After everything that happened, Astraios needed a minute to get away. To step away from the pack lands and think about the direction his life was taking. He had never intended to remain in this pack for long. Just until he had the strength to win his freedom, nothing more, nothing less. Delphi had already thrown a cog into the wheel. Befriending her had shifted his plans, piece by piece.

Bylgja sudden and unexpected acceptance. Her… request to adopt him. Everything had shifted more dramatically. Suddenly, within Heiðinn held far more appeal than without. He could feel his chance at freedom slipping away. But was it really such a terrible thing? He didn’t know. Everything his mother had taught him… was it all lies?


"Speech"

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

He wasn’t about to cry or anything, but he also hadn’t exactly been expecting company. He blinked a couple times in surprise at the wolves. They were on pack territory, but somehow they looked as if they belonged. Did Vidarr know they were there? He let his eyes roam from one wolf to the next, tilting his head in surprise and more than a little curiosity.

For the moment, at least, his worries were forgotten. It took him a moment to realise the wolves were waiting for something. Each wolf stood with expectation, and he paused, caught by indecision. Was this a test? Did this mean something? In the end, he turned his eyes to the white wolf. They seemed the least likely to cause him harm.

Choice: Easy route

"Speech"

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.

Astraios followed the pale wolf, and while he was certain he knew the lands around the Viking pack by now, he was surprised to realise he had no idea where he was. Blinking once more in surprise, he looked behind him, and then around. Trying to get his bearings, and realising he was hopelessly lost.

Unease started to creep through his limbs, and he glanced at the pale wolf again. Wondering if he had made a terrible mistake in following them. He swallowed, and looked at the tree they were indicating. He felt as if he needed to make a decision. Perhaps the only way out of this was to push on. He moved to rest his paws on the tree. He knew he was far too small to try to knock it over, so he attempted instead to hop up into it.

dexterity: climb up the tree.

"Speech"

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.

As Strai hopped up into the tall branches, he felt the world shift beneath him. For a moment, he felt his stomach climb into his throat, and then things seemed to settle. He hadn’t fallen, the tree had… shifted? He took a few small breaths, trying to calm the sudden racing of his heart.

Gathering his courage, he stepped through the door, and into the tree. It was huge inside, which seemed to make no sense to him. But he marvelled at the sights for a moment, before turning to look at his guide once more. His thoughts went to the viking gods his parents had told him about. Did this wolf match any of their descriptions?

After a moment's thought, he took the most direct path. He figured he could climb those mushrooms, they had a wide flat surface and he was just a small wolf. He thought they could take his weight.

Strength: Climb up the mushrooms


"Speech"

You begin to maneuver up the vines, finding small knotted pockets to place your paws. It's hard work, and you slip more than once, but you continue at it.

Before you know it, you reach the top where you are greeted by your guide, who took an elevator of some sort. You also find 82 Gems!

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.

Huffing and puffing, Strai manages to pull himself up the vines. He was lucky his paws were so small, or his might have been a lot more difficult. When he reached the top, he took a moment to catch his breath, laying his stomach down on the surface for a moment. He didn’t have a fear of heights, but the climb had still been intimidating. When his guide appeared, having taken some mysterious and easier path, he glared at them.

Shaking his head, he climbed back to his paws to see what new surprises awaited him. What he found was a spider, and some sort of family in the webbing. Usually, his style would be to dive head first in, but he felt like he was missing a lot of context. This whole thing felt like it had the paw of the gods in it. He refrained from being hasty, and decided to see if he could figure out what was going on.

Wisdom


"Speech"

You focus, pay attention, and... there! The faint thrumming and vibration in your paws. You know most spiders find their food by the vibrations of the web. If you can stop the vibrations you can calm her down.

While you contemplated, the guide was able to distract the spider enough for the family to get free. Once together, you talk to them.

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 newest 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.

He caught the vibration running across the ground and to his paws. This just be what had upset the spider. He tilted his head, trying to get a feel for it. Movement caught the corner of his eye, and he looked back up in time to see his guide rescue the family. 


They confirmed his hypnosis, that the vibrations were causing an issue. He had to admit, this was a very strange quest the gods had placed him on. Surely they didn't really mean this challenge for him? But the guide had fetched him. Him, of all wolves. He might be a grumpy, confused, young pup, but he wouldn't turn his back from the gods. 


So, that meant discovering the source of the vibrations, right? He really wished Delphi was here with him. Bickering with her would have chased away the worries and… fear, stirring in his gut. Onwards, before he lost his nerve.


Strength.

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: Greg. 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.

A giant worm really wasn't what he was expecting. Knowing its name was an even greater surprise to him. He knew beyond a doubt that the gods had placed its name inside his mind. But why? After a moment it came to him. Any warrior should know the name of his great adversary. This was why he was here.


He took in a few long breaths, slowing his heartbeat. Preparing himself for the battle ahead. He whispered a short prayer to the gods, and then charged in. Heading directly for the worm. "Fight me, Greg!" He yelled at the worm, hoping he could startle it with his unexpected knowledge of its name.


Strength

You launch at the beast, the guide at your side. The two of you struggle and fight the monstrosity. It's body feels armored beneath your fangs, but eventually it gives and the guide allows you the killing blow.

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:
- Dire wolf character pass (for defeating Greg) [ALREADY GIVEN OUT, 1/16 - nyx]
- Item reward from Stage 4 (to be revealed)
- 82 Gems from Stage 2

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...

• 82 Gems
  
• Regular Shaped Marking pass
  
• Amethyst Mask
  
• Dire wolf character pass
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Nothing!