[bakuraas.]

[PRIMARY NOTE; I do not want to win any of the major rewards for Grand-Prize or Runner Up Placements. This Entry was made to share an idea that I believe would be fun and fix a minor problem I've seen once or twice magic-wise. My Only Desired prize would be if this magic is chosen and I get to keep my design <3]

"Oh, Don't be shy, child! The actual 'major paragon' isn't here yet, so have a cookie while I tell you all you need to know!"

Culinary magic, in essence, is a magic that focuses on a specific type of art and a love for said art. Food is a way to show someone you love them, food is a way to show your talents, and it's a way to make something seemingly mundane into an experience worth cherishing. Though every cat has their preferences, it's hard to find someone that doesn't enjoy a good meal.

If you are born into Culinary magic, you are typically either a very loving or very artistic person, maybe even both. Some Culinary magicians have a love for all food, while some have a niche that they fill. At the end of the day, it's all about what your heart desires.
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Rarity

Savory/Bitter/Salty Focus - Fire/Bardic or Fire/Love (Red-Brown Eye colors with slightly lighter red pupil)
Sweet/Sour/Pastry Focus - Ice/Bardic or Ice/Love (Very Pastel Eye Colors with White Pupil)
Universal Focus - Love/Bardic (Choice of either from above, or both.)

Storkatten - Hybrid
Savory - Basic/Limited or Basic/Rare
Sweet - Rare/Limited or Rare/Rare
Universal - Rare/Limited

Hearthoots - Hybrid
Savory - Legendary/Basic or Basic/Basic
Sweet - Limited/Basic
Universal - Basic/Basic

Littlehearts - Hybrid
Savory - Rare/Basic or Basic/Basic
Sweet - Limited/Basic
Universal - Basic/Basic
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Domain
Culinary Magic covers all types of food that isn't raw, including more processed foods that would in most other situations need highly specialized mechanical tools. The core aspects to discussions regarding Culinary-Magic Storkies are Artisty, Food-Based Love Languages, and Personal tastes.

Culinary Magic can do, including but not limited to, the following;
- Turn Raw Material into processed material for cooking without complex machines
- Make something that typically tastes bitter/sour (ie. medicine) taste sweet or vice versa
- Identify a food that brings someone positive memories
- Apply magical effects correlating with a related magic type through food (ex. keep someone from freezing with fire-magic infused bread)
- Identify food that is poisoned or otherwise unfit for consumption
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Leveling Guide
Novice; Default Level
As a Novice Culinary Magician, you have a knack for knowing what food someone desires or needs, but you're not quite ready to take on every challenge. You can create basic meals very easily, but more complex meals requires a lot more tools and focus, similarly to if a non-culinary storkie was cooking. You're a great cook, but still learning the basics of your magic- maybe you haven't even noticed you have Culinary magic yet.

Access to the Divine Accessory Minor Magic Expression.

Advanced; Unlocked at 100 MP
As an Advanced Culinary Magician, you've started to really get a hand of meals that most others would consider complex! You can easily help out those with requested meals as long as they're not too out of the ordinary. You don't need tools as much as you used to, though there are some you still need. After all, you're not exactly turning milk into cheese just yet. At this point, you can definitely tell that your cooking abilities are more than just talent, but don't get in over your head! You're still learning, but you're doing a great job!

Adept; Unlocked at 200 MP
As an Adept Culinary Magician, You can take on any challenge any mortal cat can give you! Some of the might be a challenge, but never impossible! You now no longer need tools to create food, only raw ingredients and a lot of care. You can take care of others just with your cooking, emotionally and sometimes physically too. You're the best cook around! Even if there's still room for improvement, you should be very proud of yourself!

As a Leveling Reward, claim a Gift or Accessory from the Culinary Paragon.

