"Sandwich Building" ((Inuyoko Mass #19))

"Sandwich Building"

by Inuyoko

Originally read in deoch 215 on the 5th sun of the 7th moon.

((10/23/2025))

Hello everyone. My name is Inuyoko T’Alveni. I am a High Priestess of this Shrine, and a member of its clergy since deoch 53. Last double-moon, we spoke a bit about history and the spirit of cooperation. Today, I’d like to do something unlike anything I’ve done in Mass before, but which harkens back to an activity I’d heard about from the old days of this faith. I am entirely unsure of how it’s going to go – it very well may fall flat on its face *laughs* But I think it’d be fun to try.

It was said somewhere within the Runic Terra Society Library that the thing about Deoch is…any exercise of creativity is His art. If you’ve heard me speak before, you know that I feel this deep in my bones. And while I often stand before you projecting “deepness”, and treating this place as “...a serious house on serious earth…” as a poet once said, the truth is this faith should not necessarily be always treated with the sort of grave seriousness that one might expect of religious practice. In fact, in many ways we can be one of the least serious faiths in Temuair, simply by virtue of the fact that our strength is in our spark, in our diversity of thought, and our creativity. Of course there is the serious side as well. I’ve spoken in previous Masses about my perception of Deoch’s burden, for example. The distance at which he keeps Himself and the grief he endures as a manner of atonement.

But today I don’t want to talk about any of that. You may notice that there are some foodstuffs laid out behind me. It’s not just decoration! It is actually the centerpiece of our Mass today. That is because we are going to build some sandwiches. Why? For fun! I have no idea how this will turn out, but let’s give it a try together.

Here’s how I’d like it to work: If you’d like to build a sandwich, I’ll call you up to gather your ingredients. Then, you can build your sandwich. But I’d like you to think about why you’ve made the type of sandwich you made. Preferably not just “I like meat and cheese,” but be creative with it. I can demonstrate. First, though, I’d like to say please do not eat the food until the end, and please leave all the fish intact, as I would like to return them to the person who fished them for me. Everything else is fine to eat, just save it until everyone has been able to make their sandwich.

*Inuyoko builds a sandwich with two pieces of bread and three crab claws*

My sandwich is inspired by the old imagery of “crabs in a bucket.” They crawl over each other to reach the top, but are often pulled back down before they reach freedom. A bit macabre perhaps, but that is my sandwich.

Would anyone else like to build one?

[The following is the transcript of the sandwich making]

Inuyoko: Oh, Emeraldite was first, so

Inuyoko: Please come gather your ingredients and share :)

Electronicat: everyone is hungry I presume Amusing

Emeraldite: Hmm..

Emeraldite: ew.

Inuyoko: Lots of choices :)

Emeraldite: "Finished Talos"..?

Inuyoko: *giggles*

Inuyoko: All rightie.

Inuyoko: Let's *does a gesture to insinuate others should follow

Inuyoko: along* See, That, Sandwich!

Emeraldite: That should be all.

Absobel: I thought you were part of the sandwich for a moment.

Inuyoko: Looks interesting...Tell us about it.

Absobel: I'm disappointed

Absobel: (looks good tho)

Emeraldite: My sandwich is inspired by the colorful and vibrant

Emeraldite: entity that is nature.

Emeraldite: Moreover, I wanted it to represent the rich bounty

Emeraldite: found in it, and what gifts one can take from it.

Inuyoko: Very interesting.

Inuyoko: I wonder how it tastes?

Absobel: I wonder too

Absobel: ah you were talking about the sandwich

Emeraldite: I'd say it tastes like fish and a bit of sweet grapes.

Emeraldite: I don't taste good. I tried.

Inuyoko: A bit of sweet and salty. I can appreciate it.

Emeraldite: Should I put away the ingredients, or..?

Inuyoko: Thank you for sharing, Emeraldite

Inuyoko: If you could take the ingredients back,

Inuyoko: And then Absobel was next

Inuyoko: Go ahead and select your ingredients :)

Absobel: Indeed

Absobel: Hmm

Inuyoko: Location isn't that important. Just throw them down 

Inuyoko: wherever there's space.

Electronicat: The way Absobel limps *laughs*

Inuyoko: ((Unfortunately, if you try to stack a sandwich, the top

Absobel! Emeraldite, come with me

Alastar: yeah, Absobel is looking kinda hungry today

Inuyoko: bread stacks with the bottom one. So it's not very 

Inuyoko: appealing))

Absobel: Stnad there

Electronicat: Oh no...

