Maite's Notes

Maite's Notes

The Crab Tsar lives right next to those weirdos, the Frostmoon Scions. They say he's hundreds of years old, and honestly, how else would he get so big? He's far, far larger than any crab I've ever seen. In fact, his home isn't a normal shell at all — it's a massive, hill-like conch, bigger than the ones we paint on our flags, that's like a tiny fortress. Stranger still, kuuvahki-filled moss grows all over it, glowing like stars in the dark cave. Who knows, maybe that's the Crab Tsar's crown. Given all that, it makes perfect sense that the smaller crabs nearby have ended up as his subjects. Poor little things, they are always scurrying around, dragging food like Lakkaberries, tiny fish, and all sorts of other stuff I can't even name into the cave's depths, instead of just enjoying it right there and then. Twice, I even saw them hauling back shiny pebbles and bits of Moonfall Silver. Maybe that's the "tax" they owe the Tsar. Folks say that back in the days of the master thief Reed Miller, the governor sent by Snezhnaya used to collect taxes just like that from the people of Nasha Town. Yeah, I bet what's happening here is something along those lines... That said, I'm starting to think the Crab Tsar isn't all that interested in an endless stream of Lakkaberries and fish. Just yesterday afternoon, I saw it emerge from its hole for a moment. It moved so slowly, like every step weighed a mountain, and the pebbles on the ground shook with each step it took. Then, this tiny crab came scuttling over, dragging the saddest little fish you ever saw right up to its feet. The Tsar just lowered its head, gave it a glance, and casually waved one of its massive pincers. The poor, panicky little crab immediately dropped that fish, then scurried straight back into the sand. The Tsar didn't eat the fish. It just nudged the fish aside with a smaller claw, then lay still, staring out toward the sea — or at least, that's what it looked like to me. I'm telling you, being a king must be lonely. All the other crabs are scared of him. It may have a fortress and maybe even a crown, but it has no friends he can reach out to with his claws, not like the Tassel Jelly can with its tentacles. (Semyon says jellyfish communicate that way, so I guess crabs must use their claws for something like that?) I really do wonder where it found that enormous shell. Was there a king even bigger than the Tsar who lived there before? And if he keeps growing, will he move into an even grander palace next? I almost thought about bringing it some ripe Lakkaberries to get a closer look... but maybe not. A master thief has no business getting too close to royalty. That kind of curiosity only leads to trouble...