The dark-furred coyote enjoyed the forest both for the ample food supply and how it blunted the worst of the blizzard he’d dealt with in the open.  Nico wasn’t picky, almost anything was on the potential meal list.  The coyote was merrily roaming the forest, tossing a rat carcass in the air, catching it, and tossing it up in the air again.  No reason food couldn’t also be used as a toy.

The coyote had a simple outlook on life.  Every day was about having fun with little concern for yesterday or overly far into the future.  The young coyote had lost sight of his bird friends while hunting but he was bound to run into them again eventually.  

"Niko"

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

The sight of these three wolfdogs showing up was enough to have Nico stop his games, catching the rat corpse in his mouth and considering the three.  None of them showed signs of aggression and in fact, they were kind of a strange bunch.  Surely they were together and yet their emotions seemed to be on completely different wavelengths. They probably weren’t very good friends if one could seem so happy while another looked sad.  

Nico considered the lot before glancing to the dark one.  Nico started to speak then seemed to recall the rat in his mouth.  The bedraggled corpse disappeared with a few large chomps.  “Hey friend, I’m Nico.  What’s going on?  You want something?”

Nico chooses the hard route.
(Bring it!)

"Niko"

The grumpy wolf's brow relaxes just slightly when you choose him, though he doesn't return your greeting. 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 fog was a surprise and Nico slowed his steps.  Not being able to see or smell anything around a stranger potentially stronger and faster than you wasn’t the best scenario.  The ground started to feel different than he recalled it feeling and the coyote started thinking something was wrong. Could he trust this guide?

Then the sulphur scent came to his nose, scrunching it up in surprise he was about to take another step when the guide stopped him.  “huh? Wha…?” Then Nico looked down, taking an extra half-step back as realization dawned on him.  “oh, thanks!”  Wow – wait until he told all his friends about this.  Curiosity gnawed at him to see wht else was ahead.

Nico followed the guide’s motion to the bridge, “perfect!  Lets go!” Nico didn’t bother worrying about what could go wrong and quickly darted to the bridge.  Going slow was a practical idea but not one for Nico.  The coyote was focused on his balance and made his way forward.  He stayed aware of where he was setting his weight even as his mind tried to guess where this would lead.  The other guy was coming, right?  No time to turn your head and check now though.

Choosing dexterity

"Niko"

You gingerly step onto the bridge, balancing your weight. The bridge creaks and sways slightly. You inch your way across and the guide follows you. After what seems like eons, you make it across the bridge and the guide leads you into the shelter of the cave ahead. Before you enter, you also scoop up 156 Gems.

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.

Hey hey! That had worked well!  The bridge wasn’t so bad as long as you were careful apparently.  Of course, Nico always was light on his feet, at least in his own belief!  Nico didn’t bother thinking about it much, instead excitedly looking at the shiny rocks he found.  Oh, his bird friends would absolutely love them.

There was more to see though!  No time to play with the shiny rocks he found and instead looked to the walls and lave all about.  Moving near a wall Nico watched a trickle of lava sliding along.  Nico wished he could safely touch the lava but he wasn’t so crazy as to actually do so.  It just had an exotic beauty to it.

Okay, back to focusing on how to get from one end of the room to the other.  His gaze went back to the silent guide. “I don’t suppose you plan to tell me your name or, you know, talk at all?” Considering he’d been quiet so far Nico wasn’t really expecting an answer.  

Nico looked at the wall, spotting an edge he could walk across.  It was narrow but Nico wasn’t overly worried.  Confidence in himself was one thing Nico didn’t lack.  The coyote leaped up to the edge, moving to cross from one end to the other.  Lowering his head to be even with his shoulders he focused in front of him as he moved forward, occasionally pausing to glance below in curiosity at the scenery.  

Dexterity - taking the thin ledge

"Niko"

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 ankle. 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

Nico shrieks as the lava hits his ankle.  Suddenly his scrambling became more blind to escape pain than strategically planned.  Between the guide's help, instinct, and dumb luck he somehow made it to the other side all the same.  Whew.
This was fun or it had been fun.  Nico sniffled looking at his injured ankle, squeezing back tears that were in his eyes.  

Suddenly lava no longer looked pretty, it looked dangerous.  It was as dangerous as any deadly snake looking to strike.  
Nico looked back behind him and thought of attempting to get back across and just leaving.  Maybe the bridge would have been smarter after all.  His gaze ended up locked in the lava and he cringed, turning his head to look ahead again.

Nico still wanted to cross but he didn’t want to be so reckless.  Pain is a good teacher.  Sniffling back his focus away from pain and to the task at hand, Nico pondered the best option.  His injured leg was a hindrance in any really physical task.  Considering failure could end in a very painful death he shouldn’t ignore his limited abilities.

Nico finally settled on trying to make himself a path.  Nico would take time and go slowly.  He’d work at getting rope and boards from the bridges he’d just passed by to use to make a path forward to the opposite side.

Choosing Wisdom – Build a bridge

"Niko"

You decide that building a bridge across is your best bet. Gathering materials from the other room, you get to building, only stopping once you're sure the bridge is sturdy.

You begin to make your way across, though when you're nearly at the other side you feel the materials begin to splinter and crack beneath you. You try to scramble to the other side, but you feel yourself falling...

All you remember is the hot blazing heat and then... cool darkness. You awake outside of the chasm on a smooth, flat rock.

A familiar form kneels beside you, tending your wounds. It takes several blurry moments to realize this is not your guide, but a cluster of fireflies in a cloak the same color as your guide's fur. Your injuries are blindingly painful, but you will live; you can tell somehow by the way the fireflies buzz around you. One in particular will stand out, a deep, ugly wound that lies across your left neck, that will leave an impressive scar (about 6 inches long). You feel less knowledgeable at having gone on that adventure as well, losing 30 Hunting 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...

• 156 Gems
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Medium scar - right front ankle
  
• Major wound - left neck.
  
• -30 hunting skill points