Inuyoko: Oh? Another sandwich?

Inuyoko: All right, everyone

Inuyoko: Let's hear it

Inuyoko: Let's....

Inuyoko: See. That. Sandwich!

Electronicat: Let's eat it.

Emeraldite: *lies dramatically on the floor*

Inuyoko: Oh. Oh..

Emeraldite: ((just a bit of spice))

Inuyoko: This is turning out to be a rather interesting sandwich...

Electronicat: Uhm...

Absobel: I call this sandwich :

Absobel: Death

Inuyoko: o.o

Alastar: looks like someone woke up on the Sgrios side of bed today

Absobel: And it represents the end of all

Emeraldite: ..Huh.

Absobel: That is it.

Inuyoko: It certainly *looks* like death... aha...

Inuyoko: Anything else to say about it, Absobel?

<!Image> anyone dying more often tonight?

Absobel: I will be bringing back the ingredients before...

<!Image> I feel like I am getting rocked over and over

Inuyoko: Thank you for sharing.

Absobel: I loved the Creant today by the way

Absobel: her feathers here

Inuyoko: Kedian was the next one to chime in :)

Absobel: ...

Inuyoko: Oh, they're fresh?

Emeraldite: I shall remove myself from the ingredient pile.

Absobel: they are

Inuyoko: I'm sure that adds to the quality of the taste..

<!Reias> The bigger bot groups are absent. (Baos, Chewy, etc)

Inuyoko: *chuckles nervously*

Kedian: Hmm.

Electronicat: who's after kedian?

<!Reias> So this is how it 'should' be.

Inuyoko: Cliona.

Cliona: Me ;)

Electronicat: then everale right?

Inuyoko: I admit, I have forgotten the order after that.

Inuyoko: Anyone else who wishes to share is welcome to.

Inuyoko: I know we can all be civil :)

Electronicat: I'd like to make one :))

Inuyoko: Of course.

Kedian: *juggles a bunch of different items*

Inuyoko: All right, everybody

Electronicat: OH wow

Inuyoko: You know it by now...

Inuyoko: Let's...

Electronicat: eat

Inuyoko: See. That. Sandwich!

Inuyoko: *sighs*

Electronicat: oh a classic huh

Kedian: ...What? This is a totally reasonable sandwich!

Kedian: I used to get this all the time in Abel.

Emeraldite: Well it only has one piece of bread.

Emeraldite: Uncut might I add.

Electronicat: It's Deoch temple be creative!

Kedian: ..I couldn't get the wine.

Lydien: Kedian was a member of the club, you see.

Inuyoko: Well, I imagine you can slice into it

Absobel: I have wine

Kedian: I have uh. Too much stuff in my backpack.

Kedian: It happens.

Inuyoko: Bread, chicken, beef, greens, and large apple seems a 

Cliona: ((Hot-dog style!))

Kedian: Anyway, I don't like a bunch of frippery in a sandwich.

Inuyoko: perfectly reasonable sandwich to me!

Emeraldite: I don't think it's an apple.

Kedian: I certainly don't need to eat talgonite.

Inuyoko: Of course it is

Emeraldite: Its a "vegetable".

Absobel: there should be more meat

Kedian: ...It has two types of meat, Absobel!

Absobel: Yes

Inuyoko: I'm surprised no one picked the Suomian grape tomatoes 

Inuyoko: yet

Absobel: I have at least an eye

Emeraldite: Tomato is a meat???

Kedian: Hmph

Kedian: Beef *and* chicken.

Emeraldite: Oh, It blended with the carpet.

Inuyoko: Seems like quite a hearty choice.

Emeraldite: *chuckles*

Inuyoko: Thank you for sharing, Kedian

Inuyoko: Sister Cliona :)

Cliona: Ooo Talgonite!

Kedian: Yeah, good luck with your teeth, there.

Inuyoko: I thought about including it in my bucket of crabs

Inuyoko: sandwich.

Inuyoko: You know, for the bucket part.

Absobel: I have more skulls if anyone want some

Inuyoko: All decided?

Cliona: Yup. :)

Emeraldite: I have to say, sister Cliona, you look resplendent to-

Inuyoko: Wonderful.

Emeraldite: day.

Inuyoko: All right then, let's...

Cliona: Why thank you!

Inuyoko: See. That. Sandwich!

Emeraldite: ((I really like that dress ngl))

Inuyoko: *raises an eyebrow* Ooh.

Emeraldite: Fruity.

Alastar: huh? a Dochas bloom?

Inuyoko: It seems so!

Cliona: Yes!

