[hr][hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/49myqui.png[/img][/center][hr][hr][color=a36209]It was a Taldes morning in Civitalunga. All of the fishermen had returned with their catches and most of the transient shipping that often occupied the outer port of Revidia’s grandest city had set sail. If there was a tension that hung over the place, perhaps courtesy of the looming war, one could not sense it. People, young and old, milled about the city’s markets and plazas, filtering into the streets as the sun rose higher, going about their business, whatever it may have been, and bustling to and fro. There were a handful of things about this morning that seemed unusual, however. First came the strange lines, painted temporarily on the city’s flagstones like arteries in red and gold. Then, there was the crowd. It started at first light and, as Shune ticked her way towards Oraff, a good deal more had gathered round a cordoned-off area in the Piazza San Giuda, not so very far from the Glorious Republic’s centre of power. Under a series of temporary awnings and gazebos, as well, were over two hundred older women, mostly of good breeding, chatting and gossiping in hushed anticipation behind a series of tables.

Then, the air sparkled and swirled and the crowd ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’. They arrived: the students of that famed academy not so very far away. Two-hundred-fifty-six youths, to be precise, funneled through the portal that had appeared, and the crowd rose in applause and cheers. Two Zenos of the academy followed them, and a half-dozen Tan-Zenos, all giving instructions, a couple meeting with local officials. One raising a starting pistol above her head. They asked for quiet and, where necessary, made it so using magic. Anxious young eyes scanned the plaza and what they could make out of the dozen streets that branched off of it. The Campanile del Millennio lay there in the late morning sunlight, its vast shadow stretching across much of the plaza, and then its bells struck upon the hour and the starting pistol sounded and they were off!

Pizza doughs were scooped up by the dozens as they flew by, floating through the air, smashing into each other, bobbing about before landing in the hands of the eager teens. While many rushed for the closest ingredient booths, others, more confident in their physical prowess, raced towards the edges of the city, where they could obtain the same things for cheaper. Others, still, disregarded the lines painted on the streets and ventured off of the beaten path. These - the innovators, the risk-takers, the bargainers - haggled with local merchants, snuck, stole, and searched for deals and rare ingredients. Some met with great success and others risked, perhaps, a bit too much.

It was Fiske Flachstrauch and John Force of teams Fiske n’ Chips and AWOLE who came running up to their assigned taste-tester first. It took them a moment to locate her among two-hundred-fifty-six older women. They were but the harbingers of a first great wave. The colourful Sun King burst through for Singers & Saints, along with Brother Alexander and Maura Mercador of team Teatro Sorridente, Miret’lahiin’dichora and Perfumed Raider of Raffscallions, and Roslyn Wicke and Kimura Mio of The Invisibles. Two of the teams made the mistake of trying pineapples on pizza, and it cost them valuable time. While Fiske pulled a sensory hoodwink most foul out of his bag of tricks, Roslyn and Mio were forced to take more conventional means, getting the famous performer to write a dedication to the old lady’s granddaughter. No such issues for the Teatro, Raffscallions, and Singers pairs, who raced through the portal in rapid succession, claiming first, second, and third spots. Marceline Hohenfelter and her eeaiko partner from overall points leaders King’s Ear came out of nowhere to slip through in fourth. 
. 
After that it was a scramble, with nonnas tasting and haggling, students scrambling, crowds cheering and jeering, and a small team of academy faculty standing diligently by the portal, recording the order of every single person who passed through. In the event, fifth went to Vyshta’s More Favoured, sixth to Beware the Nice Ones, seventh to Fiske n’ Chips, eighth to the Invisibles, ninth to Rock & Stone, and tenth, shockingly, to Fait Accompli. Ciro Volta, scion of a great wealthy merchant clan, had lingered far too long in the grand piazza, shaking hands, catching up with people, and conducting business. As people began to stream through in earnest, he quickly finished up his business and still managed to finish within the top twenty or so. 

The bells tolled again and, all told, it had lasted barely an hour. The final few stragglers filtered through the city’s streets, huffing and puffing. This leg, twenty-six had failed. Two-hundred-thirty remained and, for them, awaited a brave - particularly so - new challenge at The Pinnacle.[/color]
[hr][hr][center][h2][color=a36209]Results & Standings[/color][/h2][/center][hr][hr]
[hider=Submitted Strategies][h2]Teatro Sorridente: Maura & Alexander[/h2]
They will work together to make both the pizzas, combining resources to cut costs and buy bulk. Opposed to trying to compete with each other. They are going to aim to make Pizza Prosciutto e Funghi (Prosciutto Ham & Glowcap Mushrooms).
They will search with 5 - focus on Major Boosts, hopefully one each. (Free pizza & gondola)

Furthermore, they are going to focus on local vendors.
Segonian merchant girl with dealings with Revidians who is the best negotiator character (plus Retan Fruits).
Tag-teamed with a Revidian Church Priest with Rosebud (who is a Glutton Foodie).
They are bound to get the best deals when it comes to price, quality and quantity.

