A pot of hodgepodge stew bubbled in a cast-iron pot.
A layer of brownish foam and fat floated on the broth, mingled with shreds of stewed meat and chunks of carrot. It was hardly a pretty sight, but the aroma of butter and pepper whetted the appetite.
Warm meat juices soaked into the porous white bread, and its softened center melted in his mouth.
For the first time since entering the Underdark, Renato finally had a hot meal.
Fortunately, the excess vitality granted by the Touch of Dakoul had reduced his appetite. Otherwise, this pot would barely have been enough for him alone, never mind sharing it among three people.
Balin wolfed down his food beside him, finishing a large chunk of bread in a few bites. Grease clung to his beard, but he casually wiped it away with his sleeve and reached for another piece.
Tristana was quite the opposite. Sitting beside the fire, she kneaded the white bread in her hands, her purple eyes full of confusion. She seemed at a loss.
"Is this a surface mushroom cake?" The female Drow tentatively took a small bite, her brow creasing. "What a strange texture... so hard, yet not chewy at all."
"This isn't made from mushrooms. The ingredient is actually wheat..." Renato waved a hand, abandoning any further explanation. "Never mind. Just think of it as a food unique to the surface."
"Here, have a bowl of broth. I'd recommend dipping it in the soup. This bread was baked twice to make it keep longer, so it's rock-hard."
Tristana accepted the bowl and followed Balin's example, soaking her bread in the broth, though her movements were noticeably more elegant.
The old Dwarf polished off his food in a whirlwind, wiped the grease from his mouth, and let out a