Adventure or danger? Who knew! Delphi didn't! Really, she didn't care. Okay, that's a lie. Delphi cared - a lot. And honestly, she was scared shitless lately. So many bad things kept happening to her and she couldn't quite understand why. Which means go on another adventure. Right? Right? Eh, she was probably wrong to be going off alone, but what was the risk? She was still on Heidinn lands which meant that someone would be nearby to help if she needed it... Hopefully.

Crossing the flat and cold stone, she makes her way toward the center of the steppe. Climbing over large crumbling stone and sliding across patches of ice, the tiny imp of a girl tried to enjoy herself. The sun hung low in the sky, barely peeking out through snowy thick grey clouds. A fine blanket of that icy white stuff covered not only her surroundings, but her as well. Maybe she should've worn her cloak. Dammit. Well, she was here now and ready for adventure!

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

A gust of snow blinded Delphi. When it cleared and she was able to see once more, three borzoi stood before her. All different in their own right, but only one caught her interest. While the other two were grumpy and sad looking, the one on the left was almost bouncing around with excitement. Delphi's tail wiggled behind her as her smile grew. "Oh, well hello!" Delphi called out cheerfully to the trio before beginning to approach. "What can I help you with?" She asks but they don't answer. Her brow furrows as she looks between the three who stare incessantly at her. What was this about?

"Uh okay... well, I guess you will probably help me the most. Right?" Delphi asks as she steps up to the gleeful guide.

The welcoming and charming borzoi flashes you a bright smile when you choose them. They greet you readily and turn, eager for you to follow.

The cheerful wolf prances off, turning every so often with a smile to make sure you're still following. The sun seems to shine brighter around this wolf, and after a while it becomes almost blinding. When you are finally able to focus again, you find you are in a lush meadow with a gentle breeze causing the flowers to bow to you in greeting. In the center of this meadow, there is an impossibly large pine tree. Your companion sits, motioning towards the tree enthusiastically.

What do you do?

Strength: Push on the tree

You decide to push on the tree. Maybe it will yield to your sheer power.

Charisma: Ask the guide what to do.

You turn to the guide, asking them for advice.

Dexterity: Climb up the tree.

You size up the tree, deciding to climb it.

Wisdom: Inspect the tree.

You decide to get a closer look at this tree.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

The fact that they weren't speaking was... odd. It made her suspicious and a little on edge, but Delphi followed anyway. What was there to lose? Well, actually there was a lot to lose, but hey! Hopefully, it wouldn't be the rest of her tail! Following close behind the eager guide who looked back at her every so often, Delphi could feel the excitement. She couldn't help but smile in return until the blinding light around the guide literally blinded her. Closing her eyes tightly, she waited for the moment to pass before blinking slowly. Thoroughly confused at this point as she looks around at a very lush meadow that had not a single flake of snow.

Delphi isn't given time to contemplate what is happening when she notices the really, really, really tall pine tree. Like... this thing was touching the sky. Don't ask her how that was possible. But her guide is motioning toward the tree as if they want her to do something with it. More confused than before, Delphi slowly approaches the tree. Looking up at it, she takes a moment to consider her options. Honestly, she really thought there was one option: lets climb this bitch.

Climbing a tree like this should be easy. You launch at it, hanging on to the bark when the tree seems to move. You're falling! Oh, wait, maybe not. The bark peeled away to reveal... a door? After a perplexing moment, you decide to enter the tree.

Inside, the tree somehow seems even bigger, the inside carved out to reveal multiple floors. Some are connected with large turkey mushrooms, others with vines, and some not at all. Many inhabitants seem to skitter in the shadows, but never clearly in your vision. Your guide motions to the top of the tree almost desperately. Something is there, something they want and need you to help them with.

What do you do?

Strength: Climb up the mushrooms.

The turkey mushrooms have a wide surface and a solid base, they should be easy enough to climb.

Charisma: Call out to the other inhabitants.

The others in the tree seem to know the way around. Maybe they'll share their secrets.

Dexterity: Weave your way up the vines.

