>>6245957
You are still buzzing with the euphoria of your new name—your new you, when a familiar croak grabs your attention. You immediately look to the bucket in the corner of your quarters, only to see that your flappy-whisker-faced cave-drake familiar is still curled up in a big turd-like lump of amphibious flesh. But if it’s not Nermal…

“Oh! Hey Hershy. Did Zith-Zi send ya?”

krr-oaak!

You hold out your hand, and Hershy alights upon it, tilting his head up expectantly to receive his chin and chest scratches as a reward for playing messenger. ZZ’s been spending more time on his training, lately, and it shows.

Zith-Zi gains Handle Animal 1!

“Or,” you whisper with a snicker, “you jus’ know I give th’ best pets. Izzat it, boy? Am I just the best at scritchin’?”

croak.

“Hey!” You pull back a finger and frown as he nips at it with his deceptively-sharp little teeth. “Fine, FINE. I’m comin’! No need ta get snippy!”

You grab the bag containing your polearm and armour. You’ve been training your body as much as your mind, and between your shapeshifting and all the poses and motions you’ve mastered, you barely even need the prong-tipped fishing-spear which has been your primary weapon since Sunset Lake…

Carazzi gains Natural Weapons 3!

...But you don’t need to be a company ‘boss’ to know that every adventurer without a long pole for poking stuff inevitably wishes they had one.

“‘S a little short’ve ten feet, though. Eh, it’ll do!”

…