Phoenix Nuggets
wow that's a lot of stars is a sci-fi setting about adventure, exploration, and discovery. Every person, place, and thing has a story to tell, if you listen closely.
Setting Intro | Visitor's Guide | Author's Intentions
A fool and his coin are quickly parted
- The phoenix has deep cultural significance to Radan and is under their fierce protection.
- The average phoenix is larger than your average groundcar.
- Rada is under violent control of the Emerald Legion, prohibiting commercial imports/exports.
On every menu offering these, there's a tiny asterisk leading to tinier text informing the reader that the meal is not, in fact, made out of phoenix meat, but rather a far more common bird. Frequently, the most accessible chicken-equivalent, and not at all worth the pricetag.
It's not false advertising because people don't read the fine print!
I don't know what's worse, that they claim to kill and cook the phoenix, or that people are willing to buy it.
As more Radan traverse the stars, some vendors are finding they've bit off more than they can chew. A shell-shocked refugee may be reluctant to speak up, but a resistance fighter stepping away from the war to help their family will have little qualms about shouting down a sketchy food seller mocking their culture.
Information
Value
Lower than the vendor sells for
Rarity
More common than the vendor will claim
Odor
Like chicken
Taste
Like chicken
Further Reading
Author Commentary
Sure, JanThese exist because one of my player characters insisted he ate fried phoenix all the time. That didn't make sense with the worldbuilding, but someone lying about what they sold sure did.
I first, when reading the title, questionned one's ability to cook a phoenix. I really liked this reading and the sidebar made me smile a lot. It was funny to read and very realistic, knowing people tend to want to make profit out of everything. I love the insert of quotation, making it more lively.
Thank you! Always fun to figure out how people lie and cheat in your world :D
Speculative-Fiction Writing