Master; Unlocked At 300 MP
As a Master Culinary Magician, There is almost nothing that you can't make. No meal is too complex, no cat's food desire too outlandish to where you can't fulfill it. Even in the worst conditions, you can create food seemingly out of nothing. You can meet someone and immediately know their favorite food, and just how to make it for them. You are a master culinarian, and those you care about will never go hungry with you around.

As a Leveling Reward, claim another Gift or Accessory from the Culinary Paragon.
You gain access to the Divine Accessory - Master Magic Expression.

Paragon
As you have ascended into Paragonhood, even the outlandish requests beyond mortal capabilities can't stop you anymore. You can create meals that do not exist yet, or create food that isn't possible to obtain in your reality or time. When it comes to making food for others, truly nothing can stop you.
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Magic Expression

[ full sized image here ]


Minor Magic Expression
Unlocked at Adept, as soon as your character first begins earning MP.
They may have small patches of fur made of food, covering up to 20% of the design. Your character may have glowing eyes.

Master Magic Expression
Unlocked at Master, when your character has reached 300 MP.
They may have small patches of fur made of food, and one body part made of food, covering up to 50% of the design.

Paragon Magic Expression
Unlocked at Paragon
Magic Expression is Unlimited, covering up to 100% of the design. Your Storkatten may now have white pupils.

[ IMPORTANT NOTE; Due to CS rules, paragons may not have magic expression used for faux-gore and may not under any circumstance resemble blood. Additionally, Magic Expression on Culinary Cats regenerates if broken- this magic expression is purely meant to be wholesome, cute, and silly sometimes. ]
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Minor Personal History
[note; not actual history for magic, mostly a personal take on it as a suggestion along with personal experience of the character ]
Well, I wouldn't say we're exactly too special. I mean, of course we are- everybody is in their own way! But we weren't the first magic to exist and we certainly won't be the last. However, Culinary Magic is a magic spawned from love, both a love of art and a love of others. After all, hybrids are just shows of love between two magics, aren't they?

I took up Culinary magic naturally, didn't even know I had it at first! It was only when I realized I could tell someone's favorite food just by looking at them did I notice that this was something special. The magics that come together to make Culinary magic all have their ways to connecting to it, from Fire's natural affinity for cooking, to Love's natural connection to... well, love! It's definitely a magic of the modern age, after all there wasn't much cake back when elementals first walked the earth.

There's always been culinarians in history, those who have taken their love of food and made great things out of it. Even if not by magic, every creature who discovered a new meal and made food for those they care about had a bit of culinary spirit in them. It seems that over the years, that culinary spirit manifested into a form of magic all it's own, even if it takes from aspects of many different magics. It should have been expected, really- whenever there is food to be had, there will always be someone willing to do just that little bit more to make eating more than just a task to keep us alive.

Culinary Magicians have already found conflict with Fire Magicians, or at least... in the sense that fire magicians don't exactly like me, thinking that they're trying to take their place, but those in modern enough living have found Culinarians to be a great addition to their colonies. Maybe in the future the magic will be more widely known, and maybe even the fire magicians will learn to understand us... well, that's what I hope anyway.
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Gifts
Home-Style Cooking
The ability to make any food taste like home, no matter where home is! This also allows you to summon cooking materials not typically found in the environment you live in. The distance you can pull from is determined by the level of their Culinary Magic.
Novice - 1 Biome Away / Advanced- 2 Biomes Away / Adept- 5 Biomes Away / Master- 10 Biomes Away / Paragon- You can pull from anywhere in the world, and beyond it too.

Too-Sweet Scent
Your character can release the scent of vanilla (or any other harsh culinary smell). Allowing them to catch others off guard during combat scenarios. It's a talent that some Culinary magicians lack (or just don't want to learn.)
Novice - +1 Bonus / Advanced - +2 Bonus / Adept - +3 Bonus / Master - +4 Bonus / Paragon - +5 Bonus

Divine Gifts
Baked with Empathy
Your Character has the ability to share a meal with someone, and see the other's memories regarding said meal. This could be a positive or negative memory, and your character will have full vision to everything that the other party remembers until the food is gone. Your character may experience this voluntarily or involuntarily. This ability is not tied to a magic level, but can only be redeemed after reaching Adept-Level Culinary Magic.

