Summer should have been a time of relaxing and jubilation, of savoring the return of warm weather and the retreat of winter's cold winds. Áskell couldn't feel much of anything any more. His memory had returned and he honestly wished it hadn't. For a few nights it was sorrow, rage, and remorse in volume's he could not handle and then drop by drop, after every tear had been wrung from his body was empty exhaustion. He felt hollow. Áskell withdrew from Tojo, avoiding his pack mates in favor of performing endless solitary patrols. Despite Ari's best efforts, nothing the macaque did seemed to bring Áskell back to senses. He took joy in nothing, simply moved along monotonously as he felt he was expected to. He had no sense of future, his mind always drifting back to the past. To his father's corpse, and the empty space his brother had once occupied.

Three wolfish borzoi stand before you, shifting with anticipation. Their glowing green eyes flitter and dance with an ethereal excitement. To your left, a pale and excitable wolf beckons, their tail wagging fervently behind them. In the center, a mournful wolf who's coat is such a pure slate, it seems as if she's tinged blue. To your right stands a dark abrasive looking wolf who's eyes are barely visible under his furrowed brow as he impatiently awaits your decision. In fact, it seems they are all waiting for you to make a choice between the three.

Who do you choose?

Easy Route: The Gleeful Guide

This route poses minimal risk, but also lesser rewards.
Risks: Scarring, small loss of gems/skill points

Medium Route: The Sorrowful Guide

This route poses some risk and moderate rewards.
Risks: Scarring, cosmetic disfigurement, temporary disabilities, moderate loss of gems/skill points

Hard Route: The Irascible Guide

This route poses the most risk and greater rewards.
Risks: Scarring, cosmetic disfigurement, permanent disabilities, higher loss of gems/skill points

Áskell wandered down the beach, seagulls scattering into the dusky night air. A thin band of orange marked the horizon as the dark clouds gathered in the sky. Halfway down the beach he ran into three strange wolves. "Hey, this is pack land, what are you doing inside our borders?" They stared at him expectantly and he felt a shiver run down his spine. Something about these wolves was off, they didn't seem as real as he felt they should be. Were these… spirits of some sort? His heart started to race and ache. He was frightened but also hopeful. Could he maybe see his brother or his father again?

He looked to the dark colored wolf, the serious one whom Áskell assumed could be some sort of leader. He approached the dark wolf. "Are you all… spirits?"

Áskell chooses the Hard Route

The grumpy wolf's brow relaxes just slightly when you choose him. He seems to give you a moment to reconsider, but does not answer your question during the lapsing silence. After a moment, the tough looking wolf grunts in approval and turns to lead.

As you follow, a thick smoke rolls in and masks sight and smell. Through watery eyes, you are barely able to follow the guide, but eventually the smoke begins to clear and you are hit with the strong smell of Sulphur. You take a step forward and the guide pulls you back slightly. Blinking the rest of the tears out of your eyes, you realize you're on the edge of a steep chasm- a chasm filled with bubbling lava. One wrong move and it's over.

The guide motions to a wobbly wooden bridge that connects down into a cave on the other side of the canyon.

What do you do?

Strength: Dash across before the bridge can collapse.

If you're fast, the bridge won't have a chance to collapse!

Charisma: Make the guide go first.

This was his idea, so make him go first.

Dexterity: Balance lightly between the planks evenly as you go.

Most of the planks seem stable enough. If you balance evenly, surely none of them will break.

Wisdom: Evaluate the safest planks to walk on.

If you take your time, you can pick out the safest planks.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

Áskell took the grunt and nod as an answer to his question. Spirits… spirits again. Something in him told him to turn back. The scars on the inside of his front legs burned at his memories of the previous year but something stronger drove him onward. He already felt himself detaching from the physical world, what could it hurt to travel farther into the spiritual one?

Áskell followed the strange wolf through thick and horrid smelling smoke, coming out on the other side to a fiery and hellish landscape. A chasm of lava with a perilous bridge stretching across. The wolf motioned for him to cross it. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Áskell approached the bridge slowly, carefully reaching out a paw to test the nearest plank, checking to see if it would support his weight.

Askell chooses wisdom!

You observe the planks one by one. Some are well worn, some are charred. You do your best to pick the most solid looking ones. Your eyes burn against the heat of the lava, but eventually your observant nature pays off and you find yourself on the other side safely. The guide follows with a smirk that he quickly wipes from his face with a huff as he leads you into the cave ahead. Before you enter, you grab 107 Gems.

Inside the cave, warm lava lights the way. Small pools bubble and small streams flow from tiny cracks in the walls. Several boulders act as stepping stones across larger gaps, and small wooden bridges span other areas. Around the walls of the room, a thin edge navigates above any threat of lava. It is clear you need to get to the end of this room if you wish to continue your journey.

What do you do?

Strength: Take the stepping stones.

The stepping stones look sturdy and all you have to do it jump a little.

Charisma: Ask the guide to lead the way.

The guide should know the way through the pass.

Dexterity: Take the thin edge.

Creeping on the thin edge keeps you above and away from danger.

Wisdom: Take the bridges.

The bridges are obviously there for a reason, so use them.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

Áskell carefully maneuvered from plank to plank, skipping the ones that seemed less stable if there was one just beyond it that seemed more so. It took some doing, but he was patient, trying to resist any urge to hurry as he felt himself roasting above the lava. The heat was intense and made his paws sweaty but soon enough he was across. He followed the kind into a cave lit by lava pools and streams. There seemed a few ways to cross but Áskell was having trouble making up his mind.

