After her encounters on the island, Polaris decided that she would head back to the mainland. This land was different than anything she had experienced before. It seemed other wolves were different, and that she had a lot of learning to do about this place. She traveled more north, the chill trying to bite through her thick fur. It didn't phase her though, as she was on a mission to find something to explain what exactly was going on. She didn't know what the something was quite yet. She found herself drawn to a cavern. There was no light and she stumbled through it, almost smacking her head or other body parts on the walls of the dark cave. Slowly, a blue light started to emanate and she found herself in a large room that had... glowing mushrooms? She was taken aback, never having seen a glowing mushroom before. It was beautiful, a sight to see. She wondered what else this place had to offer that she had yet to see before. Polar was ready for an adventure. She speaks

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

Polaris was so lost in thought and awe at the glowing mushrooms, she hadn't realized that three large wolfish looking creatures stood before her. She took a jump back, her eyes narrowing in surprise at them. "Who are you?!" She barked at them, taken aback. Each one was so different. The white one seemed excited and full of energy, the blue sad, and the black almost angry or impatient with her. Something drew her to the sad one however and she took a step towards it. She wasn't quite sure what she was getting herself into. It seemed as if she was always getting herself into something different every time she turned around. Polaris chooses the Medium Route She speaks

The tearful wolf seems almost surprised you chose her, though she says nothing in answer to your question. After sniffling back some tears, she turns and motions for you to follow.

Quietly, the woman leads you into a perpetual fog. Your senses are blocked and it is impossible to know where you are going. Your only lead is the salty scent of the woman you follow and the brief grey blue flash of her tail in front of you, her body obscured by the mists.

When the shroud thins, you find yourself in a small clearing surrounded by the largest weeping willows you have ever seen. In the center of the clearing, a mirror-like pond awaits, completely still except for a small swirling whirlpool in the middle. A thin path of stepping stones trail towards the center of the lake then stop. The sad wolf sits, and motions you towards the lake, tear-filled eyes brimming with anticipation.

What do you do?

Strength: Swim into the whirlpool.

You're probably stronger than some water, right? You can just swim over and see what's up.

Charisma: Ask the guide for a hint.

The guide seems nice enough. Maybe she will help you.

Dexterity: Use the stepping stones.

There are perfectly good stepping stones here for you to use!

Wisdom: Inspect the water.

Something is amiss with the water... Maybe you can figure out what.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

The other wolves all ignored her question, but the one she was drawn to moved and motioned for her to follow. Polaris followed her blindly, walking into the fog. She had no clue where she was now or what was going on. What is wrong with you, you know better than to follow strangers! She yelled at herself internally as she tried to keep up with the blue one. Finally, they exited the fog and Polaris felt normal, like she could see and smell and hear better again. However, instead of being in the cave they were surrounded by weeping willows. What the hell? The woman cocked her head to the site, confused on how she had managed to get herself into this situation. The blue wolf motioned for her to go towards the little lake and Polaris decided to pad her way there. She stopped at the edge, watching it. It seemed... different than other water. She decided that she would look into it to find out what was so different about it. Polaris chooses Wisdom She speaks

You inspect the water and the unnatural whirlpool in the center. You see something gleaming and pick up 75 Gems along the way As you look closer, you think you see an opening in the middle. The guide is already on her way down, wet but unbothered. You decide to follow.

Under the whirlpool, a waterfall floats you into an underground lake. As you pull yourself from the frigid pool, an icy palace opens before your eyes. Thick layers of ice coat the cave's interior and ornate carvings decorate the walls. Your guide stands on the shore, shaking out her fur. She inspects the surroundings, and you do the same. You realize there is no discernible exit, though some of the ice looks thin and even cracked in some spots along the walls.

What do you do?

Strength: Break through one of the weak spots.

The ice looks thin enough, and you feel strong enough to burst through.

Charisma: Ask the guide where to go.

The room seems directionless... Maybe the guide knows something.

Dexterity: Try to squeeze through one of the larger cracks.

Some of the cracks and cervices look large enough for you to squeeze through.

Wisdom: Inspect the drawings on the wall.