Accessories
Fire-Proof Cooking Mitts
Small mitts with cute patterns that are designed to fit your character. When holding onto warm or hot material, none of the warmth will ever reach you! You could even touch lava and be completely okay (though we don't recommend it).

Ever-Clean Apron
A solid colored apron that will always fit your character. Any liquid that falls onto the apron will slide off, and any food that falls onto the apron will stay both intact and healthy to consume. The apron also cannot sustain burn marks or scratches.

Culinarian's Case
A box of any size that can be strapped to your character. Any food that goes into it will stay the exact same temperature until removed again. It cannot be broken or destroyed.

Divine Accessories
[ just for fun, not for points ]
Minor Magic Expression - Adept or Higher
Allows for minimal magic expression of Culinary Magic, as outlined by the magic expression guidelines.

Master Magic Expression - Master or Higher
Allows for minimal magic expression of Culinary Magic, as outlined by the magic expression guidelines.

Kitchen Buddy
No master of the kitchen can go without a helper! Your character has been given a companion pet that can help you with your cooking! They'll follow your every order! Kitchen Buddies must look like a real-world animal, and must be made of pastry! They can also wear little chef's hats and aprons should you so choose.
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Abstract Prompts
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Spices

Detailed Prompts
- (Culinary) Someone close to you is feeling down, how do you use your magic to make them feel better?
- (Culinary) What is your favorite memory involving food? Was it food that you cooked, or did someone you love cook for you instead?
- (Culinary) Oh No! You're missing a very important ingredient! Do you go out searching for it, or decide to use a substitute?
- (Culinary) Every Culinarian makes mistakes, talk about a time you messed up a recipe.
- (Culinary) Do you have a signature dish? What is it made with, and what makes it special from everything else?

[bakuraas.]

A Cake for a young cat's birthday.
"Haha, Thank you Granpy! Were the burning sticks really needed, though?" The cheerful teenager laughed, looking to the older cat with a smile. "Ah, thought it'd be fun! Why, don't like 'em?" She looked at the cake for a small bit more before responding. "No! I really think it's cool, but...I think I'm a little older than three, Granpy. He paused, blowing out two of the candles and leaving the last one. "There! How's that then?" Another giggle, this time with a slight push from her small paws. "Granpy! You're so mean to me sometimes, how did dad ever deal with you!?" This time, both of them shared the laughter, Antoinette had always appreciated her grandfather, always a creative soul, especially in the kitchen. He was a blood and ice storkie, or at least that's what everyone claimed he was, but he seemed to always have his magic touch in the kitchen, everything he made was always full of love and care- it was why everyone went to his house for dinner at week's end, to partake in a little bit of edible joy.

A Perfectly Cooked Steak for a loved one's beloved.
"So, you're the lad that my granddaughter's been speakin' of. Alchem, was it?" He asked with a smile, and the nervous looking cat in front of him nodded. "Uh, yes sir." Henry nodded. "Don't be so afraid, lad! I'm not like one of those scary grandparents that'll scare ya away! I've heard a lot of good about you, now come on- you don't want your food to go cold!" Antoinette appreciated how nice her grandfather was being to her boyfriend, but it was curious how perfectly he seemed to pick out a meal for him. Antoinette had never told Grampy Henry that Alchem was a vampire, and yet every little food sensitivity that might come from it was catered to. She knew her grandpa loved putting garlic on everything, even to the point where she wouldn't eat at his house if she was visiting Alchem the same day, but tonight, all of the meal was garlic free, not to mention that it was perfectly cooked for a vampire. "Grandpa?" Antoinette asked. "The meal's different today, trying out a new seasoning?" Henry just laughed. "Ah, I just had a feelin' that your boyfriend would appreciate something outside of our norm, why?" Antoinette just smiled. "Oh, nothing, just curious is all." It was odd, but at the time, Antoinette just pinned it as a big coincidence.

