Hallucination Caves and the surrounding lands of Lazuli Falls, Cattail Creek and Grapevine Cathedral are all affected by a magical autumn, additionally, each land seems to have manifested hallucinogenic gasses, bright colors and if you look up at the roof of the cave you can see a sky full of stars. Under that stary roof you find a statue:

A gleaming marble statue rises lavishly from the ground atop a glass stage. Surrounded by fruits, mushrooms, and crystals in various shapes, this statue is wreathed in indulgence. Its three eyes glimmer sightlessly in a multitude of holographic colors. The ears, long and pointed, trail behind the crown like two sharp whips. No matter what the angle of viewing, something about this statue seems not quite right. Maybe there's an extra paw? Is the snout too long? It's not certain, but something is up with this statue.

The butterflies that once fluttered lazily about seem to be more frantic now, they move in patterns you can't seem to decipher. It seems... Almost like a warning? What was it the other familiars have been saying? Something has changed since the feast? It certainly feels like the air is more oppressive here than before and you get a creeping feeling something other than the butterflies is watching you very closely. Probably a good idea to make sure you pick your offering with care.

---

Make an IC post in this thread of your character making an offering on the altar before the statue found in the Hallucination Caves. Each character may only make a single offering. Each player may only participate in 8 total events this week. Note: For the purpose of not making people read and memorize every single post, you can assume the familiars are actively shuffling things around to make more room, and it’s totally fine to say that you put down flowers on the same area where someone else just put a pelt.

Deadline for offering: October 30th 9PM PST

All submissions must be posted by the deadline with no exceptions

Night terrors he had long thought been solved had returned. Vivid, but also fuzzy at the same time, images of mushrooms and crystals fill the land and all of his orifices. Whispering voices pulled at his ears as he rumbled under his breath that he wanted to be left alone. He found himself waking to his own screams that could rattle the bones of the dead. Why could he not escape the torture of the Long Night? Leading up to the festival, things had been different. It was as if pockets of land had changed to Autumn before Summer was even ready to be over. Thankful that the days still cycled as they should, Gil couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. Even as he took his family to the festival that beckoned them to the Stone Steppes, he wasn't able to fully enjoy the festivities. Nothing he did would shake the feeling of his guts twisting over and over and over again. As the festival faded to a good conclusion, no blood had seemed to be drawn, Gil heard once more a whispering call for him to follow. He tried to ignore the pools of blood in the new pockets of Autumn throughout Boreas. Telling himself that he was simply imagining the phenomena, he stopped by his family's den before continuing to follow the call of a specific statue's altar. The mottled man would travel alone, leaving behind his family in case anything bad would happen. Unlike some, Gil was always ready to accept the utmost worst fates. While he drew nearer to the western side of Auster, the magical pockets of autumn appeared to shift with wild colors and a sweet-smelling gas. His goat-like eyes felt as if they went cross-eyed the more he ventured closer to the caves. Compelled to reach his final destination, he would snarl, snap, and attempt to ignore the occurring hallucinations that appeared around him. Whispy creatures hummed lullabies while fading ghostly figures danced in the shadows. Maybe he was imagining things or maybe they were real... Finally approaching the caves that twinkled with the appearance of a night sky, he halted at the entrance. Why would this place be calling to him? Even as he peered in toward the mysterious statue, his heart skipped a beat. Something about it was familiar. The way the cave was cloaked in darkness while stars shimmered upon the ceiling. How the three-eyed marble creature stared relentlessly at him as if it knew what he had brought to offer. Willing himself to push through the uneasy feeling that consumed him, he approached the statue's altar with butterflies fanning the air around his body. Ignoring the frantic movement of the bugs and the ominous feeling that he was being watched, Gil pulled a vial from his borrowed satchel that held a single firefly within. How the firefly was still alive after all this time, he had no explanation, but it felt right to offer it to the statue. Placing it as gently as he could upon the altar, he lifted his yellow eyes one final time to the peering statue before backing away slowly. Removing himself from the cave as the hallucinations started to feel more than real, he tried to forget about how familiar the statue felt. ”Speech” ’Thought’

ooc. proof of gil's firefly's favor

NPC:

The patchwork man held aloft a bottle with a firefly in it. The statue knew this firefly well, and one of the familiars took the bottle and popped it open, freeing the bug within. The glowing friend bumbled towards the clear glass base of the statue, phasing into it as easily as it flew through air. Once inside the pedestal, the firefly flew around, his light brightening and illuminating the statue from beneath.

As you turn to go, an item catches your eye, and you can swear you hear a voice saying, "Take it, it's yours."

You have received:

Grow Potion

Staff: note when claimed

Something Strange Happens...

As you sleep that night, you see visions of yourself teaching your pups how to hone their abilities. You see them working hard and becoming successful, and you learn more by teaching them.

