perhaps they use a solvent to soften the chitin, twist and bend it into shape, then re-harden it, maybe with a catalyst or just through time. I will have to find a talkative guard to tell me, as all this one said was something like "I am a guard of the house Hlahlu. I uphold Imperial law," barking at me to move along when I dared to address him as a person rather than a suit of armor.
I have returned to the corner club, and I plan to sleep as soon as I am able, then set out early tomorrow morning to try to gather as much pawnable material as I can. Somebody is bound to sell me a mortar and pestle for less than 100
coins in this city. I am a little anxious as to what the Empire will deign to do to me should I become delinquent on their decree for me to join the Blades, but all four of the members I spoke to, Caius included, seemed about as confused as I did with the order. Their seeming lack of direction reassures me. I will check in with Caius later in the day, and if he doesn't have some concrete plan for me to follow I intend to disappear as soon as I am financially able.