Ratatoskr need his own taxi?)
Dovelia: follows the others.
GM: (It’s a full shuttle. I only said taxi regarding the A E S T H E T I C.)
GM: (<@!Ratatoskr>?)
Ratatoskr: Ratatoskr enters the Taxi, restraining the left head from petting any of the inhabitants.
GM: Greto, Gwystan, Cozo, and Carmine also seem to have genuine difficulty with the outside air (Lithia complained a lot, but that seemed to be posturing), but not nearly to the same degree as Rachelle.
GM: Once everyone is inside and the air filtered out, the shuttle goes on its way. As people start blinking out for first impressions, the busy city’s lights seem to stream by in a slow blur as some sort of gramophonic vinyl piece is piped in through speakers littered around the city.
GM: DEMASQUE MARCH: https://youtu.be/qVjyfk1ydEw
GM: (Ready for the first impression segment? Who wants to go first?)
Ratatoskr: (Shall Ratatoskr have a go?)
GM: (If you want!)
Ratatoskr: ( Nice....So uh, Do you ask a question or does Ratatoskr just give their first impressions?)
GM: (The latter.)
Ratatoskr: "This little guys were awesome, That fog smelt amazing! and they looked so adorable doing that chorus!" The right head can't but give a look. "Well, they did put a lot of effort to welcome us., I can't but wonder if they will like my brand of spice..."
GM: (What are you rolling?)
GM: (<@!Ratatoskr>?)
Ratatoskr: (I wanna say Flashy.)
GM: (Roll it!)
Ratatoskr: !f 3
GM: (That... should have worked?)
Ratatoskr: !roll 4df +3
DiscoDude: <@Ratatoskr> rolled 4df for 0 [4df = [+][-][+][-]] and +3 for 3 []
GM: (Missed a space there. We’ll count it as 3.)
GM: (Name an Aspect, <@!Ratatoskr>.)
Ratatoskr: [On the Right Feet with The Locals!][!]?
Dovelia: "Rather a charming place. Reminds me rather of home." She looks at the building tops. "I do hope I shall impress here."
Dovelia: !roll 4dF+3 (Careful)
DiscoDude: <@Dovelia> rolled 4dF+3 for 6 [4dF = [+][+][+][ ]] (Careful)
Reality Glitch: "The locals were kind enough," Rachelle gives the camera a smile while subtly expelling the last of the miasma, "but the air's driving me batty."
Reality Glitch: !f 4
Reality Glitch: !roll 4df+3
DiscoDude: <@Reality Glitch> rolled 4df+3 for 3 [4df = [ ][+][ ][-]]
GM: (Both of you come up with aspects.)
Reality Glitch: ((Anotherpun Rides the Bus))
Dovelia: (XD)
Dovelia: ([Reminds Me Of Home])
GM: Cocoa seems chipper. “Hope these guys like what Cocoa Ramsay is cooking. Even if I can’t tell what’s on their face, I can already tell they’re gonna love little ol’ me, hee!”
GM: !roll 4dF+3 (Careful)
DiscoDude: <@GM> rolled 4dF+3 for 3 [4dF = [+][ ][-][ ]] (Careful)
GM: (Creating Cheerful Confidence [!].)
GM: Greto: “I don’t think the air quite agrees with me. My game plan isn’t changing, however; I figured something like this might come up.”
GM: !roll 4dF+2 (Clever)
DiscoDude: <@GM> rolled 4dF+2 for 3 [4dF = [ ][+][+][-]] (Clever)
GM: (Creating Always Has a Backup [!].)
GM: Norstar: “Ha! It will take more than toxic fog and tricky masks to thwart PROFESSOR NORSTAR! My frozen delights will wow their palettes so much the very expressions on their masks will visibly contort!”
GM: !roll 4dF+2 (Aggressive)
DiscoDude: <@GM> rolled 4dF+2 for 0 [4dF = [-][-][+][-]] (Aggressive)
GM: (And the audience thinks she’s Talking Nonsense {!}. XD)
Dovelia: rolls her eyes.
GM: Everyone is kept a little longer for the confessionals, however, with this further prompt: What would you say is your ultimate dish, and what’s the dream ingredient at the center of it? (Name an ingredient aspect with a flavor as part of your answer; they aren’t coming into play right now, but this will be relevant in the future.)
GM: Cocoa: “Me? I’d have to say the Patisserie Royale; each layer, a new flavor sensation. Hee! ‘Course, it’s all held together by the light, delicate, flaky... yet very sturdy Microfilm Pastry Sheets - Sweet. I remember when... never mind! It’s just good, ‘k?”
Dovelia: "...Well." Dovelia seems rather caught off-guard by the question. "I don't have what you could call an 'ultimate dish' so much as an 'ultimate dish concept.' I mean...the theory is sound; I have personally tested the individual components to my satisfaction, but I have yet to assemble it myself. I must admit I'm rather uncomfortable playing my hand like this in front of a galactic audience, but I am prepared to say this: I call this dish the 'Masquerade Bowl'" - she smirks and chuckles at her own pun - "and the key element to its execution would be [All-Purpose Korentz Shaderoot (Bitter)]. It's rather common to come by, but I've yet to find any of sufficient...quality to suit my needs."
Reality Glitch: "Oh! That's easy." Rachelle's voice almost cracks in excitement "I have this special meal I make for my sweet little boys that uses a foreign herb my husband first introduced me to just before we had our first kid." They furrow their brow in contemplation. "I think he called it 'Slwuu'Gheibbaan'." Though, Rachelle butchers the pronunciation, and it comes out more like 'suhl-WU-gi-ban'.
GM: (Got a flavor for that aspect?)