He focused on the stepping stones at first all the while realizing it would keep him closer to the sweltering heat. Yet the stones seemed more stable than the bridge. He looked to the guide. "Sir, I will do my best to assist you. Perhaps you could also assist me? Could you enlighten me as to which path is the most assured?"

Áskell chooses Charisma

You ask the guide to let you know which path is the best one. He refuses at first, but after a moment he huffs and you can see you've won. In a blink, the guide is fast behind you, scruffing you and carrying you down the bridge one step at a time. At the end, he releases you and ushers you quickly into the cave with an eyeroll, but maybe also a slight smile? You also manage to grab 125 gems along the way.

Across the lava room stands a flat piece of smooth stone, so level and flat, it is as if thousands of paws had worn it over time. It looks cool to the touch and vaguely important. Surrounding it is a mote of lava, separated only by sharp stalagmites that impale it to point towards the open ceiling. There is no discernible path across. You know you must get there one way or another, but you're not sure you'll be able to go back the same way you came if you cross.

What do you do?

Strength: Jump over the gap.

If you push off real hard, you can close the gap... probably.

Charisma: Ask the guide to help.

Maybe just this once...? He's got to know something!

Dexterity: Use the stalagmites as stepping stones.

If you're careful, some of the tips of the stalagmites look wide enough to balance on.

Wisdom: Build a bridge with the materials from the other room.

It'll take a while, but it should work...

LAST CHANCE TO LEAVE.

If you proceed further, you will not be able to leave. Abandoned threads may result in failed rolls.
Risks: Scarring, cosmetic disfigurement, permanent disabilities, higher loss of gems/skill points

The guide shook his head but then paused and seem to agree. Rather than simply gesturing the correct path the guide scruffed him like a pup, carrying him down the bridge and shooing him into the cave. It was obvious he was dealing with some sort of spirit. The speed at which the wolf moved, the way it seemed to shift, growing big and strong enough to carry him like a pup. It was unnerving.

He peered into the cave, a large stone room, with a rock surrounded by lava. Some how he just knew the guide wanted him to reach that point. But how? The path forward was even more obscure here. Áskell turned once more to the guide. "I am uncertain how to reach that rock. Do you think I can make that jump?"

Áskell chooses Charisma

You ask the guide for help. For a long while he stares at you with furrowed brows, and you worry he might not help you at all, but finally he seems to cave. Gesturing forward, he helps guide you to the edge of the room. Once there, you look across and see a path that was invisible to the eye before - a path of smooth stones that lead straight across. He leads the way, and you follow.

A giant, glowing worm erupts from the molten chasm below, lava sputtering onto the ground before you. It screeches, towering over the stage and you immediately recognize its name as Anthony. The guide growls, his stance rigid and wide. This is an enemy that must be dealt with if you wish to escape with your life.

What do you do?

Strength: Find a way to attack the worm.

With the way the worm's head begins to lower toward you, surely you can find time to strike...

Charisma: Convince the guide to deal with the worm.

Surely he has a better idea how to deal with this than you do, right?

Dexterity: Try to dodge the worm and stay out of its range.

Surely there's got to be a way to escape this worm, if you're just quick enough!

Wisdom: Study the worm to figure out how to deal with it.

You've never seen anything quite like this, so maybe acting too rashly isn't the best idea. You decide to study it inside and see what information you can gather.

Áskell looked to the guide as the guide stared back at him with furrowed brows. He could almost hear his heart beating in the silence but he didn't dare to look away until he got some sort of response. When the guide finally gestured forward he felt a sudden rush of relief. There was a nearly invisible path of smooth stones that looked far safer to cross. Áskell dipped his head. "Thank you," he said sincerely before following his guide along the path.

All seemed to be going well until the earth rumbled and a massive, glowing worm erupted from the lava. It screeched, causing the walls to shake and Áskell to pin his ears swiftly to head. "What the fuck is that!" He cried. He'd never seen nor even heard of a such a creature, though in some way he seemed to know its name as well as the fact that they had to defeat it.

Áskell looked to the guide. "I'm ready when you are, what's the plan?"

Áskell chooses Charisma!

You ask the guide how to deal with the worm. He turns to you, pausing as if trying to drum up an answer, and you realize all at once that your hesitation has cost you. The worm suddenly strikes, and everything goes black...

All you remember is the hot blazing heat and then... cool darkness. You awake outside of the chasm on a smooth, flat rock.

A familiar form kneels beside you, tending your wounds. It takes several blurry moments to realize this is not your guide, but a cluster of fireflies in a cloak the same color as your guide's fur. Your injuries are blindingly painful, but you will live; you can tell somehow by the way the fireflies buzz around you. One in particular will stand out, a deep, ugly wound that lies across the left side of your ribcage. that will leave an impressive scar (about 6 inches long). You feel less knowledgeable at having gone on that adventure as well, losing 95 fighting skill points.

You realize loosely how little sense that makes and you wonder if this is real, but a warm force closes your eyes and bids you to think of home, of safety. When you awake next, you are in a safe place, one which you might have imagined.

Three wolfish borzoi bow their heads in appreciation. Thank you for playing the Halloween 2023 event! All is calm as you look out, but there's no telling what's on the horizon... or perhaps even under it...

Look forward to peeks into the event, hiccups, and maybe some hints into the next adventure!

You Gained This Along the Way...

• 107 Gems
  
• Xtra Shrink Potion
  
• Extra Companion Slot
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Major injury - left ribs,
  
• -95 Fight points