You gain 90 skill points of your choice.

Staff: note when claimed

A few days later, Avantika returned to the statue, carrying a clay pot she'd made, full of brightly-colored wildflowers. She just wanted to see how the fireflies had arranged her gifts, she told herself, but even she knew that that wasn't the whole truth. It was part of it, sure, but not all. But she couldn't think about that without feeling like a complete fool, and a reckless one at that -- something she had never thought of herself as before. The Long Night had not been so long ago that she should have any trust for magic. And this was definitely magic! It was strange and unfamiliar and oddly unnatural. But, a sliver of thought whispered, the Long Night never hurt you. It hurt Audra, but Audra was a fraud, a thief of her heart, a bad, bad person. It scared her, but what didn't? She had never been actually harmed by the magic.

Maybe she was wrong to be so afraid.

The scent was stronger now than it had been. As Avantika kept moving towards the caves where she'd found the statue before, her head began to ache suddenly. She pinned back her ears as a shrill whine suddenly shrieked through the silent air. It sounded like a wolf, but also somehow not. She couldn't go check it out. Shadows flashed in the corners of her vision as her pace increased from a comfortable lope to an all-out sprint.

Finally, she made it into the cave and met the gaze of the statue. She was still breathing heavily. The fireflies whirled about her, quicker and more erratic than before. Something was here. Something new. And just like that, Avantika was afraid again. She left her pot and bowed silently, then left. She was going home.

"Speech"

NPC:

The timid woman offers her gift quickly and turns to leave. It is a crafted pot with wildflowers. The fireflies take their time looking through each colorful bloom before letting the butterflies have their own turn.

As you scurry home, you see an object lying in your path, a butterfly relaxing atop it, and know somehow that it is meant for you.

You have received:

Shrink Potion

Staff: note when claimed

What really surprised Usagi was that not only did he willingly march down to this whispy, psychedelic cave and offer an object to an equally bewildering statue..he was going to do it again.

The hohei was not with Kunai this time, though he wished he was. As he picked his way down the maw of the cave, recalling the unnaturally vivid polychrome of hues, the smoky whisps of fog and the twinkling of stars on the ceiling, he had to admit he'd never felt so unsettled. Nothing really phased the man - crashing onto Boreas' shores with his brother hadn't scared him. Being with his only kin on a land they knew nothing about hadn't scared him, either. Finally tracking down and confronting their absent father, trying to forgive him and facing his repressed emotions? Uncomfortable at best, but it wasn't..this. As the fog revealed the shimmering mammoth of a statue, its additional features casting themselves upon him, as if seeing through him, Usagi grasped his new, carefully planned offering in his maw, seeing others come and go with their own items. The butterflies that used to lazily flap around the altar's twisted features were a bit more energetic..or frantic.

Swallowing back the unease that rose in his throat, the stone-faced hohei approached the altar with his gift. It was a cup of the most beautiful shine, from his own precious tea set. He had crafted the set himself, collecting the clay in the bamboo maze's soft earth and forming it himself (not that he'd openly admit to his boyfriend or brother that he did enjoy claymaking). He'd meticulously taken the time to harden it in the sun, wash it gently in the shores of the bay, and stain it a soft umber shade with lighter striping from handmade dye, one made of various nuts and charcoal. It was his own craft, the best he'd ever made. And he was offering it to the altar. Usagi made his way over, trying not to think about the statue's sharp gaze settling upon him, and set the teacup down at its base. Eyeing the familiars fluttering about, he whisked away his unease with a respectful bow, then turning around and tracking the scents of wolves before him to make his way through the whispy fog, and back outside.

"Kunai Speech." & "Usagi Speech."

NPC:

The red-topped man approached, leaving a beautiful cup as offering. Oh how it shined in the light of the fireflies! If only it had been full of tea! Luckily, the butterflies remedied that quickly, although where they got a hot kettle of tea, or how they carried it, and poured it still steaming into the cup was a mystery. You swear you can see the statue's eyes glint as the cup is raised to the pedestal.

"Next time, let's sit and sip together," you think you hear in the back of your mind.

In the fog, you make out an object, a firefly flashing as if to bring your attention to it.

