Witch's Hut (Cairo II)
Bri
You may choose up to one companion and one accessory to take through the swamp. There is great risk involved to all that you bring along as well as your chosen character, though you may find there will also be equally great benefit.
Any rewards gained in your adventure will be account bound and therefore not tradeable. A handful of the benefits will be for the character you bring only.
Your choice in character, companion, and accessory will impact your story. Different attributes and aspects of your character, companion, and accessory will provide risks or benefits depending on the various encounters, and where one wolf would fail a situation another wolf might pass it with ease.
As the story progresses, encounters will become riskier though you can choose to abandon the adventure at any time. If you choose to remain, you do so understanding the risks!
Cairo has the option to choose one of his companions and one of his accessories, please mention in your reply what you may be bringing along.
Lets begin!
You enter through the low hanging fog into the Corpseghoul Swamplands. Ahead of you lies a large pond surrounded on all sides by boggy and mucky terrain. Frogs in the distance occasionally bellow out an ominous croak (and if you listen closely it sounds a little like "muuuuuurDER." Creepy.)
To move onward towards the Witches Hollow you must go deeper, but how will you overcome the swamp?
- The pond appears to be deep, and the water is so murky that you can’t tell what lies in wait beneath. There’s gross foliage that might make swimming it difficult, though a larger wolf may be lucky enough to be able to touch the bottom. Do you choose to brave the water?
- The terrain surrounding the water is gross, mucky, and squishy when tested with a paw. There is better visibility through this way, though there is the possibility that the ground may not hold your weight at all. Boggy foliage and obstacles are strewn about, that you’ll need to go around, under, or atop. Will you risk the potentially unsteady ground beneath your paws?
- SKILL LOCKED: You do not meet the requirements for this path.
Weaponsmaster
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Cairo had ventured eastward, wanting to move. Chrystal flew above him and beside him Enito padded along. They traveled in silence, Cai’s eyes scanning the eerie swamp. So far they’d been able to pick dry paths, but ahead, Cai saw an issue. Having his bracers on might not be a good idea.
He bent, pulling them off. “Chrys, could you stay out here with these?” The barn owl gave him a look with those pale silver eyes but nodded. She could fly to a branch with the bracers and escape danger if need be. Enito was grounded for the most part, and more use on the ground if there was a croc out there.
The Mandrill found a sapling and hacked at it with a sharp stone, breaking it off into a long staff and cutting the end.
Leaving Chrystal watching behind, Cairo moved forward carefully, Enito just head and prodding the water with the stick to check the depth.
Cairo brings Enito, large companion, and his main armor (leather torso armor) on the adventure.
Cairo Chooses to swim.
Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think |
In a surprising turn of events, the pond's depth is unable to reach high enough past your shoulders to force you to swim it after all. You are able to carefully make your way through with your paws upon the ground, feeling creatures brushing past your legs but free from the sting of their bite. As you come back out of the water at the other side, you see some shiny things are clinging to your coat. Weird. They come off easily with a shake, clinking against the ground.[/b]
[Cairo has found 74 gems!]
Further into the swamplands sits a decayed, broken down cottage. The roof appears to have collapsed long ago, and it appears as if no one has been here for quite some time. Jars, broken glass, and beakers lay strewn about the floor covered in a thick layer of dust and grime. Only three items within the hut appear to have been disturbed recently, and your attention is drawn inexplicably towards them.
In the far corner of the room is a package of fresh, aromatic meat. Upon a hook on the wall beside you a gourd full of paint hangs from a thin string. Lastly, a mysterious corked vial of a crystal clear liquid sits alone in a tray on a nearby shelf. Beside the door you see as a small pouch that can fit one of these items snugly.
The cottage is eerily silent and outside the sun is beginning to set. You cannot stay long, though you have time to take something on your way out.
Your response at this part of the adventure will have great potential impact later in the story. It is not multiple choice, though multiple choices lay before you. Make your choice in character and write your wolf attempting their exit.
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It was a slogging, wet few minutes, and Cairo was pretty sure he felt things brushing against his legs under the water, but it proved not to be too deep as long as he followed Enito’s chosen path. He came to the far shore, dripping, shaking out his coat and armor before he pressed on, noting that the Mandrill kept the sapling.
They came to as top as a structure came into sight, and Cairo’s eyes swept over it in a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. It looked like something left behind by the long-gone Human race, and Enito muttered as much.
Still, curiosity won out over the caution, and Cairo padded forward. He stayed light on his toes as he peered in through the door, taking in the sights once his eyes adjusted to the dank shadows within. It seemed mostly abandoned, though he could smell, at the very least, traces of vermin. Likely rats.
