Avian’s simple intention of wanting to bake some fresh bread, created enormous ripples in the minds of these Kobolds.
The creation of the oven and the millstone plus the increased knowledge of plants allowed the kobolds to figure out that they had so much more options when it came to food not just meat to feed their tribe.
Avian’s next few actions continued this enlightenment as he started making bread with the machines that were just created, hey took the gray flour from the swampy seed plant mixed it with water and with another very unique ingredient he brought out from his space ring.
A jar of sourdough starter!
Watching Avian the Kobolds were very easily able to follow what Avian was doing memorizing it and writing it down. But when he pulled out the jar of sourdough starter the Kobolds were immediately confused as they didn’t understand what it was and why Avian put it into the mixture.
They were able to realize that it was very important since Avian took great care of it and seeing everyone watching him as he cooked, Avian felt that it was slightly necessary to explain.
Of course they wouldn’t understand even if he did explain so he made a separate dough without the starter and put both of them into the oven.
By the time the two loafs of bread were finished. Med came back with the other kobolds and brought back louds of swampy seed plants as he stacked them in a separate pile.
The Kobolds immediately went to work replicating what Avian just did first, collecting the seeds and putting them into the Millstone to create flour.
The Kobold craftsmen had already made lots of ovens within a short time span and were in the middle of creating the Millstone having studied it thoroughly when Avian was making it himself.
When Avian was finished baking the bread. The kobold craftsmen had already created the first Millstone a bit rough since it was their first time. But functional as it did its job. Plus with the newly gained experience they could make the Millstone faster and more precisely.
With the second Millstone flour was being produced even more, the resulting flour was being collected into clay jars and stored in a separate tent.
The Kobolds didn’t yet fully understand what the purpose of the flour was, but they did understand it was food so they thought of it as something extremely precious since it was easy to gather, create and store.
They didn’t need to wait long though to understand its full purpose when Avian pulled out the 2 loafs of bread that had fully baked.
From a single glance there was an obvious difference between the loafs of bread when they were pulled out. The one with the sourdough starter was more rounded, risen and crustier even. While the one without the starter was flat and hard looking.
Avian cut both breads and kept half of the sourdough for himself while leaving the rest for the kobolds to taste.
Kett was the first person to taste both breads. Naturally so since he was the leader of the tribe. Picking up a piece of the sourdough bread first he took a good bite before immediately humming very satisfied as the crusty outer texture and the soft inner texture was something he liked quite bit. The taste while a bit bland also suited him very well making him feel satisfied as his stomach felt filled.
The kobolds were watching this and seeing their leaders very positive reaction. They couldn’t help but anticipate the taste of the bread.
Next Kett picked up the flat bread without the starter expecting the same thing. Unfortunately it was not the same. Actually it was very different. A lot chewier and flakier. The taste was also a notch lower. But that was Kett’s impression since he preferred the risen bread more than the flat bread.
After this Kett let everyone else taste. Or those that were below him in hierarchy which were the elite warriors and then the shamans.
Some just like Kett liked the risen bread while a few of them actually liked the flat bread more.
A small dispute even started to happen among these kobolds arguing which bread was more superior. Kett eventually intervened though stopping both sides. Though clearly he preferred the risen bread.
Avian glanced at that with not much interest. But now that everything became clear the kobolds immediately knew how to use the flour.
They had acquired the recipes of breads. How long to bake and at what temperature as few of the Kobolds observed these things reporting them to the shamans who made sure of every little detail their god put into the bread.
There was a problem though. Which was the one ingredient they lacked to make the risen sourdough bread.
The sourdough starter. But Avian wasn’t as cruel to show them how to make sourdough bread and not show them how to make the sourdough starter.
He actually quickly made another sourdough starter using his own sourdough starter. Explaining along the way how to maintain the starter as it was technically a living thing feeding off of the flour and water that needed to be replenished daily with fixed amounts. It could be maintained indefinitely and multiplied through the same method Avian had just used.