Kedian: Huh.

Cliona: Oh wait

Emeraldite: Well flowers *are* edible.

Inuyoko: Anything you want to describe about this sandwich,

Inuyoko: Cliona? :)

Inuyoko: I see we've got honey, grapes, grape tomatoes, dochas 

Inuyoko: bloom...

Inuyoko: *thinks*

Cliona: Grapes and Cherries!

Inuyoko: Kobold Tail! That's right

Absobel: So a flower representing the victory of Tenes against

Absobel: Rucesion

Absobel: The Dochas Bloom

Cliona: Truly a Priestess's Lunch!

Absobel: About war

Inuyoko: It looks scrumptious to me.

Electronicat: yum

Absobel: I like the war aspect of this sandwich

Inuyoko: If there's nothing deeper to share, I thank you for 

Absobel: and the grapes remind me of that one person in Suomi

Cliona: We have honey and Cherry/Grape Jam and the sweet herbs

Inuyoko: *stops*

Absobel: whose family is hunted by Loures guards

Cliona: of Restoration and Refresh. The perfect snack for a 

Absobel: Lovely sandwich

Cliona: healer-on-the-go!

Emeraldite: How grand.

Inuyoko: Indeed...yes! I see the vision now :)

Emeraldite: ^^

Absobel: :)

Inuyoko: Thank you for sharing your sandwich, Cliona.

Cliona: Happily!

Inuyoko: Electronicat, you said you wanted to build one?

Electronicat: Yes !

Inuyoko: By all means.

Electronicat: hmm

Emeraldite: Oh!

Emeraldite: You're normal again!

Absobel: *blinks*

Absobel: 

Inuyoko: *grins, showing her excitement about the energy here*

Emeraldite: Seeing your skin grow back to normal hues was kind of

Absobel: W-what happned

Emeraldite: unnerving

Absobel: I feel weird

Emeraldite: You were zombified.

Inuyoko: All right, it seems Electronicat has picked her stuff

Emeraldite: And made me into a sandwich.

Absobel: Explains why you look tasty

Inuyoko: Say it with me this time, folks

Inuyoko: Let's...

Emeraldite: *makes a face*

Absobel: SEE THAT SANDWICH

Inuyoko: See. That. Sandwich!

Kedian: SEE THAT SANDWICH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cliona: See. That. Sandwich!!!

Emeraldite: SEE. THAT. SANDWICH

Wormtongue: see. that. SANDWICH!

Inuyoko: Thank you!

Inuyoko: *claps giddily*

Emeraldite: ((T- V- TIME))

Inuyoko: Okay, okay...two large apples, some grapes, some honey...

Absobel: ((Make. sooome. noooise.))

Electronicat: Aren't these tomatoes?

Alastar: ((T N Time >.>))

Emeraldite: *under breath* (Those are tomatoes...)

Inuyoko: ((It's sort of an inside joke))

Electronicat: So

Electronicat: first layer

Electronicat: i put sweet things

Emeraldite: ((tbh they do look like apples))

Cliona: *approves*

Electronicat: then on top some sour tomatoes

Inuyoko: o.o

Inuyoko: Tomatoes? Where?

Alastar: those are tomatoes?

Electronicat: since they're acidic they tend to taste sour sometime

Electronicat: these two haha

Inuyoko: The tomatoes disappeared

Electronicat: Amusing

Absobel: They're definitely tomatoes

Emeraldite: Amusing

Electronicat: well my sandwich means

Electronicat: we should eat life whether it's sweet or sour :))

Absobel: Looove that spirit, i totally agreee

Inuyoko: That's really beautiful. I agree!

Electronicat: ty!

Emeraldite: It is certainly a sentiment I agree with, too.

Inuyoko: Thank you Electronicat.

Absobel: You have to give love to everything, even zombies!

Electronicat: yw :)

Inuyoko: Is there anyone else who would like to build a sandwich

Inuyoko: before we conclude?

Emeraldite: I do not know if that's the correct sentiment.

Everale: I'm game.

Inuyoko: Sounds good!

Inuyoko: 

Inuyoko: Not a whole lot of fish choices outside of Emeraldite's

Inuyoko: sandwich...

Inuyoko: All set?

Everale: Yup!

Inuyoko: Then in that case. Come on, you know it by now, let's...

Emeraldite: ((silly question, what's the continent's name again))

Everale: ((Temuair, dear!))

Absobel: Let's seeeee

Inuyoko: SEE. THAT. SANDWICH!

Kedian: *claps*

Everale: Oh wait shoot

Inuyoko: Ooh. I'm excited already.