You have received:

Potion of Perception

Staff: note when claimed

Did Gods give worship to other Gods? Deus assumed that as far as the Abraxas family went, no, they did not. From what he had been taught of his family and his religion, it was the other Gods that were the problem. The ones who had kicked Abraxas out of heaven and forced him and his family to walk among mortals. The ones who had stolen their rightful throne. All this was reason to let this farce of a 'festival' pass by without the validation of his attention, but still Deus felt drawn toward the statues in a way he could not explain. The Long Night had shown to him a God, one who had blessed his own companion as well as himself. Deus had always considered it to be a mere messenger of Abraxas and not a standalone deity like these statues came off to be; but was he certain enough of that to bring their ire by ignoring them? If they were servants of Abraxas, Deus would not hesitate to offer them worship as they were rightly due. In the end he arrived to the statue still hesitant, but open to the possibility. This one resembled the most (in his opinion) the cloaked figure who had given to him his quills in the year prior. Deus was careful with his offering, not wanting to risk giving anything that might be looked down upon by his God if whoever this altar represented truly was unaffiliated. Deus called his dog over to him - the one with glowing eyes, touched by Abraxas's messenger himself - and held out his paw. The malinois did not hesitate to sink her fangs into the pawpad, drawing blood that Deus then allowed to drop onto the altar itself. "I have the blood of a God too." He stated simply, proud. "A blood more valuable than any mere mortal's could ever be. I do not give it freely, but to another worthy being I will make an exception." With his offering complete, Deus began his retreat. Dipping his head briefly and heading back out the caves, senses alert for a whisper of a sign that what he had done was right. "Speech"

NPC:

The earthen man approaches, talking senselessly about how important he is. He is sincere, but his words and actions lack real substance. Worse, he spills blood at the altar, its murky redness dulling the beauty of the scene. God or no, blood is blood.

"Haughty," the statue says, and as you turn you see it in full motion as if it had been alive the entire time. "A god can offer better. A god can do better. If you are so valuable, but have done nothing of value, then what makes you so worthy?" Its maw doesn't move, but its eyes twinkle along with the words, and somehow you know it is speaking to you.

Its third eye opens wide, and you find yourself frozen in its gaze. The eye bores into your being, shimmering with a hundred colors which you can never hope to name. Its lips raise and thousands of razor thin gems fill its maw. Its tongue lolls out, long and looping, nearly touching the ground as the being walks slowly, purposefully towards you.

"Better to be a shining mortal than a useless God," it says, and you feel your wound throb and burn. Risking a glance down, the blood runs thick and dark, reflecting the rainbow in its darkness as it sizzles up your leg rather than down. No matter the pain, you can not move, can not cry out. Burning fur and flesh overwhelm your senses until the oil-slick blood pools and drips upwards from your shoulder into the sky. The statue's jaw unhinges and it roars loud enough to shake the cavern, "Become mortal!" Its stage cracks and shatters, along with your gemstone quills which implode into a thousand pieces outwards.

In that moment of pain, you're forced to blink, and all returns to normal- all except for your arm which now bears a stream of the darkest black fur wherever the dark blood touched and your quills, which lay shattered on the floor around you.

You have received:

Large black fur marking on your leg (not specified- player's choice) from your paw to your shoulder.

Something Strange Happens:
You see yourself shaken by this god... and begin to doubt, at least for a while, losing some of your skill points.

You have received lost:

Defensive Quills for 3 IC Seasons

20 Hunting skill points (Already taken out)

Corbin made his way to hallucination caves with mom.  She had helped him make his present and he was sure proud of it.  The small pup had only recently been allowed out of the cave den they’d grown up in until now and it had been a wild little life so far.  The boy had his fill of rock candy sugar rushes and hallucinations from all the gases.  For a child who already had a wild imagination, it added on a whole other level of brightness to his life.  Corbin wanted to share the fun he was having with this statue which was apparently the reason for it.

Living at the falls there were plenty of rocks to decorate with and he’d spent a good portion of a day finding all the ‘best’ rocks in the child's mind.  There was plenty of quartz and he was sure to choose pieces that were almost all of the shiny portion, none of the regular rock’sh look to it.  He also found smooth black stones.  

The boy showed off his prized gift to the statue and familiars.  It consisted of a small clay pot that had been decorated with bright blue and yellow die.  Using his paws the boy had tried to make flower-like images with the dyes.  Large thin black river rocks were stuck to the fat edges of the clay pot and used like support beams.  Cuts had been carefully made in the top edges to support a large piece of quartz, with smaller quartz rocks on top of it.  Inside the pot a small fire burned.  The fire brightened up the quartz and caused various colors to bounce off it into the cave.  The colors shifted about as the flames lit up different parts of the quartz.

“I hear you are the reason I get to see fun things.  My sheep was dancing once and it wasn’t even there! I love it.  I thought you might like this too.  It’s fun, right?  I worked really hard on it for you to say thanks!” The boy offered the item with the innocent joy so often reserved for the naïve young.  The clay pot had a handle made into it so that one could lift it with, with the fire lit Corbin was extra careful as he placed it before the statue.  “Please don’t ever leave!”

"Corbin"

NPC:

The small pup, full of hope and wonder comes forth with an offering of a crystal lamp, which casts colors and lights onto the cave walls. It is lovely, really, as is the profession the pup makes about his sheep. He asks her to never leave. The god is not so fond of pleas and begging, but it is a pup, after all.

