"Well, the big reason I let the big girl hang out like this." Chista smacks the side of her belly; the heavy sphere jostles with a wet slosh. "There simply aren't a lot of tailors in the Borderlands who can make an outfit to accommodate my size, even without this big cauldron sloshing around. It already costs twice what the average adventure pays to keep my leather armor up to snuff! I don't even want to think about how much it would cost to cover up fully."

"Second is that it's comfortable! It's nice feeling the cool breeze on my gut." Chista drums her fingers atop her belly as it burbles. "Not to mention no need to worry about ruining my outfit when it inevitable swells twice it's size when I eat something." Another deep groan rumbles from Chista's belly. "I can't really control how noise the big gal gets, that's just a side effect of such a big digestive tract. So what can you do about it?"

"Huh... I hadn't considered that," Chista says. I mean... I can totally understand why someone would think a big gurgling gut is appealing like that. I guess it would all depend on how someone approaches me with that mindset. Like if it's a random person out of the blue just touching and rubbing my belly, then we'll have a problem, but if it's someone, I'm... L... let's just go to a different question!" Chista says her face feels rather warm.

Out-of-character answer:

Chista wouldn't be opposed to belly worship, but such activity would probably trigger Chista's predatory instincts. "prey behavior" like that is a surefire way to end up in a Glutton's gut, even a Glutton-like Chista.

She's just not used to such behavior. If done gradually, then chances of survival will dramatically increase.

"Uh... I... don't really remember when I started talking to my belly, but it was definitely post-becoming a Glutton," Chista said, looking down at her potbelly. "I think I had a rather violent episode of indigestion one day on the road, and the habit just kinda stuck around after that. Honestly, it feels like it helps keep this ravenous girl under control," Chista squeezes her belly. ₒ৹๐ Gurrgle ˚॰ₒ৹๐ her gut shudders with the deep gurgle. "You're not helping your case," Chista says to her belly before releasing it; the fat plops back to its usual round shape.

"I know people will think it's weird, but aren't we all weird in our own little ways," Chista says. "It helps me and that's all that really matters in the end."

"Oh, I've bumped into bandits, highwaymen, cutthroats, cultists, and lots of people who definitely deserved to be digested," Chista says, patting her belly. "Normally, I don't savor digesting a person, but if there's is a big wanna-be badass robbing and bullying people weaker than themselves, then it's perfectly okay to enjoy churning them into slush, and if it's okay to digest them, then it's perfectly fine to enjoy the process. Tease them a little bit, squeeze the stomach muscles a few times to get those last few squirms before they melt, belch up their last breath, and try to guess what they said. You know little games like that, nothing too crazy."

CW: Farts and bleching

"I'm more of a belching kind of gal," Chista says, rubbing her belly. "My dad blames my mother for that, but it's just because there's lots of gas bubbling in my gut." ₒ৹๐ Gurrgle ˚॰ₒ৹๐ Chista's belly rumbles with enough force to make the fat on her gut jiggle. Now, I won't lie and say it's the most pleasant thing to be around. It's some really caustic stuff on top of whatever else is mixing around in my stomach, and I assure you, no matter how hard to fan, it's not going away anytime soon. But it just feels really good to push all that excess gas I got bubbling in my guts out. Of course, it's never just gas, lots of spittle, and whatever bits of junk my gut decides to part with, which has included a fair bit of treasure. So that's a plus!"

"Of course, pushing hundreds of pounds of meat through these guts does lead to some pretty... let's just say 'potent' gas," Chista chuckles, patting her gut. "I'm talking room clearing, nose burning, paint pealing farts, and that's not the worst of it! Don't get me wrong; it does feel good to let one rip, but it has a stronger negative effect on those around me.

"A rather interesting question," Chista says as she leans against the bar's counter. "Now, I wouldn't say they a significant part of my diet, but wolves are the most common 'pest' problem besides goblins out in the Borderlands, though usually for smaller towns and villages, so they, not the most well-paying jobs out there, usually stuff left for novice adventurers and hunters. Of course, just because its a 'novice' job doesn't mean its not important, if more high level adventurers would spend some time helping cull their numbers things would be a lot better for the serfs and small folk out there." Chista sighs. "But that's a topic for another time; right now, let's talk about how great my gut is at churning things into slop!" Chista grabs the sides of her belly and gives it a good shake.