A sweet medicine to help someone heal.
"Oh, don't be fussin', with Antoinette gone you're dealin' with me whether you want to or not! But hey, let me see if I can help it go down easier." Antoinette had been gone for a few months, having started to move in with her new husband, leaving the medicine home absent. Henry had taken the position of healing storkatten for the time being, it helped that he was the only one who could read Antoinette's writing. One thing that he could at least manage was making medicine easier to stomach for the little ones. He didn't know how, exactly, but as soon as he said that the medicine tasted like a sweet grape juice, the kits would say the same thing after drinking it. And yet, it was still medicine. Curiosity got the better of him at some point, picking up a cough medicine that he had been avoiding taking due to the taste. In his mind, he said it tasted like orange juice, and sure enough, when it went down his throat it tasted just like orange juice. How odd... many other things could be seen as coincidences... but now. Now it was getting strange...

A cleaned meal, free of sabotage.
"Why, Mister Ephram you can't be saying that my father's meal was poisoned! We had all eaten, and none of us have gotten Ill!" Lycidas yelped, shocked at the idea that him and his family might have just barely avoided some terrible fate. "Aye, not exactly happy to say it, but thankfully I was able to catch it before it got out- the poison's far from here now." The albino male ran a paw through his hair, letting out a slight huff. "And I take if you've told me because you don't know if the attempted assassin is still out there, hm? Told me because you and I both know my father would only think you've said this to get even more in his good books. As if you'd ever give any doubts about your cooking." Henry watched as the young prince continued to panic, talking to himself mostly as the older male moved to grab something that would hopefully help.

"Prince Lycidas. Do me a favor and have a bite of this bread, will you? You're runnin' yourself around in circles." He asked, holding out the fresh loaf of bread, made only a few minutes ago, to the other cat. "Yes, yes maybe a bite will clear my head, you're absolutely right, Henry." When he took a bite of the bread, he expected it to be simple, if was only bread, of course- but as he continued to eat, he felt the anxiety that had been wracking his body start to dull, and his mind clear. There was something comforting about the basic meal that supernaturally made him able to think clearer- what he needed in the moment for sure. "Feeling better?" Henry asked, and Lycidas nodded. There was no doubt that the older cat had odd magics beyond Lycidas' comprehension, able to make someone calm down with a piece of bread, but he appreciated it none the less. "Yes, much. But, I should ask you to make another loaf of bread, just in case I become frightened again." A laugh. "Not a problem, lad. Everything's gonna be okay."

A magnum opus of culinary prowess, for a god among cats.
"Henry-Merritt Ephram, I'm assuming?" The cat had come to him in his sleep, in his dreams- which was odd enough to begin with, but it was the fact that he could tell that he was speaking with an actual cat that made it stranger. "Aye, I'd be him." He responded, somehow trying to adjust his vision in his dream, which wasn't working out super well. "I have taken interest in you and your... work. If I may ask, what year do you believe it is?" That made him take a pause. He was a chef, not a timekeeper. "Ah, well it can't be too long since Antoinette left home... And with the occurrences down on the land, I'd say... 1428?" It seemed that response even made the ominous cat in his dream take a step back. "Good stars, you're not the best with years, are you?" He tilted his head. "The year, at moment, is 2004. Originally I had shown to you because you, in your old age, are still alive after twenty years from when I first saw you. However, now knowing that you're over 600 years old... it certainly gives merit to my theory."

600 years... it certainly hadn't felt that long. "I still don't understand what you're sayin' to me, weird cat in my dreams." The cat in question sighed slightly. "Ah, yes. I hadn't introduced myself. My name is Kalle. I am a rune magician by birth, but I have found many a way to tap into other forms of magic using my runes. And as for you... your magic is something I haven't seen before... I theorized that you may have an undocumented magic, and that is the reason why you still live, but I...had to see if it could be possible. That being said, what I need you to do for me is to make me a meal." Henry smiled. "Really? You're not going to give me some big trial or anything?"