As the light shines around, it lands on an object you're sure is meant for you.

You have received:

Clothes Hanger

Staff: note when claimed

Something Strange Happens:

You sleep soundly that night, dreaming of playing with the cool statue. She teaches you how to do things, and says as long as you remember how to do those things, she'll never really leave.

You gain 76 skill points of your choice.

Staff: note when claimed
Claimed for Thorn [Fighting] on 1/6/23

Chips had been the one to let her know something funny was going on, after all, it wasn't like her to wander too far from Tojo unless she absolutely had to. But as a mother, didn't she owe it to her children and her pack to keep an ear to the ground? Otis's fingers had kept worrying at the spiny fur around her neck, trying to pull on her ears to dissuade her from going forward. She eventually let the opossum down and sent him back to Tojo to keep an eye on Fuji. There was no doubt her daughter would want to check it out if she happened to catch wind of it.

Before he left, she fished the brew from his satchel and carried it carefully between her jaws. It was sealed in one of the clay canisters they had crafted together. Sealed inside an infusion of berries, violet and thistle, and more... recreational ingredients. If anyone cracked it open, she was sure they would have a very enlightening experience. They might even come face to face with whatever gods were drawing closer to this plane.

She remembered the way the fireflies harassed her last year, but she wasn't one to hold grudges... much. She even managed a small grin around her jar as she quietly approached, heeding the frantic movements of the butterflies. All well and good to make her offering, but she ought not to waste anyone's time by lingering when there was important work to be done yet.

Taking a moment to pay her silent respects, she stepped back twice before moving to take her leave of the cave. Thinking they really should get together and bring something of more substance... not that that little concoction wouldn't knock a grown wolf on their ass, but when you were dealing with gods, it was always better to be safe than sorry.

“Speech”

home is where you are loved the most and act the worst

NPC:

The wine-colored woman proffered a juice blend. Oh! What a shame it wasn't a nice warm tea! Still, the butterflies poured it into a cup and offered it to the statue. You could swear you saw a proboscis come down from the statue's maw like a weirdly shaped tongue to take a sip. You blink, and the statue is still once more.

As you take your leave, a butterfly guides your attention to an object. "For you," a voice says in your head.

You have received:

Xtra Shrink Potion

Staff: note when claimed

It was a long walk from their corner of Auster to these caves in the opposite end of Auster, but he had a strong desire to get away from Elysium for a few days at least and with the slip up he had with Ikigai he felt like he owed her something as an apology. He wasn't sure what that something was just yet, but he was certainly on the look out for it. In the meantime, he took his mate for a bit of a trip, packing a few gifts and supplies so that they could go see this mysterious alter that the others had been whispering about. Apparently there were several from what he had heard, but he didn't exactly want to take Ikigai to the one surrounded by pools of blood or the one that seemed all about war and violence. That didn't really seem like something his poised princess would want to see. Instead they made a trek down to Auster, finding this statue that looked mystical and lavish.

The haze in the air gave everything an odd feeling and when he looked up toward the ceiling it was as if they had suddenly stepped into a cloudless, star-filled night. He made a soft hum at Ikigai's side, keeping her close as they approached the statue together. The feeling he got from this place made him nervous and it made him edge closer to Ikigai, keeping her close protectively just on the off chance that the tension he felt from the statue's attendants turned into something more violent.

He placed a basket of items on the base of the statue that he had gathered from the pack before they left that contained a snow leopard pelt that lined the basket, a white candle that was was swirled with violet inks, a bottle of sweet wine, and several geodes that had been broken open to reveal glittering, sparking amethysts within. The basket itself was made out of woven branches, but between the branches was strands of purple ribbon woven between them. He took out a flint and steel to light the candle, the soft glow of the flame making the amethysts shine even more with purple, glittering light. With his offering presented to the statue and its attendants, he took a small step back, waiting for Ikigai to give her gift before he walked away with her in tow.

Using this date night kit as his statue offering

"Deimos Medacium"

NPC:

The large man gifts a kit of this and that. What good does a statue have with a date? The man did not even stay for said date, instead walking away with his lover in tow. The kit would have been better used with his wife, but it is not unpleasant overall.

As you leave, you find an item beneath your paw. Convenient.

You have received:

Small Unfleshed Thought

Staff: note when claimed

Things had been tense, awkward. Ikigai threw herself into her work, trying to spend as much time out of Deimos' presence as possible. She couldn't avoid him forever though. When he approached and asked her to take a trip to an alter for the gods, the woman had been a little confused and more than a little anxious. She hadn't been aware that he believed in gods. However, she did. Hearing that messengers had been contacting the mortal realm intrigued the pale fae and so, she eventually agreed to accompany Deimos.

