I wish Rill was here, Shannon thought as she looked across the meadow apprehensively. There was a loud snuffling and snorting going on over there. Occasionally Shannon caught glimpses of a scruffy mane and tail through the tall grass. It was a goretusk all right. But was it the right one? Shannon sighed. Rill was the paladin, a mighty warrior of the Light. Shannon served the light in her own way but she was no paladin. She was a priest. She was meant to heal, to serve, and to support. But as a servant of the Light, she could not turn her back on people who needed help.
She glanced over her shoulder at the distant town of Lakeshire nestled against the hills in the Redridge Mountains. The farmers on the outskirts of the town had begged her to rid them of the goretusk that was running rampant and ruining their crops. It was the largest boar they'd ever seen and it had already killed 3 farm hands. It was vicious, even for a goretusk. The villagers had named it Bellygrub because it ate so much of their crops.
A scree and more intense snorting sounds came from the meadow, drawing her attention back to it. A knot of dread twisted in her stomach. The goretusk, Bellygrub or not, had smelled her. It raised it's head and trotted out to the center of the meadow where the grass was shorter. It hadn't spotted her yet but was looking around and snuffling the air, searching.
There was no mistaking it now. Unless all goretusks in this area were so huge, this was definitely her quarry. Swallowing her apprehension she stood straighter and called upon the powers of the light. Warmth flooded her and soothed her. A transparent shield enveloped her, giving itself away only by a faintly shimmering outline. She took a deep breath and spoke a power word that would send pain through the creature. It squealed in rage, spinning around to face her. It charged. Swiftly she brought up her hands and spoke softly. A stream of light and shadow shot from her hand and slammed into the boar. It slowed significantly but it did not stop. The beam charred the hide and tore into it's flesh but it only served to madden the creature further.
Bellygrub pushed against the light and finally the beam broke. Calling upon the Light again, Shannon waved her hands in a slicing motion. A pulsing light made of pure energy appeared just above and to the side of the goretusk. It arced and mimicked the slicing motion of her hand, tearing a deep gash in the goretusk's side. Still it came. At the last second before it reached her, she jumped aside. It hit her a glancing blow, throwing her off-balance but her shield protected her. She heard a slight crack, like the sound of crystal. Her shield would not stand another blow like that one.
The boar squealed and spun, skidding on the dirt. She closed the short distance between them so it could not gain momentum and charge again. She murmured another power word to send disease through the goretusk's body. Bellygrub shuddered and howled in pain then he was upon her, kicking, biting and trying his best to gore her. Her shield held for the moment.
Muttering and waving her arms again, she brought down a pillar of fire that briefly engulfed the goretusk. It howled again and rammed it's head into her shield. With a tinkling sound, the shield shattered. She danced to the side as the goretusk charged. Bellygrub clipped her, his tusks tearing a long but shallow gash across her side and back as she turned. She ignored the pain and blood, saying a prayer to the Light. Warmth flooded her once again. The wound kept bleeding but she could feel it beginning to heal. She had no time to cast a proper heal so her renewing spell would have to do. She needed to end this quickly.
Bellygrub breathed heavily, his nostril's flaring. He was bleeding from many wounds and seemed to be weakening. For the moment he wasn't attacking. He eyed Shannon warily and she used the time to her advantage. She spoke the words to a particularly powerful spell then released the energy striking the creature with a blast of light and shadow. The goretusk squealed ducking it's head from the pain. Then with one last effort it charged her. She spoke the power word of death, draining a large amount of her mana. Three powerful purple lances struck the boar from above. He collapsed, finally dead.
Shannon wiped sweat from her brow and eyed the corpse. It was so large that it would give one big meal for the whole town or many meals to the farmer's families if they conserved and used it well. She smiled. It would only be fitting the boar pay them back in this way for all their harvests he had eaten.
Bellygrub Stuffed Shells
4 Servings | Total Time: 20 min |
Journeyman
Mats:
- Jumbo Pasta Shells
- 2 cups Ricotta Cheese
- 2 stalks Celery, chopped
- 8 oz Smoked Ham, cubed
- 2 Slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled
- 1/2 can Whole Kernel Corn
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 cup Spaghetti or Pizza Sauce
- 1 Tbl Hot Sauce
Craft: Cook 20 shells according to package instructions. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl combine riccotta, celery, ham, bacon, corn and mozzarella. Stuff each shell with a spoonful of the mixture. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray and place stuffed shells inside. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine Spaghetti sauce and hot sauce. Add more hot sauce if desired. Pour sauce over the shells.
Strategies:You can really stuff these shells with whatever leftover meat you have handy. You can even use cottage cheese if you're out of Ricotta and any other kind of cheese if you're out of mozzarella! You can also swap out the veggies in it for any other kind you'd like too.
LFM: Green Beans, Green mixed salad, Cucumbers, Celery sticks.
Cost:
- Jumbo Pasta Shells | $1.00
- Ricotta Cheese | $1.00
- Celery | $1.00
- Smoked Ham | $2.50
- Bacon | $2.00
- Whole Kernel Corn | $0.50
- Mozzarella Cheese | $2.00
- Pizza Sauce | $1.00
Total Cost: $11.00
Cost Per Serving: $2.75
Category: Raid Night, Troll Fuel
*This meal contains staple items such as spices that you may or may not have in your pantry so your cost may vary.
Come to the Dark Side, we have cookies! I used to find this saying slightly amusing though very absurd if you analyze it. I mean, where did the Dark Side get cookies? What Sith Lord would confess to a baking habit? And I am sure that if anyone on the Dark Side did bake, they wouldn't turn out very tasty. 
