If you have received this notice, you are invited to attend the Luto's Gambit festival in Amaya's Etonar to Sakia. The event will last for one week, with dates are listed in the accompanying program. As always, meals will be fully planned and prepared by our renowned chef, Beelzebub Moruwan. This will include five new dishes invented specifically for this affair. He will also oversee the creation of a smaller but no less delicious menu for your servants and accompaniment. If you wish to attend, return notification of intent via the Event book vine included with this missive.

— Samael Asther
Imperator Incaendium
Dominus Regas Amaya


Overview

A closeup of "Beelzebub" Moruwan

It is often said that Amaya is, while brutally classist in many ways, also unusually open to upward mobility. The ways in which one can achieve these goals are not always immediately evident - the most obvious is simply beating a superior in a battle. Then, of course, there is gaining favor with the Dominus Regas.

Both of these paths are difficult to come by for a person of little power and less prestige. That leaves just one more viable path to a more comfortable life - a thriving life!

Namely... impress the hell out of your boss.

This is a more limited, but more accessible pathway: even for a Dahe-Suum, excellence can result in better contract negotiations in the future! You might be promoted, or secure a more advantageous compensation agreement. Of course, it isn't as effective as impressing the Dominus Regas!

Unless your boss happens to be the Dominus Regas.

History & Status

Born Jobel Moruwan, Beelzebub is the son of an impoverished family in the small Amayan town of Toor. His mother, Miniah, worked as a cleaner in a local inn, where she endured harassment and belittlement daily. His father, Bothy was a laborer, though he struggled with steady employment due to injuries that had yet to fully heal.

Gabriel's Notebook

Beelzebub! The first thing I noticed about him is that he talks really fast. And here I'm speaking as someone who gets a lot of complaints about that, myself.

Now to be fair, this probably has a lot to do with the fact that the first time I met him he was planning for some big celebration. Some kind of Gambit. And that celebration has a lot of food so it's not that surprising that he was speedtalking like he was going for a world record (here I'm exaggerating for effect, bear with me, self) - as it turns out, he's not actually always like that.

Usually he's more like me-running fast not Astaroth-smacking-someone fast.

But! It's just the enthusiasm. It's one of the things I really like about him. There's a lot of really serious stuff happening in Court all the time - all the darkness and the killing and the scheming. I guess you could say he's not undark, he does keep a lot of gossip in his head, which I've been told is responsible for a lot of chaos but the thing is... I don't believe he's the one behind the chaos. It's probably the people he tells it to.

Because as scary looking as he can be if you just look at, you know, his face (he looks like a Demon in a medieval scroll or something, I swear)... he's really not. Not once you know him. He's just a nice guy. Kind of normal. Good with food.

Plus, the other day I went into his room to borrow a book and I met his iguanas and now whenever I look at him I just see their little lizardy smiles, it's really cute.

Gabriel

As a child who knew nothing of the way the "other half" lived, Jobel was a fairly happy child. By twelve, he had begun to help out at the inn alongside his mother, running errands and cleaning up for a few Aline per day. This allowed them a bit more security... but it also exposed him to more of the citizenry. This included both middle-class travelers and the adventurers that came to rest for the night on their way from one more exciting place to another, even more exciting place. Such people always seemed to carry an air of importance - and a heavy purse.

For the first time, Jobel became aware that it was not necessary to be forever hungry, or forever cold. That there were, indeed, other ways to live.

Jobel began to fantasize about becoming an adventurer and finding great treasures... but it soon became evident that this was not a realistic goal for him as he lacked the magical or elemental might to be of use in battle with the beasts of Incaendium. With his dream off the table, and seeking a way to assist with his family's situation, he entered a Binding Contract at 17 to act as a errand boy for a local middle-class merchant, Loanna Boson.

