Kea had left his companion behind today, opting to head out alone as he went on a patrol just outside the pack's territory. He had his beloved sword with him, gifted to him by his parents when he had come of age. Windrunner gleaned from the special oils, and the care he put in it every day.

The young Vanguard stepped through the overgrown territory of the Garden, and raised his head. Catching the scents on the wind. He had come this way plenty of times before, had spent hours rummaging through this territory with siblings. But familiarity didn’t mean he was going to put his guard down. He had the honour of his pack to uphold, after all.



"Speech"

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

Kea hadn't gotten far into the garden. In fact, he had barely started his patrol when three wolves appeared before him. His nostrils flared in surprise - he hadn’t seen them approach. He glanced from white, to blue, to black. Intimidated by the fact that they said nothing. He didn’t let it show. Instead, he stood a little straighter. What would his father do here? Was there something he should do?

“Who are you?” He asked, keeping his voice level. When it became clear that the wolves were waiting for something, a choice, he turned to the black wolf. The serious expression seemed dire. “Is there something I can help with?” He asked

Choice: Hard route

"Speech"

The grumpy wolf's brow relaxes just slightly when you choose him. He seems to give you a moment to reconsider, not answering your questions. 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.

He waited a moment, but clearly no answers were forthcoming. After a moment, he followed after the serious looking wolf. Falling into a trot to catch up with them. As they walked, a thick fog - no, smoke - rose around him, he tried to cover his nose in his shoulder, coughing at the thickness of the smoke. Was there a fire? Worried, he tried to get his bearings and look through the smoke, but his eyes watered and blurred.

He felt the stranger tug at him, and as he blinked and cleared his eyes, he saw the scenario around him. He gasped in surprise and shook, was that lava? Okay, that was beyond cool.

When his guide gestured towards a bridge, he looked at it dubiously. That… didn’t seem like a great idea. Well, he was in this now. No way but over, right? Taking a deep breath, he leaned back, and then rocked forward. Assuming that if he was fast enough to barely touch the planks, his momentum would carry him forward.

Strength


"Speech"

You kick off, launching yourself down the shaky bridge. You can hear the guide grunt in surprise behind you. Your paws dance across the warm, dry wood and before you know it, you've dashed your way to the other side and into the shelter of the cave. You snatch up 161 Gems along the way.

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.

He knew he was being foolish, and reckless. But it felt a little like flying, soaring across the planks over a terrible fate below. He could feel the heat rising from below, but there was cool wind in his coat from his mad, wild dash. And then he was on the other side, alive, and in one piece. He didn’t stop until he was in the cave on the other side, and then he slowed his paws to assess this new area.

In here there was also lava, which really shouldn’t come as a surprise to him. But still, it looked treacherous and he was a little intimidated by it. He took a few cautious, slow steps forward to get a better look at the room. He thought maybe he was a little too big for the thin edge, but the stepping stones looked like a good bet. He took a slow breath, gearing himself up for the jump, and then he was off

Strength


"Speech"

You jump rock to rock. They're sturdy and secure. A few jumps in, and one cracks, falling into the lava. You scramble at the surface just enough to save yourself from falling in with a little help of the guide. The lava sputters, splashing you across your left rump. The lava singes through your fur, leaving a deep burn about the size of a wolf's paw (5in x 4in). Ouch! That's gonna leave a scar.

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 heart leaped in his throat so fast he tasted bile as the last stone cracked beneath his paws. Some quick scrambling, and some help from the guide was the only thing that kept him from plunging to his death. He wondered what it would feel like, to burn to death beneath bubbling magma. Would it be a quick death? Or a slow one.


He glanced at the grumpy guide, acknowledging his help pulling Kea to safety. "I really hope you know where we are going" he said with a soft huff, before looking forward. He was in this now. No way out but forward. But he didn't have any desire to linger. He did some mental calculations, and decided he could make that jump. He paused, taking some quick breaths, psyching himself up, and then he was off. He let out a yell, whether delight or terror he wasn't sure, as he felt his paws leave the earth behind.


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- a deep, ugly wound that lies across where your left ear used to sit- that will leave an impressive scar (about 6 inches long). You feel less knowledgeable at having gone on that adventure as well, losing 97 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.

You kick off with all your strength, hoping your back legs are strong enough to propel you over the gap. Fortunately they are, and you land hard on the other side, feeling the impact of your jump ripple through you.

Though you make it to the other side, a low roar behind you gets your attention, and you spin around...

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 Ethel. 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.

Rerolled using Firefly's Favor.

