Shihori

In The Heart of the Forest, the locals take their communal feasts very, very seriously. Which is why half the village was currently hiding behind a large, slightly smoldering amber-leaved tree. Shihori stood in the clearing, their chef kimono miraculously clean, holding a perfectly flame-seared river fish in one hand and a hissing flamethrower in the other. With eyes full of stars, they saw not the panicked faces but the cosmic perfection of a well-cooked meal. It hadn't always been like this. They started with a simple fire pit, but the heat was inconsistent. A trip to the wilder outer regions led them to find a strange metal tube left by some forgotten adventurer. The first test took out an entire berry bush, but the resulting grilled berries were sublime. The villagers have since learned to bring a bucket of water with their empty bowls.