Let Flow the Milk and Honey!

[Rekali the Hutt]

Null. A jungle world with a storied history that involved the Confederacy, Count Dooku, and an Imperial Warlord. Rekali the Hutt currently resided in the former base of said Warlord, a man by the name of Zsinj who fought under Palpatine so many centuries ago. Since then it had turned into a haven for the most terrible of spiders, until one Kitonak had enough of that, slew the beast, and set up a Forge and a meadery. How anyone thought to put the heat of a forge in one room and the cool air of fermentation in the other was beyond the Hutt, but it was one of the most "Mandalorian" things he could think of to take the stronghold of a forgotten warlord and make it a place of iron and drinks.

And today was a tasting. In celebration of the Battle at Kashyyyk [member="Funky Balor"] had invited several of his clan and other participants of the battle to sample his meads, which as far as Rekali knew were the first batch to be sold by Null Ironworks and Brewery. It was an exciting moment, with several Mandalorians in beskar'gam sans helmet waiting for the brewmaster to arrive and present his wares. Rekali was particularly excited, hoping the mead-maker had some good stuff not just for his own enjoyment, but also so he could perhaps subsidize the Kitonak a bit, carry some of his product, and bridle some economic growth for his fellow vod.

 

[Funky Balor]

The Kitonak laughed as walked up to the mead hall, slowly standing atop a stool to compensate for his complete and utter lack of height. "Greetings, VOD!" He bellowed, watching as many cheered him. Balor, Rekali, Viszla, several Mando'ade had come to celebrate with him the glories of the war. "Together we have fought. Together...." he paused, letting his voice echo in the stone hall, "we rode. Striding upon the beaches, arming ourselves!" He thumped the scar on his shoulder proudly. That woman with the anti-tank rifle had been the most fun he'd had in a long time, and it'd make a damn good story. "We gather. To drink and to celebrate!"


He laughed a little, gesturing to many of his apprentices as they began pouring, filling flagons about the room. "Tonight, I stand surrounded....by Vod. By friends. By allies. Although we endured much on the beaches of Kashyyk, we now stand again. The word we learned as children was shereshoy. Joy in battle, lust for life, hunger for more. Drink well tonight, for tomorrow is uncertain, vod! Raise your flagons high! OYA!"


With that, several of those gathered mugs and lifted them. "Gal'Gala!"


"GAL'GALA!" He bellowed back, raising a flagon that was easily competing with his own head for size and quaffing from it, smirking a s few people began to play. Well, that speech was worth the trouble He grinned and stepped down. Time to mingle. He smirked, slowly ambling over to some of the Rekali kinsmen that had been invited. "I recommend the newest recipe, Mularin Green. I've used some local honey and saps from the native flora to flavor the brew. It's got a bit of a woody taste going on," he said with a laugh.



[member="Rekali the Hutt"]

 

[Rekali the Hutt]

Drink well tonight, for tomorrow is uncertain.

Wisdom he didn't expect in to be had a meadery tasting, yet wisdom it was. With a "Gal'gala!" The Hutt raised his flagon with the rest of his vod. The host raised his own flagon, of a size any Hutt could appreciate, before throwing down his mead with an enthusiasm that it seemed had been waiting to burst. Apprentices scattered throughout the room, eager to attend to every guest as others played bes'bev and other instruments, creating quite a lively atmosphere. So many of the Mandalorians were so serious, but those of Clan Balor? They were lively, spirited, as if life were a game they were gifted to be able to play.

An apprentice filled Rekali the Hutt's cup as the Kitonak host came down to greet them. The Hutt's usual drink was Mandallian Narcolethe, a beverage said to be useable as ship fuel so he wasn't used to such low alcohol content, nor the sweetness. It was inviting. He wasn't sure how many flagons it would take to get his Hutt-self drunk off of this concoction but he wagered he could drink it all day and just enjoy the taste of the honeys and tree.