They left Elysium, just the two of them, both bearing packs with the gifts that they planned to offer. She didn't know what Deimos would offer, but she'd put quite a bit of thought into her own offering. It needed to be something that was important to her. Or something that had been important to her. Aside from that, she would give a traditional offering to the spirits.

Approaching the statue, Ikigai looked upon it, marveling at the intricacy of the sculpture. Deimos went about making his offering first and while he did so, Ikigai shrugged out of the pack that had been settled across her shoulders. Seating herself on her haunches, the woman rubbed the pads of her dexterous paws together and whispered a soft prayer in her father's tongue. She prayed that the spirit before her would receive belief from many worshippers. Then she went about making her offering.

Opening the pack, Ikigai removed a golden dish which she filled with rich goats milk. She also placed a small loaf of hearty bread next to it. Beside this, she placed a smaller dish which was filled with sand from Ashen's pale beaches. Into this sand she placed a stick of sweet smelling incense which she lit. A traditional offering. The real offering came after.

Out of the pack, Ikigai pulled a silken kimono of the highest quality. A rich purple covered in pale lavender flowers. She folded the garment and lay it beside the statue. On top of the kimono she placed a silver headdress encrusted with amethysts and diamonds. Two of the lavish and priceless items that she owned. A piece of her past offered to the gods. Once the offerings were laid out, Ikigai stepped back, rubbed her paws together once more, whispered another soft prayer, then backed away from the statue with her eyes downcast.

"Iki"

NPC:

The ink-blotched woman offers food and incense, prayers and some lavish goods from her past. They are quite pretty, and it is appreciated. She gives another prayer and steps back. "Next time, stay a while and enjoy the offerings with me," a voice says, if only because it is sad to enjoy good food alone.

As you leave, you feel your pack shift, and later find an item inside.

You have received:

Xtra Shrink Potion

Used for Prezzies for players 2022 - nyx

Kuroki huffed as he shrugged the weight off his back, allowed the slab to rest against the alter as he carefully removed its protective coverings. Though the desert was silent and barren he'd gotten pretty good at digging up treasures of all kinds, fancied himself a bit of a seeker and a good one too with the haul he'd managed to bring this way. The way he saw it, those tombs and ruins out in the dunes had no use for the stuff left behind, so why not borrow it and put it to a better use? He figured if he was looking for mysticy stuff then this was as a good as he was gonna find. It had fallen from a tomb's ceiling, a part of a night sky scene with jewels for stars and galaxies. Fit in perfectly with the purply-blue vibe this place had, if you asked him. "Ethyria sends its most humble regards." He told the flitting butterflies, tempted to hang around to see if they would even attempt to move such a heavy gift.

NPC:

The horned wolf offers a painting of some sort. It is beautiful, the god only wishes they got to know the one who made it. He mentions regards from something or somewhere the god doesn't care to remember, but they are pleased nonetheless.

The butterflies do, in fact, lift the painting to hang, and they do so with surprising ease. Rather than actually hanging the painting, however, they just hover, holding it tirelessly near the statue.

As you leave, an object rolls out in front of you and a butterfly lands atop it for a moment before flying away. Guess you ought to take it...

You have received:

Large companion

Staff: note when claimed

He had returned, only the atmosphere in the caves had changed since the last time he had been here. The inky black pup made his way into the caverns once again, following the footpath he had taken the first time, though the effects of the cave were already taking effect. The first time he'd been here, he had offered the statue a crown of purple flowers he had found and harvested and crafted himself. The familiars had placed it on the statue's wrist, which was fine by him, he was just glad that the statue had a use for it. In the few days since his previous visit, he had stuck nearby and set to work making yet another piece of jewelry. Be it for himself or the deity...but it seemed the deity would win his favor. This particular statue drew him in as nothing else had. Apart from his fascination with morbid things, of course. He appreciated the strangeness of the statue. The base of the statue glittered and the array of mushrooms, crystals, and fruits that surrounded it had given him an idea from the last time he saw it. The air in the cavern felt...comforting to him. Despite the feeling, it should've made him feel, but all things considered, he was a weird kid. This didn't put him off in the slightest. The shadow-striped boy approached, this time with an offering of a band woven from the tendrils of nature. Gems he had found in the uninhabited parts of Auster were set into the band, carefully polished and gleaming, much like the statue's own crystals. A band of amethyst stone...it was fitted in a way that the familiars could fit it around a wrist, the tail, perhaps an ear if they preferred. Potentially even a necklace, though it would likely be a tight fit there. "I made this for you. You fascinate me." He said quietly, gazing up at the statue as he placed his offering at its base. "Phantom"

NPC:

The shadow-colored wolf lays out an array of gems strung together into a band. The pup mentions that the statue fascinates him, and in the back of his head, he hears a faint echo.

"Thank you. You fascinate me as well."

Fireflies lift the band and place it around one of the statue's ears. They come back with an item and place it at Phantom's paws. "For you," they seem to say.

