Veigar rarely ventured close to the tar pits, knowing that trying to navigate such a treacherous terrain without sight was a poor idea. Today he was feeling a little more daring than usual though - not that he was a cowardly wolf, not by any means, but living a life entrenched in darkness was a peculiar one. Even navigating familiar lands was a unique challenge than only a creature who had been robbed of sight could possibly begin to understand.

Somewhere new and notably dangerous was even more difficult. He moved slowly, paws grazing the ground carefully before each step, testing the safety of the ground beneath him. The air was pungent, filled with the scent of hot asphalt, and everything in him told him to turn around. He grimaced as he fought against those primal instincts, slowly pressing on.

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

Veigar's fur stood on edge as he continued to creep along, no doubt quite a sight as he moved painfully slowly through the pits of tar that surrounded him. The presence of someone made him pause, though it became quickly apparent that it wasn't just a single someone, but three wolves, none of which smelled like Insomnia... or really like anything at all. Yet still he knew they were there, as plainly as he knew anything else, despite being unable to see them. One in particular drew him forward, though he moved like a creature fighting his own body - like he was in a sort of trance. For why else would he be following a complete stranger, one he couldn't even see, let alone smell, or hear?

Veigar is choosing the hard route, the irascible guide.

The grumpy wolf's brow relaxes just slightly when you choose him. He seems to give you a moment to reconsider. 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.

Everything that happened felt more like a feeling than anything actually happening. He committed to following one of the wolves, whose demeanor felt familiar to him, though he could not see him and he did not speak. Veigar committed to move after him, though the smell of smoke suddenly filled his nostrils. Surely this wasn't still the tar pits - he felt as though he'd been transported somewhere else, but his paws still carried him onward, almost like he was moving without choosing to.

Though the edge of the chasm came up on him quick (another sign he wasn't where he'd started, not that he needed further proof) he didn't run the risk of tumbling over it. He moved painstakingly slow, testing the ground before he walked. In front of him laid a strange structure - it felt like a bridge of sorts, the way it moved when he put some of his weight on it. The heat that emanated from below was obvious, and the bubbling that accompanied it spelled danger. He'd have to be cautious, but something in him told him he needed to move forward. So he did, testing the wooden planks that made up the bridge carefully, one by one, hoping to ensure a safe route across. Wasn't like he could easily backtrack if he fucked up.

Veigar chooses wisdom, evaluating the safest planks to walk on.

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, but some are not too obvious. You choose one, but it cracks and splinters under your weight, sending your body tumbling into the weakened structure. The guide is fast behind you, scruffing you and shoving 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.

In the struggle, you scrape your upper spine. It bleeds a little, but will heal just fine.

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 is 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.

Everything seemed to be happening in slow-motion - the ethereal feeling of this whole experience made him feel like he was dreaming, which was maybe why he wasn't so afraid. He moved as carefully as he could without sight, testing each plank before stepping onto the next. But he fumbled, unsurprisingly, thinking one plank was sturdy when it wasn't. He felt the world give out beneath him, but then someone - his guide, presumably - is there, snatching his skinny body by his scruff and carrying him to solid ground. A sharp ache along his spine tells him somehow in the scuffle he hurt himself, but the pain is minimal enough and easily ignored for now. "You lead the way," he says finally, his voice hard with irritation.

You ask the guide to show you the way and he begrudgingly leads the way, seeming to consider his options. In the end, he chooses a series of bridges and stepping stones. As you follow him, you find an item. Before long, you find yourself in a new lava-filled room.

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

His guide, almost miraculously, seemed to lead the way. Veigar followed slowly, but kept his pace up enough that he could hear the wolf's pawsteps and follow them. Letting him get too far away would make that difficult. However he managed the journey he wasn't sure - he felt the searing heat from below, though he moved cautiously until he found himself on stable ground once again.

Now, though? He had no fucking clue. The bright markings on his coat burned bright, proof of his emotions which flared white-hot. How the fuck was he supposed to know what to do here? The ground he stood on was solid, smooth stone. After a moment he tentatively let out a short bark, trying to notice the way it reverberated off the walls around him. It was a little trick he'd started to use to try to decipher his surroundings. It was obvious he was in some room, and he felt his way to the edge of the floor, noting that it dropped off seemingly to nothing.

He had no other choice than to move forward. Wasn't like he could find his way backwards at this point. Steeling himself for a long moment, he finally kicked off hard - hoping to leap across the vast nothingness and land somewhere on the other side. What was the worst that could happen, anyway?

Veigar chooses strength.

You decide to kick off hard, hoping to close the gap using your sheer strength. Only when you're almost to the other side do you realize you underestimated the size of the gap, and you feel yourself falling, falling, falling...

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, your chin is shattered, the degloved bone and muscle poking out from the loose flap of skin that used to cover it. Glowing saliva mixes with deep red blood down your throat. That will leave an impressive scar (about 6 inches long). You feel less knowledgeable at having gone on that adventure as well, losing 94 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...

• Glittering Concoction
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Minor injury - upper spine
  
• Major injury - chin,
  
• -94 Fighting skill points