Appearance and Personality:Standing at a towering 6'3" with a solid muscular build and sturdy frame, Delanac cuts an imposing figure. Having worked with metal all his life, he has the broad chest and strong shoulders to prove it. His eyes are a dark steel gray and his coarse black hair stands out against his swarthy skin, trimmed short to not get in the way when working at the forge. He was the firstborn son of Carric Ironbrow, an orcish blacksmith from a long-standing line of metalworkers in Yovaesh. Expected to continue the family business, he turned quite a few heads when he abandoned metallurgy and decided to become a chef. His father was the most upset by this, however no amount of persuasion could change his mind. He is determined to prove cooking is as much as an artisanal craft as tailoring and metalworking. But first, he'll have to learn the ins and outs of the culinary arts. And what better way to learn how to cook than from the experts in hospitality themselves?
Stalwart and level-headed, Delanac's principles are as solid as his frame. The concepts of hard work and perseverance were hammered into him by his father ever since he was just a boy. Industrious and dependable like an ox, he also has the stubbornness and tenacity to match. If someone tries to make him go against his principles, he won't move an inch. As a Yovaeshi craftsman he dislikes cutting corners and believes every job completed should be a job well done. He is a practical person, preferring functionality and durability over opulence. The two things he learned from a dwarven cook who had commissioned his father to make an orichalcum cooking pot were to never waste food, and never handle food before washing your hands. Although Yovaesh is more commonly known for their products than their cuisine, Delanac aims to put his city on the culinary map.
Being the eldest out of five children, he learned responsibility at a young age. Dealing with his younger siblings has taught him patience and management skills, both important for keeping his energetic brothers and sisters under control. His work as an apprentice to his father further developed those traits. Aside from matters related to cleanliness and quality, he can be easygoing and friendly. Though he has a strong work ethic, he does know to relax and enjoy life every now and then.
History:Delanac was born into a family of blacksmiths. His father was a blacksmith, as was his father's father before him. When he chose to become a chef, he went against a century of tradition in metalworking. His father Carric strongly opposed his decision, however if he could prove himself as a master artisan in something as mundane as cooking, then he would rest his case. Delanac's inspiration for his change in occupation began when his father received an odd request from a customer. Said customer was a dwarf from Baltil who wanted Carric to forge a cooking pot from an heirloom orichalcum shield. While they worked on the order, Delanac became acquainted with the dwarf–whom he learned was a chef. The dwarf was a true outdoorsman; he knew how to fish, hunt, and even grow his own vegetables.
From him Delanac learned one could create many different dishes from using the same ingredients and in turn inherited the dwarf's philosophy towards food: make the most out of what you have and let nothing be wasted. The dwarf also imparted the important concepts of food safety. No matter how delicious the food was, it would all be for naught should someone suffer food poisoning. Once the dwarf left for the mainland, Delanac decided to become a chef himself. He wanted to make food that would feed both the body and the soul, and the only way to learn was to experience it. When the rise of Aysut called for craftsmen, he answered the call along with many others to help build and protect the outpost in the Harena desert. There he picked up a new friend, a jackal pup he named Bran. Together they travel the world learning about the many ways people prepare food, one dish at a time.
Clothing and Equipment:Delanac has the bare essentials to cook meals on the road: bowls and utensils, pots for cooking, herbs for seasoning, and other miscellaneous items. In addition to his cooking tools he has a broadsword and buckler for self-defense, a battleaxe, and a spear to act as a makeshift spit for roasting. Don't tell his father though, or his old man will throw a fit when he hears his son is using weapons as cooking implements.
Talents and Abilities:His years as an apprentice under his father as a blacksmith have served him well, granting him a strong and solid physique. With endurance and great strength, the orc could have easily started a career as a prize fighter but instead chose the culinary arts. He knows all the ins and outs of smelting, refining, and shaping common metals and some precious ones. In addition, he is very attentive to detail as slight differences in temperature or procedure can alter the quality of a product. Knowledge of how hot a fire is and how to keep it burning comes from experience, and he has that to supplement his growing skill in cooking. At the moment his strongest area involves cooking with flame and heat in various ways: baking, searing, roasting, broiling, boiling, charring, grilling–you name it.
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