'No Place like Gnome'

The restaurant in Allsend Landing is one of the highlights of this town and not just for its locations sitting directly over the Maelstrom, but for what has been created within its kitchen. A marvel of culinary science and magic concocted by the gnomish chief baker Elsin Hardbottom and an elven wizard Luell Tairin. News of their creations have spread almost as fast as that of Allsend Landing itself.

'No Place Like Gnome'

The 'No Place Like Gnome was established in the year 4998AC as the first bakery in Allsend Landing. Open by a gnomish baker called Elsin Hardbottom who wished to add some adventure to her life. Originally, it started out as a simple bakeshop with a small terrace to overlook the destruction of existence while enjoying some rather soft pastries and breads. Though before too long a wandering wizard named Luell Tairin came to Allsend Landing, investigating the tumultuous ley-lines in the area and how the shattered magic and convergence of the planes was causing them to vibrate. A common patron of 'No Place Like Gnome' he would often arrive early, find a seat on the corner of the balcony, splay his books over the small wooden table there and begin casting spells, occasionally scribbling down notes. He developed a good relationship with Elsin who looked forward to his constant company when business slowed down, and they soon became fast friends.

What Luell did discover, instead of information about the Leylines, was that essences of emotions, memories and concepts were extremely potent and could be captured, if only for a few hours. Through hours of experimentation Luell found that though he could capture these moments, he was unable to experience them. That was until Elsin accidentally added a vial of captured 'joy' into a dough she was baking instead of the standard milk. The results were trippy to say the least as everyone who ate the simple jam cake fell about the cafe in fits of the most concentrated displays of ecstasy seen by all who witnessed it. After several minutes, the effects receded and the patrons were left perfectly fine, though with a modicum of embarrassment and an urge to purchase more of the tart.

It was then that Elsin and Luell realised what had happened and sought to replicate their 'accident'. Each time they added different captured elements and baked different cakes and breads, finding that the combination of specific flavours actually accented the emotions and put different spins on the strength of the effect. It was here that a partnership was born and news of the 'No Place Like Gnome' spread across Allsend Landing and further afield. The restaurant expanded and began to charge accordingly, for the collection of these magical elements was time consuming and which emotions and memories were available for capture waxed and waned at irregular intervals. It became more of a place for the high end travellers and rich to frequent and now has an air of elegance about it. Booths and areas are private so those can enjoy their tea with cakes and their effects in privacy and avoid any embarrassment.

The 'No Place Like Gnome' has already attracted several competitors looking to replicate its cuisine through different styles of food with a greasy spoon named 'Orc & Beans', a soup kitchen named 'Tortle Soup', a tavern named 'A Pint & A Halfling' and a noodle restaurant named 'Kold & Bold Noodles' setting up around the city, though as of yet their food and magic combinations have yielded mixed results and seem more targeted to those with a smaller purse.

Menu

Drinks

• Coffee
• Tea (with milk)
• Oceanberry tea
• Salisbry Juice
• Water

Food

• Joybread – (extremely soft with notes of ecstasy)
• Salty Pretzel, just like mum made – (The taste of childhood, literally)
• Jealous Peanut Cookies – (Will make you wish you'd got what your friend did. Are these even working?)
• Winters Sesame Bagels – (The sensation of your first snowfall, and the muffled cosiness that follows)

• Passion Pudding (Bread) – (Burning passions are heavenly, wrapping you in warmth and memories. Enjoy this with Salsbry Juice)
• Croissant - (This is just delicious. Definitely try it. Great after an emotional wave)
• Chocolate Devil Shame Cake – (Not just the shame of eating a huge cake, but over everything else you've done - great for introspection)
• Pride of Carrot Cake – (You have a lot to be proud of, and this will show that. Try not to get too cocky though, you're friends won't forget it)
• Anxious Raspberry Tort – (Stir your coffee with a good bout of the shakes, and have all those little anxieties swim to the forefront of your mind, just where you want them)
• Amorous Strawberry Cheesecake – (The power of love washes away all else and it will knock your socks off, for real)
• Forgotten Lemon Meringue – (Experience a memory of the unknown. Something from a time before time, or another plane)
• Tiramisu of Vengeance – (The satisfaction of revenge in a beautiful light package, for when you just can't seem to get that person that deserves it)
• The Mystery Cake - WARNING: EFFECTS WILL VARY YOU CAN'T HOLD US LIABLE (can do anything from change gender, race, species to experience all emotions at once, or none, or even send you into a moment of the past)

Experimentation

Recently Elsin and Luell have begun to experiment with new concepts, not of memories or emotions but of races, species and sexes. A particularly difficult idea, though Luell is determined to try. He says the motes of people hanging around the fissure can be categorised and collated into these distinct elements, though the part that is turning out particularly difficult is determining the effects of the pastries beforehand and making sure that the motes of, say a tiefling are the same as what people know tieflings to be in this day and age and not some archaic monstrous demon. So far a few experiments have been successful altering people's sexes for a day and turning them into other races for a day, though only common races have been trialled so far. Some are pushing Luell to make the effects permanent though that is completely beyond the scope of this power, for now at least.

Elsin Hardbottom

A master baker from the culinary school of excellence in Goldrun, Nemir. She left Nemir for The Red Refuge in The Crimson Canyons when she heard that the people there had no true home. Excellent food and baking had always made her feel at home and she wished to bring that feeling to those that didn't have it. Her skills were tested in The Red Refuge for they lacked flour and other materials commonly associated with the baking of cakes and breads, though her hardiness wouldn't let her quit and before long her bakery became a sensation across the city. She continued there for years, teaching apprentices and making a substantial profit before this too grew boring. Word of Allsend Landing reached her and she soon decided to pack up her business (metaphorically) and move once again. The trip was hard, and the town is a place of madness and oddities, though she feels more at home here, knowing that it will never get boring, and now she has devised this new manner of baking, she feels more alive than she ever has, experimenting daily with magic and ingredients with startling results.

Primary Related Location

Allsend Landing

Luell Tairin

A scholar of the Floating city and a half elf, Luell always felt a little out of touch with the other Sky Elves. His life was typical of the those of Luren. Spending time in study and attempting to divine the workings of ancient and forgotten technology around Luren. However, a short spat as a companion to a dwarven survey team opened his eyes to the outside world, and since then he has travelled to any place he could, attempting to sample the different essences of magic, sure that those would lead to the resurrection of Luren's technology. His findings led him to ley energy and he has since been tracing the broken ley-lines around Lenwir, and has discovered that something is very, very wrong. His arrival in Allsend Landing revealed patterns of magic same as those woven into the stones of Luren and as he investigated further he discovered the how the manipulation of magic here is almost like a malleable force. His investigations have been put on hold while he collaborates with Elsin, though whether he ever picks his research up again is entirely unlikely, as he is having more fun than he ever has in 'No Place Like Gnome'. Though his sudden change in profession might be disastrous for Venya if his results are not shared.