"This is something to be proud of." The Hutt spoke after the Kitonak described the Mularin Green, while others of his clan drank and gave their own compliments. "As were your efforts on Kashyyyk, laying waste to the trenches."



[member="Funky Balor"]

 

[Funky Balor]

He smiled, gazing around the room almost absentmindedly. Drinking, cavorting, causing trouble, this was his strong suit. Well, that and working a hammer, or a kitchen. He nodded and shook a few hands, laughed as the Hutt turned to him. "Oh, thank you, vod!" he said with a slight laugh. "I love to tool around with recipes and the like." He grinned as the large fellow mentioned the battle. "Ah, yes! Truly a worthy set of stories. I heard your ax met many foes as well, my friend!" He laughed a little.


"I do enjoy a good scrap. And honestly, that beach provided a few worthy opponents. Even though there were some disgraces," he said with a shrug. "Still, it is good to remember those who fought with honor in their hearts, and strength in their arms. If you do not mind my asking, how did the axe work out? I remember you building it, but it seemed a difficult device to test outside of a true warzone. Did the weight work well?" He arched his brow curiously. Frankly, he found weapons just as meaningful a craft as any other. His own designs often involved the most curious ideas from other sources. It never hurt to talk with another about what they've made or why. It was often enlightening, to see how other designers thought about their prospects. He sipped some of the mead himself. It was a good recipe. Not terribly strong, but slow and warming to the bones. For a fellow as stout as himself or the Hutt before him, it was more of a provisional drink than a hard hitter. But, it had the kind of flavor that'd make you feel at home even abroad. He let out a satisfied sigh after a sip. "The local berries here are excellent for flavoring when you distill, that's for certain," he said with a chuckle. "And since it's all local, you can make barrels of the stuff readily enough. And I was happy to share the glory of raiding those beaches with Clan Rekali. Your advance was daunting as well, firends!"


[member="Rekali the Hutt"]

 

[Rekali the Hutt]

"The heft of the ax was a little more than I had anticipated. I'm trying to get in a bit of better shape though, so I don't mind." Rekali was slimmer than most Hutts, but he still wasn't a paragon of Hutt fitness yet. Zodoh of old and Grakku of slightly less old still had miles on him, but he would turn that around.

Eventually.

"It felt a bit more 'Mandalorian' in flavor than a normal lightsaber. Easier to use and a better match for my favoring of strength over finesse." A good summary of the whys of what made him come to his decision of weapon. He was no great weaponsmith, but he had a little thought in to it.

"My clansman fought well with me, despite the Wookiee's strength and tenacity. They will be good allies in the battles to come." The Hutt replied at the brewmaster's mention of their charge.

"You mention the berries you brew with are grown locally. How well do they keep? I have a business out of Mandalorian Territory and I'd love to be able to carry some of your brews."

[member="Funky Balor"]

 

[Funky Balor]

[member="Rekali the Hutt"]


Funky nodded thoughtfully. "In my experience, when you make a weapon, you need to find what feels good. Each Mando has his own path to mastery, after all," he said with a laugh as he sipepd a bit more of this drink, letting the Hutt continue. There was strength in him, and most importantly, a strong will. At the end of the day, most of the Manda wasn't about raw power or simple strength, it was about hte will to grow and strengthen oneself, and the clan. Or scare the hell out of people with outlandish glory seeking. He forgot which was which at times.



He smirked at the man in front of him. "The mead itself ships easier than most of the ingredients," he let out with a slight chuckle. "I've been aiming to distribute some barrels, and frankly, if you're wiling to take on the weight, I can offer a discount for the first batch of sufficient size," he said with a grin. "If you want to pack up some barrels for the road, I can offer a few now, with an agreement for more later. So how much volume would we need to produce to keep you stocked up for travel?" The Kitonak raise a brow curiously. Frankly he wasn't certain how many other members of the clan traveled with the Hutt, or if he had other under his employ.