Maura will use her puppets (probably), using the Maid Puppet and Fat Freida, the food related puppets. These will take care of the dough. Kneading them. Etc.

Alexander is a foodie, Fireblood, and Arcane master. They will be master chef when it comes to cooking the Pizza’s, getting things exactly right *chefs kiss*

Puppet Sabotage: Bad Dog use [POOP] (SMELL) to sabotage other player's dough if careless. Little Nicky [PLAY TO FIRE] with other ovens if unattended to help flavour the other team's Pizza’s with activated charcoal.

[h2]Vyshta’s Favoured: Chad & Breakfast[/h2]
We’re relying on Chad’s epic power & physicality here to speed through this one, picking up ingredients for both from the further booths for cheap. Then, Breakfast’s incredible cooking skills and sensemaster abilities to enhance the taste, combined with Chad’s charm to sell it. Basically: quick, cheap, low-quality ingredients, well-prepared, and enhanced with charm and sensemaster. Search level is 1 each.
Rock and Stone: Margot & Cadence
Margot has a partner? IDK and IDC who it is. She’s got Schliem and she’s going to pay for the closeby cheese and sauce and then steal mid-high quality ingredients from the other vendors. She smiles and charms and confuses them with her incomprehensible speech while Schliem slips in unseen (you got any idea how sneaky octopi can be!?) and snatches just enough ingredients. She has some arcane. She’ll cook it up real nice and play the good girl for the Nonnas. Search level: 5
Cadence, meanwhile, is an arcanist, illusionist, and a charmer. She may not steal, but she’ll do everything in her power to score some good deals from male merchants. She may… improve the pizza’s looks. A large part of taste is appearance and expectation as well. She can also cook like holy hell. Search level: 2

[h2]Beware the Nice Ones: Tku & Gloria[/h2]
❖ Tku - Search 4 (free pepperoni)
❖ Gloria - Search 4 (casu marzu)

Strengths:
❖ Tku is an Artist and is quite the cultural connoisseur of food.
❖ Gloria is Revidian and is part of the church.
❖ The both are nice people and can barter with high level healing and quick artifacts.

Weaknesses:
❖ Tku doesn’t speak Revidian.
❖ Gloria is a little gloomy.
❖ Tku has never made a pizza and is nervous of being outed by Gloria, even if she is a bloodchild herself.

Strategy:
❖ The ingredients for the pizza are first ring sauce and cheese and the free cheese. Toppings are Pepperoni and Peppers. A strong flavor profile with decent spice at a reasonable price
❖ Bartering via charisma, position, or trading their binding services. Maybe they can get a crisp white wine to cut through the heavy pizza.
❖ Tku will make the pizza as artisan as possible. Serving it on a fine wooden board that, hopefully bartere for or formed from Binding. Gloria overseeing the operation and helping out.
❖ Finally Tku will shake his banana over the Pizza and sensually whisper Banana Peppers to enhance the pizza to Godly levels. (14 rolled)

[h2]Raffscallions: Miret & Raider[/h2]
Miret is a genuine pizza enthusiast and knows how to spot high quality ingredients. She’s a damned good kineticist and a crazy fast yasoi, happy to race out to the further edges to grab the two basic ingredients for both of them for cheap without wasting too much time. Raider is a rosebud and will negotiate for ingredients for both of them, meanwhile, with a predetermined meeting place. He also has chemical and arcane as his two top schools: the best ones for cooking. They won’t waste any time searching for items: 1/10

[h2]King’s Ear: Marceline & Wikooroh[/h2]
This is an ill-suited team without much going for them, so their strategy is going to be dependent on securing major boosts using Marceline’s tethered range and detection abilities. Marceline is also, for what it’s worth, young in appearance and likely to draw some sympathy from the right merchants. She’s also a crusty shrewd little bitch, so she’ll know which to try. Wikooroh, an amazing swimmer, will race up the canals to grab the base ingredients from far away for cheap for both parties. Marceline will focus on the toppings, snatching high-quality ones. 
Search: 7/10 [i](Bribed Nonna)[/i]

[h2]Fiske n’ Chips: Fiske & John Force[/h2]
❖ Fiske - search 5, items (Mama Nucci’s)
❖ John Force - Search 3, boosts (jewelry)

Strengths:
❖ Fiske can trick the judges by making the Pizza smell better and look better.
❖ He can use his Sensemaster to adjust the judges sense of taste.
❖ John Force might do good John Force things

Weaknesses:
❖ Fiske has no proper experience making pizzas
❖ They’re neither Revidian.
❖ John Force might do bad John Force things

Strategy:
❖ While John Force protects the great integrity of the dough Fiske will attempt to haggle for the sauce and cheese.
❖ Fiske will go out to buy the most tasty looking ingredients, having a good balance between mushrooms (Glowcap if they’re available), onions and Pineapple to help with the colorful flair of the pizza. (Paying extra if they’re able to.)
❖ As the pizza is presented Fiske will attempt to add some flair around the judges with his colorful illusions. making sure to have touched the judges to adjust their tastebuds. 
[i]Sensemaster save on pineapple[/i]