˚॰°ₒ৹๐ 𝙎𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙝… Glorp… 𝙗𝙡𝙪𝙧𝙥…~ ˚॰°ₒ৹๐

"If I had to put a solid number down, I'd say... maybe thirty? I don't really keep track, and when going up against a whole wolf pack, swallowing each and every one of them down is way too much of a hassle. Also, I don't even want to think what all that fur would do to my belly," Chista says, letting her potbelly plop back onto her hips. "Also, have you ever seen a wolf? They're huge! Swallowing one down is pretty tough, two or more is really pushing it even for me. Now for the nitty-gritty of this answer."

Chista thinks for a moment, rubbing her hand over her belly. "Usually a wolf is going to take, I'd say... 22 - 24 hours? My fastest was less than a day, so maybe it was 18 hours? I don't really keep a stopwatch to time these things... but maybe I should?" Chista mulls that idea over for a moment before continuing. "The thing that always lingers the longest is the fur. Bones my gut can grind down and pass along, but fur? Fur clumps up into very large hairballs that just sit like a cannonball in my gut. Worse when they get sucked down into my intestine... really slow everything down, pushing that along. As for bones, the bigger bits fair the best, usually getting some cracks or broken down by the churning, but I've felt a shoulder blade and more than a few skulls squeezing through my intestines. Feels pretty good."

"Ah, a question for me?" Asya says, holding a glass jar. Inside is a woman, maybe six inches tall, sitting in a fetal position, rocking back and forth. "Guess you get a few more minutes to think about what you did." She flashes the would-be thief a smile and sets the jar next to a trio of similar empty jars on her desk. "So let me take a look at this," Asya reads over the question on a fine parchment sheet.

"Ah, I see," She says, setting the letter on her desk. "Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I am not a Glutton." Asya sighed, glancing over at the tiny woman in the jar. The tiny woman looks up at the titan of a woman looking down at her and starts to rock faster, which brings a smile to Asya's face. "The best I've managed is to replicate a few aspects of the Glutinous Curse, but not at the same level of efficiency as the real thing." Asya reaches into the jar and removes the top. The small woman inside lets out a scream as Asya's massive hand scoops her out of her prison. "I've managed to figure out how to get my stomach to stretch to hold a full person, but I haven't figured out how to widen my jaws like I've seen Chista and other Gluttons do."

Asya holds the tiny woman struggling frantically in her grasp, pounding on her hands as she pleads, " Please! I'll turn over a new leaf! I'll tell the others to never take a contract for yer shop!" Even yelling, the woman's voice is small, barely audible over the ambiance of the busy street outside Asya's shop.

"So I've had to improvise my own solution for that 'little' problem," Asya giggles as she holds up the shrunken woman, still pounding on her hand. "A little fey magic can go a long way if used in the proper dosage..." Asya's words trail off as she opens her mouth wide.

The small thief freezes when she feels Asya's hot breath wash over her, slowly looking up as her heart skips a beat. Words die in her throat as her mind reals at the sight of Asya's maw yawning open, her mind says its impossible but she'd already seen the rest of her crew being shoved into the hot humid gullet one by one. Now, it was her turn. Her scream is cut short as Asya shoves her "little" treat into her maw. Even at six inches tall, it's quite a mouthful for a human, as Asya lathers the woman with her tongue before taking that first swallow.

°°~GULP~°°

Asya winces as her throat bulges with half the squirming woman. She can feel those tiny hands clawing at her throat, feel the little vibrations of frantic screaming as her throat strains around them. "Mmm..." Asya places a hand on her throat, relishing the mixture of pain and pleasure sending tingles down her spine, and then she arches her head back and swallows again.

°°~GULP~°°

The tiny kicking legs squeeze past Asya's lips and right into her gullet, leaving the thief fully constricted in her throat. Asya holds for a moment, feeling the woman squirm in her gullet. Her hand gently rubs around her swollen throat before a pressing need to breathe encourages Asya to swallow again.

°°~GULP~°°

A faint scream is heard as the writhing bulge sinks down Asya's throat with a powerful swallow, vanishing behind her collarbone seconds later. Asya takes a deep breath as her hand chases the tight sensation, sliding between her breasts before coming to rest over her stomach, swollen with the partially digested remains of the rest of the thief's crew. •°~𝑮𝒓𝑶𝒐𝒐𝒐𝑨𝒏~'°° Asya's stomach swells a little bigger as fresh meat squeezes into the churning sack, fresh struggles kick off with little bulges dancing across Asya's belly. "Phew... still a bit rough to swallow down," Asya says, rubbing her neck. "But it was a bit easier that time; I'll make a note of that."

~𝑮𝒖𝒖𝒖𝒖𝑼𝒓𝒈𝒍𝒆~

Unlike Asya's throat, her stomach doesn't have an issue stretching as it starts to churn the thief into the bubbling stew of her friends...

