Crull And Benjin

Hornet

The roaches outside, why are they kept in pens? They seem a dangerous creature to cage or tame.

Us moorbugs gotta eat, don’t we? They’re wild fast breeders, them Muckroaches. Hard shells and tough meat, if you can even crack ‘em open, but options ain’t plentiful so we ain’t choosy.

Ain’t so bad to eat, once you’re used to it. The guts is the best bit, but them’s a choice cut and we ain’t had it for ages now.

Har har, life is tough all right! Benj’n here’s wasting away before us, poor wretch!

Tugs at your emotions, eh missy? How ‘bout you put that poker to good use? Go poach some of them roaches and get us some tasty guts. There’d be fair trade waitin’ for you.

Hornet

The beasts outside and their masters alike are all ensnared by this land’s silken affliction. You are lucky bugs to have not succumbed.

The Haunting? Oh, we’s got that all worked out. Benj’n and me are a right pair of philosophers when we bend our minds to it.

It’s faith that gets you. It’s all caused by being too devout!

Yeah! Or maybe not bein’ devout enough!

Or maybe it’s safest not to think about it at all. Har har!

It’s said the moors used to grow a bounty of fresh food, way back befores that Citadel set us about catchin’ their fallin’ thread.

Sounds right lovely, eh missy? Always eatin’, never troubled by no grumblin’ belly?

Har har! Yer like a hatchling, Benj’n! So given to fancies!

Now breedin’ roaches is what keeps us from starvin’. Dangerous work, and not the finest diet, but we ain’t complainin’.

Specially as more and more of them keepers are succumbing to the strange sickness. Only means more meat for us. Har!

We’re all fine here, miss. Content, like. P’raps it were time you made your way, eh?

Yeah, be on your way! And, erm, thanks for yer help there.

Buy Steel Spines?

Wh... why the delay? You keepin’ them guts for yourself? Here, Crull, she’s goin’ back on her promise!

Har. Promises is easily broken. But then, so’s a lot of other things. How ‘bout you reconsider yer greed there, missy?

Oi! You ain’t got the beads? Or you just not wantin’ to part with ‘em?

Hardly the time to be a miser, missy. You’re gonna be livin’ sick till you buy these spines from us.

Hornet

Good bugs, I am here on request of the doctor Yarnaby. She requires spines forged of steel for a crucial operation.

Argh! Look at ‘er, Benj’n. She’s all sick like! Coiled up tight with somethin’ weird. I reckon that operation’s for her herself!

She’s a sad sight for sure Crull, but sick or not our scrap’s hard-found. If she’s wantin’, we’s gotta be gettin’ paid!

Ah! ‘Fraid the little one speaks true, missy. You might be ailin’, but we can’t be offerin’ charity.

We’re stockin’ the spines you need. You just gotta be ready to part with some beads!

That smell! S’overwhelming! I ain’t never seen so many roach guts at once!

Benj’n, me old mate, get a grip on yerself. These guts still need cuttin’, and cleanin’, and stewin’. You got a lotta work ahead of you.

Fine by me, Crull, if it means such a feast! We’ll be eatin’ like they do up in the Citadel soon enough!

And what about you, missy? You be joinin’ us for this exquisite meal?

Hornet

I’m afraid not, sirs. I must keep moving, and I fear the taste of such a delicacy is wasted on me.

I was hopin’ as much. Two can sing, but three’s too many, eh? Har har!

Still, maybe this tool is enough for you to ‘member us by? A pointed weapon of me own makin’, from when I used to wrangle the Muckroaches meself. I bet you’ll get some good use from it.

Another trade fairly conducted, har. Those spines are sharp, and they’s hardly begun to rust. Better be gettin’ back to your doc to get yerself sorted out, eh?

We’re still waitin’ on them roach guts you promised us, missy. Patiently, but not too patiently, you get me?

You can find the Muckroaches all ‘round these roads. Cut one down and reach inside its shell to pull out the tasty guts! Mmmmm!

Refuse us, do you, missy? No matter then. We’ll just get back to slowly starving, har har!

Ooh, someone’s carrying a delectable scent! Come to deliver us what you promised, missy?

Thinkin’ serious about the spines, missy? Surely your good health’s worth more than a few beads!

How ‘bout you put that poker to good use then, missy? Go poach some of them roaches and get us some tasty guts? There’d be fair trade waitin’ for yer!

Har. I reckon you don’t know how much trouble you’ve promised yourself just now, missy.

Ah well, best you get to it. Muckroaches are everywhere along these old roads. Just find a few and pluck their guts out. Easy as sin!

S’a pleasure doin’ business, ma’am. It’s only the finest scrap we’re sellin’. Promise!

For your shell’s sake, we’ll be hopin’ all them spines can get the job done!

Oi, why you come in here, all treadin’ muck? With that nasty-lookin’ poker by yer side? Eh?

Yeah, why you comin’ in here? We ain’t done nothin’ wrong. We ain’t all twisted like them roachkeepers!

She’s come to kill us, Benj’n! S’the blimmin’ end for us, old mate! Har har!

Hornet

I mean you no harm, good bugs. I cut down only those who bar my path.

That so? Well, them keepers outside ain’t inclined to let strangers pass by, so you’ll be makin’ good use of yer poker there, missy.