[h2]Fait Accompli: Ciro & Porridge[/h2]
Ciro knows people here. He’s recognizable upon sight and he’ll be wearing his monogrammed hip cloak. Eager to curry favour with one of the most influential young men, people will eagerly bring him ingredients. He’ll mostly wander around the square meeting people, shaking hands, catching up on business, and searching for treasures, but he’ll never go too far. “Oh, take it up with my man over there,” he’ll tell people. This will be Porridge, playing the role of wide-eyed foreign understudy. Friendly and approachable by nature, he will receive a lesson on what true worldly power means. Ciro will, of course, donate his starting cash to the less fortunate, as well as any extra pizzas or ingredients that are his. Trickle-down, baby! Search: 4/10, 1/10
-Lingers too long.

[h2]The Invisibles: Roslyn & Mio[/h2]
Participants:
❖ Roslyn Wicke- search level 6 (Ship deed)
❖ Kimura Mio- search level 5

Strengths:
❖ Roslyn’s Tasting and Ingredients/Persuasion help here
❖ Mio’s popularity as a celebrity
❖ Roslyn can connect with craftsmen like her
❖ Temporal Chopsticks

Weaknesses:
❖ Roslyn's Sickness
❖ Lack of connections/language/culture
❖ Mio’s popularity risks unwanted attention

Strategy:
❖ Roslyn minimize sickness effects with magic.
❖ Mio uses kinetic to knead. Roslyn binding/chemical for freshness and cleanliness.
❖ To help haggle down prices, she’ll offer to curdle cheese with chemical, crush tomatoes with kinetic, and shorten time consuming tasks with her magic. For the working class, time is important.
❖ Mio can offer to boost attention to their shop with a small display.
-Sauce: Second ring, haggling down by one
-Cheese: Second ring, haggling down to half
-Toppings: Pineapple and Olives
❖ For the toppings, she’ll purchase older goods for cheap then use chopsticks to deage them.
❖ Bake it using Mio’s experience with an oven.
❖ Delivery: Roslyn will note the saltiness and sweet compliment each other dipping in light chat. Hopes her value on family endears the nonna to let her pass. If she fails, she’ll go with traditional toppings and a better base.

[h2]Singers & Saints: Leon & Jaxan[/h2]
Leon’s strategy is relatively tame for the Perfect Pizza. While he hasn’t made one by himself before, he has had experience helping his adoptive grandma make them.

His approach is to leverage the good-will of the people, his Revidian accent, and other offerings to haggle for better prices. The other offerings will primarily be selling his marbles as fireworks and fire starters, it may require some convincing.

His buy list will be:

3 cost sauce
4 cost cheese
Prosciutto
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Olives

This will likely go above the 10 Coroncina cost, which is where the price leveraging will come in. If he still comes up short he will lose the olives, then look to downgrade the cheese and sauce.

Light use of Kinetic magic will be used to speed himself up.

Jaxan will primarily cook the pizza while Leon gathers ingredients and helps cook where he can.

In case they fail their first attempt, Leon will probably keep trying different combinations of toppings every time.

That’s the strategy with notably low RAS expenditure on Leon’s end. The marbles were pre-made.

Post-Pizza strategy (not part of word count): With the extra energy, Leon is going to run through the rest of the race. He helps people from being eliminated or otherwise seriously harmed, not just his own team. - Nat 20, succeeds with flying colours.[/hider]
[hider=Results][h2]Results[/h2]
[b]Standings:[/b] Teatro (1,3), Raff (2,4), S&S (5,9), King’s (6,8), Vyshta’s (7,11), Nice (9,12), Chips (10,14), Invisibles (13,16), Rock (15,17), Fait (18,19)  

[b]Speed:[/b] Alexander, Miret, Maura, Raider, Jaxan, Marceline, Chad, Wikooroh, Tku, Fiske, Breakfast, Gloria, Roslyn, Force, Margot, Mio, Cadence, Porridge, Ciro

[b]Treasures:[/b] Roslyn (boat), Maura (major), Marceline (major), John Force (fake jewelry), Fiske (sauce), Gloria (cheese), Ciro (minor), Tku, (minor), Alexander (minor), Margot (minor)

[b]Points:[/b] Teatro (74), Raff (68), S&S (50), King’s (40), Vyshta’s (34), Nice (34), Chips (34), Invisibles (28), Rock (28), Fait (28) 

[b]Time:[/b] Teatro (00:00.00), Raff (+00:00.87), S&S (+00:02.12), King’s (+00:02.78), Vyshta’s (+00:03.04), Nice (+00:04.21), Chips (+00:04.89), Invisibles (+00:06.28), Rock (+00:07.51), Fait (+00:08.96)[/hider]