He studied the objects that stood out most, glancing to Enito, who shrugged. “The vial could be useful for Paladin’s concoctions… you could store honey in it once the original liquid’s been used… The meat would only be useful for the time it takes to eat it, and you’ve already got travel provisions.”
The logic was sound, though Cai added privately to himself that the kids would probably love to make a mess with that gourd of what looked like paint. But in the long run, the vial might be more useful.
Cairo rose on his back paws and gently plucked the vial from the shelves, and Enito spotted a pouch by the door and retrieved it, dropping the vial into it as Cairo offered it to him.
It was getting dark out, and Cairo didn’t think he relished the idea of staying here overnight while Chrystal worried for them, so he turned for the door, moving to leave.
Cairo chooses the Vial
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Luck is not with you today. As you reach for the vial, a thick wooden carving falls off of the highest shelving and lands heavily upon the side of your skull. It didn't appear to cause any damage, but you have lost a significant chunk of your confidence. How odd. If you are to take a glance down at the object in question, it appears to have been a chunk of wood masterly carved into the shape of a witch's hat. Hmm. Regardless, you and your pouch and your vial make it out of the house still in one piece.
[Cairo lost 5 hunting points]
Deeper through the marshes you notice a faint glowing, and are inexplicably compelled to follow it. The trees and reeds open up to a pool of clean, clear water that seems out of place in the gross boggy swamp. Bathing within it are tadpoles, hatchling snakes, and other various baby animals.
(UNLOCKED) The vial in your sack glows brightly as you approach, and the cluster of critters turn to gape in awe. One juvenile monkey springs out from the fountain and before you have time to react, steals the vial from under your nose. He flees back to the water and unceremoniously upends the vial into the water, bringing a chorus of cheers from the animals who have made it their home.
You may stop for a moment and investigate, though you cannot stay long and must continue forward before the night grows too dark.
- Your thirst is calling to you. There are many other bodies of water to satiate it nearby, though something about the strange water is enticing. Do you take the chance to drink from the fountain?
- You would not be the first wolf to worry about ingesting something so odd and unnatural, though some part of you knows the water’s importance. Do you take a moment to soak in the fountain rather than drink from it?
- If you are exceptionally cautious you might decide against having anything to do with the unnatural pond. You may leave without any part of it touching you, if that is what you wish.
- SKILL LOCKED: You do not meet the requirements for this path.
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Cai gave a startled grunt as the carving clocked him, rubbing the point of impact with a foreleg and giving the carving a reproving look. It’d caught him off guard, but luckily, it’d drawn no blood. He’d just have a bruise at most. It was a curious shape, but he decided to just leave the hut at that point.
He padded from the hut, realizing that it’d gotten darker than he expected—perhaps the swamp just made things feel grim and foreboding. But through the trees, he spotted a glow, and thought, at first, that it might be Aurielle, out on a diplomatic trip. But as he drew close enough to see, Enito cautiously following him, stick at the ready, they came upon a pool.
Cairo stared at the occupants with mild fascination. They were all young, it seemed. He hadn’t noticed the vial’s glow peering from the pouch it was in, but the creatures had, and before he knew it, the vial had been swiped by a young monkey. “Oi!”
Enito missed the hooligan by a hair with a crack of his sapling, and Cai stared at the monkey with a slightly indignant huff as it upended the vial in the pool. “Could I at least have the vial itself back, possibly?”
He wasn’t so upset about the contents, seeing as he’d had no idea what the stuff was in the first place, but the container was still something useful. Shaking his head, he padded closer to the pool and gazed into it, head cocking. There were tadpoles, newborn snakes, and all manner of other infant creatures just lounging in the water. He tipped his head to Enito, quipping, “This is both unnerving and kind of adorable… Think if I hopped in with them, I’d be a pup again? Relive my pup-hood without the colds?”
Enito, eyeing the water, squinted at Cairo dubiously. “If that happened, I’d have to lug you home in my arms, with your armor. You’d better hope that’s not what happens.”
Cairo chuckled softly, shaking his head, then took the plunge and stepped carefully into the pool, gently shooing tadpoles and hatchlings out of his path and settling down into the water.
Cairo Chooses to have a bath. Enito is a smart monkeymonkmonk and stays outside.
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Mere moments after the water touches your fur, you feel every muscle within your body begin to relax. The temperature is perfect, and it's almost as if herbs of all kinds have been mixed into the crystal clear waters to bring from it a gentle, soothing scent. From the top of your head down to your toes and tail a warmth begins to spread, and while you can't identify anything specific that the fountains have done to you, it's unmistakable that they've had an effect on something.
[Cairo has received two [REDACTED] prizes, both which will be revealed and awarded when the adventure is either completed or abandoned early.]
