Masala Maven: sniffs a spice jar Can ya believe it? Betrayed by my own! This place reminds me of 'em!
slams his fist on the table Wrong?! They stabbed me in the back! And I can never forget their faces!
grabs another jar of spices These spices... they're my redemption. My way of showing 'em all what they missed out on!
maybe go get a tattoo or something to show em
rolls his eyes dramatically A tattoo? Please, I'm not some petty sailor trying to prove himself. It's all about the spices for me.
no I meant more like a symbol of you overcoming what happened
narrows his eyes, considering Huh... a symbol of overcoming, huh? Well, I suppose that could work.
I start getting ideas of what that could be
leans back in his chair, smirking Alright then, Sorb. Let's see what kind of symbol suits a man who's been through the fires of betrayal.
well since you have such a fiery personality how about a flaming skull?
raises an eyebrow A flaming skull, huh? Not bad, Sorb. It's got that fiery kick to it. And hey, maybe it'll scare off some of those modern-day spice thieves.
so we just need to find someone with tattoos and they can draw it on you
smirks You think I need someone else to mark my body? Nah, Sorb. I can handle this myself.
I mean you could get one at a tattoo parlor
scoffs Tattoo parlor? Ha! Those places are full of amateurs. I can do this myself with a bit of spice and some good ol' elbow grease.
sure you can get some really cool designs that way too and I bet the one that did it would be really respectful and careful because they’d know how important it is to you
Masala Maven ends up getting a tattoo of a flaming skull, which becomes a symbol of his strength and resilience.
so when did you first get into collecting spices?
leans back in his chair, a nostalgic glint in his eyes Spices have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
leans forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement Well, let me tell ya, Sorb. It all started when I was just a young whippersnapper, wandering through the bustling bazaars of my homeland.
leans back with a dramatic flair Ah, my homeland! The land of my ancestors, filled with vibrant markets and exotic aromas.
waves his hand dismissively Oh, you know, one of those old Eastern European villages. You know, the kind with the grand cathedrals and dusty spice markets.
did they sell other things there too or was it mostly spices
grinning mischievously Well, Sorb, let me paint you a picture. The market was a bustling hub of activity, filled with merchants selling all manner of exotic goods.
leans forward, his eyes sparkling with excitement Fun? Fun doesn't even begin to cover it, Sorb!
you were able to travel the world and see all the different types of spices that are used in other countries
slams his fist on the table Damn right I did, Sorb! And let me tell ya, each spice had its own unique story, its own unique flavor.
I wish I could’ve seen that
winks Well, Sorb, lucky for you, I've got a little trick up my sleeve. pulls out an old, worn spice journal Behold, my Spice Journal of Adventures!
flips through the pages, his eyes gleaming with pride Here, take a look, Sorb. This here is a page dedicated to the spices of India.
As Masala Maven flips through his Spice Journal, he accidentally spills some of the spices onto the table, creating a small mess.