Quote Originally Posted by Tubercular Ox View Post
Why is that a huge part of the puzzle? Rich told us outright that the monster has a smell and can swallow creatures whole,
No and no.

The creature asked if the big game hunters were ignoring what he was saying because of his smell. (They weren't.)

Xykon assumed that if the creature eats a lot, he's able to swallow Redcloak whole.
If I can write a better Protean story with a few minutes effort than Rich can manage in 20 years, there is a problem with the Protean.
S'a big if.