EVENTS:

Curie seems a bit taken aback by her new form, and carelessly slaps Rosa in the face while moving her arms about.

Curie: "Oh. Oh dear. Unit is sorry. Very sorry. I- Yes. Unit needs, more practice."

She attempts to get up, but only manages to fall down on top of Rosa. Oof!

Curie: "...Considerably more practice."



Pierre scratches his chin, thinking.

Pierre: "Going out looking for beasts? Well- There's very little Meat to be found in this area, mostly due to the climate. But, the plant seemed fine with using Flesh for nutrition, so that opens up some possibilities.

We've driven out most of the wandering beasts over the years, trying to keep the town safe, so the chances of finding something like a pack of deertusks are pretty low. There's often sightings of giants closer to the hills, though. Probably remnants of the old war. But, those might be quite dangerous to take down. Well, maybe not for you.

Hm. Actually, across the road to the West, before reaching the coast, there's a large mudflat with some thermal vents. The place smells a bit noxious, so I rarely go there, but there's often a few pairs of broodcrabs nesting in the warm water. They're tough bastards, but not very smart, and pretty rich Flesh-wise. Just, take care to avoid the mud kings. I've marked most of their burrows where they near the path, but there could still be a couple of stragglers deeper in the swamp.

EVENTS:

Pierre: "Good hunting, and take care!"

The two of them head west through the snow, crossing the road. After a few miles, there's a sharp drop in the terrain, and they enter a hazy, murky area. There's a crude cobblestone trail here, occasionally marked by crude wooden posts with the symbol of a crown.

Following the path, the ground grows more and more muddy, until they have to stick to stepping stones so as to not sink. There's plenty of abandoned buildings here, crumbling stone towers half-buried in quicksand, occasionally the rusted skeleton of a truck or boat. Groups of decrepit stilt houses hint as to what might have once been villages, long since forgotten, but their rotting piers and walkways provide a reasonably safe route through the swamp.

Eventually, the air begins to smell very strongly of sulphur, and the haze thickens. In an open area of the swamp, you see a series of chimney-like growths, spewing foul vapours into the air. A couple of large, round shapes congregate against the chimneys, moving erratically every few seconds, though you can't discern many details due to the mist. Crabs?



Meanwhile, Curie nods. She does her best to walk around, though it's still very... Wobbly, and she has to sit down after a few minutes, breathing heavily.

Curie: "Uhm. OPERATOR Rosa: Opinion: Clothes?"

EVENTS:

Klimt tentaclifies his hands, and Eigla bangs on her shield loudly. Initially there is no response, but after a minute, a trio of the shapes comes investigate. As the closest one approaches, you can finally discern its appearance.

It's a... Crab? Or, a clam? Or both? Roughly spherical, with a whitish red body the size of a medium car, its two-parted shell lies partially open in a huge, serrated maw. Eight spindly legs protrude from its lower half, sinking deep into the mud with each step. Its back is lined with hollow spikes, and encrusted by several barnacle-like bumps - smaller versions of itself, budding off their parent. Most unusual of all, instead of crustacean claws, it has a pair of distorted, but distinctly human, arms, skin calcified into jagged armor plates.

The creature stomps it front legs and bangs on its carapace with its arms, in a clear territorial display. Seems like it's waiting for you to make the first move.



Rosa studies her options. Curie's cloak is now only big enough to cover her torso, and no more. Emilia's suit is designed specifically for her nonstandard anatomy, so that's also a no go. Eigla is definitely too short and petite for her clothes to fit. Your kimono... It might be a little on the tight side, but you're roughly the same height as the braingirl, now. It could work.

Though, what would you wear, then? Your original outfit was left with the Rosa that got eaten, and your poncho had to be thrown away after your misadventures in the sewage pipe. There's plenty of Eigla's school uniforms in the house, but they're... Quite short, for you, and a bit dusty.