The Errand Boy's Road to Ruavine

As an assistant to the Boson, Jobel began to travel for the first time in his life as her work required. Over the next few years, he became enamored of the larger cities they went to - in particular the capital, Ruavine, which was exciting and full of new experiences... albeit ones he rarely had the time to indulge in due to work. He determined that once his Binding Contract had been fulfilled he would find a way to relocate to a larger and more energetic environment.

This occurred some ten years later, when Jobel was nearly 30. At that time, having fulfilled the time agreed to, Jobel chose not to renew the contract. Instead, he took his earnings and traveled back to Ruavine to seek a position there.

That was easier said than done. Though low service positions did not offer much in the way of compensation they were highly sought after nonetheless if only because they tended to be more lucrative, albeit on a relative scale. Eventually, with the endorsement of Boson, he managed to secure another errand position, this time with a shorter contractual term of only two years.

The next decade would see Jobel moving from position to position, gaining knowledge as he went. He found that the glamor of Ruavine was not so appealing as it seemed. Since he could not truly join in the court shenanigans, his options remained limited. The combination of boredom and access to the outskirts of high society, however, did permit him to take up the habit of gossip collecting for entertainment. It also gave him the time, at last, to learn to read and write.

Even so, he was dissatisfied. For most of his life he had been working in low-wage jobs and sending much of what he did earn back to Toor to help his parents. This meant he had spent much of his life on the edge of poverty even when he had relatively steady work.

He decided he would need to find better-paying work, and set his mind to doing so.

Through his observations of the elite, Jobel had come to realize that they seemed to respond - consciously or otherwise - to those who used the same "language" that they did - following the same trends, knowing the same jargon. Ruavine at the time was deep in the grips of a trend with regards to naming: parents naming their children not traditional Incaendian but rather names pulled from or inspired by Aedvecti-told stories and Aedvect-written books. This had begun centuries ago, but was further popularized by the rise of Samael Asther and his friends Astaroth and Mastema as they were born in the early days of this trend and thus had just that kind of name.

It was upon noticing this that Jobel took on the name Beelzebub... though he always preferred Beel as the full name seemed laborious.

Inside the Crimson Palace

At around 45 years old, Beel accompanied his latest employer, Sadon Frell, to Luto's Gambit inside the Crimson Palace. During the week-long celebration, he made a point of getting to know the palace staff... and in the aftermath of that celebration, he also made a point of keeping in touch. The result was an offer to come and work there once his latest contract had expired.

img-2025-01-12-04-58-08.png

Beel in a reflective moment.

Beel accepted without hesitation.

Once there, he made a point of demonstrating the range of the skills he had learned working in various different places and positions: an errand runner, a cleaner, a kitchen boy. In the latter position he had been expected to help with cooking if there was a shortage of hands. And so he ended up as an all-purpose kitchen servant, expected to perform any necessary task from scrubbing to baking.

As it turned out, he had a great talent for baking - really, for cooking of any kind. And so, when his initial contract term expired, he was rehired, but this time as kitchen support for the Asther's head chef, Zadir. Fascinated by the strange, exotic (and often magical) ingredients available to the Dominus Regas' household, Beel began to study them and experiment on his own.

After that, he became an assistant chef. It was in this position that he happened to encounter his greatest career advancement, when the chef was shanked in the back of a tavern during an argument over a mug of ale and passed away. As Zadir's primary assistant chef at the time, Beelzebub was forced to step in. This carried an extraordinate amount of pressure, as the last thing any of the staff of the palace would want to do is displease Samael Asther.

The Ladder to Success!

At first, Beel played things very safe, following Zadir's recipes and what instructions remained to a T. However, both he and the mildly irritated Dominus Regas proved dissatisfied... so he began to improvise.

As it turns out, that was the correct decision.

His use of exotic and magical ingredients garnered praise and attention... and so it was that Jobel "Beelzebub" Moruwan became the lead of the kitchen in the Crimson Palace.

