A ladle. Large, made of what appears to be silver-white metal that doesn't tarnish. The handle is wrapped in preserved leather that should have rotted decades ago but remains supple and warm to the touch. The bowl is deep and perfectly formed, with strange markings along the interior—symbols that shift slightly when you look at them.
Keeper says the mimics have stories about items like this. "Kitchen treasures," they call them. Tools made by the old masters—craftspeople so skilled their work transcended the ordinary. According to the stories, these tools don't just help with cooking. They understand it. They respond to intent and need.
I thought of you immediately.
Your food cart seals dungeons—that's extraordinary. The copper pot you wrote about sounds similar: quiet magic, responsive to the cook's skill and intention.
I think this ladle might be one of those tools.
