A Trio of Spicy Vendors
Type: Encounter (Food Seller)
This is a group of three different small food sellers primarily meant to serve as background and flavor rather than for trading. Since they only sell in personal use quantities they are not actually a vendor.
A Spicy Seller of Meat Buns
Description
A wave of loud insults proceeds this stout swarthy man of likely Italian decent. Slung over his back is a large wicker pack from which drifts the smell bread and roasted meat. Mostly good natured insults merged with pitches to buy his product flow from his mouth at nearly everyone he passes.
Background
A local baker, he first came to the Tribunal Fair when he was an apprentice with his master. This is his second fair since then and he has learned that if he is constantly spitting out insults to everyone then he will not accidentally single out a Magus alone for insult. As long as he does not take it to far this lets him actually insult the creepy folk while keeping up good natured insults at everyone else. He can also sell at double his normal price and everyone is happy to pay, so win win.
Personalities
- Lorenzo: A normally jovial man, he has always enjoyed teasing his patrons. He speaks the local tongue rather than Latin, but doesn't let someones lack of understanding stop him. Mostly he will tease over traits that are not so bad (calling out a skinny man for being skinny) or are actually good (calling an attractive person ugly, they should buy a bun and use the wrapper to cover their face). With those who have the Gift he will actually be a little harsher. Especially if they do not understand him he will insult them more and more with a smile, until they buy a bun or walk away. He is an approved seller and well liked, so actually attacking him could lead to trouble. Mostly though he is careful not to push it since you never know what the creepy sorcerers can actually do.
Products
- Meat Buns: These are thick and crusty buns of bread, stuffed with brazed meat and onions before baking that drips thick brown juices when broken open or bitten into. Most are stuffed with the chopped meat of some fowl, though he also has some stuffed with sweet meats (organ meat).
Meat Pies of What?!
Description
Calls to "get your pies... meat pies" lead to a wagon with a portable oven and a rack of shelves filled with hand pies. A slate on the side of the wagon list some good stuff until you get to... tongue, squirrel with eel, snails & frog, thin shaved balls, and... ugly?!
Background
This family owns a farm about half a day from the fair site and has been coming for over a century. They initially hit onto they could sell meat pies made with off cuts and vermin collected from the marsh at the edge of their farm as exotic. Their family has done it long enough however that their products are actually good and something they eat themselves. Now they use the fair as a way to save up money for lean times. Mostly only the father is present, though his wife stops in every hour or two to help prep some new pies. Their children, teenagers now, mostly wander the fair unless dragged back because things get especially busy.
Personalities
- Mathew: A deeply religious man, he actually speaks poor but passable Latin. He is proud of his families recipes and constantly strives to improve them. Bad reactions before tasting don't bother him, but he will take it personally if someone dislikes one after trying it. Those who enjoy them will get a happy friendly reaction and he will willingly swap recipes and talk about techniques for cooking vermin and odd things.
Products
- Hand Pies: Beautifully shaped meat pies, with a layered and woven top, that are the perfect size to hold in one hand. All are stuffed with off cut or 'exotic' meat combinations, root vegetables, and marsh herbs. Weird out your players if you can, then tell any brave enough to try them how good they are.
A Seller of Spicy Meats
Description
Wandering down the fairway brings about a sudden wash of the scent of roasting meat potent enough that your eyes actually water. Pulses suddenly race. Wait, your eyes and nose almost feel like they are burning a little. There, that spit roast being slowly turned and basted! Why is it affecting you so? And which Magus sigil is on the banner beside the booth?
Background
While hot peppers are only native to the Americas, the reason they are hot is so that birds will eat them to spread the seeds while mammals will not. But sometimes a bird will make the trip across the sea. What if that bird carried seeds that grew into a plant. Then suppose a Magus interested in Herbam found it and decided to cultivate it. What could be done with it? There is a reason hot peppers spread throughout the world only a few centuries after AM is set.
This is something the PCs will have never experienced before. While to us the chilli peppers would not be so bad (think jalapeno) no one in ME has been exposed to Capsaicin before. A completely new and exciting experience.
The two cooking stations use enchanted items rather than wood fires for their heat, their Covenants traveling cook items temporarily retasked for use at the fair.
Personalities
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Jean: A stocky lad busy turning the spit upon which a calf roast and occasionally pouring a dipper over it. While too busy to engage in talk, he will direct people to Lyam. Anyone (without the Gift) willing to take a turn at cranking the spit will be happily engaged in shop talk about cooking and the few ways he has learned to use the new peppers.
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Lyam: A beer keg with arms and legs, Lyam chops vegetables and searing them between taking orders. An obviously skilled cook who has long served his Covenant, he speaks Latin and is used to dealing with Magi. He will offer any children a honey candy rather than letting them try the meat, worried it might not be good for them.
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Magus Hortus of Tytalus: While not at the shop, if the PCs wish to purchase seeds then they will need to talk to him. So they can wait or come back at a set time and face his challenge.
Products
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Slice & Crust: The 'milder' option, this is a slice of spit roasted calf served on a crust of dark bread. A little watering of the eyes, light burning tingle of the throat, and elevated pulse should come about along with a desire to drink.
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Chopped Beef & Pepper: Chopped up seared onions with a few thin slices of pepper, topped with sliced beef and handed over wrapped in a flat bread. This is going to seem blazing hot, with water works, red face, dripping nose, and a spiked pulse.
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Pepper Seeds: Hortus doesn't really want to sell any seeds. However he cannot resist himself and will challenge any Magi who wish to buy some to eat a whole pepper raw. The challenge must be attempted by a Magus. SG choice on if they need to make a Sta check (Herbam assist). Price if the challenge is won is a pawn of Vis. He will not disclose this before the challenge is accepted.