Reality Glitch: ((Savory; as it's still heavily meat-based.))
GM: (Is the herb itself Savory?)
GM: (While you’re typing out that suspiciously long response...)
GM: Greto: “I actually quite enjoyed working with that Stormcloud Eel... but it’s a different eel - the Jumbo-Soy Eelagodon - Savory that I’m interested in. My ‘ultimate dish’ is still in the lab, so to speak, but let’s just say that I believe I am pushing the boundaries of culinary norms with this, if I do say so myself.”
Reality Glitch: ((No; it's an immuno-suppressant to humans and a source of one of the few nutrients that the xenoparasitoids can't get from meat alone.))
GM: (What flavor is it?)
Dovelia: (^)
Reality Glitch: ((I guess is would be a spicy, since it's a spice, but savory could work since it supplements an otherwise purely carnivorous diet.))
Reality Glitch: ((I didn't think the ingredient's flavor would influence the dish's main flavor.))
GM: (I’m looking for an ingredient aspect here.)
GM: (So is Slwuu’Gheibbaan Spicy or Savory?)
GM: (<@Reality Glitch>?)
Reality Glitch: (([ɬʷʏ.ʔɣé.bɐnː] would be Xenoparasitizing Herb - Savory.))
GM: (Alright? realization... Any adverse effects for normal eaters?)
Reality Glitch: ((Only the weak or infirm.))
GM: (Is it alright if I use the spelled out alien term (Slwuu’Gheibbaan)? I don’t think the connotations of the translation would go over very well.)
Reality Glitch: ((In character or out? Out of character: that's why I gave the romanization.))
GM: (As the aspect. Other than that, just want to make one last check; you’ll be expected to put something involving this herb in front of the judges at some point (even if it isn’t this episode (you’ll see why in a bit)). You sure you want that to be the aspect you create?)
Reality Glitch: ((I thought we already talked about this? I mentioned the judges realizing what Rachelle used and not having the heart to tell them the truth.))
GM: (Well yeah. I’m more concerned about the herb being not entirely safe raising a red flag for approval to begin with. Is the danger being overblown in my mind?)
Reality Glitch: (You are overblowing it; you'd have to already be immuno-compromised for it to cause any real harm.))
Reality Glitch: ((And even then, only from secondary infection.))
GM: (Got it. <@!Ratatoskr>, you’re on.)
Ratatoskr: Both heads look at the camera, you can bet they wish they could sweat right, an ultimate dish?! Panic is replaced by a strike of inspiration at the best time though! They start talking about those times they were travelling through that world called Saizawne: the world they attained their cooking-skills from, full of odd walls and wonderful walls where MANY CHEFS Worked tirelessly to PLEASE THE EMPEROR! When they met an mysterious man who shared an strange black bottle with them, a single drop of the stuff was enough to put BOTH heads in bed for MONTHS!!....when they woke up they accidentally crushed the bottle, and they couldn't step on their right leg for an entire YEAR after that, but the label always remained with them... "Any dish, ANY DISH CAN BE AMAZING PERFECT, ULTIAMTE WITH THE [HUZIJAITO CROSS TIMES 3!!! - Spicy!!!][!!!]!!!"
Ratatoskr: They take a long breath after that, 5 solid minutes of talking, god!
Reality Glitch: ((And it only really works on mammalian species, like humans (and I guess Demasqueians as well).))
Ratatoskr: In-promptu Translators note: HUZIJAITO is a word stemming from HUIJAO and can be translated to a particularly spicy brand of pepper, thus letting it be inferred that they mean an incredibly strong substance that is probably too spicy even for Ratatoskr, all bold words might have been exaggerated however, so please take this with a piece of salt.
GM: (XD)
Dovelia: (Dovelia cautiously applauds, a "I sincerely hope he isn't serious" look on her face.)
Dovelia: (yes i know she can't hear it but if she could)
Ratatoskr: (I have just channeled all my Gilgamesh into this paragraph, I'm glad you like it.)
GM: Norstar: “Hah! Of course I won’t tell you and spoil the surprise! But if you’re offering...” She pushes a note to Holly all hush-hush-like that says: Tub of Suspended Vacuum - Cool. “Under normal circumstances, what I’m asking is incredibly sorta maybe illegal outside of super controlled lab environments, and and and I know this seems like an incredibly un-scientific use for an incredibly scientific material.” She rears up. “But understand that this IS SCIENCE! BWAHAHAHAHA!” She gets back down to a whisper. “Also I heard the Chairlady is basically above laws or something of the sort so pretty please...?”
Ratatoskr: (Also, unless we can't watch replays of this, I don't doubt Dovelia could clap later XDDD)
GM: (Alright! It’s getting kinda late, and uh... I honestly would like more time to hammer out the communal zones... Is this a good stopping point?)
Ratatoskr: (after that bomb*?! HAH, hell yeah XD)
Reality Glitch: ((Norstar's bomb, or yours?))
Ratatoskr: ((Everyone is Bomb))
GM: (<@!Dovelia>?)
Dovelia: (sure)
GM: (Any last lines?)
Ratatoskr: "AND EVERYONE WILL TASTE IT!!“
super impromptu translator's note: the right head spoke that last line, either hide your children or ignore it, I'm out of here.
GM: (XD)
GM: (<@Reality Glitch>? <@!Dovelia>?)
Dovelia: (later, watching the recording) "I think I will pass. As impressive as my cybernetic arm might be, I would rather not find myself in need of a cybernetic tongue.*"
Reality Glitch: "The music here is also nice; reminds me of those Asian cartoons my eldest watches."
GM: (And with that, let us...)
GM: !end
