Queqiao, Kingdom of the Emerald Spires and the Skies Above, is well known for the villages that long ago bound together as they connected and tamed the Towers above the mushroom groves.
Hardy Pioneers
The Queqan people are hardy: they must contest the effluvial waves that shot up from the Mushroom Grove below, and thusly developed masks; They had to traverse the vast and sprawing Bosis trees, and tamed " Thunderbirds ", otherwise called Pygmy Rocs to quicken their speed; and when farming was outlawed as a way to preserve The Towers by the reducing erosion of their homes, they became insect huntsmen.
Among their most frequent prey is the Nergulaith (Nergulus bosim goliatus), a wood boring beetle of the Bosis tree. While these hunts began as an effort to cull the pests that threatened their homes, it became a fond and frequent past time of the Queqans. As this developed, ways to harvest from and treat the insectioid's chitin and meats became imperative to trade, defense, and diet.
An Insectioid Diet and Superstition
Among the most peculiar of the Queqans treatments of the incestoid meats were that they were, on the majority, juiced. This is in part due to a long held belief by the Queqans that solid foods, when flying, will weight them down and cause them to grow very ill due to the high altitudes.
The Process
Once a Nergulaith is slain, its chitin and secondary exoskeleton must be stripped. This process can take several days, but the key is to have as much done as possible before the insectoid dries out. Once the secondary exoskeleton is bypassed, revealing the meats of the creature, they are taken and distributed in chunks to the other people of the village. Often, festivals will be held and other villages will be invited or come of their own accord to partake, depending on the size of the creature and the generosity of the huntsmen.
Once the meats are received, each household cuts a portion in order to sit in broth on a low but steady heat for an entire week with a lid covering the pot. Chitin, the leather of the wing, and organs may be added to enhance the broth. After the week, the pot is uncovered, all but the meat removed, which should now be thoroughly cooked. This is divided and eaten, eventually. The other half of the meats that were left uncooked, during this week time period are beaten to a pulp, rolled out to a fine paste, which is added portion by portion each day. Bread has been known to be added to thicken the liquid. This slowly creates a a stew-like texture. Water may be added as necessary to reduce thickness.
The Result
The "drink", referred to as Beetle Juice, has a bitter and tangy taste resulting from the treatment of the meat, but is fairly high in protein and other nutrients.
Cultural Reception outside Queqiao
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