You have received:

Shrink Potion

Staff: Used in Prezzies for Players 2022 - nyx

There had been a feast prepared for those of the mortal realm before the familiars mentioned further offerings and worship to be had at the altars. Bellamy could only guess from her initial offering that what she had brought was suitable for an offering. It was kept on the statue at least unlike some of the other offerings that were brought along. This time Bellamy brought more feathers, this time crafted into an accessory set: Bracelets and a necklace. The feathers were a mixture of ones from her mate and wild birds. It was something the woman had been working on while in the cave when the pups were sleeping… but… well, what could it hurt to offer it up the altar? Coming back here with some of her children and Gavroche the femme waited for her turn before bringing the offerings up to the altar. She then dipped her head to the statue. “You didn’t seem to mind feathers last time, so I thought I’d make them easier to stay put in accessories for you.” She moved to put the bracelets on the statue first and then the necklace before backing off, moving to wait for her family before she’d leave. "Speech" 'Thought.'

NPC:

The woman returns with more feathers. The god remembers her well. This time there are feathers made into accessories. There are many, and the wolf is bold enough to put them on the statue. From the corner of your eye, you think you see the statue wink at you.

Later you find an item in your path and remember the winking statue.

You have received:

Cosmetic mutation (non offensive / defensive)

Staff: note when claimed

This time Gavroche had followed Bellamy and their children to the Hallucination Caves Altar. He had picked his gift with care though he had no idea how the god of the familiars would react. In his maw, he carefully carried a mushroom, a rare one at that. It was a fly agaric mushroom, a mushroom known to cause trance states and relax the one that partook in it. The tiny man had heard they could also cause hallucinations and, given where the altar was it made sense to the man to bring such an offering. Not to mention the statue even had mushrooms on it. Following after his beloved mate, Gavroche stepped forward and set the mushroom down with care. “I bring this gift to honor you.” Gavroche rumbled. “It is said to produce effects similar to the gases of this very cave. May it be to your liking.” The winged man moved off after that, glancing back at the statue in hopes that he had offered something decent to the god. "Speech" 'Thought.'

NPC:

The winged male brings a mushroom- she has received so many mushrooms in her time, not that there's any real complaint, she loves them- and explains its use. The god knows this mushroom, and knows its worth. "Next time," you hear in the back of your head, "Take the mushroom for yourself, then come talk to me."

Later, you find an item by your paws and know it is for you.

You have received:

Xtra Shrink Potion

Staff: Used on Gavroche to 15"

Something Strange Happens:

That night, as you sleep, you dream you and the statue take many mushrooms together and see worlds not yet created. You see time as a tangible object, and your grasp it in your maw. Together, there are eons spread out, and you learn much from it.

You gain 68 skill points of your choice.

Staff: note when claimed - Used on Healing

Alexander pads after his parents quietly, carrying a gift he had made with his father for the altar. It is an accessory piece, something that he hoped would compliment his mother’s own gift. It was a flower crown made of marigolds - the colors were pretty, reminding him of the magical autumn that had settled in their homeland and the areas around it. He was carrying the crown with care, waiting for his mother, and then his father to offer up their gift. Then the pup moved forward, rearing up on his hind legs to reach the altar and place the crown up on it. “Sorry I can’t your head to put your crown there! I hope you like it!” Then he dropped down, scampering over to where his parents were waiting so he’d be out of the way of others trying to do their offerings.

"Family"

NPC:

The pup brings a crown to match the accessories she had already received. It was pretty, made of flowers. He couldn't put it on the God, but that's what fireflies were for. They lift it up and balance it on the altar's head.

Later, you find an item with a marigold resting atop it. A gift for you, you think.

You have received:

Opaque Sack of Gems

Rolled 747 Gems, added to Credits 11/27/22 - nyx

Something Strange Happens:

When you sleep, you dream you and the statue make flower crowns together. When you wake up, you feel like you know a new pattern to try.

You gain 5 skill points of your choice.

Staff: note when claimed - Used on Hunting

Skorgek pokes her head up from the side having returned. She had thought about the gift to give her ears perked as she came up with something. She would run from the cave her eyes darting back and forth as she remembered seeing something on the way. A nip here and a scratch there. The unusual produce had caught her attention. However, she found a particularly overgrown pumpkin. Her tails swaying as she began the trek dragging the pumpkin across the old soil. She was careful not to damage the large vegetable.

The pumpkin wasn't bad and in fact was quite ripe and ready for picking. However the pumpkin much like the statue seemed to be misshapen and off. However, this wasn't a bad thing. The pumpkin perfectly healthy and edible would be left at the base of the altar. Although this time instead of running back to the shadows she stood behind the pumpkin which seemed to tower over her. It was quite the sight as no matter how you looked the pumpkin was off just like the statue. She stood in place awaiting what happened next. Her ears lowered as she felt the real danger behind the situation.