Kea jumped, feeling the heat of the lava below him. As he moved, suspended across the bubbling heat, he felt something flash across his thoughts. Like a near-death experience. For a brief moment, he thought he saw a glimpse of lights, like fireflies around him. The feeling of failure sank into his gut. He wasn't going to make it, he wasn't going to-- his paws landed, sudden and hard, on the other side. The shock of it threw him from his folly, and the thoughts fled his mind as if they had never been. Already long forgotten, as an adversary rose suddenly from the chasm below. 


He gaped in astonishment at the giant worm as it lowered itself towards him. A thought crossed his mind - a name - but he dismissed it as further folly. How could he know this creature's name? His heart leaped into his throat, and he launched himself forward. He needed to attack now, before it killed him!


-strength-

You decide to strike as soon as possible as the worm lowers its head toward you, mouth opening to reveal rows upon rows of jagged, ugly teeth. Though you nearly manage to land a bite, the worm is apparently quicker than you are, striking you hard and fast as everything around you abruptly goes dark....

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 your left hip, that will leave an impressive scar (about 6 inches long). You feel less knowledgeable at having gone on that adventure as well, losing 52 Navigation 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.

As the worm lowers, you attack. Your teeth meet a piece of steaming hot flesh that gushes a bitter liquid when pierced. As the worm rears, you jump back to the stage.

The worm rolls and screeches, diving into the lava, then into the air, over the stage, and back into the lava. Hot globs of molten rock splash over the stage. Your guide grunts and dodges, his teeth barred in frustration. He glances to you, a silent invitation to take the lead. The worm emerges again. This is it. The final stand!

What do you do?

Strength: Attack as soon as the worm emerges.

You decide to strike at the soonest opportunity.

Charisma: Tell the guide to take the lead..

You think the guide would know best what to do.

Dexterity: Attack at the highest point in the worm's jump

You decide to wait until the worm's head is furthest from you to strike.

Wisdom: Wait for the perfect point over the stage to attack

You choose to observe the worm, patiently waiting for the right opportunity to attack.

Firefly Favor used.

Kea could feel the heat of his adversary, the shock of the giant flaming worm. This was why he was here, this was it! This was what he needed to do. His first attack granted him hot flesh, and he was shocked by it. But he wasn’t out of the fight yet! Once again he thought about the worm's name, and it was very strange to consider the possibility that he actually knew it.

“Fight me, Ethel!” He growled, as - foolish as he likely was - he took the faster approach. Relying on his strength and speed as he sought the soonest opportunity to strike. It seemed unwise to spend too long facing against a worm that came from the hottest bowls of the earth.

Strength
Using Lucky Rabbit's foot


"Speech"

You attack, the worm just emerging from the lava. As the rivulets of lava begin to separate, you launch, but you are not fast enough. You feel something hot and heavy crash down upon your skin and your nostrils are filled with the noxious odor of searing fur and flesh. Then everything goes dark.

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 your what used to be the tip of your tail right cheek left front inner leg, that will leave an impressive scar (about 6 inches long). You feel less knowledgeable at having gone on that adventure as well, losing 97 51 71 Navigation 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.

Rerolled using Firefly's favor
Rerolled using Firefly's favor again

You attack, the worm just emerging from the lava. As the rivulets of lava begin to separate, you launch, biting into the hard, hot underbelly of the lava worm. The guide follows suit. With this, you are able to peel off a slab of his scale-like armor. It clamors into the lava just seconds before the worm does.

The worm thrashes and sinks into the lava, his bones rising to the surface as shiny as fresh metal. They float, suspended for a bit, before slowly beginning to glow and melt into the pool.



As the worm fades from existence, the lava begins to calm and sink down into the earth. A small land bridge becomes apparent and you are able to safely exit the chasm. On the other side, smoke swaths you once more and you find yourself back where you began, singed, sore, but not too worse for wear.

It is time for goodbye, you can feel it in your soul. You turn to the guide, who looks almost proud of you.

Your guide gives you a curt nod of approval and you blink. When your eyes open, only a few fireflies buzzing lazily where the guide once was.

The cave, now peaceful, stands to be explored by any who come across it. Maybe you can remember your way back sometime.

You have unlocked a new site land: Pyroduct Caves!

You receive: To Hell and Back Bundle:

• Deluxe Open Character Pass
  
• Choice of litter pass (Gay Litter Pass, Ghost Litter Pass, Mystery Litter Pass)
  
• Boosted Worm companion (Regular companion size, named Ethel Jr., but you may change this, only speaks a language you do not know)
  
• Lucky Rabbits Foot
  
• Firefly's favor
  

Other prizes you collected will be revealed later.

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...

• 161 Gems
  
• Coat Hanger
  
• Deluxe Immortality Pass
  
• To hell and back bundle
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Medium scar - left rump