From The Sands

> Oberto's Odyssey, but that was not all. A book called A Gourmet's Journal, detailing the journey of a famous gourmet and their exploits across the known world, was sent as well. What better way to get to know a people than through their food and dining customs?

The Maknus deciphered the contents of Oberto’s Odyssey and soon requested a guide to terms used within the book. After further guidance, they fully understood Ngugi-Mahru’s origins and the current political tensions that remained between the Ngugi and the Malkin of the Old Country. The Maknus themselves had prior history with strife caused by slavery and imperialism, and sympathized with Ngugi-Mahru. In the future, they would pledge support for the Ngugi royalty.

Historians note that another book was smuggled into the cargo that contained Oberto’s Odyssey. It was A Gourmet’s Journal, written by an anonymous author. Many suspect that it was written by the Royal Court Chef, Haskil Kamin, but all evidence was circumstantial at best.

Though it was a short and poorly-illustrated book, it became a sensation with the Maknus and within a week they sent a formal request to sample food. Fortunately for everyone involved, a proper understanding of Maknus anatomy allowed the Ngugi to create food that was safe for alien consumption. Of note was the famous Ngugi Grilled Cod Noodles, garnished with blueberries and cheese. This particular dish was so beloved by the Maknus that they agreed to buy it with their own natural resource: Danivium.

This particular metal was very similar to iron, but was impervious to rust, leading to the substance being nicknamed ’Rustbane’. It became extremely expensive but highly sought after by blacksmiths and soldiers.

Meanwhile, Ngugi-Mahru was facing an odd kind of crisis. It was not one brought by disaster, but by excess. Many doctors were reporting that over half of the Ngugi-Mahru population was suffering from some kind of food-related disease; unhealthy hearts, alcohol-poisoned livers, kidneys failing, and many more. People were dying not from starvation, but from over-eating.

Queen Sajar thought it was a minor thing at first, until one of her own servants passed away in the palace from failing kidneys. The brightest minds in the nation were ordered to try and understand why so many of her people could not control their eating habits. Several reports were presented, but the most convincing factor was the lack of entertainment; many of the civilian population were simply bored and filled their leisure time with food. A close second was the lack of formal education regarding healthy eating.

With regards to leisure activities, there were certainly entertainers, artists, performers, jesters, buskers, novelists, puppeteers and the like, but many of such performances or works were expensive compared to the rest of the world. For example, a seat for a play was typically worth around eight silver coins in other nations, but in Ngugi-Mahru it was two gold. As it turned out, Ngugi-Mahru became so famous as a place of wonder and mystery that it attracted top-ranking talent… but ONLY top-ranking talent.

Though the average Ngugi citizen was well off, it just made more sense to them to save money for ‘the really big show’ and spend it on food and drink instead of enjoying any other kind of entertainment. This was unfortunately the growing culture in their country.

The education was also in need of a reform; despite the fact that Ngugi-Mahru was a prestigious place for doctors to study, education for the commoners barely touched on health at all. Most people did not know or understand the consequences of over-consumption.

The fact that A Gourmet’s Journal was smuggled in to Maknus was perhaps an odd sign of things to come; Ngugi-Mahru was eating itself to death, and the Royal Court had to introduce new policies that would change how the nation’s culture dealt with food. Sadly, none of the solutions could satisfy everyone, aside from reforming the nation’s education system which was already underway.

People argued that it was none of the Queen’s business what the people chose to eat, but historians noted that the sight of her servant dying in front of her traumatized Queen Sajar, which led to her taking drastic action.

Maid Grofen the Queen’s servant did not only collapse, but she fell down a flight of stairs, broke her neck and landed in a scalding pot of soup, destroying her fur and skin. Queen Sajar suffered nightmares from this incident, screaming about sizzling flesh in the awful nights.

What was the new policy?

- Standardized Pricing for Leisure
(Royal popularity with everyone rises except for the entertainment industry and food industry, no performances held for royal or diplomatic gatherings as sign of protest)

All prices for concerts, theatrical shows and the like would be strictly regulated by the government so that they were on par with food prices. Neither the show-makers nor the cooks were pleased by this, as both of them lost profits. Artists who actually agreed with this policy became pariahs.

- Controlled Recipes
(Reduced royal popularity with everyone but doctors, increased risk of assassination)

All businesses selling prepared food in the nation must alter their recipes to meet a ‘national standard’. Nobody liked this policy, except those in the medical profession as they were glad to see their patients slowly becoming physically healthier… though the patients were noticeably unhappy.

- Mandatory Outdoor Activities
(No substantial change to overall national health, creates national sports teams)

The rule was that every citizen must spend at least three days of the week in their free time engaging in ‘outdoor leisure’ like swimming at the river or playing sports. However, this was impossible to enforce, and most were happy to just do what they were always doing. There were notably quite a number of people who became inspired to start forming professional sports teams in the nation, which Ngugi-Mahru never had before.

- Mandatory Satiation Medicine
(Nation loses some wealth, prestige)

A radical approach, Queen Sajar commissioned scholars around the world to create a drug that would make the user feel full for long periods of time. The most effective was Rasizol, originally meant for soldiers on the battlefield. This medicine became a national staple, and everyone was required to eat it at lunch. Though it worked, this led to ridicule on an international scale, as other nations came to believe that the Ngugi lacked any measure of self-control. The purchase of stocks of Rasizol also caused the Ngugi-Mahru economy to become weaker.

- Royal Secret: Artificial Famine
(Royalty gains popularity among peasants but increased risk of assassination)

Queen Sajar ordered her spies to embark on a secret mission: To destroy their own food supplies, fisheries and farms. It was calculated to create a shortage without risking mass starvation. The goal was to create a situation where people had no choice but to ration their food, and it worked. The people flocked to her leadership as she made several deals for food shipments. However, nobles who came to know the truth would plot to kill the queen as punishment for her causing so much unnecessary suffering.

>_

*NGUGI-MAHRU WORLD STATUS*

Global Reputation: High Standing, Steady Tourism, Steady Trade
Average Life Expectancy: 65 years
Wealth: Very Wealthy (ranked 2nd in world)
Military: Powerful, Respected
Science: Advanced, Respected
Allies: Madagar, Yeshiko, The Old Country (Malkin)
Wars: None

Miscellaneous Note: Ngugi-Mahru considered a power player on the world stage and well-respected, but many nations still wished the Shadowless Tower entry requirements were less restricted. Debates were still ongoing about the possibility of opening the tower to all, and declaring it an asset for the entire world.

*YENA’S STATUS *
Princess Yena’s Personal Money - 388 gold, 12 silver, 10 copper

Skill:
Cosmic Crafter - Can Craft Otherworldly Objects into items

Retinue:
Hessel - Bodyguard (Guardian Shield: Arrows and other solid projectiles cannot harm her)
Reyq - Scholar

Cosmic Artifacts:
Levitation Orb - Can levitate up to 4 inches. Worth 40 gold.
Reflector Talisman - Reflects ALL magic, even beneficial ones. Worth 1000 gold.

No Tamed Tower Beast

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Shadowless Tower exploration progress: 19%

World Map: https://i.imgur.com/V6xZODN.jpg

TOWER BEAST TREATISE