Status Quo

Beel & a Drereccas Friend

Beelzebub remains the lead chef in Samael Asther's service, but he has also been recently (...well, for the past few centuries) been promoted to event coordinator as well. He works closely with other staff (in particular Blossom for decorations and Leviael for security) in putting together grand and memorable events.

That said, he continues to be distracted by gossip. It's a weakness - or maybe a strength, as it has certainly deepened his ties to some of the highest rungs of society, particularly Isis Asther, who "enjoys" and "makes use of" social drama, controversy and news.

Beel continues to support his parents, though he has long since moved them to Ruavine where they live in a comfortable, if modest, home in the middle-class district.

 

Beelzebub & the World

Dear Leviael,

It's that time again: celebration time. The Dominus Regas contacted me today to talk about throwing a gala and, of course, I am personally handling all of the delicious details. That means it's time for you to come in and save us all from anyone who might want to break in and cause problems! So we should meet. At the fountain? Noon tomorrow! I'm bringing a container of dragonberry tea but I won't hand it over unless you make an expression. Good luck with that!

Beel

I am willing to meet with you provided that you prepare your questions in advance. My disinterest in nonsense happening at Court can't be overstated.

— Leviael Kythien
 

I don't get at all why you're so boring. Tomorrow then!

— Beel
With a humble background and a lifetime of scraping by and climbing the ladder behind him, Beelzebub has learned to be (surprisingly?) charming and funny; indeed, he has long since become one of the more popular residents in the Crimson Palace! Education

Having grown up in poverty, Beel is entirely self-taught. This does not mean he is uneducated, as his keen mind and ambition did lead to his becoming highly skilled in multiple areas. Of course, he is the most adept in meal-related skills such as meal planning, recipe design and cooking.

Employment

A long and storied series of jobs that led him to his current position as the head chef and event coordinator of Ruavine's Crimson Palace.

Notable Accomplishments & Failures

Given his background, his entire career could be called an immense accomplishment.

Creations

Beelzebub has invented hundreds of unique and delicious recipes for both food and drink in his time at the Crimson Palace. These are often touched by Magic, and are always exquisite. To keep track of them, he has also handwritten dozens of recipe books, which he keeps in a vault in his bedroom to prevent nosy faces from finding them.

On another note, he also wrote a book on unique drink mixes for Grigorius Bieloskytes as thanks for Grigorius's willingness to serve as a tester for his concoctions.

 

Psychology

Beelzebub is a fairly normal person, particularly when compared to the people who surround him - often great heroes or monstrous villains.

That said, he certainly has a number of quirks, some naturally and some as a result of his specific life experience. As a general rule he has a fairly high-strung energy, which just doubles in intensity when he's focused on a project. Indeed, he takes his work incredibly seriously - enough to sometimes surprise people, as he is usually not a very serious person at all. Despite that spot of "intensity," his infectious enthusiasm and energy make him more endearing than annoying. It's difficult to dislike someone for being tetchy earlier in the day while they're showing off their latest culinary innovation with sparkling eyes and a huge grin.

Cherry Cream Pie with Etointi Roots

Crust
  • Two parts of flour
  • a pinch of stardust
  • half part of cold butter
  • Fourth part of ice water
  • Honey for the wash
    • Filling:
  • two etointi pyja roots
  • one part black bee honey
  • two spoons of stabilized lava essence (per serving prepared)
  • four parts cherries, peeled and pitted
  • one part heavy cream
  • three spoons of sweet flour (per serving prepared)
  • salt

    • In a large bowl mix the flour and stardust, adding the butter in small chunks. Mix until you have course crumbles, and gradually add the ice water until the dough comes together.

    Roll the dough on a floured surface and then transfer to a pan, and crimp the edges. Chill until firmed.

    Toss the honey and half of the cherries into an appropriately sized bowl and heat. Mash the mixture until you have a thick syrup, then add the cream and the remainder of the honey. Add a sprinkle of salt and the stabilized lava essence. Stir the remaining cherries and roots into the syrup and cook until the fruit is tender. Add the sweet flour and cook until firmed.