With a little flexibility, you think you could maneuver your way up the vines that climb the side of the tree.

Wisdom: Look around for an easier way up.

Trees and mushrooms and asking for advice are all good and well, but there has got to be an easier way.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

Delphi's claws grip the bark. Hanging on for dear life as she tries to scramble up the base of the tree, she is soon letting out a yelp as the bark begins to peel away. Her eyes widen as she is placed softly back on the lush grass below. Stepping back as the door opens, Delphi peers in. More confused than a moment before, she watches her guide rush in with excitement. "What in the world," her quiet voice trails off as she enters the massive tree. Amazed at what is inside the tree's trunk, Delphi looks around and notices all the different things. From giant to mushrooms to jutting floors to draping vines and skittering creatures. Before she can say anything else, she notices her guide motioning erratically to the top of the tree. Delphi tries to peer up there to see what it is, but can't quite make it out.

Raising a brow, she looks back to her guide who continues to motion. "Oh, okay, alright," she says a little unsure of what to do next. Looking back to the mushrooms, her nose wrinkles. While she was small, she didn't trust the soft and plush texture of the fungus. She could try to climb the vines, but climbing the tree hadn't worked out last time. Was there an easier way? By how her guide was gesturing, she figured there wasn't. Letting out a snort, Delphi steps forward toward the shadows that she can't quite make out no matter how hard she looks at them.

"Hello? Anyone around to help? I... I kind of need to get to the top, but I'm not sure how," Delphi calls out to the other inhabitants.

You try to call out to the other inhabitants, but either they don't speak wolf or they're ignoring you.

The guide laughs and tries to cover it by coughing as they lead you to a wooden platform hanging by vines in the back of the room. They invite you on, and the small wooden platform lifts you to the top.

At the top of the tree, there is a large spider web with an even larger spider on top. It's legs titter angrily on the threads of the web. It seems agitated. In it's state, its web has fallen into disrepair and you see a family of the tree's inhabitants stuck in the webbing just behind the spider.

What do you do?

Strength: Fight the spider.

The spider has trapped that poor family! As an adversary, you must defeat her!

Charisma: Calm the spider down.

The spider's obviously bothered by something. Maybe you can calm her down.

Dexterity: Tiptoe to sneakily save the family.

If you're extra cautious, then you can save the family without ever alerting the spider.

Wisdom: Figure out what's agitating the spider.

There must be more to the story than is going on, if only you could figure out what...

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

When no response comes, Delphi visibly deflates. Well, that was a crappy choice. Frowning, her eyes move to her guide who is coughing. Laughing? She can't quite tell but brushes it off for now. Instead, Delphi's attention is drawn to the small wooden platform that her guide is motioning her toward. One brow raised in question as she approached slowly before getting on. Letting out a soft 'whoa' as the platform lifts them to the top of the tree, Delphi looks around her until her chin is tilting up and staring at the very large spiderweb and even larger spider.

Looking from the angry spider to her guide and then back, Delphi frowns. Was something wrong? Did it need help? "What do I do?" Delphi asks her guide but when she gets no response, she steps forward toward the spider. Standing at the edge of the nearly destroyed web, she looks up at the spider and the caught tree inhabitants. "You okay? Do you have a name? Is there something I can help you with?" Delphi speaks loud enough for the spider to hear before looking around. Was there something she could notice that was obviously agitating the spider? Ooooo, use that wisdom girl.

You engage with the spider, asking what is wrong. You don't know what you expected, but surely not a shrill voice calling, "The vibrations! The tremors! Food everywhere and nowhere in my web!" It seems that there is some sort of vibration causing her to become confused and attack anything that wanders too near.

While you discuss with the spider, the guide freed the family and made it back to safety. After you finish talking to her, you join the guide in a safe place.

The inhabitants tell you of something causing the tree to vibrate, which is making the spider's web give her false signals. This has become confusing for her, and the once guardian of the tree has been blindly attacking anything she finds in her web. They explain the vibration comes from underground and show you to a hatch in the floor that leads to a cave.

