Announcing Story Year Carthia

Hello. C J here. Welcome all to this year’s project. Welcome to Story Year Carthia – Five of the Heavens. For the next six months I’m going to detail every part and character in the Astral setting’s landmass known as Carthia – Five of the Heavens. Join me as I recreate traditional mainland Asian cultures through story and art. I mean China but also the Huns, Tibetans and the ancient nations that predate modern Thailand and Vietnam. I’m going to do my best to represent these nations and their complex histories and philosophies in story.

Welcome to the first Story Year. By six months from now I hope to have a full set of Regency Lore Cards, Regency Region Cards, line art style backgrounds, landscapes and characters done for the setting region. I also want a novel and a new cookbook. The novel is the first in my new ongoing series Infinity Saga. Infinity Saga are the stories of the many nations of the Astral setting as seen through Travellers who visit them and meet the people there. Travellers need food, so I’m working on the first instalment of Food of the World. Infinity Saga – Carthia and Food of the World – Carthia round out this season’s new ideas. More soon.

C J Mcpherson

Comments

Chinese Food That is Very Saucy

Hello. C J here. I read a lot of cookbooks. This is done mostly for fun. I’m currently reading a short but really interesting book about traditional Chinese cooking. The book was written by an Indian author who has clearly researched Chinese food very well but some of the translations of recipes or concepts get a bit strange. I’m currently done the soups and starters section and am onto the section labelled ‘food that is saucy.’ Cool? Is it also savvy? There’s a surprisingly large amount of ketchup in the recipes. No I don’t think I want a recipe for hot and sour soup that is thickened ketchup water with vinegar and a bit of cabbage. No I also don’t want to take a slice of white wonderbread, roll it into a tube, stuff it with canned corn, deep fry it and then top it with sesame seeds. What in God’s name do they eat in China? And why is it specifically an image of white wonderbread? China? Are you okay? I managed to take out the vinegar, water and corn starch that makes up most of the h...

Four New Recipes for January

Hello. C J here. I've got four new recipes for everyone here. We have everything from Chinese chicken to homemade hot apple cider. Enjoy. The Emperor’s Potatoes Here we have the first food item I ever finished designing for Food of the World – Carthia. I tried three combinations of traditional Asian ingredients and pasta under the assumption that I was doing Italian-Chinese food for the book. I could not for the life of me get any of them to be exciting. They were fine. I don’t eat fine. I got bored of the pasta thing and then thought to myself, ‘what happens if I swap the pasta for another starch? What about a potato?’ It worked. Really well. It worked so well I named them The Emperor’s Potatoes. They’re mashed potatoes and I left the skins on because I like vitamins and then that got me thinking about the traditional medicinal food of Ancient China, ginger. Could I put ginger in a potato dish and have it work? Yes. I can. That surprised me. Be warned, these are almost dangerousl...

Let's All Be Friends, No Really - Part Two

Hello. C J here. I’ve updated my plans to make a Discord server for everyone here and on Facebook. Making a Discord server to my knowledge costs money. However, making a Facebook group does not. I’ve made a few of those over the years as well for various reasons. I’m going to look into this soon and then add the links here and in the menus here as well. I’m certain a Facebook group is what we need. I’m planning a number of chats within the group. So far my current plans are as follows. Art and Artwork Health and Wellness Food and Baking Magic and Spirituality Writing and Software NSFW I’m planning a private group but if I can get it open entry without a form or sign up page or anything. As for rules I’m going to reuse some from past of these I’ve done. Everyone is Welcome Be Polite Advertising is Allowed Follow the Content Ratings The Facebook group will take some planning but not any actual effort to build. It’s that simple. Thanks. C J Mcpherson

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