NPC:

The small wolf brings a misshapen pumpkin. It's an odd thing, but not a bad thing. More impressively, however, the wolf finds courage to stand near its offering rather than slinking to the shadows. You think for a moment, the statue looks at you, eyes softening.

Later, you find a hollowed out pumpkin with an item in it.

You have received:

Opaque Sack of Gems

Staff: Transferred to Beau, rolled 115 Gems, added to Credits

Kitsune approached this like a diplomatic puzzle. These companions and statues were something to be respected, and treated very carefully. She was only a pup the last time strange events like these had come around. Now, she was grown and didn’t jump at shadows quite so easily. She was armed with a little more experience, and what she hoped would be the right tools for the job.

She remembered… the unfortunate occurrences of the long night and cringed as she remembered the issues with her stomach and the unmentionable events that had followed. She was determined not to make any mistakes this time around. No eating strange substances, no pissing off strange gods. With that in mind, she had taken out a treasure that she had received from the firefly man. A gift, from one god to another. It was her prized possession, and one she had been too afraid of wasting to ever use. What better time than now?

She lifted the jar carefully when she arrived at the statue, looking at the strange illusionary stone and taking a soft breath before approaching. She knelt before the strange purple base and placed the jar carefully there. “This was gifted to me by a creature as strange and wonderful as you. I hope it brings you luck in a time you need it” she said politely, before stepping back

Kitsune is Gifting: Firefly’s favour

"Speech"

NPC:

This horned wolf gives the statue another firefly. She likes that. Much like the first firefly, which still bumbles within the glass stage, this firefly is freed and phases into the glass. The two dance, their light brightening and causing beautiful flickering all among the cave.

"He is, in fact, a strange and wonderful creature," the statue says into your mind.

As you step back, your foot hits an object.

"Take it, it's for you."

You have received:

Grow Potion

Staff: note when claimed

Something Strange Happens:

That night, you dream of the cloaked firefly man and the statue. They're discussing something, but you cant hear what. Regardless, you feel like you were privy to something other wolves might not have seen.

You gain 67 skill points of your choice.

Staff: note when claimed

Faith really didn't know what she was doing anymore, she was so lost and not even the visions she received seemed to be able to help. Still she could feel something drawing her to Auster, drawing her somewhere and desperate for anything to help guide her the woman allowed herself to be pulled forward, trusting in the only power in her life she knew she could trust. As the woman pushed her way into the cave she felt like there was a pressure settling over her, the lights above her, so closely resembling stars, felt like they were staring down at her. It seemed much of her family, or former family, had been here and Faith did her best to stay out of their ways, though she towered over many wolves and her pulsing glow no doubt drew attention to her. The woman waited until her cousins were gone before she stepped forward, dual-toned eyes seeming to stick to the statue.

Was it sacrilege to offer to a diety she did not believe in? Was she drawn here to try and tear down this false idol? No there was no feeling of anger in the draw, rather it felt... Like there was something alike between them. The whispers in her ears told her they were companions, alike in many ways and she considered carefully her options. Faith took her time to carefully draw out her personal sigil in the dusting of dirt on the floor and then offered an item she'd been holding onto since the long night. Fate, she knew it meant fate, the desire to seek it out and to change it. Placing her gift on her own sigil, the symbol of her power of prophecy. She looked up at the statue again then and hoped she wasn't terribly misjudging, maybe she was betraying everything about herself with this, and maybe Abraxas was testing her through this statue. Swallowing her fear the woman stepped away and quickly made for the surface.

Faith is offering her Firefly's Favor (Locked to Faith)

"Faith"

Image by muryoko

NPC:

The third wolf offers a bottled firefly, and it follow the same pattern as the others. There are three now flying around inside the solid glass stage as if it were thin air. Their accumulated light casts shadows in all directions.

You make your way to the surface and see your sigil carved into the ground. It pulsates with a blue light and your teeth feel warm, throbbing in tandem with the light. The next day, you realize your teeth have grown larger and sharper.

You have received:

Battle mutation (Gemstone Fangs)

Staff: note when claimed

Something Strange Happens:

You dream that night of carving sigils with your siblings. You notice the statue among them, carving a sigil that changes every time you look at it. It's impossibly intricate and you feel like if you could just focus harder, you could make sense of the lines.

Unfortunately, you wake up before you're able to read it.

You gain 56 experience points.