The cave is small and seems fairly fresh, with loamy soil still clinging to the roof and walls like a newly dug den. It is dark, but your eyes adjust and you see a series of paths you can choose to take.

What do you do?

Strength: Take the straightforward path.

Stop wasting time and just go until you find something.

Charisma: Call out to the void.

Why try to find the source of the vibration, when you can let the source of the vibration find you?

Dexterity: Squeeze through the tunnel.

The freshest tunnel should lead to the one digging it, right?

Wisdom:  Follow the vibration.

If you feel through your paws, you can distinguish where the vibrations are the strongest and follow those there.

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

"THE VIBRATIONS! THE TREMORS! FOOD EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE IN MY WEB!"

Delphi's ears fold backward slightly as the shrill voice of the spider echoes around the tree. A frown turns down the corners of her lips as she listens. "Okay sounds like you need someone to find out these tremors," she lifts a paw to tap her chin. Not that Delphi was a very good detective, but hey she could try! Turning to her guide and the inhabitants, she listens to them as they explain that the vibrations come from somewhere underground.

When they open the hatch, Delphi wanders over to peer inside. While there are many paths, she hesitates. Which one was she to choose? Glancing at her guide, and of course, getting nothing, Delphi turns back. After everything she's been through in this weird place so far, she figures maybe gathering some courage and going for it will be the best option this time. Delphi decides to take the straightforward path.

You charge forward, determined to force your way through the tunnels. Upwards, downwards, and side to side you go. On the way, you find an item bundled together in a piece of cloth, which you grab and decide to open up later. Eventually you come into an opening where something writhes in the back of a large room.

Before you writhes a large brown worm with markings resembling carved rock. This eyeless creature shrieks at you, revealing a mouth with too many sharp points. For some reason, you immediately understand it's name: David. This must be the source of the vibration! That means it must be dealt with. Your guide nods to you, ready to follow your lead.

What do you do?

Strength: Fight it head on.

You gather your strength, this is going to be a tough battle.

Charisma: Tell the worm it needs to move somewhere else.

If the critters in the tree can talk, maybe this worm can be reasoned with too.

Dexterity: Sneak behind the worm and go for a stealth kill.

The worm is enormous! Better be sneaky about it then off him.

Wisdom:  Find something else to ward away the worm.

You think back. There has to be some herbs or something that can ward off worms...

Leave.

Leave and exit the event.

Delphi snags the item by her teeth and takes off farther down the path. Soon the tunnel opens up into a large room. Her eyes widen as they land on the massive something writhing around at the back. Scrunching her brow, she takes a few steps forward to get a better look. Seconds later, a humongous wriggling brown eyeless thing starts shrieking at her. Stepping back, Delphi gasps.

"David? What are you doing here?!" Delphi exclaims loudly, very unsure as to why or how she knew the monster's name. When she turns to look back at the guide, she is only made more uncertain. The gesturing for her to deal with the monster makes her heart drum in her chest. "But does he have to die?" Delphi frowns as she looks back at the fearsome monster. As much as she wants to save him, she knows that he'll probably be better off dead... right?

Dipping off to the side of the wall, Delphi presses herself against it and tries to sneak behind the worm and go for a stealth kill.

You sneak around the worm, being as slow and silent as you can be. The guide helps by shuffling slightly and drawing the worm's attention. When you are in position, you launch and take out the worm with a single clean attack. Quite a feat for such a young pup!

You return to the surface and notify the tree's residents, they cheer your praises and patch you up. They adorn you with a flower cape the spider wove for you, asking you to stay for a while. They throw a feast in your honor, and as the sun dips low, you feel it is time to leave.

As you leave the celebration, your guide follows. It is their time to leave as well. They nod and bid you farewell, walking away with a hum until you blink and they are gone, only a few fireflies buzzing lazily where the guide once was.

You receive the following rewards for successfully completing this adventure:
- Open character pass (for defeating David)
- 1 item reward from stage 4 (to 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...

• Extra Pup Pass
  
• Extra Breeding Pass
  
• Dire wolf character pass
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Nothin'!