Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Trick-or-Treat: Goron Ramsay

It was a busy evening in Hateno Village. Eerie blue firelight from the ancient lamps danced across the faces (and masks) of excited children, who hurried from house to house to collect delicious confections from their neighbors. It was chilly, with a nippy breeze coming down from Mount Lanayru, prompting everyone to bundle up.

One of the revelers that night seemed particularly put out by the cold. Ramsay the Goron huddled by the fire of his portable cauldron, which he had set up on the roadside in the market square. A simple scarf was looped around his neck, comically small compared to his ample figure.

"Blasted ... nuts to this ... how can it get so cold?!" he muttered to no one as well stirred the thick molten caramel in his cauldron, which let off the delicious smell of toasted sugar. Set up beside the cauldron were apples on sticks, as well as trays of nuts, toffee chips, sprinkles, and other tasty additions. It was time for the people of Hateno--and any other passers-by--to come get their treats!

It was the most wonderful time of the year... at least to be a hobbit. All Hallows Eve had arrived and the little hobbit had donned the costume of a beggar. Given his small stature, most humans and many other beings mistook him for a child. Slappy hoped someone would be giving away nice warm tarts. The flavor didn't matter. He loved them all... strawberry, apple, blueberry, blackberry, lemon... thinking about them made his tummy rumble. As he neared the market, he caught a whiff of hot caramel and was instantly drawn to a cauldron.

"Hullo," The halfling said in a friendly voice as he approached the owner. "A merry Hallows Eve and top of the evening to you!"

"Hello!" Bastrina huffed as she crawled her way over some rocks. "Phew, that smells beautiful! How much butter have you got in there? There's a lovely breeze up, I know that fire has to be troublesome to keep still... Do you need a hand?"
Her hands on her hips, the baker-warrior shook a piece of hair out of her face and leaned toward the pot for a sniff.
"Delicious!"


(I'm so glad that wasn't a typo, by the way.)

"Hello!" boomed Ramsay when Slappy approached his kettle. "A merry evening indeed! Any holiday based around eating is a winner in my book." He daintily picked up one of the apples, which looked small as a cherry in his giant hand, and gave it the old dip-and-twirl in the caramel. "What's your pleasure, friend?" he asked, holding the dipped apple over his trays of toppings. Every so often he rotated it so it wouldn't drip. "Nuts? Pretzel pieces? Chocolate chips?"

Another merry traveler happened across the caramel cauldron, and Ramsay lowered his bearded chin to her in greeting. "Now now, that's my little secret," he said, patting the side of the blazing hot cauldron. "You're welcome to some, if you'd like! As for the fire, well--sure! I'd love some help!"

"Hello!" boomed Ramsay when Slappy approached his kettle. "A merry evening indeed! Any holiday based around eating is a winner in my book." He daintily picked up one of the apples, which looked small as a cherry in his giant hand, and gave it the old dip-and-twirl in the caramel. "What's your pleasure, friend?" he asked, holding the dipped apple over his trays of toppings. Every so often he rotated it so it wouldn't drip. "Nuts? Pretzel pieces? Chocolate chips?"

"Agreed," the halfling replied in response to the greeting and mention of holidays and food. The caramel smelled good. Slappy looked over the offerings but at the mention of chocolate chips, the halfling had his mind made up. "Those chocolate chips do sound delightful," he responded. "I would very much enjoy those!"

"You got it, little guy!" Ramsay gleefully thundered. He pressed the apple in the tray of chips and rolled it so every inch of gooey caramel was covered in delectable chocolate morsels. After waving it in the chilly air for a moment to let the caramel harden a little, the goron held it down where Slappy could take the stick. "Bon appétit! This stuff will blow your mind!"

By any standards, it was a good treat! The caramel was rich and buttery, with just enough salt to add complexity to the sweetness; the apple was ripe but tart; the bittersweetness of the chips deepened and enhanced all the other flavors. Mwah!

The halfling accepted the caramel apple on a stick from its maker who towered over him. "Thank you kindly good sir," Slappy replied. He sniffed the gooey mix of caramel and chocolate. As he started to take a bite, he realized the melted chips were still a bit hot and pulled it away and blew on it. "I might need to let this cool for a moment. Thank you kindly for the apple! I will enjoy it! A happy All Hallows Eve!" With a polite bow, the hobbit set off clutching the stick with his apple. He'd give it a few minutes to cool before he paused to enjoy it.

"You're very welcome, brother! Have a good night! Goodbye! Happy Hallows to ya!" Ramsay waved his caramel-covered spoon in farewell. When Slappy was gone, the goron peeked from side to side, then nipped a clandestine fingerful of caramel from the cauldron. "Mmm ... nothin' beats somethin' warm on a cold night ..."

(I was not expecting a Breath of the Wild post, but I am not complaining. Love the play on words as well.)