Staff: note when claimed

The nearly-a-yearling had crafted the dice carefully from scrap bone.  They weren't quite perfectly weighted, no.  He'd kept track of the side that came face up most often, and ensured that was the side he carefully inked with six little black dots.  A pair of dice that were a little more likely to be lucky than not, there was no harm in that.  They were a gift, anyway.  He'd bring them to the same altar that he'd decorated earlier, the one that now wore his wreath.  Tate couldn't help but be proud of that, after all.  As neatly as the child could, with his clumsy paws, he made a little pouch with a long cord.  It was dyed leather, a rich purple that he'd been able to come up with, mixing indigo with some of the red berries that grew around the Bay.  It had come out nicely, and Tate was pleased with his work.  

Softly, the young boy looked up to the statue.  It was a long moment, a curious one.  Incredibly curious, though he doesn't have the words to ask any of the questions that float around in his head.  Tate slipped the pouch off his own neck and wound the cord carefully before setting it at the feet of the altar.  A little purple pouch with two lucky dice, it seemed like a good offering, at least in Potato's young mind.  

"Potato"

NPC:

This wolf pup brought dice, but they were bone dice and that made them so much less pretty. It was a shame, but it was a pup and the gesture was nice. They were taken by fireflies and rolled a few times. They rolled high often, which may be nice, but it did lower the random factor, made the roll less... sharp and exciting in its uncertainty.

Really, a nice gift ruined by a few flaws. Still, the pup tried.

You think you hear the statue sigh as the dice are placed back into the pouch. Later, you find an item with one perfectly weighted die beside it and you know instantly it's yours.

You have received:

A perfectly weighted die made of clear quartz.

63 Gemstones

Added to gem credits.

Usagi had mentioned returning to the Hallucination Caves to give the offering of a tea cup. Or was it a full set? He couldn't remember. He was nervous about his offering, unsure if it was worthy enough for the altar. Since Usagi went without him, Kunai figured he'd do the same. Doubting the smaller koi wanted to visit the eerie cave again anyway, Kunai swallowed the minor fear he had and strode inside, looking around at the gasses above near the ceiling as he slowly walked towards the altar.

Having remembered the altars familiars were butterflies, Kunai had done his best to find flowers that matched the colors of the altar but also attracted butterflies. Wasn't too hard with the lands around Toko-Kai retaining the warmth of Summer while the lands surrounding the altar had fast-forwarded into Fall. He did his best to uproot the plant entirely, making sure to preserve the roots for transplanting. He wasn't a gardener by any means, nor was he a florist, but what he made had taken time and thought and effort just as Usagi had. He planted the flower in an old bucket he found and now carried by the handle.

Setting the bucketed flower plant down at the front of the altar, he took a step back and studied the statue. "I hope you and your friends like this plant, with flowers that match your pedestal and attracted the butterflies of the area they were harvested in," Kunai spoke, standing still for a moment longer before taking his leave.

"Speech!"

Code © Skelle 2022

NPC:

The split colored wolf offered flowers. Flowers were pretty, but that was usually it. However, this wolf gave these flowers a purpose- attract butterflies. The plant was alive still, could grow still. It was nicer than regular flowers, but what was up with the bucket? The old bucket was dingy and used and took away any beauty the flowers once had. These wolves had been sabotaging their own well-thought out gifts...

Later, you find the same bucket with an item inside, a film of fresh soil still clinging to the sides.

You have received:

Small Unfleshed Thought

Staff: note when claimed

His last offering to this statue had seemed quite bland compared to some of the decorations offered up by other wolves. Sota wasn't really a spiritual wolf, nor a superstitious one, but it seemed like most wolves were taking these statues and what they offered them quite seriously - so maybe he should too. Thinking long and hard about what he could bring, after getting some advice and help from a fellow packmate, Bowen - and loads of help from his lemur companion Kaito too - he'd managed to whip up something he hoped would at least please the familiars that tended to the statues.  They were hard at work yet again, and he decided they deserved a little treat even if the altar didn't appreciate it. What it was... well, he wasn't so sure. The base was a mashed paste of grains and it was topped with a mess of berries and herbs, all complimenting one another, and cooked over a fire to make something that was not recognizable as much but was very delicious anyway. He'd tried some himself. Looking quite pleased with himself as he approached the altar, he laid down the baked goods that he'd concocted, leaving it up to the familiars to inspect and do what they pleased with.

NPC:

The intricately marked wolf brought baked goods- honest to god baked goods. It was such a refreshing gift that the god thought to come alive just to eat it right then and there. She tried not to, she really did. It would be a little rude, though, to not gave some. Perhaps just a little taste...

In one fell swoop, the statue unhinges its jaw and eats the entire assortment before returning back to its stone form, some crumbs on its maw, which has rehinged.

Later you fine an item with some fresh crumbs on it and know immediately who it must be from.

You have received:

Xtra Shrink Potion

Staff: note when claimed

Something Strange Happens:

You dream that night of home, and realize the statue wolf is among them. Everyone seems happy, and when you awaken, you remember something from your home that you had nearly forgotten.

You gain 89 skill points of your choice.

Staff: note when claimed