Battle not with monsters;
Lest ye become a monster!

Lost again, where was she trying to go? Where was Preacher? She had to find him. He had to be around here somewhere, no way she could have lost him and herself at the same time. Where was she? It was pretty here, but not as pretty as it could be if her brother was with her. In the winter the willow branches were only long, flexible sticks that came down to make barely hidden coves. Sullen, hungry and a little on the angry side, Creature made her way through the trees. She hadn't found a suitable place to stop and eat, her mouth full with a tiny sprite of a wolf who had gotten too mouthy for their size.

It was late in the evening when she finally stopped, the thicker branches of a willow tree concealing her and her meal. Where was her brother? With a growl she set the wolf down, laying down around it like a lioness guarding her meal. The little white wolf hadn't stood a chance against the larger and stronger Creature, falling victim to the cannibal.

Creature made sure there was no one around her before she set about skinning the wolf between her paws. This one she didn't care if she tore it apart, it was full of holes and tears anyway from the way she had killed the poor sprite. Once that dark deed was done, Creature stripped a large bit of meat from the poor soul's haunches and chewed happily and noisily. No one else was around, so she didn't have to conceal her crime. Or so she thought...

Word count: 432 words. || "Talk." || 'Think.' || 'Hear.'

Note: For Halloween 2023

ART

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

Battle not with monsters;
Lest ye become a monster!

The sound of someone approaching caught her ears, causing them to perk up as her head sharply rose to lay crimson eyes on three figures before her. Growling at their sudden appearance, Creature rose to hover over her spritely meal in a protective fashion. This was her meal and she would defend it. Looking between the three beings, Creature could see they were waiting for something from her. What did they want if not her ghastly dinner? One seemed overly happy for what she witnessed, one seemed appropriately sad, and the other with the furrowed brow seemed as if she were taking too long to make a decision.

Without a word to them, Creature took a step towards the angry-looking male, wondering if she should leave her meal or keep it for later. She could always come back for it if she didn't get even more lost than she was already. Motioning for the male to show her whatever it was he wished to show her, Creature made her way to follow him.

Word count: 173 words. || "Talk." || 'Think.' || 'Hear.'

Note: Creature chooses the hard route!

ART

The grumpy wolf's brow relaxes just slightly when you choose him. 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.

Battle not with monsters;
Lest ye become a monster!

The male seemed to relax a bit as Creature followed him, though a growing unease began to creep in on the monochromatic demon. That unease grew as a cloud of heavy smoke poured in from somewhere close by, choking Creature and stinging her eyes so badly they watered and drained down her cheeks. Blinking rapidly against the smoke and coughing, Creature barely managed to keep up with the dark stranger. Soon enough the smoke cleared, but another suffocating force rolled in. Rotten egg filled the air, sulfur was present. moving on, Creature made to take a step forward, but the Borzoi pulled her back. Forcing the tears from her eyes, Creature could see now there was a cliff that led to a very deep chasm below. She could have fallen to her death and then been instantly cremated, for at the bottom of the chasm lay a river of bubbling lava. Looking to her guide, those blood-red eyes seemed to say thank you but she would never utter the phrase out loud.

He said nothing in return, only motioned to what appeared to be a bridge and not a very stable one at that. On the other side of the bridge, there was a cave opening, and Creature wondered why the male was leading her there. This time, she let curiosity win, but she would not be stepping on that rickety bridge first. Motioning for the guide to go first, Creature waves her paw. It would be easier for her if she could see the way across rather than hoping she didn't fall. He had led the way so far, so Creature assumed he would lead her across the bridge as well.

Word count: 282 words. || "Talk." || 'Think.' || 'Hear.'

Note: Choosing charisma, let the guide go first.

ART

You motion for the guide to go first and he doesn't budge. For a long while there is silence, then he is behind you. He pushes you forward, onto the bridge and blocking your way out. The bridge swings and creaks awfully. He pushes you across, scruffing you and dragging you if he must before he deposits you on the other side of the bridge and walks into the cave, not waiting for you to follow.

In the struggle, you scrape your the outer side of your back right leg. It bleeds a little, but will heal just fine.

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 is 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.

Battle not with monsters;
Lest ye become a monster!

Creature waited for the dark, green-eyed stranger to lead the way but he didn't budge. Instead, he moved so fast Creature couldn't follow his motions and was behind her before she could blink. He pushed her, and while Creature fought with everything she had, he managed to drag her all the way across the bridge. She scraped her back right leg in the process, but it was only a scratch. Unceremoniously, the dark stranger deposited her and then walked into the cave. Creature let her curiosity win over going back across that bridge again.

Following the strange wolf into the cave, she is met by pools of hot lava everywhere, and several ways across them. It does not take Creature long to take the wooden bridges this time, as they seemed to be the surest way across all this lava. She could tell she needed to get to the other side of this room, something called to her this way.

Word count: 160 words. || "Talk." || 'Think.' || 'Hear.'

Note: Creature takes the bridges!

ART

You decide to use the bridges. They seem to have stood the test of time, being singed here and there. They're easy to cross, and you progress steadily until one snaps out from under you. 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 the outer side of your left back leg. 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

Battle not with monsters;
Lest ye become a monster!

Everything was going smoothly until she heard a snap from beneath her paws. Scrambling to the other side before she could fall into the lava, she barely managed to make it across. The guide had helped her at the last minute, pulling her up as she scraped at the rocks with her claws. Before she could make it up, some of the lava bubbles and jumps up to splash her leg. Yelping and giving a sound somewhere between a roar and a scream, Creature lays there for a while trying to get the lava off of her without burning more of herself. When she finished, there was a large patch of branded skin that had lost its hair. Hair that would probably never grow back. Still, she forced herself to her paws, though her hind leg burned like holy hell and twitched from the pain. Red eyes scan the room she had barely reached, trying to find a way out of the cave. A large flat rock seemed to beckon her, its surface so smooth it seemed as if one could slide across it. Something about this stone called to her, something felt important about it and she tried to find a way over to it. There was a sizeable gap between her and the rock, filled with more lava, and she needed a way across. Looking to her guide she waited, her stare going into the glowing green of his. He would show her how he had to know. She tried again to be persuasive, "You go first." She said with a smile, trying her best to tell him what she wanted.

Word count: 273 words. || "Talk." || 'Think.' || 'Hear.'

Note: Choosing charisma again, let's see how it goes lol!

ART

You blink.

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 hip, that will leave an impressive scar (about 6 inches long). You feel less knowledgeable at having gone on that adventure as well, losing 10 Fighting 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...

• No things here.
  

You Lost These Along the Way...

• Minor injury - right back outer leg
  
• Medium scar - outer left back leg
  
• Major Scar - left hip
  
• -10 Fighting skill points