    Spoon the mixture into the crust and bake for half an hour. Brush honey onto the crust approximately 10 minutes before completion.

    A generally excitable person, his is also quick-witted, intelligent and a bit mischievous. His constant curiosity about the things and people around him keep him learning both in terms of skills and in terms of gossip... and speaking of gossip, he is stewing in it. Beel always knows what's happening among high- and low-status society alike, and if you stay in the room with him for too long, he will inevitably find a way to bring some of those things up.

    This is perhaps his most frustrating trait for those who don't want to get involved in such things... but it also makes him incredibly popular among those who do. You could say that, while he is not himself a player in the Blood Game, he is nonetheless influential by proxy within it it due to his being endless font of information.

    Beel laughs easily - and loudly. He speaks quickly, and when engaged and energetic he speaks even more quickly than that. And he is always drawing inspiration from the world around him - at times, he will even stop in the middle of a conversation - or a sentence, to jot down recipe ideas.

    Finally, despite his rather traditionally demonic appearance and interesting choice of pseudonyms, Beelzebub is a rather soft person, overall. While he has been extremely ambitious, it has generally been in the interest of either finding interesting things to do and experience, or taking care of those he loves, or both. He also famously took the time to write up a book of drink mixes catered to Grigorius's tastes in exchange for his being a culinary guinea pig... because he rarely takes a favor without giving one back in return.

    Motivations

    As previously noted, Beel is primarily motivated by either experiencing new and interesting things for himself or advancing his ability to provide for those he cares about, or both. Generally both will factor in. That said, he is also genuinely interested in learning and growing - not to mention he feels the need to keep busy because he has a hard time standing still!

    In part because of his humble background, Beel likes to keep different tastes in mind when putting together a menu. It would be easy to just cater to those born to privilege and power - most of the people he prepares meals for fall into that category. But he tries to incorporate elevated versions of the kinds of things he would have enjoyed into his work as well. He himself is, after all, an argument for why this is a good idea - a reminder that not all those of privilege come from privilege.

    This is why he works with Grigorius so often - Grigorius is less familiar with the quirks of high-end Incaendian cuisine and thus less biased in favor of certain things that are more common in that societal strata.

    Presentation

    Fullbody shot of Beel.

    Beel has large horns coming out of the sides of his head that resemble metal. His skin is a medium-toned red that fades in the cold months and tans into a stronger red during the summers. While his hair is naturally as red as his skin, his eyes are blue and he often colors his hair blue to harmonize with his eyes. He generally will keep his hair pushed back when cooking for obvious reasons, but will let it flop around freely if he's only supervising.

    Like most debils, he is short with a stocky build. Beel is particularly muscular, but sometimes has a bit of paunch around the middle - this depends on what he's been doing in recent months.

    Beel's nails are long and sharp, almost claws. They are often polished, or painted dark blue or black. His teeth are quite sharp as well... making him one of the more overtly devilish looking people in his general circle.

    That said, despite having what might (in theory) seem like an assortment of intimidating physical characteristics, he is generally more adorable than frightening. This is despite his sharp toothed grin! He has a somewhat lined face - similar to the face of a Human in their 50s. This has failed to prevent his face from appearing rather boyish.

    He has a wide grin that reveals his sharp teeth. It can sometimes make him look a little maniacal to those who aren't yet used to him.

    It has been said that he has a cat-like quality to him, though that certainly wasn't referring to his grace. It must be the pointy ears.

    Apparel & Accessories

    Generally, Beelzebub dresses in plain clothes, or in his chef's outfit. He likes to wear various hats, some of which vaguely evoke a chef's hat but usually fail to actually be a chef's hat. Occasionally he does wear an actual chef's hat.

    If not in the kitchen, he always has a soft leather-bound book hanging from his belt - this is his recipe idea book.

