Sarca's Kitchen

Sarca is an ethereal, summoned being who runs a traveling kitchen, welcome to all who may need nourishment. The Kitchen often appears at large gatherings of sweaty and hungover nerds in the woods of the West.

Lore

The entity simply known as "the Kitchen" has existed as long as anybody can remember. Longer, in fact, but so few are aware of its true nature. In truth, the Kitchen does not exist within space and time as a mortal might understand it. It is merely where it needs to be, when it is needed. And when it is not, it is no longer there. Despite the endless potenial of such a thing, the Kitchen always requires someone to maintain it. It is, after all, only a kitchen, and a kitchen requires a cook. It is believed that the Cook and the Kitchen are bonded; one cannot function without the other. As such, a being is chosen to become the next Cook whenever the old one dies. The current Cook is a creature called Sarca. Human in appearance, but not strictly... mortal. Recorded interactions between mortals and the Kitchen are few and far between. The following is one such instance:

"It was the Age of Unification, but the monsters of the Horde were getting more and more divided. There was a plague spreading rapidly among the human lands, causing endless death and decay. The monsters cared nothing for the troubles of men, up until it started to impact their stomachs. Raids were providing fewer and fewer meals. Most of the men were already dead when the raids started, and the diseased were unappetizing to even the most starving Night Goblyn. So as expected, the creatures scrapped internally, for many days and nights, as they continued their search of fresher flesh. It was on one of these days when a Goblyn, fed up with the in-fighting, left their encampment to wander the nearby woods. She claimed it was to search for food, but in truth she just wanted silence. The forest canopy provided shade and solace as she marched further away from the sounds of conflict. The Goblyn wandered for some time, with only the sounds of the wind and her empty belly to keep her company. Whatever animals might have lived here, they had long since fled or been harvested to feed the ever-moving army. She saw what appeared to be an open clearing in the distance, and started to make her way towards it. A sudden tingle shot up her spine, and made her hair stand on end. "Majik?" the greenskin thought to herself, "Out here?" Her dark eyes scanned the treeline to find the source, and quickly rested upon the clearing. Somehow... it was no longer empty. A collection of canopies, tables and metal contraptions now stood there, glinting in the sunlight. The Goblyn was suspicious. She knew her Witchdoktor training had been limited, but there was nothing in their stories that spoke of such a thing. Through the trees, she spied movement between the shiny metal objects, and her stomach growled. The Goblyn decided to approach cautiously, hoping to catch the distracted human off-guard. Stealth is a goblyn's weapon, after all. Well, apart from their rage and a good sharp knife. But this day, sneaking was proven useless. She had not taken 10 steps before the creature in the structure called out. "Come, you must be hungry. The stew is almost done."

The monster's belly growled in agreement. Defeated, and grateful to Sifu that she was alone, the Goblyn slowly trudged out of the trees and up towards the first table. An enticing aroma hit her nostrils, coming from a large container in the back. She took a moment to study the creature tending the fire. It was indeed human, or appeared to be. But it smelled... different than any human she had ever killed. Not of sweat, fear, earth, or firewater. The stew and the hunger in her belly were too distracting, and so she gave up trying to understand. The not-human turned back to greet her with a bowl of... something. It smelled like food, and the greenskin hadn't had a good meal in weeks, so she slurped it down hastily. The being smiled. "I'm glad you like it. Would you like another?" The goblyn hesitated, but nodded. The bowl was refilled and emptied just as quickly. Warmth spread across her belly and filled the goblyn with curiosity again. "Wat be you?" she asked the not-human in front of her.

"I don't know what you mean. I am Sarca, and this is my Kitchen."

The Goblyn smirked at the strange response. "You not smell human. You not be monster."

The being called Sarca stared back at her, maintaing the same pleasant smile. She shrugged. "I am Sarca. That is all I am."

"An' Sarca be here tomorrow?" The goblyn did not want to admit it, but the stew was delicious.

Sarca looked off into the distance; her cheerful tone dimmed. "Perhaps. It is not my decision."

The goblyn followed her gaze, but did not see anything. "Stay here den. Galya go an' git dee others. We be back tomorrow."

The Witchdoktor turned and shuffled back into the trees. Sarca watched her go, then breathed a sigh. "It is not my decision."

Galya returned to the encampment by nightfall, and tried to tell the still-bickering monsters what she had found. As expected, it did not go well. Most brushed her off, asking if she'd found mushrooms on her hike. A few demanded she share them, which started yet another scrap. The goblyn quickly retreated into the shadows, away from the futility. Early the next morning, Galya ran back into the woods, retracing her steps. But the Kitchen and the Sarca were not there. She absorbed the stillness of the empty meadow for a moment; the sunlight warming her emerald skin. Her mind searched for that distinct feeling of majik on the air... but found nothing. Though spite drove her, the long search was futile, and she returned empty-handed. The Horde moved on, and the Kitchen was soon forgotten as a fool's hungry tale."

Written by Squire Antoinette

I have seen a lot in my travels. However, what I never expected to encounter was a planes-shifting kitchen. Somehow, when I summoned my familiar to me, I ended up transported to this kitchen, familiar and all. I still dont know how it happened. I dont think Sarca, the woman who told me she was soul-bound to the kitchen, again not something you hear every day, knew how it happened either, but apparently, it happens all of the time. People who are hungry just show up in the kitchen, or the kitchen just shows up where there are people who need to be fed. Thankfully I didn't burn the place down with my archmoose. After a great meal of hearty home-cooked food, I was back where I started. I was pretty sure that was a dream until it happened again, this time the kitchen came the Great Chaos Wars. I must figure out this magic