Kalle laughed. "Oh, Mister Ephram, this is your trial! In a sense. I'm unsure if you've noticed, but you're already much further in your magic than most would need- most likely another aspect of your immortality... This is only to confirm your magic is real and that I am not mistaken." Henry nodded. "This may be a dream, but I'll show you somethin' real." And unsurprisingly, he did. Somehow in the space of the dream he found the ability to put together something that he knew the other would like. A mix of contrasting flavors and textures, but somehow able to be balanced together and taste fantastic in the end. In fact, Kalle had already known that Henry was a paragon of culinary magic, the way his body still functioned despite some parts of it being made of cake... well it didn't hide it very well. But he could act it up in order to get the best meal of his immortal existence, couldn't he?

A Memory of home, when someone needs it most.
"G-Granpy? Is... Is that really you, Henry?" Antoinette was shocked, and the male laughed. "Haha! Antoinette! I know you're a grown woman now, but what's the big ideal calling me by my first name? Haven't upset you have I?" Instead of getting an answer, the younger immortal ran to him, almost knocking him over with how harshly she clung to him. "But, How, it's been centuries! How are you still... How are you still alive?" It was a serious question. Here she had been, crying but a few minutes ago about how much she missed her grandfather's cooking, and here he was- though different. He was covered in cake and frosting, but it looked to be... part of him. In a way Antoinette found it disturbing, but seeing as he found her in the vampire association, she'd be a bit hypocritical to focus on that. When she looked over, she found a familiar shape on the table. A cake. It was simple, just like the cake from her memories, with a singular stick set on fire stuck into it, a remnant of when cake was a new concept to their society. That's right... the reason she was thinking about him, the reason she had been crying... "Happy Birthday, Antoinette. I couldn't fit a few hundred candles on there, so one will have to do. Besides, No matter how many years pass, you're still my little girl."

Antoinette sobbed. "I... I can't believe it." She walked to the table, holding out a paw and lightly touching part of the makeshift candle. It was warm, it was real. "Well, don't be playing with your food, now! Blow out the candle and have a taste, hm? Sure we can share some with your little boyfriend too, can't for the life of me remember his name, doesn't help that he's been through about twenty of them over the years- vampires really never catch a break, do they?" He blabbered on, but Antoinette wasn't exactly listening, especially not when she took a bite of the cake. It... tasted like home. Somehow, it brought her back to that little table, just her and her grandfather. It brought her back to her city, floating above the skies with airships and the start of machinery. The advancements that had been so impressive them, only to be mundane now. It brought her back to when she truly felt that the world was full of only wonder and joy.

"Oh uhm, by the way, I may have become a paragon of magic?" Henry mused, which finally snapped Antoinette out of her nostalgic memories, turning her head over with a mix of concern and shock. "And you weren't going to mention it?" She asked, only for her grandfather to laugh. "Didn't think it was as important as makin' sure my little girl had a happy birthday." Antoinette went through at least ten emotions before eventually putting her head in her paws as her grandfather continued his humored giggling. "Even after over 600 years, you still have no sense of priorities." She sighed, but ended up with a smile anyways.

Turns out, his magic really was shown in the kitchen, it was just that nobody had understood that before.

[kiwipen]

Congratulations! Your magic was chosen, and you'll be able to keep your entry.

Here is your finalized trait list:

NR: Expression Edit, Expressive Ear Edits, Custom Lined, Whiskers, Hair Edit, Facial Hair Edit, Scar,
LIM: Longer Fur, Partial Heterochromia, Tooth Edits,
LEG: Wings, Natural Tail Alteration
MYTH:

Magic: Culinary (Your choice for Universal)