After partaking in good wine and fun while at the Itir Celebration in Lumiria, Artemis returns home to prepare a new batch of wine and a new low alcoholic concoction called Kombucha. After many months of practicing fermentation, he has started to become a master of fermentation. He’s started off small at first. He started out with making bread. A process in which you use the organism yeast from flour and let it rise to create dough. Then you bake it in an oven and boom, you have created bread. It is an artform that he has honed over many years, and it is a quite calming process. Kneading dough, shaping it, measuring ingredients, adding cheese, these are all things that are calming and bring him peace. Then he discovered the art of pickling. Started with cucumbers and letting it sit in a brine made of vinegar and spices and over time it would change and create pickles. Same process is done with cabbage and sausage. He then would progress to making his own sausages and drying them to become jerky. Then finally, he would progress into his most profitable and easiest craft, wine. All of this to say that Artemis is a master at his craft and what he does in the kitchen is an art. Which makes what happens next more tragic.
The day was June 22 273, only days after the Itir Celebration. It was very stormy that night and lighting was close. Artemis had only just come home to his homestead and was drinking his latest batch of black berry wine, remembering his fallen comrades at this most recent fight with the Grimward. He was also reminiscing about his fallen friend Vaels Watetash the Alpha Slayer. He then began to go into a deep meditative sleep after what looked like two or three bottles of wine. That’s when the tragedy struck. Lightning struck his homestead causing a small spark and embers. No one stirred as the storm was quite loud and no one knew a fire began to start. It wasn’t until the stench of the smoke began wafting into an open window did Artemis begin to wake. In his state, he at first attributed the smell to a bonfire. It wasn’t until he was fully awake did he realize what was going on. There was no bonfire outside, it was still raining. He quickly got his family awake to check what was going on. That’s when others were awake as well, watching. The roof was on fire. The fire had been much too strong to fight on hand so individuals did what they could to lessen the damage and move things that were around the home away. That’s when Artemis realized his animals were still inside. He rushed in grabbing a cloth to fight the smoke and he was able to save his small lizard Draco and his feline cat. Artemis, Maretheris, and Naxala watched in silence as their home burned.
After many hours, the fire subsided, but the smell of smoke will forever be burned into Artemis’s memory. He had sent Maretheris and Naxala to a friend nearby home while Artemis investigated what could be salvaged. He was able to find a few trinkets and some clothing for Maretheris but the deeper he went into the wreckage the more that was lost. Artemis had lost, everything. What was interesting though, it was only most of his things that was unsalvageable. Was this an act of a god? Did he slight a god an anyway that they targeted him? Was it only a coincidence that a Temple of Arnath was just finished? Or was this an act from a different god? Khruki perhaps?
Artemis was able to recover his personal notes but anything about his father was lost. The Weaver mat he was given by his father as his last thing that was left. The Enchanter’s mat Artemis made from an old cloak his father wore. Even the outfit his father was seen in, gone. One thing did remain, the Helm Azureal Talonflame wore when he became Guardian of the Wolfgang tribe. That relic remained. Coincidence? He thought not.
Ingredients
2 spoonsful of buttermilk
(Vinegar, juice of a lemon, and cream of tartar)
2 spoons of sugar
A cup of warm water
3 or 4 cups of flour
An egg
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 bits of any herbs
Lots of cheese
A clove of garlic, minced
Some butter
1 egg
Directions
Whisk the water, sugar, and a bit of flour together and let sit for about five to ten minutes.
Add the butter, egg, and seasonings and only one cup of flour and mix to combine.
Now add the rest of the flour to the bowl and make sure you have a bit of flour and water nearby.
Now Knead the dough into a soft ball and let rise for a few hours in a well-oiled and covered bowl.
Go ahead and grease a bread loaf pan.
Once doubled in size, lay out the dough on your worktop and roll it out flat.
Add cheese to cover the flat dough, more cheese is always better.
Now roll the dough into a log that’s about arm length.
With a sharp knife cut the log in half lengthwise but leave a bit at the end.
We are going to crisscross the dough all the way down.
Now put that dough into the pan and let rise again for thirty minutes or so.
During this time make sure your oven is hot. You want it HOT.
Whisk melted butter and herbs and brush your dough and add some cheese to some of the pockets.
Now put that bun in the oven for about fourth five minutes to an hour. Check it often; you don’t want this to burn.
Once golden brown its ready to serve and eat!