    When not on the job, he will tend to wear long- or short-sleeved tunics and white or black slacks.

    He prefers sandals over shoes in almost every circumstance.

     

    Social Inventory

    It's anyone's guess what Beelzebub's sexuality is, as he never seems to talk about it.

    He was already here when I arrived... and he is a bit more than three times my age. Even so, I do feel as though Beel and I can understand each other in a way similar to the way Gri and I do. Similar, but different. With Gri it began with the oddity of Sura culture. Beel, however...

    Well. He and I understand what it is to come from nothing, and what it is to be helpless... and what turning your dedication to survival into actual survival requires. And what it costs you.

    —

    Cain Amortus


    Family

    Beelzebub remains close to his parents - he has purchased a nicer home for them and moved them to Ruavine so that they can easily spend time with him and attend events if permitted or desired. He does not have any known relatives beyond his parents.

    Friends

    As one could expect from such a socially active person, Beel has a lot of friends and friendly acquaintances. This includes most of the staff of the Crimson Palace as well as many of the higher status people who linger around. He is especially familiar with Blossom and Leviael for planning purposes, Isis and Astaroth for gossip purposes, and Grigorius for general purposes.

    He is also quite friendly with Cain due to the overlap between Beelzebub's time as head chef/event planner and Cain's time as the Par Regas. To this day, Beel will sometimes confer with Cain for advice, as no one knows Samael's tastes better than his former consort.

    Pets

    Beelzebub keeps a tank of iguanas in his chambers.

     

    Ability Inventory

    Beelzebub is no combatant, to be clear. He is a terrible fighter overall, and his abilities do not much lend themselves to combat anyway - this being the reason he never became an adventurer. That said, he is still a Sura, so he does have some notable Supranormal Abilities regardless.

    Beel & The Daily Drama!

    img-2025-01-12-21-20-29.png

    Given Beel's passion for drama and gossip, it can hardly be surprising that he has a rather intense relationship with The Daily Drama!. Not only does he keep up with it religiously, he even has a small collection of rare volumes kept in the vault beneath his various recipe books.

    From time to time, the question is raised as to whether Beel actually reports tips to the Daily Drama as well as reading it.

    Beelzebub has yet to confirm or deny this charge.

    Physical

    Given Beel's rather thick, muscular appearance, it's probably unsurprising that he is quite strong and almost equally durable. That said, it is probably more surprising how quick and agile he is. He also has razor sharp reflexes!

    Beel's nails are razor-sharp claws (he sometimes uses them to cut food - after properly washing up, of course!).

    Magic

    He has relatively minor magical abilities, with a strong focus on Empower/Enchant and Learning/Communication. The former is primarily used to assist with his work, creating or refining enchanted ingredients and final dishes to create the effects (both practical and visual) that he prefers.

    He is very bad with any kind of offensive or combat-related magic.

    Psionics

    No known psionic talent.

    Elemental

    Beel has dual elemental abilities, specifically fire and water. He will often combine them to do things like boil water or control the speed at which something simmers or bakes. Neither ability is especially strong, however, landing at around a Modu level of ability.

    Skills

    Trivia Moment!

    Beelzebub's four iguanas are named after four important people who were once in his life but are no longer present: Boson, Zadir, Frell and Jobel.

    He is an extraordinary chef with an eye and mind for unique and interesting things. This makes him a wildly original chef, with a talent for innovation.

    Beel is also a strong leader in a professional setting - in particular he is extremely good at keeping a kitchen staff moving smoothly and efficiently. He also has a strong memory which helps facilitate his love of learning and expanding.

    In Battle

    Beelzebub is not trying to fight anyone under any circumstances.

    Threat Assessment:

    As a combatant, Beelzebub is not really worth assessing as a threat - he would be Enop at best and on a good day. However, if you want to get into a cooking battle with him, that's another matter!