River Krusts

"Nothing else will grow if there are river krusts nearby."

—The Heart

River krusts are a type of mollusk seen in Dishonored, which are often found in humid environments, such as on the underside of piers. They are immobile, but can sense nearby activities and spit a caustic liquid toward those that they perceive as enemies. River krusts possess durable carapaces that protect their soft insides. These insides are only exposed during their attacks.

Corvo Attano can first encounter river krusts shortly before Kaldwin's Bridge during the mission The Royal Physician, or if he uses possession on a fish or blink to get to the sewer under The Hound Pits Pub, at the end of the mission High Overseer Campbell.

Combat

• River krusts only attack Corvo if he is detected within a specific range. Getting out of that range will cause the river krust to close its shell again and become idle.
• The shell of a river krust closes when Corvo gets too close and defends the creature from melee attacks, but it cannot defend the mollusk against bullets and explosives.
• Krusts tend to gather in groups, called colonies, making them good potential targets for grenades; individual krusts are easy to kill with a well-aimed crossbow bolt or a bullet once their shell is open. Alternatively, a spring razor placed on or near a Krust's shell when it is closed will be set off the next time the Krust attempts to attack; if Corvo is able to provoke several river krusts at once, the spring razor will kill all of them.
• River krusts can be avoided by simply running or sneaking past them. However, killing them and looting their corpses often yields valuable river krust pearls, which can be sold for 25 to 50 coins depending on size.
• Killing river krusts does not generate chaos and does not count as a kill when attempting to get the Clean Hands achievement.
• Being attacked by river krusts does not count as "detection" when attempting to ghost a level.
• River krust "spit" is extremely caustic, and even a single krust can kill Corvo quickly if caution is not taken.
• Corvo can possess river krusts, but cannot move or attack while doing so.
• To save ammo, Corvo can "kill" the river krusts by throwing carried objects like bottles directly to their insides once their shell is open.
• It is possible to stop time while the river krust is attacking, and slash it. Alternatively, it is possible to let it attack and blink towards it fast enough to hit it before it closes.

Trivia

• A book mentions that river krusts have both male and female reproductive systems, and that they are born from some kind of "slick" covering the shores.
• River krusts are suspected to be one of the main ingredients of both Piero's Spiritual Remedy and Sokolov's Elixir.
• Pearls produced by krusts are highly valued.
  • According to the Heart, orphan boys are given the hazardous job of retrieving pearls hidden inside the river krusts, and only those who are extremely rich can afford to buy a necklace made of the prized gemstones.
• The Heart mentions that some of the liquor from the Distillery District tastes like it was distilled from river krusts.
• If a dead river krust is hit with a sword enough times, it will open, displaying its insides.
• Detailed physiology of the creatures can be located in the home of Dr. Galvani.
• The Dead Eels bottle river krust acid and use it as a type of ranged weapon.
• One of Slackjaw's Bottle Street Gang members advises against eating river krusts, as "[...]they'll make you sick as a bucket."
  • However, purified river krust ichor is sometimes prescribed as a medicine to strengthen weak nerves.
• There are three unique black and green River Krusts found in the Drapers Ward Sewer System. The walls of the sewer are also covered in a unique turquoise acid, spat from the River Krusts.
• In The Royal Physician mission, members of the City Watch seem to be completely unaware when the river krusts are attacking them should Corvo lure the guards to the docks.

Gallery

A river krust in the sewers underneath the Hound Pits.

A dead, open river krust.

Physiology of a river krust by Doctor Galvani.

A colony of river krusts.

A dead river krust.

Corvo is attacked by river krusts.

Four river krusts, one growing from a boat.

A live closed river krust.

A river krust seen in the Flooded District.

A giant dead river krust.

A river krust with a pearl.

Large river krust pearls in a chest.

A bottle filled with river krust acid.

Unique black and green River Krusts.