Food and Drink of Ahlus

Just as much as banners or borders, the culinary culture and identity of the heavily populated regions of the continent has come to define its populace, and so is an important point of consideration and conversation. Many aspects of trade are defined by the epicurean needs and desires of settlements, whether pertaining to exotic and rare spices or sacks filled with barley and wheat.

While the wealthier residents of the larger cities may have coin to access near any produce of the continent, the general populace is generally limited to local commodities, further establishing firm favourites in each region.

## The Lotus Basin

Fields stretch from the banks of the longest river in the continent, providing the lands of the Lotus Basin a wide variety of staples bolstered in flavour through selective use of assorted herbs and imported spices. Many dishes are simple in their composition, with quality being prized over complexity.

Locally grown vegetables cooked alongside pork and fish and a variety of dairy products form the basis for many dishes, traditionally served alongside breads and locally brewed ales and meads.

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## Tourmalini'i

Nestled between the waves and woodland tropical, the cuisine of Tourmalini'i is characterised by fresh and bold flavours, with particular emphasis placed on heavily spiced seafood, freshly harvested fruits and roots, as well as meats considered exotic and odd by many elsewhere in the continent, and so these are rarely exported.

Wines, meads, liquors and other spirits are produced in particular bounty by the region, though sometimes quoted as being too sweet or spiced for the tongues of those not native to Tourmalini'i.

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## The Hoarfrost Expanse

The Hoarfrost Expanse lacks not in the means of preservation, but use of salting, pickling and fermentation throughout the cuisine of the region is not unheard of. As is typical of many coastal regions, seafood is a major source of sustenance, although the meats of reindeer, elk and caribou are also commonly used alongside haunches of lamb, hare and seabird.

Warm teas are commonly served with meals, alongside spirits of high alcohol content to counteract the cold, typically made with cloudberries and mulled with a variety of spices, most frequently cloves, allspice and nutmeg. Fermented milks are also common and typically brewed by the goliaths and orcs found throughout the region.

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## Atralran Refounded

Atral cuisine was amongst the most famed in the continent at the height of the former Realm, and has been restored as a bastion for culinary prowess in the present day. In traditional Atral dining, four courses are featured - an introductory entrée, a main course, a course of cheese and wine and then a final sweet course.

Cheese and wine hold a major place amongst the dishes of Atralran, and are readily exported across the continent to a wide variety of markets.

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## The Aethelwald

The cuisine of the Aethelwald varies with as much significance as its people. The residents of the Velenthir Estate hold lavish meals in the fashion of the Feast of the Brightnoon, celebrations of prosperity with dishes of roasted coney and venison, pies filled with diced carrot, leek and mushrooms, flaky breads served with fruits and smoked cheese. Those of Blinkwind Haven instead subsist on simple meals of wild rice, pickles, mustards and boiled eggs.

The surrounding forests provide for the vast majority of the populace's needs, and those that dine within the region sometimes find the food carries a fey flair that may cause other unexpected side effects, pending the Archfey that may have taken interest in said meal.

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## The Ironfangs

The extent of the Ironfangs means that a singular styling for the entirety of the region is near impossible to define. Those on the western or southern fringes might share diets in common with those of the Lotus Basin, Atralran or the Timberlands, whereas those to the east might eat dishes more akin to that of Tourmalini'i.

Hardy crops that can grow readily in environments wracked by strong winds, chilling nights and limited irrigation are favoured, and within the buried halls of Khonoldhur the residents brew a range of ales and meads that serve as a major export for the region.

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## The Hollow Concord

Rydoon and its surrounding settlements base many of their dishes on a tetrad of wheat, olives, seafood and citrus fruits. Goat, mutton and poultry are the major terrestrial types of meat consumed, though fish, crustaceans, mollusks and other seafood often instead dominate. The cultivation of Giadoese Peppers at Mossholde has provided a further source of innovation and variation.

Lemon, grapefruit and orange liqueurs are commonly given as aperitifs to meals, while meads, ales and wines fortified and mixed with fruit juice and honey are frequently enjoyed in lakeside eateries and woodland homesteads alike.

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## The Timberlands

Cool and moist, the Timberlands produce crops suited to the surrounding climate, as well as those cultivated through careful use of agricultural innovation. Barley, beets, berries, mushrooms and rye form the basis of many dishes, complemented with the addition of catches from Inve's Bay and figs and other fruits grown in the orchards of the region.

Beers, particularly those traditionally created through the steeping and fermentation of rye bread are commonly flavoured with strawberries, dried grapes and mint.

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## Aviacrest

Land for growing crops is highly prized in Aviacrest, and so for a time much of the city subsisted off arcanely conjured rations. Since, botanists have hollowed out vast portions of many of the earthmotes to create crops for food and drink through a number of novel methods.

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