Journeying deeper, you encounter a bog of all types of sentient plants as wide as the eye can see. Their herbaceous mouths hang open, and they appear to be waiting for an unaware creature to brush by and fall victim to its fast-shutting clasp. You watch in awe as one particularly large one snaps an unaware eagle right out of the air. You must get past them, but how?
- These dudes look hungry and unlike anything you’ve ever seen but you need to get past them somehow. If you are quiet and appear unappetizing, perhaps you can wander carefully by without drawing their attention.
- If you believe you may appear too tantalizing for the carnivorous plants to ignore, you could try your luck with speed instead. As scary as the field of plants may be, they are rooted to the ground and cannot chase you if they miss their first bite.
- SKILL LOCKED: You do not meet the requirements for this path.
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Despite Enito’s dubious stance on the whole bathing in strange, glowing waters, Cairo just about melted as warmth spread through him. The scent and the sensation felt like his mind was clear and he suddenly realized just how much tension had been knotting him up. Sadly, he couldn’t remain long, and Enito’s pointed look prodded him to rise, nodding to the youthful creatures in farewell as he padded from the pool, careful to avoid stepping on tadpoles and snakes and other water creatures.
“Well, I’m not a pup anymore… but I feel better than I have for a bit…”
Enito rolled his eyes with a shrug, patting the large man’s shoulder. “Let’s hope that it doesn’t wear off and you wake up in the morning with a third set of legs or something.”
Cai snorted as they continued on, then stopped short, staring ahead. “Uh… Nito? Is it possible for plants to … eat wolves?”
The Mandrill looked up from prodding the boggy ground with his sapling, just in time to watch an eagle get snapped up by a carnivorous plant with a gruesome screech. “… Answer… probably yes.”
Cairo stared ahead, then glanced around, but there were only two ways to go. Straight ahead, or back the way they’d come. Maybe they only reacted to fast movements… He studied the plants, noting they were firmly rooted. “Sneak or run, Enito?”
”What?”
"Sneak or run through them?” The Mandrill stared at him. “Is there a third option?”
Cairo grinned and snatched the monkey up, tossing him on his back and bolting forward, running as fast as he could go through the clearest path, yelling out in an almost joking scream. Enito’s yell of annoyance was much less joking.
“Dog I am so going to crack you over the head with this sapling so help me!”
Cairo chooses to run through!
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You bolt with as much speed as you can muster, but only a few strides into the deadly field you lose your footing over a stray porcupine who was also sprinting for his life. The shock of pain from his quills bring you down, and the plants surrounding you begin to eagerly arch their stems down towards you. Their acidic saliva drips down upon your armor and as you move to stand, they tear the remainder of the accessory off your torso. You're able to flee while they're busy devouring the remainder of the leather, and can only thank the Gods that you and your companion made it away unharmed.
[Cairo has lost his armor ]
An angry, oversized bullfrog with long, serrated claws and saber fangs stands in your way and lets out a bellowing, menacing croak. It stands upon a pile of bones three times it’s height and looks prepared to add your skull to it's collection.
- A bullfrog can’t have been the worst thing you’ve fought or seen others fight, surely it is a winnable battle. You may choose to stand your ground and enter combat with the frog but be warned, he’s a more formidable opponent than he looks.
- Sometimes power comes in small packages, and you are not willing to underestimate this particular opponent. While you may not be willing to put tooth and claw against him, there’s always the chance you can outrun him.
- SKILL LOCKED: You do not meet the requirements for this path.
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Alright, so running was not the best plan. For a second, he thought Aoife must have been out here, and that panicked him more than the actual pain or the plants as he went tumbling, throwing a very lucky Mandrill free, still clinging resolutely to his sapling and screeching like a demon.
Cairo had scrambled to his paws, hardly aware of the plants attacking, only to see a damned real porcupine instead of a lost little pup. He barely had a chance to heave a sigh of relief before his armor was jerked free of acid-weakened straps. Well there went his supplies, but it was better than his life or a pup, or—
As he bounded out of range, Enito cracked him one on the crown of his skull with the sapling. “That could have been me, you dolt!”
The Mandrill was shaking visibly, either with fury or terror. Cairo was about to answer when an ominously large croak interrupted him, and completely obliterated his train of thought as he stared at this bullfrog. “Uh.. he has claws. And fangs.”
He frowned, hackles rising over his back as he studied the creature. Normally, frogs didn’t worry him. They could be quite tasty, in fact. However, this frog didn’t look like something he’d want to eat if he killed it. And judging by the pile of bones it sat on like a throne, it was a good fighter.
Apparently, if it had been fear that set Enito to trembling, it had crystalized into rage, because it was the monkey who acted impulsively this time, aiming a fresh, much more vicious crack of the sapling for the frog’s head.