The drawings are intricate, they must mean something.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

As she looked closer into the whirlpool she noticed some gems. She quickly picked them up before they got sucked away. At this point, the sad wolf was already descending before Polaris had realized that there was an opening to go in. She quickly followed after her, being shocked from the ice cold water. It was a different experience, but it was amazing. She shook the water off of her hair, small ice crystals clinging to the ends of her fur. The icy cave was frigid and beautiful. She gazed around at the walls, noticing the intricate drawings. She also noticed that there was no obvious way out of the cave. Cracks were all throughout the walls, but she knew better than to try to squeeze through or break the ice. What if the ice cave collapsed all around them? She would not only be stuck but would probably die. She looked to the blue wolf, wondering what their next move would be. Polaris chooses Charisma She speaks

You ask the guide and she purses her lips as she surveys the room. After a moment, she moves so quickly, you can't track her. After a loud crack, she stands on the other side of a now broken sheet of ice, waiting for you to follow.

On the other side you find a bag containing an item! Can't wait to open this later.

On the other side of the ice wall, what was once a neat hallway has been utterly destroyed. Carved pillars lay broken and elaborate art shattered.

The tunnel ahead looks a little unstable, and proceeding further may be very dangerous. You know if you go on now, you may not return in the same condition you entered.

What do you do?

Strength: Charge through the tunnel.

If you're plenty quick, the tunnel won't have a chance to collapse!

Charisma: Convince your guide to lead the way.

One wrong step could lead to the tunnel failing. Perhaps the guide knows a better way.

Dexterity: Carefully tread down the hallway.

If you go slow and carefully, you can leave the tunnel undisturbed.

Wisdom: Study the cave and find the safest path.

If you look closely, you can see where the cracks and freshly broken ice are.

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, temporary disabilities, moderate loss of gems/skill points

One moment the blue borzoi was there, the next there was ice littered on the ground and she was on the other side of the ice. Polaris shook her head in surprise, not knowing when or how fast the woman had even gone. She trotted over and found a neat little bag! She picked it up so that she could open it later, not wanting to get left behind by the other. She tentatively stepped past the wall and surveyed the new area. It looked as if a whole society had lived here at once but now it was destroyed. Pillars laid on the ground and the artwork she had seen in the previous room was destroyed here. As she looked at the tunnel in front of her, she got the feeling that she would not be able to back out of her decisions. However, she trusted that this guide of hers would not bring her here to kill her. Perhaps it was to help it with something. She decided to trust her instincts and gut and continue on. If she was slow and careful, the tunnel wouldn't collapse on her... right? Polaris chooses the Dexterity path She speaks

You move slowly and carefully through the tunnel. You're cautious of the unstable roof above you, but you manage to make it through unscathed.

As you tip toe through the tunnel, you find a bag tied neatly with a ribbon - you'll have to open this later.

At the end of the collapsed tunnel, what appears to have once been an elaborate shrine at some point in time lays demolished. A part of the wall carves out and opens to an open room full of jagged ice floating in deathly waters. In the center, a large, flat expanse is frozen, and on the other side, what look like daylight shines through a small opening.

What do you do?

Strength: Break through the jagged ice to the exit.

The ice doesn't look so tough, you can probably break through the tips and clear a path.

Charisma: Convince your guide to lead the way.

The guide may know how to get through the treacherous cave.

Dexterity: Jump from jagged peak to peak towards the exit.

If you time your jumps just right, you think you'll be able to use them as stepping stones.

Wisdom: Look for the safest path to the exit.

Looking ahead, there has to be one safe path... if only you can spot it.

