Hanako's expression scrunched tight as her dainty paw touched something cold and metal. She couldn't make up her mind, if she was coming or going. It was easier back when all the choices were made for her, when she could just smile and look pretty and know things would be taken care of. It used to be so easy too, effortless as breathing and yet now the resentment had taken root. Seeds pushed in deep by Azure's absence, the sacrifices she'd had to make to be with him and how it soon became apparent it hadn't been worth it in the end.

Maybe Sparrow would have been the right choice all along, she thought as she wondered the desolate field.

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

Hanako felt a spark of bitterness as she took in the sight of the three wolves. All ethereal and pretty, like how she used to be. There was always something about this time of year, something always had to happen. When would Hanako learn? Not any time soon, apparently. She regarded the trio for a moment longer, before approaching the dark brooding one. She had a type, clearly. Moving closer to him, ignoring the ruins of their scenery, she eyed him for a moment, the ice of her gaze watching, curious almost.

"Do you want me to follow you?" She asked the irascible guide, her tone soft and lilting, almost cutesy.

Hana has picked the grumpy man!

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.

The strange and broody long snooted wolf led her to a bridge. All rickety and swaying from side to side- it looked far from safe with the whole bubbling pit of lava below. Just what was she getting into? Hanako paused for a moment, regarded her guide once more as if to say really, you expect ME to cross THAT? But his intentions were clear enough and though Hanako was very good at arguing, she found herself coming short with this one. Just exactly who was he?

Deciding to call upon her sense of dexterity and grace, she began to cross the bridge, steps feather-light as she tested each in turn before making her move.

Hana chooses: Dexterity

You gingerly step onto the bridge, balancing your weight. The bridge creaks and sways slightly. You inch your way down the bridge, but one paw lands too heavy and the plank below it crumbles, 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 right hip. 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 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.

Hanako winced and was near tempted to give the stranger a telling off for treating her so rough. But she supposed he had done her a favour and had stopped her from tumbling to her death after all. Hm. The air was hot, too warm for comfort and Hanako wondered where he really was taking her. Would it truly be somewhere she wanted to go? was it worth the risk? She turned to her silent and serious guide, turning up the charm to a hundred as she fluttered her eyelashes, laying it on so thick that even she thought she needed to taper it down a bit.

"Could you lead the way?" She asked so soft, so demure, a slight edge of pleading to her words.


Hanako chooses charisma!

The guide slowly shakes his head. His demeanor suggests there is no right answer and you need to just choose a path. He will follow.

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.

You have already tried this.

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.

What a sourpuss. It was worth a shot though, she supposed. She huffed dramatically, eying the layout before as the ice of her eyes took it all in. Just the heat alone was making the pale of his skin sting, like being out in the sun for too long. Like that time she'd burnt her nose and the tips of her ears. Figuring she was agile enough, she moved to the thin pass, her nose twitching as she wondered if she could shimmy along. The risk of slipping and falling was considerable, but the bridge looked too rickety and she didn't think she had the strength to make one big jump.

Hanako chooses to use her dexterity

You traverse the thin, crumbling edge around the room. To no one's surprise, it cracks, and your paw slips. 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 right front outer leg. 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

Ouch. Hanako winced, but did her best to ignore it. She'd been hurt before, what was a little more on top of that? She turned to her guide, wondering if she should double down on trying to persuade him? He'd said no before but then she'd gotten hurt, he'd saved her too, so surely he felt something? Very few men could say no to her and truly mean it, she doubted he was immune to her charms. She turned and fluttered her eyelashes, willing him to do as she pleased.

"Surely you won't mind helping me out again?"


Hanako uses her charisma!

The guide shakes his head, unbothered by your attempts at charming him. He doesn't even crack a smile. This, you must figure out on your own. He will be no help here.

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.

You have already tried this.

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...

Really? Like really really? Why wasn't he helping her? What sort of guide was he-no what sort of man was he to not want to help? She barely bit back a scoff, only just schooling her expression into one of thoughtfulness, a mask that fit to well upon her face. Old habits hadn't died at all, it seemed, just slumbered beneath the surface. Fine then, she didn't think she would be able to jump the gap and making a bridge by going back and forth between the rooms seemed like a waste of time to her. So her only real option was to hop across the stepping stones and hope she didn't fall.

Hanako uses her dexterity

You decide to use the stalagmites as stepping stones. At first it seems like a solid plan as you begin to make your way across, but then suddenly the one you're standing on begins to crack and splinter, giving out completely beneath your paws.

Somehow you manage to scramble almost all the way across, but as you make the final leap to the edge of solid ground you feel yourself begin to fall...

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, the missing tip of your tail. You feel less knowledgeable at having gone on that adventure as well, losing 97 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...

• Shit all lol
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Minor injury - right hip
  
• Medium scar - right front outer leg
  
• Major wound - tip of tail,
  
• -97 hunting points