The end result was a clay jar of sourdough starter that was brand new, he gifted it to the tribe giving it to a random shaman.
Who then showed it to the rest of the kobolds kneeling on his legs while raising it high up shouting about it being a new life their god had created that would live forever to help their tribe make bread.
The rest of the kobolds were excited and bowed down before the sourdough starter the shaman held with as much reverence as they had towards Avian.
The kobolds misunderstood Avian’s explanation when he said it was a living thing. But Avian was not about to correct that misunderstanding decided to ignore it as he didn’t really care.
Since he already made the bread he just wanted to quickly make a soup and fill himself already. Checking his ring for necessary spices as he was about to return to his tent, Avian immediately noticed that his salt supply was actually all used up!
Avian had no idea that the last bit of salt he had was when he made the stew earlier. This was extremely irritating to Avian as food without salt was bland no matter how you looked at it since salt was the essential spice no matter what kind of dish you wanted to make.
The lack of salt made Avian feel so bummed out that he felt tempted to just leave and go back to town to eat there. But his stomach was grumbling in pain. He still needed to eat something which is why he had no other choice but to eat unsalted food.
While the Kobolds were celebrating and baking bread. Avian was not too happy about eating salt less food.
This is when Avian saw the same 6 kobold hatchlings all huddled around doing something strange as they passed around a pink crystal licking it with their tongues before giving it to next kobold who also licked it. Showing exhilarated looks as the pick crystal seemed to have some kind of special taste.
Avian didn’t think much about it when he first saw it, but after thinking about it further, his eyes immediately widened when he thought what this could be.
Of course Avian immediately acted when he thought about it. Walking towards the 6 kobold hatchlings he stared intently at the pink crystal they were licking and passing to each other.
Their saliva covered the entirety of the crystal. But Avian wasn’t perturbed as he crouched down next to them.
The 6 hatchlings immediately noticed Avian when he did that. Too occupied with the pink crystal they didn’t see Avian until he crouched down next to them.
They still very remembered how Avian gave him his food, the kobold hatchlings hadn’t matured yet. But they still understood that the great being they saw before them was kind to them which is why they felt even more reverend towards him.
Avian could care less though and instead pointed at the pink crystal they were holding.
The kobold hatchlings understood and immediately gave the pink crystal to Avian without protest.
Avian didn’t touch it though as it was fully covered in disgusting saliva. He instead took a light whiff. But other than the smell of their saliva. There was nothing.
Avian could still try tasting it. But since he wasn’t even going to touch it. He sure as hell wouldn’t taste it.
Which is why Avian instead looked at the 6 kobold hatchlings before asking them.
-Where did you find this? Bring me to the place you found this.
The Kobold hatchlings hadn’t fully learned their language yet. But hearing Avian speak true Draconic. They seemed to completely understand as they all led Avian to the place they found the pink crystal.
There were lots of kobolds present who saw this little exchange. A few of those kobolds were shamans and elite warriors who wanted to tag along as a sort of protection unit for their god.
But Kett stopped that as he understood by conversing and watching their god that he didn’t like that. The shamans and elite warriors stayed down after hearing this as they didn’t want to make their god angry. Doing so was the worst crime they could possibly commit. Something their culture didn’t allow for even a second.
Which was good for Avian since he could go about without being constantly watched.
The 6 kobold hatchlings eventually brought Avian the side of a mountain which was a steep cliff.
This mountain was not like the previous small mountain where the Roc lived.
It was a lot bigger.
The top not clearly visible. But that was not what interested Avian as he found the origin of the pink crystal.
Picking up a single pure pink crystal off the ground. Avian this time didn’t hesitate when he took a lick off of it. His immediately widening with delight when he verified what it was.
Avian had already smelt the scent of opportunity, but when he followed it, it became gold as he saw the literal gold mine he had discovered.
This was Rock salt!
A Place Of Legends 