"As demonstrated, I can't swallow a full person whole, but if shrunken to a... digestible size, my stomach can deal with them well enough. In fact... I could reverse the shrinking spell, and my belly would be able to handle it. A rather clever workaround for the biological bottleneck, don't you think?" Asya moves her hand back to her belly, feeling her stomach churn. "Though that, of course, radically increases the amount of time I'll spend digesting them, which is an acceptable trade-off sometimes, but today I have things to do, and lugging a gut the size of myself wouldn't be conducive for a productive day." She drums her fingers on her stomach as the frantic struggles start to die down.

"So, to helpfully summarize your answer, I'm technically not a Glutton, though I've managed to mimic some of their features. I can not swallow a whole person, but my stomach is capable of holding a whole person. I get around this inconvenience with some shrink magic, which I'm still working out a few kinks in. As for enjoying it well... who wouldn't enjoy having so much power." Asya smiles as the struggles cease with a deep ~𝑮𝒖𝒖𝒖𝒖𝑼𝒓𝒈𝒍𝒆~ but the bubbling doesn't stop. "mmff..." Asya takes a deep breath and flexes her stomach; the rumbling gases rise up her throat- ₒ৹๐ UuuuUUUUuurrrrrPPPP!˚॰ₒ৹๐ A meaty belch burst past her lips, and a few tiny articles of clothing splattered on a few papers on her desk.

"Damn it!" Asya grabs the papers and shakes off the tiny, dissolving garments, only to frown at the ruined notes. "Perfect..." she mutters, crumpling up the notes and tossing them into the bin. "I needed to re visit that thesis anyways."

"Oh, I've bumped into a few people who've taken an interest in this big gal," Chista says, smacking the side of her gut. °°~𝑮𝑳UNK~°° the fat cauldron sways from the impact, a faint ripple racing from the point of impact, as acid and chyme slosh like water keg. "Not that I blame them, she's pretty impressive." Chista rubs the top of her belly, giving a few pats after a moment. "Usually, it's curious onlookers wanting a rub or want to ask a few questions. Though I have encountered a few poor souls who were a bit too infatuated with my belly, I think they had 'Prey Fever' or something like it. Though that does remind me of one encounter."

"I had an encounter with a woman, a human with red hair and a face full of freckles, and her partner, a Tiefling with dark hair and red skin. I forget the human's name, but she said she was a Naturalist from one of the big cities back east, studying the Glutinous Curse. She'd never seen an Apex Glutton before and wanted to get some measurements and ask questions about my 'condition.' I believe I was a little tipsy then, so naturally, when a cute redhead with a face full of freckles popped up wanting to rub my belly, I agreed. She squealed with delight and just... pressed her cheek into my belly. I'll admit that took me by surprise, but she was just a cute little thing, so it wasn't a big deal, which in hindsight probably should have been a warning." Chista sighs. "At some point, she wanted to get a 'closer' look at my gut, and I may have... misinterpreted what she meant."

Chista shuffles on her feet as memories of that night return. "We went back to the little apartment she and her Tiefling partner were set up in, and well..." 𝑮𝑾𝒐𝑼𝒓𝒍𝑷-°ₒ৹๐ Chista glances down as she grabs her belly. "Always count on you to rat me out," She scolded her belly, giving a few shakes, fluids sloshing before she let go of her gut. "But as you can imagine it ended with her getting a 'inside' look, which in my defense she was excited about all the way down. So maybe i didn't miss understand her at all!" °°~𝑮𝑳𝑶𝑹𝑷~°° "But ah... her partner didn't seem as willing to join her now that I think about it..." Chista rubs the back of her neck. " But nothing to do about that now." Chista sighs, shaking her head. "Overall, I'd say they got what they were looking for, though I doubt that book she was working on is going to get published now."

"Oh, definitely!" Chista says with a warm chuckle. "Part of it is from my Goliath heritage; we are built to thrive in the cold north, after all! But I am definetly a bit more... insulated than the average Goliath." Chista smiles slyly as she wiggles her hips. Her breasts wobble and her belly jostles with wet °°~𝑺𝑳𝑶𝑺𝑯~°•s yet all that padding on her frame isn't jiggling wildly, it's controlled and measured, dense like the meat of a bear. "And I'll admit this big gal puts out quite a bit of heat," Chista grabs her gut in her hands, abruptly stopping its jostling. °°~𝑮𝑳𝑶𝑹𝑷~°° The sudden motion sends chyme and acids in her stomach sloshing about in waves. "Turns out having a busy digestive system puts off a lot of heat." She lets go of her belly, letting it plop back down on her hips.

