Art by https://sexilydrawn.tumblr.com/

With a delighted belch, Vurga's latest 'friend' has assumed their permanent place inside his gut. It's a rather morbid act, dooming some creature to a gurgly, churning end within hiim, all because he finds them too cute to leave his clutches. But the Lopp believes its more than that. If a crewmate were to ask the Lopp what it was like being eaten by him, they might not expect the answer.

Lopp are shamanistic creatures, believing heavily in magic and spirits. Vurga believes in spirits too. He believes in souls. He thinks that every living creature has a soul. In fact, he's certain. And he's certain that once you're down his hatch, your soul belongs to him. Once his snack has broken down and assimilated into that furred gut, the Lopp believes their soul is kept as well, merged with the fat their body became. Simply put, the souls of his victims are eternally trapped inside his belly.

He believes it's a fine existence. They can feel the warmth and softness that they've become now and enjoy every gentle motion of his gut when he moves and walks. If they concentrate, they can even see what the Lopp sees and experience what he does, able to enjoy life second-hand through their predator. They can even communicate with other doomed souls in areas nearby where they're trapped, able to get to know victims who've added to the surrounding mass. The only thing they can't do is escape. To the outside world, they exist silently. No matter how much they cry, beg and plead, the Lopp never notices them, nor does the rest of the world. They're just spirits, doomed to that girthy prison for as long as the Lopp lives.

Is this all a tall tale from the voracious slaver, or is his gut its own afterlife? The only way to find out is to see for one's self...and Vurga's glad to show you inside.