Cairo had little choice but to launch himself in after the monkey, taking aim at the flank of the creature to hopefully distract it and keep it from adding a monkey skull to the pile. Armor he could remake, and even better at that, but there was no other Enito in the world.
Cairo chooses to Fight
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You and your companion advance on the frog ready to do battle. He digs his claws into the pile of bones and bellows a load threatening croak, preparing to spring. Suddenly he pauses, looking up at the sky and it seems like he's listening to someone.. or something. He lets out a quiet croak of argument that is cut off as he poofs into smoke. It appears the witch has need of her bodyguard for something else, and you've been spared the pain of facing off against him. Maybe you tell yourself it was because you were too damn terrifying for him to possibly consider fighting, maybe not. Either way you feel way more confident then when you came in.
[Cairo has gained 30 hunting skill points ]
In a flash of sizzling smoke and mist, an old crone apparates. Stooped in posture, she outstretches an arm in your direction, pointing a knobby finger right at you. "You stole my vial and used my bathwater!" She accuses, spittle flinging from her dry, thin lips. Her speech continues in a language unintelligible to you, though it occurs to you that it sounds a heck of a lot like a curse!
- You have only a few moments before her chanting is complete, and without any idea what exactly the witch has in store for you, perhaps you should take this opportunity to run for it!
- For all you know her curse doesn’t require line-of-sight, you might not be free from it even if you flee successfully. Would you like to instead try to explain yourself, reason with her and apologize?
- SKILL LOCKED PATH UNLOCKED: Your life of combat has prepared you for this moment, and this witch is not the only scary beast you've encountered. You may attempt instead to battle her, though be warned she may be the hardest foe you've ever faced!
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”HA!” Enito screeched as the frog started to dig, and Cairo aimed to chomp on the creature’s leg, but his teeth clacked together on… nothing. The frog had vanished. Like. Literally disappeared. Poof. Gone.
A flash and a shriek of accusation sent him scrambling backward to face… “What are you?!"
He hadn’t meant to yelp the words aloud, but he’d never in his three years seen a creature quite like this one. Bathwater? Vial? That was about all he really understood, the rest was a babble of… his hackles fluffed out… in fact, he was pretty sure his whole hide had just electrified, every hair standing on end at the same time Enito aimed a fresh volley of swings and aimed thwacks with his sapling stave.
Cairo tried to grab him back, but had to duck under the sapling as the angry Mandrill charged. Shit, who’d have thought the male had such a damned reckless temper.
“Sorry, lady, but—“ He dove in after the Mandrill, hoping to knock the Mandrill over before the monkey’s much more damaging smacks with the stick could really reach her, and took several thumps from his own friend’s staff before he managed to sit on the monkey and look sheepishly at the crone.
“Um. He has a temper. I’m truly sorry about the vial and the bath. But… what are you? How do we get out?”
Beneath him, the monkey fumed and wriggled.
Cairo chooses peace.
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The witch watches as your companion lunges, her pale and wrinkled hand twisting towards him ready to retaliate. You threw yourself upon him just in time and the Witch's lip curls downwards in a frown. A fight would have been fun, but she leans backwards to listen to your offered apology regardless. As you speak she begins to slowly levitate, crossing her legs in midair and looking rather disinterested.
"You." She begins as your speech finishes, ignoring your question and jabbing a thin finger in your direction. "You bore me. Lucky for you, that thing does not." Her finger slides from gesturing to your face down towards the companion beneath you. "I almost want to keep him, he'd make a fine battle-toad to add to my collection." The witch makes a show of thinking hard, stroking her boney chin with her long fingers. "No, I think not."
A faint glowing appears beneath the witch's crusty fingernails, spreading onto her palms and along her arms. "I have a gift for you little friend." It appears she's done speaking to you, more willing to do business with your familiar. "And if you decide to return I'd welcome you happy into my army." With a wave of her hand the light shines down upon the mandrill, and you find his struggling has ceased. When he wakes up he will be changed, how fun! "Now you, dog, get out of my swamp!" A sharp crack and a 'poof' and the witch is gone, though you can still feel her eyes upon you as you head for home.
[Cairo's mandrill Enito has received a [companion mutation pass!]]
Cairo received a total of 5 rewards and 2 punishments.
1 reward is 30 hunting skill points
1 reward is 74 gems
1 reward is a companion mutation pass!
1 reward is [REDACTED] and to keep things mysterious for other players still deciding their paths, will be revealed closer to the adventure deadline.
1 reward is [REDACTED] and to keep things mysterious for other players still deciding their paths, will be revealed closer to the adventure deadline.
1 punishment is lost 5 hunting points
1 punishment is the loss of his armor accessory
Thank you for your participation!
- Your Event Staff writer