"Now I'm not opposed to sharing heat with fellow party members and traveling companions when needed. I've got plenty to spare after all!" Chsita says placing a hand on her hip. "Its actually rather... adorable to see people cuddle up with me for warmth." She feels her cheeks warm a little before a deep ~𝑮𝒖𝒖𝒖𝒖𝑼𝒓𝒈𝒍𝒆~ rumbles from that fat potbelly stove. "Of course, I uh... do have a uh terrible sleep eating habbit." She adds sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. "But we don't have to talk about that!"

These are very interesting questions, so we'll start with Chista's answer and then move to a more detailed out of character answer:

Chista's answer:

"Well, the average person will probably stick with a good dagger, maybe a short bow for hunting small game, or if they have the coin, a sturdy crossbow," Chista says. "A firearm is way outside the average person's price range, and even if they could afford it, having enough money to afford ammunition in sufficient quantity is a bit of a stretch." Chista crosses her arms. "Of course, one can steal such weapons, but the average person won't be in a position to swipe a pistol or ammo from one of the Guilds."

"There's also the Zhentarim's 'Black network,' but again, I don't see the average person risking life and limb dealing with them. Sure, they'll sell you anything, even a firearm, but they always collect on that debt, and it's not always in coin." Chista says. "Even the most ruthless bandit clans and gangs think twice about dealing with the Zhents, but that's why they're the top dog in the underworld."

"Now, as for what kinds of firearms are out there, there are a lot of different models and makes, so I'll stick with the different types. So... we have Revolvers, Breach Loading, lever action, bolt action rifles, semi-auto, and Mana firearms. Each has its own benefits and costs associated with them, but each is a powerful tool desired by lots of adventurers and mercenaries out in the Borderlands. Of course, the real trick is affording the ammo. The Guilds can only make so much smoke powder, and they are really picky on how much they hand out."

"As for myself, I carry a revolver my mother gifted me before I set off on my adventure, a real boon in the Borderlands, but I can only afford a handful of bullets for it. (Ammo is very expensive out here.) I don't let that stop me from using it though, I've seen too many adventurers hold on to a powerful tool but never use it in fear of running out. I advise using your best weapons to win quickly, and you won't suffer a long battle.

From the Author:

In terms of weapons in the borderlands and the broader setting as a whole, we are looking at a world where technology is a product of magic/alchemy and rediscovering lost technology rather than conventional scientific methods. So, while we have a medieval theme, we have a rather varied level of technology, with magic and alchemy amplifying 'traditional' things (such as plate armor and crossbows) and rushing other stuff into the field much sooner than anticipated (such as firearms and kevlar-like clothing for armor).

So we have swords, axes, halberds, bows, crossbows, pistols, rifles, staves, and wands all in the mix. This is a rule-of-cool thing, as I like my fantastical weapons, cool swords, and guns. Still, I do have an in-universe reason for this level of technology, which I'll share quickly:

First, the Shattered Realms (as I call this setting) is a post-apocalyptic fantasy, with the current setting taking place 1000 years later (kind of like the Wheel of Time setting). So, we have advanced tech hidden in the depths of the "Labyrinth" under the earth, which can help bypass certain technological development steps.

Second, Alchemy and magic help 'cheat' the scientific method, and both are much easier to 'control' by the powers that be in the setting. While individual inventors, alchemists, sorcerers, and mages exist, most learn their trade from the Guilds or Orders that govern each specific field of magic and alchemy. This also limits how much 'advanced' tech is out in the world, as only an alchemist can make gunpowder, for example.

Third, this is a post 'modern' world; all the easy-to-access resources are tapped out, meaning the world depends on Alchemy to morph one element into another to make things. Iron, for example, can still be found, but only in certain deposits, usually near where a 'star fall' (a meteor) struck the earth, or by scrapping the remains of the previous civilization found deep beneath the earth. Natural iron mines are rare and treasured resources worth fighting wars over now. Apply this to a host of other elements and materials, and you can see why alchemy is vital to society.

Take those three elements; we have a world where guns exist, but a blade is preferred due to accessibility and cost. You're average person won't be able to afford a gun, with peasants and serfs unable to afford much of anything. Still, a crossbow or dagger is easier to afford and can be made without the need of the Guilds. Thus, such weapons are usually found in the hands of mercenaries, adventurers, and those who have the funds or backing to have them. Of course, bandits and outlaws will steal and plunder such weapons whenever they can, but they often stick with blades and crossbows.