Eliane stepped into the village with wide eyes as she looked around. The path up here had certainly been quite the climb and luckily she had managed to avoid the monsters that liked to lurk in the forests at the base of the village; she had caught a glimpse of the pig-faced creatures through the trees and deep inside she knew they definitely weren't part-taking in the festivities. Plastic bucket clasped between her slender fingers, she wandered up the road, a scent reaching her nose as she did. It smelled wonderful. She followed her nose over to a small fire with a pot full of bubbling liquid set over the flames. "Happy Halloween sir!" She chirped in greeting, tilting her head as she regarded the set-up. "Why do you have apples on sticks? And what's in the pot, it smells delicious." This being her first ever Halloween, she had never seen or tasted caramel apples before, so she was rather confused why this man was putting apples on sticks; did it make them easier to eat?

"Why hello there brother!" Ramsay called to Eliane. "Happy Hallows to ya!" He boomed out a thunderous laugh upon hearing her confusion. "Makes it easier to do ... this!" The goron daintily picked up one of the apples and dipped it into the cauldron, coating the fruit in a thick layer of viscous caramel. "Now, just gotta top it off!" He rotated the apple in the air over his trays of toppings, so it wouldn't dripm. "What do ya like? Pretzel? Toffee? Chickaloo tree nuts? I got lots of options!"

Her eyes widened as she watched as the man grabbed an apple and dipped into the sweet-smelling liquid bubbling away in the cauldron. She leaned forward as he gestured to a tray full of different types of treats, eyes scanning the different toppings as she deliberated. "I've never heard of toffee before, but it sounds yummy, so I'll have some toffee please." She said as she straightened up, tucking some hair behind her ear as the chilly breeze ruffled her locks of brown.

"Oh ho ho, you're in for a real treat! Toffee and caramel go together like peanut butter and jelly! Similar flavors, but the texture contrast ... mwah!" Ramsay kissed his fingers dramatically. He rolled the apple in the tray of crunchy toffee chunks until it was fully covered, then held it up in the air for a moment so the caramel could cool and set. "Here you are!" the goron boomed as he lowered the apple and offered it to Eliane. He managed to be quite delicate, considering the size of his massive, blocky fingers.

"I'd certainly enjoy some, if it's welcome. Do you need kindling?"
The baker squatted next to the adjacent pile of wood and began plucking off small pieces. "This sort of thing smells so good, on a cool evening," she smiled, looking over the array of delicious treats. "What are those lovely little morsels you've got there, pretzels is it? I'd love a bite of that, with all the caramel- sticky and crunchy, sweet and salty, some of my favorite combinations!" The pretzels truly did look delicious, along with all the shiny apples glistening in the light and the glowing caramel.

As she snapped off more kindling, Bastrina made small talk with the large friendly Goron. He seemed to have a passion for his work, or at the very least for the results. And what a rewarding job! She knew that herself.
"How long have you been in the business? I've been a baker for a few years meself, my mother always liked my help with the bread. But pastries took a while, haha. Would you be surprised to learn I didn't cook a pretzel until I was in my twenties?" Bastrina added, laughing a great deal from her belly. It had been a while since she'd talked around a campfire.

Pela followed her nose. There was a smell on the air that did not fit. A sweetness that reminded her of-... well she wasn't really sure. Home cooking? Had home cooking ever smelt so strong? The quantities that must have been involved in such things certainly didn't match with Pela's past experiences.

But it would definitely do her some good to investigate. She had gone to such effort to dress up on this day. A crooked witch's hat and a loose black robe covered her person, whilst she carried in one hand a broomstick that had been especially made for her height. The fact that her belly was entirely covered did give her a small cause for concern, given access to it was required for some of her magical abilities; but things seemed safe enough for now. Besides, it wasn't like she was going anywhere adventurous.

Humming to herself a tune that was entirely spontaneous, at long last Pela caught sight of the source of the smell she had been following, which caused her to stop wide-eyed at the scene ahead. Suddenly, she was feeling very hungry. And very small.

Grinning excitedly, Eliane reached forward and happily accepted the apple, brining it closer to give it a curious lick. The flavor was delicious but it was still a bit too hot for her to eat it quite yet. "Thank you for the treat, I hope you have a happy evening!" Eliane said as she stepped back to make room for others that wanted a treat. She gave the Goron a wave as she headed back down the path, apple held between her slender fingers as she let the night air cool off the hot caramel as she walked. Soon she was leaving the peaceful village behind and disappearing into the night, excited to see where the night would take her next.

"Ah, it's going pretty good there, but it might need another log." While Bastrina stoked the flames under the cauldron, Ramsay picked an apple for her and dipped it in the sugary goop, then transfered it to the pretzel tray. "Good choice. Probably my favorite, I gotta say. Nothing can beat that salty-sweet!" As he rolled the apple to thoroughly coat it in bits, he went on. "You need Ganon's own luck to succeed with pastries! I've been at this, oh, how old am I ... hrm ... well, most of my life now, anyway, and I still can't get those darn crusts right ..." Once the caramel had hardened a little, the goron squatted down to hand it to Bastiana. "Here, try it out!"