The woman tiptoed her way through the tunnel, watching the walls and ceiling to make sure they wouldn't crash on top of her. Her nerves were a little shocked when she reached the end of it, but in the end she had been rewarded with yet another little pouch. She was excited to see what she would end up getting when she was done with the treacherous adventure. When she finally shook her fur after exited the tunnel, she let her olive eyes exam what was now before her. She wondered what happened to this place? Almost every part that the blue wolf had brought her to was destroyed. Mayhaps the reason they were there had something to do with that. The shrine in front of her was destroyed just as the rest previously had been. There was water but huge jagged ice rocks poked through it and she knew instantly that the temperatures were freezing. If that large of ice was surviving in the water indefinitely, then she would probably die trying to swim. She examined it carefully, wondering how to get to the other side to the daylight. Polaris chooses Wisdom She speaks

You study the room for a long while until you figure out the safest path to the exit. Avoiding the frigid cold waters, you find a solid path toward the small opening on the other side of the room, grabbing another carefully bundled item along your way. You make a note to examine it later.

Before you reach the exit, the ice around you cracks and water sputters up until you are left stranded with your guide on a large, floating stage of ice. From the frozen depths, a massive, blue tinted worm bursts forth and shrieks. You understand its name immediately: Charlie. You know now that you can not leave until you defeat this menace. Your guide looks to you, ready to go on your command.

What do you do?

Strength: Fight the worm head on.

Use whatever strength you have left to charge forward and fight the worm.

Charisma: Convince the worm to let you pass.

Maybe you can reason with the worm instead of using violence to get your way.

Dexterity: Sneak around and attack the worm from behind.

You think maybe you can use the shards of ice as cover to sneak around and attack from behind.

Wisdom: Find the worm's weak point.

If you hang back and study the worm for awhile, maybe you can figure out how to best defeat it.

After studying the room, Polaris found what she seemed the safest path. She stepped carefully and found yet another neat little baggie. Hopefully it’s something good! As she and the blue wolf stepped, the ice cracked right before the entrance. She lowered her center of gravity so as not to fall off the ice into the frigid waters. Panic filled her whole being for a split second as a massive worm rose out of the water. It was blue, obviously from the water. Its name was Charlie, somehow being obvious to the woman. She has no idea what to do, it seemed like it wanted to eat them as a snack, but she didn’t know. She decided she would try to sneak around it due to her smaller size and perhaps the blue wolf would distract it so that she could attack from behind. Polaris chooses Dexterity She speaks

You crouch behind the ice shards to sneak around. You think it might be working when the ground starts rumbling viciously. A shadow blocks the light shining through the ice and it shatters, a thousand shards shotting to spear your skin. You close your eyes, bracing for the impact when everything goes dark.

You awaken out by the lake, battered and beaten and so. so cold. 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 ache, but you will heal fine; you can tell somehow by the way the fireflies buzz around you.

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've made it out alive, though not without injury. You notice a deep wound across your right brow, which will no doubt turn into a noticeable scar (about 6 inches long). Likewise you feel you've lost some knowledge along the way. Any items you've found lay beside you, and will be revealed later.

It seemed as if her sneaking was working! The worm had yet to notice the woman basically crawling from ice shard to ice shard when suddenly everything was shaking and the ice shattered. Oh shit. The only thing she knew to do was to tuck herself as small as she was and close her eyes tightly, anticipating the sharp pain that the ice shards flying towards her would cause. But everything suddenly went back and no pain that she was aware of pierced her. When she woke up next, she was by the lake she had originally followed the wolf to. She blinked, viciously aware of the pain and cold that her body was in. Was she dead? Is this what death was like? Why had she let herself do something to careless and stupid like that. As her tired eyes looked around her, she noticed the familiar form kneel beside her, taking care of her wounds. She wanted to thank the strange wolf, but somehow she couldn't speak. It was only when her eyes started to focus that she realized that this strange form was made of... were those fireflies? What was going on? Confusion enveloped her, but somewhere, deep in her mind, she knew she would be okay. Whatever that meant. She closed her eyes once again, wishing she was back on that silver island that she had decidedly called home lately. She never should have left it. But when she opened her eyes again, she was there. Hearing the water lap at the sandy shore and the birds chirping. It was the familiar smell that told her that she wasn't crazy. Her forehead hurt badly, and she knew that there was a wound there, most likely from the shards of ice. She shook her head gently, not knowing what would come next. She speaks

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...

• 75 Gems
  
• Serious Steroids
  
• Ghost Bath Bomb
  
• 50% Chance To Flee Pass
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Major temp injury - right brow