As for types of guns:
Revolvers are popular for those who can afford them, with revolver carbines having a spot in the world.

Breach-loading rolling block-style rifles are the most common type found in the Borderlands, often in the hands of adventurers and mercenaries. They hit hard but have a slow rate of fire.

Lever-action rifles, with their high ammo capacity and rapid fire, are all the rage on the market right now, but those features also make them very expensive.

The army favors the newer bolt action style over lever action for its rugged simplicity and hard-hitting nature.

Mana/Magi weapons are energy weapons that fire bolts of magic at their targets. These draw from small crystal cells full of mana. The upside is that when depleted, all one has to do is recharge the cell, though finding a means to do so can be challenging.

Artificers are always crafting/reverse generating odd marvels, ranging from steam-powered gattling guns to lightning rifles. These are usually one-of-a-kindions, not found on the market.

CW: A reference to post vore disposal, toilet stuff, belching up items. Nothing graphic, but it's there. Be warned!

"Hmmm... most valuable thing," Chista taps her chin as she thinks about it. "It's a little hard to pinpoint precisely one thing, as well... lots of valuables have ended up in my gut." She glances down and places a hand on her belly, feeling her stomach rumble with a deep •°~𝑮𝒓𝑶𝒐𝒐𝒐𝑨𝒏~'°°. "I can feel some coins sloshing around in my stomach, and maybe some jewelry? Though I think that's just bones." Chista presses her hand into her belly. °°~𝑮𝑳UNK~°° She can feel the dense goop lapping at the stomach walls, along with a few hard bits poking and clattering inside. "Yeah... definitely bones, and I think a shoe? Whatever it is, the tricky part is hoping whatever I belch up isn't damaged after sitting in my stomach for so long. I can't digest metal or gold, but that doesn't mean this big gal doesn't try!" Chista chuckles, giving her potbelly a few loving pats.

"A lot of the stuff I end up belching up is mostly junk. Wads of melted leather, hairballs, bits of bone, and half-digested clothing are often all mushed together into a pellet, which can have some valuables in it. Coins mainly, but a few bits of jewelry and armor as well. The most valuable thing I remember belching up on its own was a rather spiffy silver pocket watch." Chista rubs the side of her gut, feeling her intestines rumble, pushing some armor and bone deeper through her digestive tract. "It belonged to a bounty I bagged, I don't remember their name, but she was dressed rather fancy. If I recall correctly, she had stiffed one of the Guilds on payment for services, but that isn't essential to the answer."

"What is important is that she was dressed fancy and had all sorts of baubles and trinkets tucked away on her person. Lots of wealthy people wear their wealth as jewelry or accessories on their outfits when traveling; it is easier and more convenient than carrying a lot of cash or coins. So when all that meat softened, and my guts started bubbling, I started belching up bits of silver left and right! A few coins here, a ring, some gold cufflinks, and buttons; I made more money pawning all that than the bounty! Sure, a few wads of half-digested clothing were in the mix, but I left that for the street sweepers to clean up. But the most valuable bit was a silver pocket watch I belched up while reporting her bounty."

"It was a rather nasty blech, too, and tasted terrible. I am not sure if that was from the marred silver or that lady's sour personality... either way, this rather lovely pocket watch plops out of my gullet and lands on my gut while the poor Halfling manning the stall tried to shield himself from the shower of spittle raining on him. Seeing him caught in the splash zone was a little embarrassing, but hey, I got a nice watch out of it. The really shocking part was that the watch still worked! Normally, all the gunk and chyme seeps into the gears and cogs and messes things up, but not this time. Found a merchant who didn't ask too many questions about why the silver was marred or whose name was etched on it, and I made out with twenty GP from that alone."

"I've belched up other valuables over the years, but going over all of them would take way too long."

CW: Disposal talk ahead
"Now, as for what's passed through me, I consider that stuff good as lost, considering the effort I'd have to go through to get it," Chista says, shaking her head. "I don't mean to brag here, but you'll need a garden spade or a shovel to dig through what I'm leaving behind. And no, I'm not exaggerating; you will have to dig for whatever treasure you might think is buried in all that 'filth.'"

"Also, leaving any treasures behind is fair compensation for the poor souls who have to deal with that kind of... 'mess'" Chista says. "Seriously, those who shove out the outhouses, change out the privies, and unclog the toiles I've used deserve all the gold and silver that flows through this land. Not to mention, any treasure I found would no doubt just cover all the property damage I've just inflicted, so why bother trying to retrieve it myself. It's better to just leave it as a reward for those who deserve it most."