Pela wrote:

Pela followed her nose. There was a smell on the air that did not fit. A sweetness that reminded her of-... well she wasn't really sure. Home cooking? Had home cooking ever smelt so strong? The quantities that must have been involved in such things certainly didn't match with Pela's past experiences.

But it would definitely do her some good to investigate. She had gone to such effort to dress up on this day. A crooked witch's hat and a loose black robe covered her person, whilst she carried in one hand a broomstick that had been especially made for her height. The fact that her belly was entirely covered did give her a small cause for concern, given access to it was required for some of her magical abilities; but things seemed safe enough for now. Besides, it wasn't like she was going anywhere adventurous.

Humming to herself a tune that was entirely spontaneous, at long last Pela caught sight of the source of the smell she had been following, which caused her to stop wide-eyed at the scene ahead. Suddenly, she was feeling very hungry. And very small.

Humming merrily, Ramsay resumed stirring his cauldron. He couldn't have the caramel burning, after all. A flash of blue fur caught his attention, and he waved a huge hand in greeting. "Hello there! What are ya, a little blupee witch?" He fondly patted the side of his searing hot cauldron. "No need to be afraid, little one! Would ya like a caramel apple? Maybe with sprinkles or peanuts on there?"

Pela stared at the cauldron. It wasn't an unfamiliar sight. She had worked with cauldrons before. Certainly never to make anything that smelt so sweet before, though. Her lower hands took control of the broomstick, holding it close to her torso as if it would somehow protect her from... apparently, her anxiety. Thankfully, Pela's social anxiety was certainly not as bad as it could have been. She powered through it and tottered over to the side of the cauldron, looking up at the scene before her.

"Caramel apple...?" She asked. "Is that what you're making...? Caramel...?" She let go of the broomstick with one hand to flip it behind her and grabbed it again pushing her weight down onto it with her back as though the feeling of the tension in the shaft of the cleaning utensil was comforting. Or more accurately, it helped her force out her own tension through it. She wasn't quite strong enough that the action would risk snapping it, which was good. "I... I like caramel..." She shuffled from side-to-side for a moment, then apparently having funnelled off as much anxious tension as she could, relaxed the broom and returned it to a one-handed grip. "A-and apples..." Her gaze lowered to face directly forward, her view now entirely blocked by the cauldron. "And peanuts..." she added. "O-oh and... yes... m-my costume is that of a witch. I-I suppose I do certain witchy things from time to time... I-I'm not a blupee though!"

Caraway walked quietly through the village that was bustling with activity, curiously observing, but not partaking in the festivities. They had only arrived here very recently (through magical means... not that they even remembered.) The child had picked up on the fact that this place seemed to be celebrating Halloween, but they hadn't come prepared with a costume, and thought this meant they probably couldn't go around Trick-or-Treating. Still, they had been drawn to the smell of caramel nonetheless.
As they approached, they heard a booming voice, as well as other- quieter- voices. Curious, the child drew closer still, observing as apples were dipped into the pot and then other toppings... Caraway had never eaten a caramel apple before, or even seen one, but the smell was delicious. They wondered if they might be able to get one, but still feared it would be rude to ask for treats when they weren't dressed up. Indecisive, the child simply stepped into eyeshot, to see if their presence would be noticed. They noted that one of the beings nearby seemed familiar, but were unable to pinpoint the reason.

The big goron smiled at the nervousness displayed by this little blue critter, hoping to alleviate some of her fear. He knew he was a big, loud, boisterous fellow, and some children tended to be scared of him. Whether or not that was the case here, he still tried to make himself come across as a little less threatening. "Caramel's real good, innit?" Ramsay asked, in a soft-ish voice. He picked up one of the apples and dunked it in the cauldron. With a deft twist he covered it in a thick layer of caramel, then raised it into the air to briefly cool, before lowering it into the tray of peanut pieces. He rolled it until every inch of apple was covered in crunchy bits. "Here, just gotta let it cool for a moment ..." The goron guided the apple through the chilly air for a few seconds, like a child playing with a toy airplane, before he handed it down to Pela. "There y'are!"

After handing the apple down to Pela, Ramsay took notice of another child who sidled into view. "Hello there!" he boomed, forgetting that he was trying to be a little more sedate so as not to frighten anxious Pela. If he had noticed Caraway's lack of costume, he didn't seem to care. "C'mon over, kiddo!"

Pela reached up with her upper arms to gently pluck the stick of the apple from Ramsay, a lower arm diverting to hover beside it as though the fruit itself was the head of a small baby that might need catching at any moment. When the treat was securely in their own care, Pela found a more secure grip around the stick that removed the requirement for any further safe-keeping, and lowered into an elegant bow, being ever so careful not to accidentality rub it against either her fur or robe in the process, very much not wanting to get the sticky coating stuck on her person.

"Th-thank you so much!" She timidly said in delight. "I-I am sure I will enjoy this! You are so kind!" she bowed again and started slowly ambling off in the manner one typically took when unsure whether goodbyes had informally been made. As though to appear she was making space for the next visitor, but also inwardly considering continuing on if no further dialogue was to occur. One of the typical hallmark calling cards of a socially anxious entity.