Kedian: ...Huh. Solid.

Alastar: interesting...

Inuyoko: Hmm...Some kind of wrap, maybe?

Everale: Precisely! 

Absobel: ooh, tying the content with herbs and wrapping them

Everale: I do not eat Bread, so I have made a veggie wrap!

Electronicat: Oooh looks good

Inuyoko: That is lovely.

Absobel: what sauce is that you've added?

Everale: A nice savory on-the-go 

Everale: Personaca!

Inuyoko: I'm curious as well.

Inuyoko: Oh, hmm..

Everale: Since after all we can't be sure how well a fish-based

Electronicat: *Takes bite*

Everale: wrap will travel over a long day's hunt.

Electronicat: It's so good!!

Everale: So just in case. ;)

Inuyoko: A little bit bright, tart, some preservative qualities?

Electronicat: munch munch

Inuyoko: I love it.

Kedian: Brilliant.

Absobel: Does the personaca alleviate the poisonous frog leg

Inuyoko: Thank you, Everale.

Everale: That's the point, Absobel!

Absobel: ooh

Inuyoko: Is there anyone else who would like to build a sandwich

Inuyoko: before we *wrap* up? *chuckles*

Alastar: yeah... i'll have a go

Electronicat: *laughs*

Inuyoko: By all means.

Everale: I see what you did there!

Inuyoko: Hehe

Inuyoko: I'm something of a poet myself.

Inuyoko: Or something.

Alastar: yep... its definitely a tomato

Absobel: By the way your staff looks divine Inu!

Inuyoko: *hmph* Says you.

Inuyoko: Thank you, Absobel.

Inuyoko: It was a blessing from Brother Landon.

Absobel: :oo

Electronicat: Can't wait to have my own staff *sigh*

Alastar: *takes a deep breath to calm her nerves*

Inuyoko: Have you picked your ingredients?

Alastar: yes

Inuyoko: 

Inuyoko: Excellent!

Inuyoko: Then in that case, let's...

Inuyoko: See. That. Sandwich!!!

Wormtongue: see. that. SANDWICH!

Absobel: Seee that sandwiiiich

Inuyoko: *points* Thank you

Alastar: alright... this one is gonna be different

<!Image> I am starting to believe you. 

Inuyoko: I can't wait.

Absobel: >.>

<!Image> At this rate this might be my last night in here

Alastar: this sandwich is more about the building than the finished

Alastar: product

Inuyoko: Color me intrigued...

<!Shallia> dont do eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

Absobel: The buildin- oh yeah okay understoo

Absobel: d

Alastar: it represents a story... the story of life

Alastar: each ingredient a chapter in that story

Alastar: some more palattable than others

Inuyoko: *watches intently*

Alastar: some may not work well together at first glance

Emeraldite: *busy sketching something*

Alastar: but they all eventually end up in the same place

Alastar: as does life's story, from start to finish

Alastar: the good times...

Alastar: and the awkward times

Everale: ((Classic Mom wisdom))

Alastar: and the lessons we learn along the way

<!Image> oh okay

<!Image> I am easily manipulated

Alastar: until eventually, it culminates into a finished story

Alastar: one that is told to new generations

Alastar: *bows*

Inuyoko: Wow...that is quite a hefty sandwich.

Absobel: :o

Inuyoko: As life often is.

Alastar: life is a hefty thing

Kedian: *claps*

Inuyoko: Thank you for sharing, Alastar :)

Absobel: That was beautiful!

Inuyoko: It was!

Alastar: if i'm the last one, i'll leave this here for whoever 

Inuyoko: Is there anyone else who wishes to build a sandwich?

Alastar: wants it

Inuyoko: Well, I will be deconstructing it for the fish,

Inuyoko: unfortunately *laughs nervously*

Alastar: oh right, fish

Inuyoko: All right, well

Emeraldite: *looks satisfied with sketch*

Inuyoko: If no one else wishes to build, then I will begin

Inuyoko: wrapping up.

Inuyoko: Thank you all so much for indulging me in this silly

Inuyoko: little game today. It exceeded my wildest expectations, 

Inuyoko: but if I'm honest -- I should have had more faith.

Just know that it is more than pointless diversion. We have not only worked together to make it happen, but we have generated a novel experience that one doesn’t often encounter in this busy world of hunting and crafting and such. We have celebrated our spark by embracing levity, which is deeply important, I think. But most of all: We made sandwiches. And that is a delicious enterprise.

(Deoch Session, sketch by Emeraldite)